"Even while at the top of its game, Apple Inc. can seemingly find faults with just about anything, including a bit of itself. The Mac maker is constantly evaluating the market segments in which it wishes to participate and those which it does not. It's an application of love-hate methodology that inevitably produces its share of casualties." AppleInsider says it has learned from 'reliable' sources that the end is nigh for the Mini. "Ladies and gentlemen, AppleInsider believes in all sincerity that the Mini is dead."
To read all comments associated with this story, please click here.
Member since:2005-10-12
No, I don't think this is possible as stated. You can buy the AOpen barebones, but by the time you get through its going to cost more. Evesham in the UK sells a version, which is more expensive than the Mini, and even AOpen's slightly larger cased barebones on similar lines are ridiculously expensive.
But, if you don't mind getting larger in case size, to a mini tower or shoebox size, you can certainly do better for less - particularly in graphics. And is this not the problem? It is not that you can buy the Mini for less. It is that you can buy a computer with better overall performance and a different form factor for less. So the question becomes, how much is the form factor worth?
Now there are a few people for whom the ability to put it in a jacket pocket or briefcase is worth either a performance or financial tradeoff. But this is not who its being sold to. Its being sold as a general purpose cost effective PC, and it just isn't that.
Member since:
2005-07-15
I noticed one silly post that just completely missed the point...
Can someone build me a PC from NewEgg bits and pieces that meets or exceeds the mini specs but does not result in a larger case? The only real sticking point is firewire...
I tried with mini-itx stuff and never quite made it. And you can lop off the retail cost of Tiger from the mini to keep things fair.