“Even if you’ve seen pictures of the Mini, it’s hard to get a sense of just how tiny it is until you hold it in your hand or put it beside something else — such as a regular computer, for example. It’s just a little wider and a little thicker than a CD carrying case, something you can get a sense of by noticing how the CD/DVD slot takes up almost the entire width of the unit,” Mathew Ingram writes for The Globe and Mail Update.
“One of the things that drew some critical comments when the Mini was first announced was just how stripped down the unit is, and it’s true that Apple cut a lot of corners to get the cost of the device under the $500 (U.S.) mark ($630 Cdn.). Inside the base model is has a 1.25-gigahertz processor, a 40-gigabyte hard drive, 256 megabytes of RAM, a combined CD-writer and DVD reader and an ATI video processor with 32 megabytes of video RAM. That’s fine if you just want to do e-mail, Web surfing and word processing, but it’s probably not going to be enough if you want to use it for more intensive applications such as photo or movie editing, or build a music library,” Ingram writes.
“In terms of connections, the Mini is also pretty stripped down. On the back of the unit is a standard headphone-style audio jack, a FireWire port, two USB ports, a digital video port, an Ethernet jack, phone jack and power plug — and that’s it,” Ingram writes. ” There is no serial port, no RCA audio jacks and no S-video or composite video jacks.”
“When the Mini was launched there was some criticism of the fact that it didn’t come with a mouse, monitor or keyboard, and Apple fans responded that it was easy to use old hardware — but it’s only easy if you happen to have some USB hardware around. The fact that there are only two USB ports can also cause some headaches, at least for non-Mac types such as myself, because you have to plug a keyboard into one and a mouse in the other (many Mac keyboards have a built-in port for the mouse),” Ingram writes. “That means if you want to plug your iPod Shuffle or camera into the Mini, you have to unplug either your keyboard or mouse, or you have to go the computer store and buy a USB hub with more ports on it. It also means that you can’t use any of the old PC mice or keyboards you might have lying around your house, since they are likely to be PS/2 devices rather than USB (which Apple adopted before Windows PCs did).”
Ingram writes, “As a second or third computer for a household, or a small unit designed for use by a computer novice, however, the Mini has a lot going for it. Provided you can find a keyboard and mouse for it, of course.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Bump the Mac mini’s RAM to 512MB and you can do photo and movie editing, build a music library, and many more things than you would think after reading this review. We’ve found the Mac mini to be surprisingly responsive and quite a bit more speedy than we were initially expecting. Sure, you’re not going to cut feature films with it, but for the vast majority of computer users, the Mac mini packs a lot into a very small and affordable package.
If you’re a Windows user considering the Mac mini, do yourself a favor and spring for an Apple Mac keyboard; you’ll want the Mac keyboard layout and the extra USB ports it offers.
This is a review from a Windows PC user who calls the Mac mini “stripped down” with its a digital video and firewire ports and independent ATI video processor (read: not integrated video) while bemoaning the lack of a serial port (a least he didn’t wish for a floppy drive), so take this review for what it’s worth. Everyone’s entitled to his or her opinion, just keep in mind that Ingram’s doesn’t mesh with nearly anyone else’s Mac mini review.
