If you traded in your mac mini for a windows pc, what would you get?

I have a late 2009 Mac Mini and am just chafing to upgrade. It's slow as molasses.  But at the same time, I'm not willing to pay full price for 2012 model, and Apple is way behind in releasing an update. In fact I'm hearing speculation that Apple may be just discontinuing the Mac Mini.
I don't know... But I'm getting tired of waiting. And getting a different model of Mac doens't work for me, because I want to use my own screens. (I'm running two large screens in "portrait" mode.)
Also, I have a Windows 7 PC at work, and I've come to realize that I don't mind Windows 7 and don't see it as intrinsically better than the Apple OS. In fact Windows & has generally been mariginally more stable, and a lot faster then the OS on my Mac. In fact I got both systems around the same time and the Windows 7 system did better with less RAM and is "aging" better.
HOWEVER, what I really love about the Mac Mini is how QUIET it is. I have it in my bedroom, next to my bed, and it's noise is barely noticeable. So I guess I should look into seeing if there area any desktop PC's that are as quiet.
Have you considered switching back to a PC, and if you did what would you get?

I moved away from Apple in 2007 and have never looked back !
I use the ASRock Vision X 420D  http://www.asrock.com/nettop/Intel/VisionX%20Series%20(Haswell)/ 
Its the same size as the current Mini but a bit taller - BUT it is FULLY user upgradeable and about the same price once you make a mini upto the same spec.
I run Windows 8.1 on it and love it - yes there are lots of people bleating on about the 'metro' style of Win 8 but if you configure it (which has been a feature from launch, not a 3rd party hack) you never have to see the metro interface and you have a standard desktop.
As to woodmeister50 comment of : Also, with Win8, many third party add on companies have dropped support etc. is that not the same for Mavericks ?!
Custom mini
ASRock Vision X 420D, 16Gb Ram, 3x 512Gb SSD, AMD Radeon R270X, WiFi (n, ac)

Similar Messages

  • How do you know what version of OS X you have on your Mac Mini?

    How do you know what version of OS X you have on your Mac Mini?

    Apple Menu (upper left on meu bar) > About This Mac
    "Verion: " 10.8.x is Mountain Lion, 10.7.x is Lion, 10.9.x is Mavericks, 10.6 x is Snow Leopard.

  • What would you do with 150$ for your ipod???

    Just say that your parents give you 150$ to spend for your ipod....and you already have an inCase or iSkin....what would you buy? And just say that you don't want an iSpeaker....What would you get? Well i got that problem, i have 150$ Future shop gift certificate (a Canadian Technologie store), and i need to spend it....any suggestion?
    Chris,

    spend it on music, if they dont have cds buy itunes
    cards, theres practically no point in having an ipod
    if you dont have good music on it
    this is wat i would do
    Nano 4GB black,Moto RAZR V3 black, PSP, all kinds of cases for nano,radio/remote   Windows XP   <img src="http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e13/superman5656/s.gif"align="right"</span>

  • Is there an app for the ipad that will allow you to access your mac.

    Is there an app for the ipad that will allow you to access your mac via wifi or cell network.

    Yep, two of the most popular apps are "LogMeIn Ignition" and "iTeleport." Check them out, they'll both set you back by about 30$ though.

  • Can you use logic express on a mac mini for recording

    Can i use logic exprees on a mac mini for recording? Ive seen alot of 8,12, and 16 track recorders with a cd burner and it seems like a logical and more productive gues for me to buy a macmini for the same thing of recording and then I can uses logic express, a far better program for recording. can the mac mini handle the load of processing tracks and how much ram should I uses? thanks tim

    sorry, I'd like to butt in here:
    I would like to do the same thing, so I am curious about this forum and rather than starting a new one, can I get some advice on this possibility:
    Mac Mini
    1.83GHz Intel Core Duo
    2GB 667 DDR2 SDRAM - 2x1GB
    80GB Serial ATA drive
    Glyph External HD 250 Gig
    Mackie Onyx 1620 w/Firewire
    Logic Pro 7.2
    thoughts?
    The most number of tracks I could see at once would be 16.
    Here is something I am most curious about...
    Firewire Hard drive
    Firewire Interface/mixer
    Firewire camera for FCP
    to much firewire?
    Please let me know if you have other thoughts aswell...
    Shuke
    thanks guys, this forum is fantastic!

