Mac Mini "Mighty Big" - A big computer in a little itty bitty living space.
Written: Jan 31 '05 (Updated Jul 10 '05)
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Pros: Cheap web server, home recording studio, stick it into your car, security on Internet.
Cons: No-PCI slots/Floppy; 32 Megs Video; One memory slot
The Bottom Line: Mini Mac is a great choice with it's tiny size and intelligent yet easy to use operating system. Stick one in your car???
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| dj_white_rice's Full Review: Apple Mac mini (M9686LL/A) Desktop |
What you'll find in this review
A.) Enter the Mini Mac.
B.) Ease of use
C.) Internet Security
D.) Surfing The Web/Web Server
E.) What's In The Box
F.) What's Cool
G.) Digital Camera/Video Use
H.) Airport Extreme Card
I.) Combo Drive or Super Drive (DVD/CDWR)
J.) Printers
K.) USB Ports
L.) Cool Software Included
M.) What about my Windows Software (Moving from Windows Computers)
N.) Why go Mini Mac
O.) Several Drawbacks
P.) My Upgrades/Add On's - Idea's for you!
Q.) Going from Windows XP to Mac instead of Linux
R.) Mac Mini for Video or Music Production?
S.) Mac Mini "CAR" ???
T.) Conclusion
Tonight I proudly write this review using my brand new Mini Mac computer, having decided to exchange my newly custom built Windows XP computer with a Intel P4 3.2 GHZ processor for something new.
Let's face it. Windows XP is a big step towards big brother, not only that it's a magnet for spy ware and virus infestations. Since the inception of Windows XP there has been a weary feeling over the computing community. Microsoft now requires Windows XP users to authenticate their software before they can actually use it. This means you have to wait on hold on the phone until you can get through to their customer service or have Internet connection. It would not be so bad if you only had to do that one time. But, instead you have to do this every time you make any major hardware changes to your PC computer. Likewise, to make things worse Microsoft has recently announced that they will discontinue support for their operating systems that are not up to date with their current update packets. Personally, I don't like giving Microsoft that much control of my computer. I also don't like the idea of having everything on the computer connected to the security faulty Internet Explorer. So what is a guy or gal to do?
A.) Enter the Mini Mac.
Apple Corporations newest computer that is about the size of a portable CD player case or a stack of 30 CDs (6 inch square in width and 2 inches high). It's the smallest computer I have yet to see and it's got everything you will want on top of your desk and it's only got a price tag starting at $499.00. That is about the price I spent several months ago to build my Windows XP based pc.
B.) Ease of use
The Mini Mac uses the new OS-X operating system which is clean, easy to learn and customize and feature rich. I had always thought Windows XP was easy to use, but the Mac OS-X is so much friendlier, attractive and straight forward. It has a cool tray at the bottom that you can place your software applications on making it quick and easy to scroll through unlike Windows XP which you have to click on the Start Menu and browse multiple menus.
C.) Internet Security
Mac OS-X is more secure for surfing the Internet since most virus, web bugs and hackers attack Windows based computers. Mac Mini also has a built in hardware firewall which helps keep hackers out of your computer something you can't find on a Windows PC computer which only has software firewalls available unless you want to buy a hardware firewall at additional cost.
D.) Surfing The Web/Web Server
Mac Mini comes with Apple's Safari Internet Browser which is quick, clean and very functional. Safari is one of the best Internet browser layouts but I prefer Mozilla.com's free and new Firefox browser for Mac. Mozilla also has released it's awesome free e-mail software for the Mac called Thunderbird.
Mini Mac also comes with Microsoft's Internet Explorer which is good to have in case you come across a web site that is setup to use only Internet Explorer.
What about a using the Mac Mini as a web server? Yes, it's possible with some tweaking of the built-in Apache software of the installed OS-X software. Visit my personal profile pages "Favorite Links" and click on "Mini Web Server" to visit a website about this Mac Mini Project. Dj_white_rice Profile
E.) What's In The Box
The Mini Mac comes in two models at the time of this review. A 1.25 Gigahertz version or a 1.42 Gigahertz computer. Now that may sound really slow compared to my 3.2 Gigahertz Intel Pentium 4 computer processor but the Mini Mac after all is a Macintosh! Unlike windows based computers which are built from parts from multiple manufactures and then jumbled together by different companies who put them together, Macintosh computers are built and manufactured by a single company.
PC computers are DOS computers running Windows software on a nonstandard hardware box. Macintosh computers on the other hand were designed from the ground up specifically for Macintosh system software so a 1.25 Gigahertz G4 Mini Mac is comparable to a 2.5 gigahertz or faster PC processor. It's not as fast as my newly built 3.2 GHZ Intel Pentium which has a 800 MHZ front side bus, but it's not supposed to be either. On the downside there are no PCI Slots, AGP Slots for adding new video or other cards. Also unlike many of the "tower" macs, it does not have external SCSI available for adding new devices like the former Powermacs. It does however offer two USB 2.0 ports which can deliver up to 400 Megabytes of information per second as well as a Firewire 400 port for digital cameras and other devices. The Mini Mac is best suited for use with Apple's Bluetooth wireless keyboard and mouse or another Bluetooth device. Bluetooth can be purchased preinstalled as an option, or you can purchase a USB based Bluetooth adapter which some stores carry for about $40.00 or less. Otherwise you will need to use a USB Keyboard and Mouse. As far as Video goes you can use your current VGA or Digital Monitor with the Mini Mac but understand the Mini Mac only has 32 meg ATI Video. While this seems to be adaquate for most Mac based games some of the newer mainstream game prefer a tad more power.
I personally bought a 1.25 Gigahertz Mini Mac which is the base model. It has 256 Megabytes of RAM (Upgrades are 512 megs or 1 gigabyte. Something to keep in mind that I hadn't considered is that it only has one memory slot. This means if you upgrade later from the standard 256 Megs Ram, you'll end up with a spare stick of useless RAM. You save money in the long run by buying the amount of RAM you want to end up with pre-installed.), 168 speed processor Bus (Some what small compared to the new G5 64bit Processor Macintosh computers that have between 600 to 900 speed processor bus, but it's enough for most people), Radeon's ATI 9200 32 Megabyte DDR SDRAM Video System (This is separate from the CPU which means that unlike a PC, the video never steals memory or processor speed from the CPU allowing much faster video speed), 40 gigabyte hard drive (An 80 gigabyte hard drive is available for about $50 to $100), Firewire 400 port, 2-USB 2.0 ports, a built-in Digital Video port (comes with a VGA Adapter for those of use without a Digital Monitor), 10/100 Ethernet Port (For connecting to DSL or Cable Internet Services or for connecting to a network of computers), 56K Modem (For dialing into Internet Services like AOL, Netzero or Earthlink and can also be used as a Fax Machine) and excellent audio (Inluding Midi software for you musicians).
F.) What's Cool
The Mini Mac does not come with a keyboard or mouse for the price. BUT! You can use any USB keyboard or Mouse with it. This means that you can buy a Mac or PC based USB mouse or keyboard to use which will save you a lot of money and give you a lot of options. If you already have a PC keyboard with a PS-2 cable you can buy a cheap PS2 to USB keyboard/mouse adapter for about $20.00 so you can use it with your Mini Mac. As I write this review I am using an old Packard Bell PS-2 Keyboard and a PS2 Wireless Microsoft Intellimouse/Explorer mouse and a PC VGA 19 inch ImageQuest V995 Hyundai Monitor. Works great and since I already own them I did not have to invest any additional money to get started. Something else I think is cool is a Microsoft Intellimouse lets you use the "right click" feature on the Mini Mac, this was a feature that had previously prevented me from leaving Microsoft Windows since I love having the second button on my mouse, though it works a little differently.