Related MacDailyNews articles:
The Baltimore Sun: Apple’s Mac mini is ‘a little jewel of a computer’ – March 25, 2005
Tired of defending Windows? Apple’s Mac mini might be the machine for you – March 24, 2005
Apple’s rapt attention to Mac mini’s design is evident inside and outside the box – March 23, 2005
Personal Computer World review gives Apple’s ‘Mac mini’ 4 out of 5 stars – March 22, 2005
Dell can’t match Apple’s Mac mini – March 21, 2005
Apple’s $500 Mac mini may cause Windows PC homes to become Macintosh homes – March 20, 2005
PC Pro: Apple’s Mac mini offers ‘lovely touches that Microsoft can’t match’ – March 17, 2005
Apple’s Mac mini ‘a true desktop beauty’ packed with software that amazes – March 17, 2005
Apple’s Mac Mini turns commodity computing into fine computing – March 15, 2005
Sick of your Windows PC? It’s time to move on with your iLife with Apple’s new ‘Mac mini’ – March 09, 2005
Tech writer Fasoldt: Apple’s Mac mini includes ‘outstanding, superb’ software – March 09, 2005
Educators and students will want Apple Mac mini computers – March 07, 2005
Apple’s Mac mini ‘a money-saving option for PC users who want to test-drive Apple’s reputation’ – March 06, 2005
TrustedReviews: ‘The Mac mini is a master stroke by Apple’ – March 01, 2005
Apple iMac G5, Mac mini models hold top 5 spots on Amazon’s Desktop Computer Top Sellers list – March 01, 2005
PC World gives Apple’s Mac mini 4 out of 5 stars – February 26, 2005
Apple Mac mini ‘perfect for computer user who wants to leave the tyranny of Window and viruses’ – February 26, 2005
Apple’s Mac mini might well convince Windows users to switch to Mac OS X – February 22, 2005
Chicago Sun-Times: ‘Apple’s Mac Mini is a device of the most cunningly crafted evil’ – February 18, 2005
CNET Executive Editor switches to Mac and he ‘ain’t ever going back’ to Windows – February 17, 2005
Tom’s Hardware: Apple Mac mini’s size, design, attractive price sets it apart – February 16, 2005
Apple’s Mac mini is a convincing shot across Bill Gates’ bow – February 15, 2005
Apple’s Mac mini makes using a Mac more affordable and more attractive than ever to Windows users – February 08, 2005
Washington Times: ‘Mac mini raises the bar for what a good, low-price computer can and should do’ – February 08, 2005
Apple Mac mini, iMac G5 models hold 5 of top 6 spots in Amazon’s Desktop Computer Top Sellers list – February 08, 2005
New Mac mini helps Apple get its secret weapon – creative software – in front of Windows users – February 08, 2005
The Seattle Times: Apple’s new Mac mini is ‘tiny, beautiful and dirt cheap’ – February 05, 2005
BusinessWeek: Apple’s Mac mini comes with elegant, stable Mac OS X and very good software – February 03, 2005
Apple’s Mac mini is an attractive option to Windows-based PCs – February 02, 2005
Computerworld: Apple Computer ‘has a hit on its hands with the new Mac Mini’ – February 01, 2005
Apple’s Mac mini offers relief from Windows viruses and malware – January 30, 2005
Associated Press: With Apple’s Mac mini ‘you could abandon Windows altogether’ – January 27, 2005
CBS News: Grab a new Apple Mac mini ‘and kiss the old Wintel machine goodbye’ – January 27, 2005
AnandTech reviews Apple’s Mac mini: ‘tempting Windows users everywhere’ – January 26, 2005
Apple forgot to put a Zip drive in the mini, too…
oh, and a serial port…
MDN take: [I]Sure, you’re not going to cut feature films with it[/I]
The mini is much more powerful than the Powerbooks used by ILM to edit parts of Star Wars Episode I. Granted, the mini is not today’s best choice but much lesser hardware has been used in the past.
The only thing the mini is underpowered for is gaming. And it needs a better video card for Core Image.
The mini is very impressive for the guts inside. No real heat issues. A friend of mine got one and left it on all day handling verious programs and he said he expected it to get really hot but when he felt the top of the box it was only a little warm. Now for those Powerbook G5’s!!!
Pay for speed if you want, 512 is great to have, but it isn’t actually necessary.
Just how old are these PC users computers? WTF, I bought a P3-800 Dell on December 21 1999 and it came with a USB keyboard and mouse. That computer is almost completely unusable today.
If you are using a computer that old, then your not going to complain about the mini’s 1.25ghz speed. I currently have a 1.25 iMac and it works very well for me as a pro photographer. I think most of these reviewers just whine when a computer isn’t on the bleeding edge.
