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+--- Thread: Mac Mini or iMac? (/showthread.php?tid=88349)
Mac Mini or iMac? - Mac-A-Matic - 11-24-2009
Hope someone here can give me a little insight.
I need to buy a new machine for a new shop that I am building. I need the computer to do a variety of tasks such as:
- Checking/sending email
- Surfing the Internet
- Light Illustrator/Photoshop work
- MS Office work, i.e. Word and Excel
- Controlling store music via iTunes (constantly playing and maybe upwards of 60GB of music)
- Play videos (either mpeg or dvd discs) to an external LCD TV Monitor
- Running VMWare and Windows XP
- QuickBooks Pro 2008 (on WinXP)
- POS Back End Management (on WinXP)
Lately I've been considering the Mac Mini because of it's small form factor but since it starts at $600 for the most basic machine and I still need to buy a monitor, mouse and keyboard, (not to mention perhaps upgrading its' specs) I'm wondering if an iMac might be the better choice?
The Mac Mini configuration considering is a 2.26 Core2 Duo, 2GB RAM, 320GB HD, magic mouse, wireless keyboard for $817.00
Checking the apple website, there's an iMac 21.5 inch with 3.06GHz Core 2 Duo, 4GB RAM, with wireless keyboard and magic mouse for $1200.00.
Understandably, the iMac has better specs than the MacMini, but my question is what machine do I really need? I'd like to buy the right machine at the right price - that will handle my needs as well as being as small as necessary.
Thanks!
Re: Mac Mini or iMac? - AAA - 11-24-2009
If you visit sites with Flash, or watch YouTube videos, I'd wait for an Octo-core with 16 GB of memory.
Re: Mac Mini or iMac? - Grateful11 - 11-24-2009
AAA wrote:
If you visit sites with Flash, or watch YouTube videos, I'd wait for an Octo-core with 16 GB of memory.
Yeah but when will we see that in a Mini? It's usually the last one to get upgrades. 4 RAM slots in a Mini?
Re: Mac Mini or iMac? - anonymouse1 - 11-24-2009
Either will handle your needs.
If it were me, I'd look into a refurbed mini, as the best value for money.
Or you can pick up a refurbed 24" imac for $999 to $1,099.
That said, the iMac is a very, very sweet machine for the money.
Re: Mac Mini or iMac? - jdc - 11-24-2009
a mini, even with 2 gigs of ram, will do all that just fine
why a mac keyboard & MM? that $150 all by itself? you should be able to fine a microsoft or logitech mouse/keyboard combo for $40.
add an external drive for itunes, maybe a 120 gig IDE drive off CL for free and a $20 USB case?
ram is the only big expenditure, $100 for 4 gigs, and you can do it yourself
$579 for the mini at macconnection, no tax, free shipping.
you are going to want a cable like this to run it to a TV: http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=104&cp_id=10428&cs_id=1042802&p_id=5969&seq=1&format=2