  • Mac Mini for the Home

    Hello,
    This question has been posted many times all over the internet but the responses are not specific to what I need to know. I have a MBP 2010 that is my main workhorse for everything. I was thinking of adding a Mac Mini to my network to host iTunes so that when I take my MBP away from my network I can still stream media from iTunes. I also do not want to worry about having to remebert to turn on my MBP if I decide to stream from iTunes. Basically, I want a dedicated iTunes server.
    The price of a Mac Mini is not cheap and I could build a windows platform to handle the iTunes service but I do not want to deal with cross platform issues.
    I want to know what other things can I do with the Mac Mini besides have it host my iTunes library. I have a drobo fs and was going to hook that up to it for storage.
    I have been reading online that I can access shared folders with the Mac Mini so I can still access the drobo from my MBP. I might want to host my own website later and thought that was a cool feature of Server.
    I dont have any other Macs in my ecosystem. Could I access the Mac Mini remotely and share files that way if I want to. I am thinking if I get the Mac Mini I can off load some contnet off my MBP and some tasks to the Mac Mini. Im not sure what else I can use it for. I guess Im asking how can I get the most out of a Mac Mini?
    Sorry if this thread is sort of inconsistent with asking for help. I went into the Apple store to take to someone about it and they were fixated on my Drobo thinking that it could do all the work that I wanted to do. They had no idea of what a drobo was.

    OS X Server does address iOS devices through Profile Manager. I'm not versed on that because I don't use it.
    Yes, with VPN you can share files and Screen sharing remotely when not on your Local Area Network (LAN).
    A Mac Mini can be "the brains" if that's what you want. I use my Mac Mini as a home server. I keep files for Macs and PCs on it so those computers don't have to store them on their local computer. I use VPN so I can access files when away from my LAN. I have a USB 3.0 drive I use with the Time Machine service to back up my MBP Retina over the network. I have my iTunes files on the server and use iTunes Home Sharing to share THAT iTunes library to all computers on the network.
    I purchased the base model ($599) which I feel is inexpensive for a home server. It has the base RAM of 4GB which works perfectly for me since it's not using CPU/Memory resources like my Retina does which is my day-to-day computer.

  • Which Mac mini for home server, Aperture & HTPC

    Hi,
    I'm buying a Mac mini for:
    - home / small business server
    - Occasional HTPC usage (will be hooked to my TV via HDMI)
    - Occasional Aperture / iPhoto usage (minimal iMovie)
    Which one is most suitable for this?
    I was planing to go for Server  version (with bumped up RAM to 8GB), but now I read about video card and I'm not 100% anymore.
    I will NOT use it for 3D - gaming or similar tasks!
    Thak you all for help!
    Vasja

    I went for the non-server dual core i7 with AMD GPU and am very happy with it.  Do quite a bit of Aperture work and it never misses a beat (so far).  I'm not a fan of integrated Intel graphics and wouldn't trust it for HTPC duties.
    I'm not sure how many/much of the 'server' functionality you're going to be using as it sounds more like file transfer and other tasks that could be accomplished through normal Lion.
    Unless I'm missing something I assume the two hard drives in the Mini Server are just as much of a pain to replace as the one in the non-server Mini so I didn't see the point of having a two hard disc Mini.
    For your requirements I would definitely look at how much of the server functionality you really need to utilise, and if the answer is 'not much' I'd recommend the i5 or i7 non-server Mini with AMD GPU and some sort of NAS, plus a sensible offsite backup plan for your data.

