Mac mini supply said to be dwindling, world wonders 'why?'
By Donald Melanson 
posted June 3rd 2010 5:37PM
posted June 3rd 2010 5:37PM
posted June 3rd 2010 5:37PM
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@LeJay
Wow. Really? You are going to defend the high price for performance that matches a $600 computer from 2-3 years ago? This isn't a netbook. It's overpriced for the performance, pure and simple.
Upgrade it and lower the price and you've got yourself a deal Steve.
@LeJay you so wrong.
It's only so Jobbit (cuts stuff off) can announce that they can't meet the demand of the customers. Too many people want this obviously.
@LeJay
Or you could do the research yourself and step outside of that walled garden:
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/configdetails.asp?Base=5769834
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit, Intel Core 2 Duo E7500 2.93GHz, 4GB DDR2, 500GB SATA HDD = $633.99
VS.
http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_mac/family/mac_mini?aid=AIC-NAUS-K2-BUYNOW-MACMINI-TECH+SPECS&cp=BUYNOW-MACMINI-TECH+SPECS
2.26GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 2GB memory, 160GB hard drive, NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics = $599
You don't even want me to match up the specs, and knock off another $150 from the PC's price.
Id love to see this with a 3.06 C2D (though i3 would be even better) and GT 320M, at like $500. Would make the low end iMac unnecessary. Upping the max RAM to 8 GB would be epic as well
"Mac mini supply said to be dwindling, world wonders 'why?'"
-No, only a few
anyone else notice that you can't configure most models on the website ATM?
@Andurilan I think you will find that Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit requires considerably more resources (memory and CPU) to function seamlessly, than Mac OSX. Therefore I do not think this is a good comparison.
@Andurilan
What's your point exactly? You seem to be making a good case for the Mini being a pretty good computer for the price. Do you think the CPU speed difference is really that important? I doubt you'd notice it unless you were running benchmarks. You failed to directly mention the PC is using Intel integrated graphics. A bit of a step backwards compared to even the current generation Mini. No doubt the PC clocks in with better specs and cheaper upgrade options but it really doesn't matter much to most people. The Mini is simply an entry level Mac. People who have already decided they want a Mac aren't going to care much about the other options they can find on some obscure website.
I love me Mac Mini. One of the smoothest operating computers I have ever used
@Joonyaboy I love mine, too, but I hope Apple comes to their senses and returns to having a $500 base model and maybe a $650 fancied up one. $600, and $800 is treading too close to the price of a MacBook.
June 14th also makes no sense.. , since it's a Monday, and Apple announces new hardware on Tuesdays. Though with WWDC next Monday, anything's possible..
I absolutely loved my Mini Mac G5. It only had 512 MB of ram and still Out performs my dads HP Core 2 Duo Media Center with 2 GB of ram!
I hope they make it even smaller this time!
@Moisture
That's funny. I had a 512M mini once and found it intolerably slow as soon I put MacOS back on it again. It gained considerable visible benefits from a memory upgrade. It was remarkably more responsive afterwards.
As a "demo" box, it wasn't like I was torturing the poor thing either.
@Ruthless BWAAAAHAHAHAHA! That's funny! You should perform in Vegas .....
@(Unverified)
The point being that the Nvidia integrated is worth an extra $150 dollars...no. Like i said, i overspecced the machine and, despite the intergrated graphics ( which personally I think is stupid), this machine is whooping the pants off the Mac mini.
I think I'm going to be able to tell the difference between a 160 GB HD and a 500GB one, or the difference between 2GB and 4GB of RAM. But that's beside the point.
His point was that there was no machine at that size like the Mac mini. That is patently false. You say that the higher spec don't really care about the extra upgrade options. I say phooey. If you take into account the number of machines out there, you could extrapolate that most people don't care about Mac mini's...
@Andurilan I'd also like to mention the amount of power that the mac mini consumes. for a desktop it is crazy. This thing sucks down something like 125 Watts at full load. A custom built desktop or one purchased from dell of the same would consume at least 300 Watts.
@Andurilan
The nv9400 worth $150? That's funny. You can get an entire nv9400 based system for just $200. You can probably even buy it at the local Best Buy.
If you don't need a "truck sized" CPU then a $200 PC can probably easily replace a $600 Mac.
@John Locke Are you the real John or the smoke monster?
If the latter, I agree completely, and will help you destroy the island.
@John Locke: The Mac Mini's fine. I've got one, actually my second (I first had one of the original G4 models). It's a nice system, it's small, good-looking, reliable, and fairly quiet.
Is it more expensive than an equivalent (size and performance) PC - yes of course it is, but not by a particularly higher factor than any other Mac. (Probably around 20-25% compared to a name-brand PC?)
If you want a Mac, the PC isn't competition (hackintosh aside). In fact, if you want a Mac, you already have a nice monitor, and you don't want a laptop, competition is a Mac Pro. I somehow don't think Mac Pro is going to come out better in a price comparison. (Unless you're comparing its price to that of a gold-plated yacht.)