Another cool thing is that it has awesome security to keep out family members and snooping friends. With PC computers you can simply delete certain password files from the system folder and gain access. Not on the Mini Mac unless you are a Unix Master. I bought my Mini Mac from a local retailer who only had a floor model left that was being used as a demo for less than a week. They knocked off $20.00 from the floor model since they had already sold out of their stock within three days. (In fact, my sales representative told me that one customer walked in and bought 5 Mini Macs at one time. I heard the same type of story when I visited and called other stores) Unfortunately the store I bought my Mini Mac from forgot to remove the passwords they had on it so customers could not mess things up. I tried all of my old PC tricks and have still been unable to bypass the Mini Mac Administration Passwords which means I will have to take it back into the store tomorrow and have them remove their passwords so I can have administrative access. If this had been a Windows based PC I would have hacked the passwords and done my fresh install hours ago.
G.) Digital Camera/Video Use
If you have a digital camera or video camera that uses Firewire to plug into your computer you'll love the Mini Mac which comes with a Firewire 400 Port. If you buy a new PC and want Firewire expect to add it on as a PCI card for an extra $30 to $50.
H.) Airport Extreme Card
Is an option that can be purchased already installed in your Mini Mac or added later that allows you to use most Wireless Internet Connections. (I didn't go with this option since I use the Ethernet port connected to a Cable Modem to access the Internet)
I.) Combo Drive or Super Drive (DVD/CDWR)
The basic Mini Mac which is what I have purchased and now sits on top of my newly built Intel P4 comes with the Combo Drive at no extra cost. The Combo Drive is a DVD player and CDWR CD burner. It's difficult to imagine how they got a DVD player/CD Burner, the hard drive and CPU into that little box! A Super Drive is also available for a few dollars more that is a DVD Burner and a CD Burner.
J.) Printers
Use a USB Printer with your Mac and you can save yourself a bundle by buying an Ink jet printer.
K.) USB Ports
As I already mentioned, the Mini Mac does not come with a keyboard or mouse. If you decide to buy a USB based Bluetooth adapter this will take up another USB slot. Add any other USB devices and you will need more USB slots but remember the Mini Mac only has two built in slots. What this means is that you will want to save about $30 to $50 up to buy an optional USB Hub. The USB Hub takes a single USB port and makes it into as many as 7 other USB ports. Since you have two USB ports on the Mini Mac you could essentially have up to 14 additional USB devices attached by using two USB Hubs.
L.) Cool Software Included
Included with the Mini Mac is a great software package which is more impressive than any software packages that I have found on any windows based PC's since I began using or building computers. It comes with Quicken 2005 for your personal accounting and check/banking management use, a brand new pack of software called "I-LIFE" which includes a fully functional Music Editing Software called "Garage Band" for those with a musicians heart, two video games (Nanosaur 2 and Marble Blast), I-MOVIE for creating home video movies, I-Tunes, Calendar, Address book and other featured software and best of all AppleWorks which is like MS Office or MS Works (AppleWorks cost $70.00 if it were to be purchased alone. According to Apple, the Mini Mac is fully compatible with the IPOD.
If your an old Macintosh user, the Mini Mac also comes with OS-9 so you can use your old software with your Mini Mac. I installed PageMaker 6.5 which is the previous release before the OS-X release and the Mini Mac simple powers through PageMaker like it were nothing. Those upgrading from an older PowerMac or Pre OS-X compatible model will love the speed OS-9 gets from the 1 GHZ Processor, 32 Megs Video Ram and 256 Megs Ram, since the OS-9 software was made to run on a lot less.
M.) What about my Windows Software
Microsoft makes an optional piece of software called Virtual PC (Not Included) that will allow you to use Windows on your Macintosh and Windows Software. Something you should know is that running Windows on your Mini-Mac will take up a lot of disk space and since it is running along side Mac OS-X the Windows OS and Software will operate slower according to reviews I have recently read. According to the Virtual PC packages I looked at recently, the Mac Mini should run them fine, especially if you upgrade to more Ram. If you think about it, this is cool if your switching from a Windows based PC to the Mini Mac, since you will still be able to use your windows stuff on the same processor. (Cost starts at $179.00 and up depending on the software configuration you need.)
