OSNews > Thread > "Is this a joke?" by unclefester

by unclefester on Wed 21st Oct 2009 01:29 UTC

Member since:
2007-01-13

The cheapest Mac mini at USD 599 now has a 2.26Ghz Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB DDR3 1066Mhz of RAM and a 160GB hard drive.

Is this some sort of joke? My low end August 2007 Linux PC has a 160G HD, an AMD4000+ and 2GB of(DDR2) RAM.

It is now nearly 2010. 1GB HDs are now standard issue. So is 4GB of RAM and a decent CPU.

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RE: Is this a joke?

by shotsman on Wed 21st Oct 2009 15:22 in reply to "Is this a joke?"

Member since:
2005-07-22

Please let me know of any decently priced 1Tb 2.5in HDD's out there?
The Mac Mini uses them you know.
AFAIK, 500Gb is as big as you can get at the moment without paying huge $$$, £££ etc

If the mini used 3.5in disk then I'd say you have a case especially as the iMac comes with a 1Tb drive.

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RE[2]: Is this a joke?

by Tuxie on Wed 21st Oct 2009 16:56 in reply to "RE: Is this a joke?"

Member since:
2009-04-22

You can get a 320GB 2,5" SATA disk for $65, which is only about $10 more than a 160GB one. A 500GB disk is $108, 750GB is $195 and a 1TB disk you can get for $280. These are the prices in Sweden, where tech stuff is usually quite a lot more expensive than in the US.

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RE[2]: Is this a joke?

by StephenBeDoper on Wed 21st Oct 2009 18:44 in reply to "RE: Is this a joke?"

Member since:
2005-07-06

Please let me know of any decently priced 1Tb 2.5in HDD's out there?
The Mac Mini uses them you know.
AFAIK, 500Gb is as big as you can get at the moment without paying huge $$$, £££ etc

If the mini used 3.5in disk then I'd say you have a case especially as the iMac comes with a 1Tb drive.

There are also heat concerns, given how close together the components have must be in order to make the Mini, well, "mini." I'd be fairly nervous about putting a hot desktop 3.5" drive in one of those.

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RE[2]: Is this a joke?

by unclefester on Wed 21st Oct 2009 23:14 in reply to "RE: Is this a joke?"

Member since:
2007-01-13

It is typical of Apple to put style over function. Why would you use a notebook HD in desktop machine when 3.5" HDs are much cheaper and much faster? A 320GB 2.5"HD would only cost a couple of bucks more for an OEM.

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RE: Is this a joke?

by alcibiades on Wed 21st Oct 2009 19:43 in reply to "Is this a joke?"

Member since:
2005-10-12

No, its not a joke. You are getting something unique with the Mini: the ability to carry your computer around in your jacket pocket.

You may not need or want that, I don't, and I only know one person who seriously wants or needs to do that. But the Mini is about the only way to get it, and so it costs in terms of price and what hardware you get for it.

The only thing wrong with the Mini is that Apple markets it as an entry level general purpose machine, for which it is of course ludicrously overpriced and underfeatured. But if you are its target, jacket pocket, maybe portfolio or handbag, market, its superb, great value and has no real competition.

A small market, but a most grateful one.

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RE[2]: Is this a joke?

by StephenBeDoper on Thu 22nd Oct 2009 00:30 in reply to "RE: Is this a joke?"

Member since:
2005-07-06

No, its not a joke. You are getting something unique with the Mini: the ability to carry your computer around in your jacket pocket.

You may not need or want that, I don't, and I only know one person who seriously wants or needs to do that. But the Mini is about the only way to get it, and so it costs in terms of price and what hardware you get for it.

That may have been unique to the Mini at one point, but not so much these days. Offhand I've seen lots of "nettops" in computer stores over the past year, there's cappuccinopc, and I remember reading an article years back that described building SFF PC using a RedHat retail box as the case.

There are machines even smaller than the Mini if you don't mind ARM or PPC. E.g., the LimePC's "X1" device - or the ARM-based Shiva Plug (a computer with the dimensions of a medium-sized power brick).

Edited 2009-10-22 00:34 UTC

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RE[2]: Is this a joke?

by Soulbender on Thu 22nd Oct 2009 02:00 in reply to "RE: Is this a joke?"

Member since:
2005-08-18

.

Edited 2009-10-22 02:12 UTC

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RE: Is this a joke?

by Soulbender on Thu 22nd Oct 2009 01:58 in reply to "Is this a joke?"

Member since:
2005-08-18

News at 11, Appe hardware is overpriced.

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RE: Is this a joke?

by polaris20 on Thu 22nd Oct 2009 02:48 in reply to "Is this a joke?"

Member since:
2005-07-06

The cheapest Mac mini at USD 599 now has a 2.26Ghz Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB DDR3 1066Mhz of RAM and a 160GB hard drive.

Is this some sort of joke? My low end August 2007 Linux PC has a 160G HD, an AMD4000+ and 2GB of(DDR2) RAM.

It is now nearly 2010. 1GB HDs are now standard issue. So is 4GB of RAM and a decent CPU.

And here we go, cue the guy with the "I can build a cheaper PC" comments.

Yeah. We know. Apple's expensive. Welcome to 1997. And 1GB HD's are now standard issue? Wow, you got screwed. I had a 1GB drive back in the 90's.

1TB on the other hand is relatively recent, yes.

It is typical of Apple to put style over function. Why would you use a notebook HD in desktop machine when 3.5" HDs are much cheaper and much faster? A 320GB 2.5"HD would only cost a couple of bucks more for an OEM.

Er, because a 3.5" drive doesn't fit? Is this a trick question? Have you seen a Mini?

Edited 2009-10-22 02:49 UTC

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RE[2]: Is this a joke?

by unclefester on Thu 22nd Oct 2009 04:28 in reply to "RE: Is this a joke?"

Member since:
2007-01-13

The fact is that Apple are deliberately buying up outdated hardware for a pittance to save costs. The OEMs would sell outdated crap like 160GB HDs below cost just to clear their inventory.

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RE[2]: Is this a joke?

by unclefester on Thu 22nd Oct 2009 04:32 in reply to "RE: Is this a joke?"

Member since:
2007-01-13

I said a 320GB notebook HD would cost a couple of bucks more.

Apple is obviously approaching OEMs offering to buy their worthless old shit for 10 cents in the dollar.

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RE: Is this a joke?

by werpu on Thu 22nd Oct 2009 10:42 in reply to "Is this a joke?"

Member since:
2006-01-18

The cheapest Mac mini at USD 599 now has a 2.26Ghz Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB DDR3 1066Mhz of RAM and a 160GB hard drive.

Is this some sort of joke? My low end August 2007 Linux PC has a 160G HD, an AMD4000+ and 2GB of(DDR2) RAM.

It is now nearly 2010. 1GB HDs are now standard issue. So is 4GB of RAM and a decent CPU.

Well the mini uses notebook components so that relatives your statement!

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RE: Is this a joke?

by anomie on Fri 23rd Oct 2009 05:45 in reply to "Is this a joke?"

Member since:
2007-02-26

Is this some sort of joke? My low end August 2007 Linux PC has a 160G HD, an AMD4000+ and 2GB of(DDR2) RAM.

I'd bet it is a wee bit noisier, and generates more heat than, and takes up more space than, the Mac Mini.

I've read through your various arguments about why you think these offerings are overpriced. It is OK that I don't agree on most of your points -- it's a free country. That also means no one is forcing you to buy a Mac Mini.

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