  • Using Mac mini for storage

    Hello Folks,
    Quick question: can I use the mac mini for storage only? I have loads of movies, music and tv shows that I want to store.
    How would this work if at all possible?
    Alternative advice on EHD that I should rather use?
    Thanks!
    JDT

    Yes, and target disk mode, or firewire over IP or setting it up as a file server are all possibilities. But given there are faster more capacious hard drives for less, I would get that instead unless there is some feature of the Mac Mini that a simple hard drive can't do that you need. I.e. Front Row, Media Central or other software can be used to see your data on a TV. An external hard drive attached to your desktop Mac together with an AppleTV can do the same thing but the media formats are more limited.

  • Macbook Pro or Mac Mini for Logic Pro X

    Hi I currently have a Mid 2011 Macbook Pro 13' with 16GB 1600Mhz RAM and a 500GB Hybrid Solid State Drive. I use Logic Pro X heavily to the point where I get crazy CPU spikes and cant work with Logic Pro smoothly anymore. (Note: I only have around almost 20 tracks and I get these spikes, I've been doing much research to reduce this but still no luck.) I can't work with freezing tracks as well due to the Logic Pro X bug that unfreezes all the frozen tracks when pressing CMD+Z. Now I really think I need to upgrade my mac. I'd want to save as much money as I can so I was thinking of the 2.3Ghz quad core i7 Mac Mini?
    What difference does the regular Mac mini make with the mac mini with the OSX Server? Do you think the $799 mac mini, when paired with a 16GB 1600Mhz ram and a 7200rpm HD work wonders for me in my music dream? Should I still go for the macbook pros. As far as portability, I think both are portable and I won't have any problem with both. When it comes to the screen, and keyboard and mouse, I have no problem in buying them individually. All I really care about is if it could handle what I want it to do at the cheapest price possible. I can't move away from the mac beacause Logic Pro X is pulling my leg.
    If you guys have any recommendations please feel free to comment.
    Thank you very much

    Ok.. a few points..
    A Mac Mini is really much the same as a Macbook Pro without the screen and keyboard..  but for a lot less money...
    The Mac Mini Server version is identical to the standard Mac Mini with OS X but on the system disk is the Server App which you must run to activate the server functionality. Dont run the server app and the Mac Mini Server is just a mac Mini running normal OS X
    Instead of freezing tracks.. have you tried Bounce in place... ?
    Overloads can often occur due to using internal audio or... the Audio interface you are using and its (poor quality) drivers.. Are you using one? if so, which>
    If you are getting overloads with that Macbook Pro then a recent Mac Mini will probably not improve the situation for you... The fact you are getting overloads could be how you are using Logic.. what plugins you are using.. what else is running ion the Mac and so on.. What processor does your MBP have. The newer Mac Minis can have faster more powerful  i7 quad cores which effectivelky gives you 8 cores to work with and that can help reduce loads...
    Note: Often starting from scratch with a clean Mac and just installing LogicPpro plus plugins (and not using it for anything else..) can speed things up anyhow...

  • How do I clean off mac mini for resale

    I recently bought an iMac and am going to sell my Mac mini. The only thing on there are my pics and iTunes. Is there anything special I need to do when it comes to deleting those items before getting rid of the computer?
    thanks.

    You can actually just shut down your system safely when you get to that point. Hold down the power button for 3-5 seconds and the system will power down/shut off.
    When the new owner boots the machine it'll proceed directly to the system setup as if the machine was turned on for the first time. Presuming you performed an erase and install.
    We all at some point upgrade from our present Macs to newer state of the art Macs. For example upgrading from a 17" PowerBook G4 to a 17" MacBook Pro.
    Macs have a high resale value and people are always looking for a second system, a system for their children, or looking for a bargain. Remember to include the restore disks, user manuals, accessories, etc., that came with your system when you first bought it.
    One of the things that make a Mac special is the high resale value. It is also how many new users, "switchers" experience their first Mac. 9 out of 10 those buyers will purchase a new Mac down the road obviously because of the Mac itself but also because of their buying experience.
    They always remember their first Mac and their actual buying experience, so make it as if you were buying the system. What would you consider when buying from a complete stranger and what would you want and how would you want to be treated?
    Good Luck!

