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Overpriced??? $499 is overpriced? How much do you think it should cost? Hell, at $499, I was thinking about buying 4 of them to use as webheads with the 'real' computers doing the heavy lifting for me ala mysql and apache.

# posted by LRSE Hosting 11:14 AM

Overpriced??? $499 is overpriced? How much do you think it should cost? Hell, at $499, I was thinking about buying 4 of them to use as webheads with the 'real' computers doing the heavy lifting for me ala mysql and apache.

# posted by LRSE Hosting 11:19 AM

Clearly people who are used to spending $1000+ on a computer with a built-in monitor (here's my favorite iMac predecessor. Ran at 9600 baud with no problem: http://tinyurl.com/3zmzs).

How much should a case, power supply, motherboard, low-end processor, memory, CDROM and built-in video cost? $200-$300. Of course, the price is higher to get it in tangerine.

# posted by James 11:32 AM

It's been amusing to read the comments from the Mac fanboys this last week calling the mini everything from "Sexy to a "Technological masterpiece".

It might be an adequate notebook in terms of specs, but it is a very weak desktop machine. The truth is, Jobs could put "i" in front of absolutely anything and it would be hailed by many as a masterpiece.

# posted by Anonymous 11:33 AM

How about $399. For that you can get a a Dell 2400 with a 2.4GHz Celeron, 256MB RAM, 40GB HardDrive, 17inch CRT monitor, keyboard and mouse. That does include Windows XP home. Gateway has something similar, but with 80GB hard drive, and speakers - but the $399 Gateway is a post rebate price.
(Source ExtremeTech).

So you aren't really getting a great deal for your $499.

The Mac Mini may look cool, and it may be cheap compared to other Mac systems, but it is not a good deal.

-Perros-

# posted by Perros 12:40 PM

I agree. The price is lower than what you woudl expect from Apple but by the time you add in wireless support, memory, faster CPU, display and so on, it's just no bargain compared to the PC world.

# posted by Alice 12:46 PM

The Dell's memory is video+RAM for 256 meg total. The Dell doesn't come with wireless support or a CD/DVD drive that can burn either a CD or a DVD. The Dell doesn't come with a 1394 (firewire) interface. The Dell doesn't come with antivirus software.

The minimac has the firewire standard. Likewise the ability to burn CD's and it comes with Apple's video and photo software that allows anybody to plug in their video camera (1394 - firewire) and burn video CDs right out of the box. It also has iTunes and Garageband to go with iDVD, iMovie and iPhoto. If all a user wants is to play with their video camera or digital camera and make pretty "Ken Burns" slide-show CD's of the grand kids or a quick video birthday party with just about 0 training time....I think this is the box.

$499 + $70 for a monitor & keyboard and you're good to go. If all grandma & grandpa want is to update the PC they don't have to byt a new monitor & keyboard. With CUPS the minimac will print to just about every USB printer on the planet.

Turning to the geek - show me where else you can buy a 6.5x6.5x2 4.3 BSD box with a cd/dvd drive? That box could run a mail server for a small (closed) intranet without spending a penny more on software. Likewise that box could be the router/firewall for a more sophisticated network with a form factor that just can't be beat.

Oh, and Apple gives 1 year warranty out of the box to Dell's 90 days.

Seems as though the package has some significant niche uses - I'd say that the real question is: will Apple move enough units to make a dent in the wintel world?

# posted by Anonymous 5:24 PM

Um, isn't the entire point about the Mini that it is not a Wintel PC product? It's sort of dumb to try to compare the Mini to low-end, loss leader systems by the likes of Dell, HP, etc.

The Mini isn't an attempt to be like bargain-basement anorexics in the PC arena. It's a niche product aimed at first-time Mac buyers, people who need or want a subcompact system with almost no footprint, for hobbyists, designophiles, etc. It's functional and fun.

It's faster than most, if not all, Powerbooks - and that is pretty damn fast. Anyone who buys this system for massive CAD or heavy DV editing is plain stoopid. That's like running a Mini Cooper in a Daytona race - and then complaining that the Mini Cooper wouldn't/couldn't win. Duh. Different purpose all the way from the original drawing board to the production line and marketing geeks.

Personally, I think the Mini is a great attention grabber and another product that will sell very well and satisfy a lot of people. It's so not a controversial issue!

# posted by Jason in Oregon 5:43 PM

Anonymous, why don't you check out www.CappuccinoPC.com they offer a Pentium 4 system in 5.75" x 6.18" x 2.28" measurements, thats with a Cd drive etc. You can choose what to put in.

I was only trying to point out that while the Mac Mini may be cheap for a Mac, it's not the cheapest system you can get. And Apple aren't doing anything new in making a cheap system. Adding a DVD+-RW drive to the gateway or dell would be cheaper than adding keyboard monitor and speakers to the Mac Mini.

-Perros-

# posted by Perros 1:45 AM

Well, first, I was going to post a long comparison on that Dell, but I found MacCentral did an excellent article for me: http://www.macworld.com/weblogs/editors/2005/01/miniapplesandoranges/index.php

And when I went to cappuccinopc.com and configured a computer to the following specs:
Their Cappuccino EZ3 (their LOW END):
PIII processor at 1.26Gz (all the other ones are SLOWER in clock speed then the Mac's, which is ridiculous)
Upgrade the RAM to 256MB (there is NO more you can add)
Upgrade to a 40gb HD (the slower one to save $16)
Upgrade to CD/RW + DVD reader, slotloading
Add WXP Professional (OS X is definitely "professional", there's no crippled version, WXP Home is $40 cheaper)
No option to add a better video card then integrated stuff
What's the cost: $1,042. Yes, I am serious--TWICE as much as a Mac Mini. Did I miss something? The P4 model is about the same price.

# posted by macmaxbh 3:54 AM

Hey just think of it this way. Use your PC monitor, mouse and probably keyboard with it. Here's one more big selling point -- it's virus free.

# posted by Anonymous 8:42 AM

"-- it's virus free"
That's debatable. The only reason viruses are not written for the Mac is because there arent enough of them for it to spread quickly.

-Perros-

# posted by Perros 12:00 AM