It would be nice if they reduced the price but I assume they'll just boost the specs slightly and keep everything the same. Still, forget price decreases; I'd like to see a more expensive, totally silent version that's fanless and uses SSD... oh, and with Blu-ray, please. (Yes, I know.) Or drop the optical drive completely, the slot-loaders they include are shite anyhow.
@jedi
Go back and read my comment again, slowly.
The Tigerdirect Mini-ATX i customized clocked in at $633.00 vs $599.00
This is with double the ram, triple the HD, and and close to a 3 GHZ C2D. If I specced out a machine similar to the Mac Mini, $150 get knocked off the price. And my point was there was no way that the Nvid graphics card was worth the extra $150 the boys at apple seem to be overcharging you.
Aw, NVM....
@Fragmented Than OSX? Are you on crack? Yes, Windows 7 requires more than OSX.
Windows 7 is very nice, runs very well with low specs, but nowhere near as efficiently as OSX...
@xxxsam
depends on what yourt priorities are.
Do I need a iMac? No. I don't particularly care for OSX, although there is nothing inherently wrong with that OS. Do i want an AIO? Heck, no. Do I want to build a machine to my specifications, Heck Yes. Do I want to play games, that aren't in Steam's catalog, Heck Ya. See, different priorities.
IMO other than the price, a very underrated machine especially if your intentions are as an HTPC. Yeah, yeah I know you can find a much cheaper PC with this and that, but I have both Mac & PC HTPCs and the PC has been a pain in the ass with setup and Media Center. The Mini combined with PLEX and EyeTV have been flawless. Add an iPad to this with Air Video and imagine the possibilities.
@mcbeaven What the fuck? Do you have a clue at all? My custom built Core 2 Quad system runs about 140 watts at full load and idles under 100W.
You are stupid if you think because Dell builds a system with the same components, it will draw nearly 3 times the power. Dell's Zino HD idles at 40W and draws maybe 60-70W full load. You obviously have no idea what you are talking about. And I have a hard time believing the mini even approaches 125W.
@Fragmented Fanboy? Not me, I hate Apple. However, I am a fan of stating facts.
I'd like to get one but please include a Bluray drive.
@Andurilan Holy bejeezus, that computer is like 10x the size of a mac mini. The mini is something of a niche product, and part of what you pay for is size. Similarly SFF PCs Please try again.
A true comparison would be the Dell Zino, which is slightly larger than a Mac Mini to accommodate a 3.5" HDD, but has lower performance CPU options. Oh look - It costs almost exactly the same as a Mac Mini *shocker*.
@Andurilan
You must be kidding. I do in fact want you to match up the specs.
Mac mini is 6.5x6.5x2 inches, the one you're showing is 12x10.75x2.5 inches. Thats almost 4 times the volume. That might not matter to you, in which case the mac mini is not for you. It happens to matter to me.
I've been waiting for this update. I'm even going to install windows 7 on the thing, so pleeeaaasse show me anything that comes near in size and performance. I'd love to see it.
@Ruthless Even if Windows 7 requires more resources, thats irrelevant as to how the hardware itself is priced between Mac and Windows based systems. All that does is scale what they have to ship with.
@ludwigk
The Dell Zino price ranges from $250-$340 when changing the CPU option. How is that almost exactly the same as $600?
The mac mini is more expensive than a similarly spec'ed PC. Because it is fucking gorgeous and actually took some design. Anyone can throw components into a 60 case. You are paying for 1) the form factor, 2) OSX , 3) iPhoto, iMovie, etc.
I have a mini that i have upgraded and it is pretty good, but i still have the intel 950 graphics, which sucks. I would love to get a new one with better graphics.
@Andurilan Does it have integrated Bluetooth and IR?
I'm getting one and putting Plex on it. The end.
@John Locke :: Agreed. I would buy one if they priced it well compared to similar Small-Form-Factor Computers that run Windows. They can charge a bit more because their computers come with good software pre-installed (at least I think... do they come with iPhoto & Garageband?).
Well, gd to hear the spec getting update,
I will buy one if it REALLY did.
SSD and dual core i5, i7 no doubt
and 320M graphics cant forget them .
more like "world wonders... who cares?"
@lamerz "overpriced for the performance."
Isn't that right in line with everything Apple makes? I mean I like Apple products, but this is right in line with them. They charge more, but in my opinion you're getting a higher quality product. Life isn't always about benchmarks.
@Andurilan
And.... silence. At least man up and admit I have a point, dude.
@Andurilan: Um, yes of course it depends what your priorities are? If you are happy to use Windows and you don't care how small your computer is and you want to be able to upgrade it, then you'd be out of your skull to buy a Mac Mini - even if they sliced $200 off the price. That's not the point. Point is that there are some people who have the opposite opinion on those factors and that's why the Mini exists; and for those people, it's not an unreasonable price. (It's a little high, but if you want a Mac, you already know about high prices.)
Now, usually I'm the one telling people off for whining about Apple posts since they just make us not-Apple people look stupid, but I wasn't aware that even Mac people cared about the Mini D: