Apple Mac Mini

Desktops don’t have a history of occupying less space but Apple decided to change that by introducing Apple Mac Mini. Mac Mini is the smallest mainstream desktop in the market but by no means is an under performer. It has all the power it needs to power Mac OS X to the fullest and also run demanding applications. Mac Mini also happens to be the cheapest Mac you can buy.

Apple Mac Mini specifications :

• Dimensions : 6.5″ x 6.5″ x 2″
• Processor : Intel Core 2 Duo 2.0 Ghz
• Cache memory : 4MB
• Installed RAM : 1GB DDR II SDRAM
• Hard Disk : 120GB SATA 5400 rpm
• DVD Burner : SuperDrive 8x
• Mac OSX Leopard
• Approx : $799

Apple Mac Mini comes in two variations, one starting from $599 and other from $799. The $599 one is a bit more value to money when compared to similar priced desktop configurations available for Windows PC from other PC manufacturers. Also another added advantages of those PCs is that you get to customize them a lot more as compared to Mac Mini which has only a few available customization options.

The dimensions of the Mac Mini are its biggest advantage over other desktop PCs and the anodized aluminum surface gives it a cool look. It weighs a mere 1.3 kg and moving it around won’t be a problem, though you don’t need to do that often with a desktop PC!

The Mini comes pre-installed with the Mac OS X Leopard operating system and also iLife ‘08 which are two other big advantages over Windows PC though it is debatable! The iLife ‘08 is the digital media productivity suite from Apple and has various applications bundled under it like the iPhoto or the iMovie.

The base model comes installed with 1GB of RAM which is not all that sufficient for heavy applications that you might run on the Mac Mini, so upgrading the RAM to 2GB while customizing the Mini is a good idea, if the budget permits that is. Also with the lower model you do not get the SuperDrive DVD burner which is a shame from Apple as Combo drives have become a thing of the past now, and more so when the world has gone into the Blu-ray era.

The Mac Mini also supports Windows operating system and that does add to its flexibility. The performance of the Mac Mini is above average. It surely is not a gamers machine. You will get better performance at lower price in Windows desktop PCs but you will not get the same dimensions as a Mac Mini or the Mac OS X Leopard either.

Pros:

• Small dimensions
• 2GHz Core2 Duo processor
• OS X Leopard+iLife ‘08
• Light Weight

Cons:

• Expensive
• Low customization
• Average performance
• No SuperDrive in $599 model

Final Thoughts

The Apple Mac Mini desktop is a good addition to the Mac family and it opens the windows for non-Mac users to try out Mac OS X at a relatively cheap price. The Mac Mini is expensive when compared to Windows based PCs and also offers low levels of customization. Performance is not a strong point of the Mac Mini either.

My Rating : 3/5

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