N.) Why go Mini Mac
Small enough to stick in a lunch box, the Mac OS-X is fully compatible with Windows Servers, It does not have a "big brother" direction like Windows XP, the majority of software on the market is also available on the Mac and that list is growing daily, the Mac is more stable and does not have the "Blue Screen of Death" that you run into with Windows Computers, It's a great alternative to Windows if your tired of all the Virus and Web Bug problems, the processor on a Mac is much, much faster than the processor on a PC, it comes with some cool software, if you wanted to you could buy Microsoft's Virtual PC and use Windows on your mac (You can't use Mac software on a PC but with the optional software you can run PC software on the Mac which shows you just how powerful the Mac really is) and it is easy to learn and more friendly feeling.
(Several people have mentioned that they feel I am being unfair to Windows XP in this review. However, I have to stick by my comments on XP especially since I had to make another several hour house call last night to un-install SP-2 from another customers PC yesterday on top of having to delete a nasty Windows virus that is disguised as a Nvida dll. I read in a PCFormat magazine (A UK publication) that a large quantity of motherboards are incompatible with Windows XP SP-2 security updates and that is why they crash with the Blue Screen of death.)
O.) Several Drawbacks
There are two things that I see as drawbacks to the Mini Mac and both are because of it's size. First let me say that I love it's size, I think it is the perfect size in fact. However, with it's small size comes the already mentioned disadvantages like not having room for PCI, AGP, SCSI cards, etc. Other disadvantages include not having a floppy disk drive. If you plan to use old Mac software, share floppy disks with other Mac users or PC users, you will need to purchase a USB drive that can be used with both Windows and Mac OS-X. I paid $50 for my USB floppy drive, but I have seen them under $40 at a local computer store.
The small laptop sized hard drive operates at a slower speed than a larger hard drive found in a bigger computer so that is somewhat of a disadvantage, but most people will never even notice it. Also the 40 gigabyte drive is kind of small since OS-X and OS-9 take up a lot of space, but something to consider is that generally Mac software is smaller in size than Windows software and takes up less drive space (You can upgrade to a 80 gigabyte harddrive when you buy your Mini Mac if you want or you can buy the Mini Mac with one already installed for an additional $100.00).
P.) My Upgrades/Add On's - Idea's for you!
Copy and paste the link below into your web browser to see a photo of my current set-up and to see how big the Mac Mini is compared to a full sized PC. (Then hit your web browsers back button and come back to finish reading my full review)
http://www.passionwithin.com/epinions/mymacsetup.jpg
1.) I bought a Scan Disk "Image Mate" USB 2.0 12-in-1 Card Reader/Writer for $39.00 and a 1 Gigabyte SD Memory Card for $69.00 at Best Buy.
3.) I added a USB floppy disk drive that is Windows/Mac friendly.
4.) I may upgrade to 512 Megabytes or 1 Gigabyte of RAM later. (More RAM is always an good and inexpensive way to upgrade a computer because it helps speed up the time software takes to open and allows you to use more than one software at the same time) However the 256 Megs of included ram seem more than enough for the software I am using.
5.) I recently purchased a 4 port USB Hub at Fry's Electronics for $14.00. (The USB Hub allows you to add up to 7 additional USB devices per USB port on the back on the Mini Mac. This is something most Mini Mac owners will want to consider since almost anything you add to your computer will be through the USB ports. (I.e. a printer, floppy drive, keyboard, mouse, etc.)