MDN magic word: Shot, as in, the whiny reviewers should be dragged out and shot. LOL
Everyone bitches about how users are forced to buy new USB keyboards and mice, but it is never mentioned that you can grab a dual PS/2 —>USB “Y: adapter for $2. (ebay pricing, I’m sure retail can’t be much higher than about $10), and plug both into one usb port.
Here is a mathematical summary:
Old PS/2 keyboard – free
PS/2 scroll mouse – free (seriously, how hard is it to find one in a friends garage or closet?)
Adapter – really cheap.
Ingram’s reviews are oft laden with nonsensicals which leads the reader to view him either as a shill or basically lazy.
I’m really pissed that there is no SCSI port.
“I bought a P3-800 Dell on December 21 1999….That computer is almost completely unusable today.”
WTF? Unusable? My Athlon 650 (6 years old) runs about as fast as my iMac 1 GHZ (2 years old)…which is to say perfectly usable. The fact that they both run at about the same speed when the PC is 4 years older is a whole ‘nother issue.
You know, there is a valid point here. Most PCs don’t or didn’t come with USB mice and keyboards, but that’s the only connection for them on the Mini. Since Apple advertises it as “bring your own keyboard and mouse,” there will be plenty of PC users who, not knowing better, go out and get a Mini to replace their old machine, get home, and have no idea why they can’t connect their mini-DIN components to it. They will end up either frustrated or angry, I can guarantee you. Now I’m pretty sure you can get around that issue with adapters, but it’s still an issue and I hope the employees at the Apple Stores are making customers aware of it when they buy.
It always cracks me up when a computer that would have been a bad ass video editing system 2 years ago is today only capable of surfing the web. Yah right.
“…there will be plenty of PC users who, not knowing better, go out and get a Mini to replace their old machine, get home, and have no idea why they can’t connect their mini-DIN components to it. They will end up either frustrated or angry…”
These people are the kind of customers you can’t afford to have. They exist in every industry and line of business. They require more tech support than they are worth. The average bump on a log would figure out after an hour or two that they need to spend $20 at Fry’s for a new USB mouse and keyboard. Spend another $6.00 and you have a 4-port USB adapter. Golly! All those vacant inputs! Whatever will we do with them? Speaking of serial ports, I can’t think of a single application or device I would want to connect to a serial port these days.
But then again, I have my own reason for being pissed. My old computer came with a built-in cupholder, but come to think of it, it wasn’t such a good idea anyway. It was pretty flimsy for holding up a full can of beer and it tried to close every time the machine booted up.
The old Gob and Bail hardly gets anything right. Canada’s national newspaper, what a laugh.
Even it’s politics are screwy. They are just a little left of Fidel Castro’s.
Is the Mac mini compatible with the Apple ][ ? (hehe)
If the cheap PC keyboards don’t include a USB port for a mouse, who’s fault is that? You get what you pay for.
Stan,
“My Athlon 650 (6 years old) runs about as fast as my iMac 1 GHZ”
Thats sad or something is wrong. My 1.25 iMac is much faster than the P3-800 using photoshop. Maybe that I have 7 on the PC and CS on the iMac, but I doubt it. Not only that, the P3 has 768 Mb RAM and the iMac only has 512. In fact my iMac is slower in a few way, but faster in several ways too compaired to the P4-1.6 I’m on at the moment, while using photoshop. The only reason I only compare the two by using photoshop is because that is really the only demanding program I use and have experience with on both machines.
P.S. I have all three of the machines and am doing a direct comparison. And while the P3 still runs email and other stuff ok, for serious 16-bit large size photos it is pretty much unusable. The iMac can do it though. You do the math.
Since it was one of my countrymen who wrote the article, I felt compelled to send him an email:
Thanks, Mathew.
That was a pretty poor review.
“That could be because the unit isn’t very powerful, or because it has a row of large vents all around its lower edge.”
Well, which is it? Uh, it must be because of the vents and the fan, because the thing has lots of power. It is an IBM G4 processor. They hump. 1.25 gHz of G$ = 1.8 gHz of Pentium 4 (not Celeron).
