How does Mac Mini 2.0 compare with an iMac 2.0?

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Heya, I am looking at getting a Mac Mini really soon, and I just have a few questions:

I am looking into getting the Mac Mini for everyday use, email/movies/chat/music/surf/school essays, etc... Is the Mac Mini @ 2.0GHz sufficient for this? I was contemplating whether I should just get the 2.0 20" iMac and get the screen/mouse/keyboard along with it. But the only problem with doing that is, I cannot connect my current TJ07 system to the monitor if needed to. The integrated video on the mini isnt bothering me as much, but as long as I can leopard very smoothly without any problems, then I dont mind.

I would like the Mac Mini because I can still get to keep my current monitor.

If the 2.0GHz mini is sufficient, how about the 1.8GHz version? Should I add an extra 1GB of memory?

In essence, the last thing I want is a laggy system.
 
What's with the system in your sig? Gaming only?

If you got the money get the 2.0, but I don't think there would be a huge boost, especially what you need it for.

I'd probably want 2GB in it, if you feel like splitting it open and putting you own ram in it no problem... $150 for the 2gb is WAY over priced and I'd stay with 1GB if you don't want to upgrade it yourself. $40 for ram, gotta split it open, and probably voids warranty .
 
The rig in my sig is mainly for school. Since I don't go back to school for another few more month, my rig won't be used to it's potential. So I'm looking at the mac mini to take over my current rig until school starts again. Besides, I've always wanted a mac. I rarely play games.
 
Why not get a macbook so you have a notebook that you can carry around with you and you can still have your desktop for if you want to game or anything?

Anyway I'd prob go with the imac if you are going to leave your desktop at home. That way both have monitors.
 
thefewtheproud said:
Wow thats quite a setup for school work. An 8800gt?
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I would have to agree...what do you use it for with all that power?


swatbat said:
Why not get a macbook so you have a notebook that you can carry around with you and you can still have your desktop for if you want to game or anything?

Anyway I'd prob go with the imac if you are going to leave your desktop at home. That way both have monitors.
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Also would have to agree with this. The Mini really is like a laptop in terms of power, so if you could swing it I would get a notebook and then you can have something useful at school and home.
 
thefewtheproud said:
Wow thats quite a setup for school work. An 8800gt?
Click to expand...

An 8800GTS to run two 20" monitors smoothly on Vista @ 1680x1050, Yes. Vista killed my 6600GT. I do heavy AutoCAD + 3D rendering + some photoshop. It was either that, or a quadro FX which costs 2-3 times as more, which would you choose?

swatbat said:
Why not get a macbook so you have a notebook that you can carry around with you and you can still have your desktop for if you want to game or anything?

Anyway I'd prob go with the imac if you are going to leave your desktop at home. That way both have monitors.
Click to expand...

Well, because I dont want to pay the premium for a monitor when I already have one [imac]. How it seems to me is that the mac mini 2.0 is bascially an imac 2.0 stripped of its monitor/keyboard/and mouse, and comes in a really really small package.

I'm not looking for a laptop because I already have one and is needed to run autocad, a friend of mine has the macbook pro, and has windows running in boot camp. In addition, she also has autoCAD 2008 running on it, and she hates it, because its too darn slow [with autocad running in XP in boot camp]. If I were to get a laptop, it needs to run autocad smoothly, which thankfully my current one does, even though its slow on some moments, its nothing like the slowness of autocad on a mac [from what i hear].

To clarify: the macbook pro does run autocad smoothly when using it for mild uses, but for its best use, the most expensive macbook pro is needed, and I dont have the budget for that atm.

The cheapest macbook pretty much has the same specs as the 2.0 mac mini. I'm sure the 1.8GHz is sufficient for everyday use. Besides, its $600, and comes with all I need it to come with, I can't carry 2 laptops around :p

From what I gather, the mac mini was created in order to give non-mac users a chance to try mac out. I have never had a mac for myself but I have used it and I like it (never used leopard, only tiger), so I thought maybe the mac mini is a good place to start? I might also want to upgrade the parts myself eventually as well, I've seen numourous sites posting that some where able to put in a T7600 (2.3GHz) into a mac mini as well as adding the extra 1GB on their own.

I was thinking to use the mac mini for low power use and every day stuff, and whenever I need my rig's power (which I wont for the next 4-5 months), i'd just use a KVM and switch over.

I might take a walk to my local apple store and check it out for myself...

Can you add photobooth to the mac mini?
 
For what you need it for, the mac mini should be perfect. I've had a 1.66 core duo with 1gb of ram for almost 2 years and it's been great for everything you listed. I use the internet, music, watch movies, make movies on imovie, write papers, all that kind of stuff. The only thing to stay away from is photoshop, it's pretty slow on this. Leopard runs faster than Tiger and I think I'll upgrade to 2gb of ram soon. So pretty much, as long as you get 2gb of ram you'll be fine.
 
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