6.) I added a switcher by IOGEAR that allows me to share a USB keyboard, mouse, speaker connection and VGA monitor between my Windows XP and Mini Mac. I can switch between them by pressing the keyboard scroll key two times. Really cool. (Cost about $59.00 at Bestbuy)
7.) (To Windows Users who will own a Mini Mac)
Since I have a newly built Intel P4 3.2 GHZ Custom Built PC that I use for other purposes, I bought a USB to USB Network cable from Compusa for $30.00. This cable allows me to access all of the drives and folders on my Windows Computer from the Mini Mac or access my Mini Mac from the Windows computer. (USB 2.0 supports up to 480 MBS transfer rate) I also downloaded Remote Access for Mac from the Microsoft website and can log into my Windows computer with full access from my Mini Mac. Because I have a 180 gig hard disk on my PC I partitioned one area of the PC for storing mac downloads and compressed files. I also installed MacDrive 6 for Windows ($40.00) on the PC which allows the PC to format and burn DVD's, CDWR, Zip, Floppy, Hard Drives as Mac disks.
8.) (To OS 9 Users
Since OS 9 applications require less ram and processor speed, they scream in blazing glory on the Mini Mac.
9.) Update 5/20/2005 - Added a IOGEAR 2-to-1 USB 2.0
Peripheral Sharing Switch
As someone using a Windows PC with a Mac Mini, I needed to be able to share my USB devices between my PC and Mac Mini so I don't have to move cables all the time. IOGEAR recently introduced a new switcher that lets you hotswap two computers (pc & pc, Mac & Mac, Mac & pc) in order to share your USB devices. By using a USB Hub connected to the USB Switcher, you can instantly swap between which computer has access to the USB devices. This is a extremly valuable tool for anyone using two or more computers.
10.) Update 5/20/2005 - HP PSC 1610 - All-In-One Printer
Mac OS-X has opened up a whole new world of products to people using a Mac computer, this is wonderful for anyone who owns a PC and a Mac. Using a IOGEAR USB Switcher, you can swap between USB devices like the new HP PSC 1610 All-In-One Printer I recently purchased to complement my computer set-up.
Q.) Going from Windows XP to Mac instead of Linux
To Windows Users Considering Leaving XP
If you have been checking out one of the new Linux Operating Systems like the awesome OS Xandros, or perhaps Linspire or Suse in order to move away for Microsoft, you might really be interested in the Mini Mac or a G-5 since they already have the software base, have GNU software available and has a long history of being a stable operating system.
Updated 5/20/2005 - A caution to Windows XP users
Mac Operating Systems or Windows Operating Systems
I've been using the Mac Mini for 5 months so far and I have come to the conclusion that unless your interested in learning a whole new manner to navigate the Mac OS-X operating system, you'll be better served sticking with Windows XP (or the next release "Longhorn") rather than switching to a Mac. Why? Windows XP is more similar to the previous versions of Mac Operating System 9 than it is OS-X. Unlike Windows XP or Mac OS-9 and previous versions of the Mac Operating Systems, OS-X is not very flexible. It requires that you stick to the way it works, rather than workin the way you work. In XP and Mac OS-9, it is easy to open folders, lots of folders, organize the desk top the way you want by moving icons and things around easily and locate files. I find the OS-X restrictive in that it requires you to browse a folder in more of a branch-tree style, you can't simply open a folder and view it the way you want. As far as the desktop goes, there are limitations on that as well, basically your limited to using the OS-X launch bar. The Launch bar is pretty cool at first, but as someone who used Mac OS-9 and Windows 98 through XP, I find navigating the operating system a little frustrating. I like to be able to dig around in folders, move icons on the desktop where ever I want and having a trash can. The latest release now shipping with the Mac Mini (OS-X 10.4 Tiger) is supposed to allow you to have a trash can on the desktop, but I've found myself searching the web looking for a OS-X modification that allows me to make it more like Windows XP.
It's a trade off when it comes down to it. Use Windows 98 to XP for a flexible desktop and easy folder navigation. Use the Mac OS-X if you want a safer computer with better security, better virus protection and if your interested in moving to a non-windows based PC.
R.) Mini Mac - Video or Music Production?