“Inside the base model is has a 1.25-gigahertz processor, a 40-gigabyte hard drive, 256 megabytes of RAM, a combined CD-writer and DVD reader and an ATI video processor with 32 megabytes of video RAM. That’s fine if you just want to do e-mail, Web surfing and word processing, but it’s probably not going to be enough if you want to use it for more intensive applications such as photo or movie editing, or build a music library.”
Did you compare how much is costs for a Dell with these features (no graphics card or FireWire on the low-end Dell)? Did you try building a movie library? Did you try movie editing? Did you try photo editing? They work splendidly. And the programs to do it come for free. Or rather, you get $650 worth of programs, and a damn good computer for free.
“In terms of connections, the Mini is also pretty stripped down. On the back of the unit is a standard headphone-style audio jack, a FireWire port, two USB ports, a digital video port, an Ethernet jack, phone jack and power plug — and that’s it. There is no serial port, no RCA audio jacks and no S-video or composite video jacks.”
No serial port? Heaven forfend! RCA audio? Have you heard? We’re digital now. It’s 2005. Composite video is on the VGA connector. S-video is available (albeit at extra cost) with an adaptor. Rather disingenuous to praise it’s small size, and then complain when it get difficult to fit in all the connectors you want, isn’t it? Either small is a good thing or a bad thing. You do something to gain something to lose something.
“Setting up the Mini was pretty simple.”
Sounds like it was perfectly and splendidly simple to me. Just what you would expect from a Mac. No time or money spend preparing the unit for the internet, either, but I guess you forgot to mention that.
“Adding the Mini to a Windows network was also fairly uncomplicated, although my first attempt to find and access shared Windows drives through the Finder was unsuccessful and I had to mount them separately.”
So what happened on your second attempt? You found out how to do it the “It just works” way?
“As a second or third computer for a household, or a small unit designed for use by a computer novice, however, the Mini has a lot going for it. Provided you can find a keyboard and mouse for it, of course.”
Great, Mathew. Thanks for playing. Enjoy Windows Longtime when it comes out in 2006. Or is that 2007? You better go off and get some new virus definitions, now. I hear there is a new one out today.
M. T. MacPhee
“1.25 gHz of G$ = 1.8 gHz of Pentium 4”
hmmm…no. That’s complete BS. But frankly, if it is true, then you’re saying the Mini is comparable to a 3 year old PC. Is that really what you want to advocate?
“$650 worth of programs”
hmmm…again, no
“Enjoy Windows Longtime when it comes out in 2006. Or is that 2007? You better go off and get some new virus definitions, now. I hear there is a new one out today.”
Did you RTFA? This is a complimentary article pal. And frankly, must “Longhorn” be mentioned? It’s completly off topic.
you didn’t send that “rebuttal” to Mathew, did you M. T. MacPhee? Please tell me you didn’t. You make us macheads all look like idiots (which we’re not, I assure you).
I’ve sent this author comments on past reviews as well, and he has politely responded. He seems kind of like a simple guy who doesn’t know all that much (as is evident by the focus-less review) but doesn’t mean any harm (i.e. not a shill).
It is hard for these older men who had to adopt the PC at a time when the tech world was new and in constant flux. For those of us who grew up with computers it is different. They tend to think in terms of “will it work with that printer i bought six years ago which took forever to pay off and still sort of works” mentality (hence the constant PC love of legacy ports).
They also tend to gravitate towards the simples: is it the fastest? does it have X number of inputs? These things are easy. Understanding that a computer can be something which you use to do great things is not easy. Don’t expect Apple’s ideology about what a computer is and should be to speak to everyone. For some people computers are no different than cars or lawn-mowers or microwaves.
Finally, most tech writers are the bottom of the barrel in terms of journalistic intelligence. The need to talk about “criticisms” which “Apple fans” responded to is just indicative of certain laziness in writing.
while tech writers might not do all the research, it’s no better than inexperienced users (ala the previous poster M. T. MacPhee) submitting falacies about the Mac and Windows OS. Let this site not turn into a run of the mil pc forum, or many readers like myself will turn to Slashdot for intelligent discussion.
