Is the Mac mini a good simple home computer?

Question

What else can i do with it besides editing videos & photos? convince me pls, i'm considering a mac mini, but if i can't find much use for it i might as well go with a PC

Answer 1

You can hook it up to your TV and use it as a media centre, and you get free software for not only movies and photos, but also music (Garageband and iTunes) and websites (iWeb). Plus it's Unix so it doesn't crash. Plus it's not a PC so it doesn't get viruses and Trojans and malware. Plus it's easier to use. Plus you can use your existing keyboard and monitor with it. Plus - best of all if you use a PC - you can run Parallels Workstation software on it which means you get to run Mac OS X and Windows at the same time.

Answer 2

Okay I just have to get this out because the previous guy said it, Macs do crash, they are not magical perfect machines like the Mac people tell you, they do have problems on occasion.

Now as for what you can do besides editing and photos, well pretty much anything, except for gaming, that you can do with a PC, as long as you can find the right software. The reason people talk about editing videos and photos is because that is where Macs have an advantage, on the rest of the stuff it is pretty much equal, except as I said for gaming where the PC is the clear winner.

Here however is my problem with the Mac Mini, price, and more importantly what you get for that price. First take a look at the Mac Mini:http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/6314003/wo/us4sxLjJ6M0W3gsSw1jc5vDSrTK/2.?p=0 and then a Dell E521:http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&oc=DDCWBA3&s=dhs
The Dell is only $20 more, but it comes with a faster processor, twice as much RAM, a hard drive that is almost 3x bigger, keyboard and mouse, and a 19inch LCD (Mac Mini comes with no display, thats $700 extra). So to me, as far as what you get for the price, the Dell blows the Mac Mini away.

Answer 3

Hello viva_mi_razza,

The question is what do you want to do with your computer, and then go from there? Video, photos, iTunes, games (not as many as Windows, but with the new Intel processors, maybe more), some of the safest Internet web browsing that's out there. No viruses for the Mac OS X in the last six years.

I think that the latest MacPros are more powerful than the Mac Mini. If you ever want to update, upgrade, or add extra cards or chips you can get those easier for the towers.

I hope that this helps. Good luck.

--Rick

Answer 4

If you are used to a PC then i really wouldn't recommend getting a mac, it can do a lot with media with slower on other things like games, most websites should be compatable and you can get compatable versions of most programs, including java and instant messengers. Although mac's have a weird way of layout and another weird way of moving files and creating shortcuts and so on.. I personally would only recommend a mac if you were going to use it for media mainly, but it's your choice if you're comfortable with learning the new layout(and it's not just things are in different places.. controls are different, functions are different)

Answer 5

We, the college the place I artwork, has 12 of them, they're greater low value to get our hands on(in South Africa) and you do no longer ought to purchase apple products to artwork with them. this is an common transition for our pupils who're used to working with laptop. additionally the dimensions is sufficiently small to be out of ways as quickly as we ought to fasten them up over prolonged holiday trips. i assume we would fall under the those that choose mac mini.

Answer 6

a mac mini is a home pc, can run windows with boot camp

Answer 7

Yes, if you already have a keyboard, mouse and a monitor.
One thing you can do with a Mac mini.
http://www.macworld.com/2006/05/features/multimediamini/index.php

Answer 8

PC's are good for people with little imagination.

Answer 9

yes its great