I don't get it. What am I missing?

By the time you buy a display, you'll have more money in it than a base-model iMac, which is all one, nice, sleek unit, and it has higher performance specs.

7/4/2010 8:14:37 AM

I've always thought the mini was the runt - no one seems to like them, and for good reason.

The 3 we had at work before going to iMac's were pieces of junk. Slow as molasses, and ran deceptively hot. However when paired with a cheap monitor from sams club apparently we were saving money.

If I was to even consider buying one (and after working with mac products every day I definitely wouldn't) I'd hook it up to my TV. It would live out it's life as a marginally more efficient WDTV at 12x the cost.

My 2c, get the 24" or 26" iMac if you swing that way

(edit: get a model with a 7200rpm desktop drive or better. The mini laptop drives choked 'em - painfully evident when you were trying to multitask and you hear it grinding away processing the swap)

[Edited on July 4, 2010 at 8:26 AM. Reason : a]

7/4/2010 8:24:15 AM

I replaced my old windows desktop with one last year. Already had the monitor/keyboard/mouse. Didn't need a workhorse or anything super powerful, just something I could use as my main surfing/iTunes/dvd burning/dicking around machine. I was looking for something that I could leave on 24/7 and didn't take too much power. I don't think it's for everybody, but I'm happy with mine.

7/4/2010 8:32:41 AM

Small computer that can fit lots of different places you need computing power but not necessarily a display or where you already have a display. To my mind, it's a hobby computer, for MAME cabinets, media PC / DVR, or a self driving Lotus powered by 6 minis and a whole lot of expensive toys (http://www.insightracing.org/index3.html).

To be fair, these arguments would have held better had they managed to keep the price tag at the $500 it initially launched at.

[Edited on July 4, 2010 at 9:52 AM. Reason : fdgh]

7/4/2010 9:47:32 AM

Well, part of the pricing is to trick you into thinking, "gee, after spending $700 on the mini and nearly $200 for a decent display, plus a keyboard and a mouse, for just a little bit more I can get a nicer iMac!"

When they first came out they were $500, which would be a good price for the unit as it exists today, but back then they were shitty G4s (or whatever that processor was called -- I had one of the original units). Nowadays they're pretty capable machines but they jacked the price up $100 and then another $100 just recently. It's not as good of a value proposition as it used to be if you're just looking for a desktop...

However, they make for good HTPC units. Quiet, low energy usage, and similarly-sized and specced PCs cost nearly as much.

7/4/2010 11:33:34 AM

I use one of the Intel Dual Core's at work as my desktop PC. But I wiped that OSX shit out and installed Windows 7 on it. FTW!

7/5/2010 5:58:29 PM