This is standard stuff for the Glob and Stale …
Their business section and “journalists” are all anti Mac and Steve Jobs whether overtly or perhaps slightly less so as in this article.
I actually was so disturbed by one of their business “reviewers” comments about Apple I did send an email.
In the supposed business section of a national newspaper, this critic basically slandered Steve Jobs and all Mac users. There was little or no actual business commentary. It was all conjecture, personal opinion, and childish comments we are all used to that contain the words …”cult like” ,,, “Zealots” … “elitists” and on and on and on.
I wish I had the original article … you wouldn’t believe it.
Don’t look for any postive reviews about Apple or any Mac product from this rag … they are firmly in the PC camp.
stantheman:
The article is most definitely *not* complementary. It is an excellent example of damning with faint praise:
“As a second or third computer for a household, or a small unit designed for use by a computer novice”
This is *not*, I repeat *not* positive.
As for my other comments, I stand completely behind them. Put together a software suite that equals what you get for free on an Mac mini (in Canada in Canadian dollars). Tell me what you spend.
As for the processor, it is what it is. Why? Do you think it is equal to a 2.8 gHz Pentium 4? Or even more? It is equal to any Celeron which would be shipping in an equivalently priced Wintel box.
In the article, Ingram admits that he is a PC user. He was not about to spend any quality time with a Mac to see what it was about. He needed to be reminded that his review and platform of choice has serious problems.
biggieG:
Yes. I did sent it. Why? What’s your bitch? As for inexperienced, I have only been using computers since 1968 (IBM 360/50) and Macs since 1986, and have several computing science courses as part of my degree. I design sophisticated digital systems for sound and lighting every day. Instead of indulging in ad hominum attacks, let’s hear what was wrong with my rebuttal.
M. T. MacPhee (My real name. What’s yours?)
To put this question of performance, connectivity and reliability to rest. ….the reviewer we all agree, does not know what he is talking about. I bought a 1.42 mini base model for $579, added a 1 gig pc2700 stick myself for $145. I already had two firewire enclosures, so I picked up a 6 port hub for $45 and an NEC 16x dual layer superdrive for $70 (Central Computer SF). That puts it right over $800. Now I have over 300 gigs of storage on two drives and an optical drive that burns 8+ gig discs…..so what do I do with it?
I’m a professional photographer/printer is SF. I rip through 200mb files in PS like butter…granted it’s no dual 2.5 G5….but now I have 3 loaded minis for the price of one dual- my assistants do scanning and imaging
on those..how much more work do you think I can get through? I print to Epson 7600 and 9600 over my wonderful little network. (with no crashes and no fear of viruses)
Just DO something with your machine(s) don’t babble about P3, P4, G4, 970 this is faster than that …Macs work…period…the OS works..period… color manages… period….Hopefully the rest of the world is slowly figuring this out….
This author clearly started from a biased POV and approached the matter from there. He had made his decision before he began the review.
He didn’t spend enough time using the mini, or maybe didn’t even use one, but plagerised other reviews info.
I own a 1.25GHz mini, and it’s fantastic! I bought a M$ wireless desktop to use with it, and that uses only 1 USB port, keeps wires out of view, and works perfectly.
I do a lot of photo editing, Create multi-track songs, and edit home movies on this mini, all without a glitch. Music Library? I’ve loaded most of my CD’s, thousands of songs onto it for synching with my iPod, and use iTunes. What problem is there with managing a music Library? None. The hardware (albeit with 512MB RAM) is up to the task, and the software (iPhoto, iMovie, iTunes, Garageband) is fantastic and easy to use. The results are great.
“Serial ports”? He must be joking! and as for RCAs and so on… oh dear. What PCs come with these? Maybe if you add them on a PCI card, but most standard out-of-a-box PCs don’t come with RCA audio and s-video ports, in my experience.
Plus, the list of features he lists before the “–and that’s all” is pretty long and impressive, IMHO!
So, from someone who is in a better situation to review the mini (eg have used it properly): It’s great.