Personally I would not recommend the Mini Mac for anyone considering producing lots of memory intensive videos or musicians looking for a new midi computer. My personal views on why I wouldn't use the Mac Mini for these purposes are below, however on my personal profile page under the heading "favorites" I have included a link to a website totally dedicated to using your Mac Mini as a home recording studio. Click on the link called "Engadget" Dj_white_rice Profile
I added this section because as a Musician myself, I know that the Mini Mac is not a production machine. However, I have read comments else where that some people have purchased the Mini Mac with production machine expectations.
You need to realize that for enjoyable production of video or music you need a mac or pc that has the needed power to do the job. Novice home video users will find it o.k. but it is not the machine you want for long and graphic complicated productions.
Though it does come with software for both video and music creation, your going to want to have one of the upgraded Macs if you plan to do either of these semi-professionally. For one thing the Mini Mac's hard drive is a compact drive like used in a lap top.... so it's got some access lag. When producing music you want the least amount of lag time as possible, so you want a fast hard drive, lots and lots of memory (At least a gig), at least 64 megs or more of video RAM and the fastest full sized processor you can afford.
Remember the Mini Mac only has a 168 MHZ Bus. The Bus is the speed that information travels across the board for processing. For music you want a Mac with a large Bus size like the new G5's that have 800 MHZ bus. If you go with a G4 Mac, you still need a fast bus speed to decrease the lag time (The time it takes for the information to get from the music keyboard via Midi or USB to be processed across the board and reproduced on your speakers.
For video productions the hard drive lag time, bus speed, 32 meg video and 256 Megs installed memory ram will handle small projects but as with musicians, you will be happier with a larger and more powerful mac.
The Mini Mac is a great and quick computer, however the hard disk lag is apparent at times during accessing. It seems to me that perhaps the hard drive spins down when it is not being accessed in order to keep the unit cooler. A Mini Mac with a full sized hard drive would be perfect if you added on the available ram upgrades. But by the time you have done that you have spent the money that one of the new All-in-one Macs cost.
Other than the hard drive lag time, I am really enjoying my Mac Mini and am glad I purchased it. I especially like how exceptionally quiet it is.
Updated 5/20/2005
If your already a Windows user with using one of the AMD 64bit processors with over 2 GHZ, I recommend you stick with that system for video and audio use. The Mac Mini, though a capable machine for Mac users who are upgrading from an older Mac and who will find the Mac Mini a nice upgrade from their current system, the processor speed and front bus on the Mini Mac will be a disappointment for Windows XP users who are used to a faster processor. However, if your set on using a Mac Mini as a home recording studio due to it's excellent small profile, you will want to visit the website under my personal profiles "Favorites Links" section called "Center Stage" Dj_white_rice Profile
S.) Mac Mini "CAR" ???
You know your hard core when you install a Mac Mini into your car..... that is exactly what I thought. It's a wild idea, but if you got the cash why not stick one in your car too. There is now an entire website dedicated to helping you get started..... Check out the link to MacVroom on my profile under "Favorite Links" to get started.
Dj_white_rice Profile
T.) Conclusion
The Mini Mac is a complete computer system by itself. The average computer user will love this computers ease of use, it's tiny size, it's DVD player and CD Burner, it's Apple Works desktop word publishing package and easy of accessing the Internet. However, if your a big time game player you will want to think about paying more and buying one of the new G5 Macintosh computers that have PCI and AGP slots so you can add a more powerful video card and have the fast bus speed between 600 to 800 MHZ on a 64 bit processor. The new G5's which cost between $1,400 to $2,999 are also capable of having over 8 gigabytes of RAM... WOW!. But most of us do not need that kind of power and play games that will operate fine on the Mini Mac.
Your feed back, comments, and questions about the
Mini Mac or this review are welcome
If you have any comments or questions about my review, my thoughts about Windows XP, or anything related to the Mini Mac, please feel free to use the option to comment on this review and leave me your comments or questions. I read all of the comments offered and often reply to them. Thank you for reading my review.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 479.00
Operating System: Macintosh
Processor speed: over 1000
RAM: 256
Internal Storage: CD-RW and DVD
Hard Drive (GB): 31-40
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