  • Mac Mini for audio recording using LOGIC X

    Has anyone had experience using the latest Mac mini for audio recording? I'm thinking of purchasing the 2.6GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7 16GB 1600MHz DDR3 SDRAM - 2x8GB 1TB Serial ATA Drive @ 5400 rpm  model. I'll be using Logic X along with Reasons, Wave, UA plugins with a Apollo I/O  I'd appreciate any feedback and or suggestions.

    I'd work off of another hard drive as much as possible.  Install the applications to your boot drive, but keep your data on a separate external hard drive.  If you try to run OS, apps and big audio data off of that 5400, I foresee performance issues even with 16GB of RAM.  Also, don't forget a second external hard drive for your backups.

  • Using Mac-Mini for movie / TV entertainment center

    Hi all,
    Can someone steer me into right direction? I'd like to use my MacMini as my main entertainment center to view my movies, music,TV, etc. and would like to know what will I need to make viewing pleasurable? I'd like to get a 42" display. I'd also like to add 5.1 digital surround sound. I'll also be using my Mac mini for web surfing and emails. Thanks for your help
    Web dude

    I just finished my setup, and I'm quite satisfied. I bought a Mac Mini to use as the media center and bought the Elgato EyeTV 250+ to get digital television over the antenna, which also allows you to use your mac as a DVR. I send the video to a Sony projector via DVI to HDMI cable, and the audio goes to my old surround sound receiver via the headphone jack to RCA. If you don't have a receiver yet, I'd get one that has optical audio input since the headphone jack on the mini also has optical out. I also use a firewire external hard drive to store video.
    I continue to use my DVD player to play DVD's instead of the mini, simply because if there are any scratches (especially on rentals) the mini doesn't work through them as well as my DVD player. I plan on ripping my collection to the external drive so that I don't have to deal with disks at all though.
    For the keyboard and mouse, I got the logitech dinovo mini keyboard because it has a trackpad integrated in the keyboard. While some of the buttons lack functionality, I will probably use ControllerMate to program them as well as difficult keyboard shortcuts. The other nice thing is if you have a "learning" programable remote because you can program it with the apple remote signal as well as the EyeTV remote and reduce the amount of clutter on the couch.

  • Using a Mac Mini for DSP

    Hello!
    I am wondering how many users are there out there using a Mac Mini for DSP to allow for more processing power.
    wondering what types of experiences people have had out there/how well the machines work together. and if you would or would not recommend doing so
    i would assume that it would help out with all of the processing and makes things sound better in the end?

    I don't do it on a regular basis, but I tested out using an intel mini as a node on a G5, and it worked fine. Probably added about an additional 25% of what the quad could do (so if the quad did 100 of a plugin, the mini added 25 more).

  • Mac mini for video / music production

    hello!
    i'm really into music and video, i currently do all my video work in premiere pro on the pc, and music is done in a combination of packages like reason, soundforge, etc.
    i'm really tempted by the offer of a mac mini for a few hundred pounds complete with garageband, imovie, etc. plus i can always get final cut on there too.
    I am serious about what i do and would want high quality results. what i'm asking is basically, consdiering the specs of the mac mini, (i'd have to go for the top of the range to get the dvd writer) will it be capable of performing well with video work and more importantly, will garageband let me do professional sounding sequencing and mixing?
    or am i kidding myself that the mini is capable? because if the option is buying a G5, i'll use the cash to upgrade my windows pc instead. it's all about tools for the job for me, i've got no brand loyalty.
    thanks for any advice / opinions!!
    -the swan

    There's no doubt that the mini CAN do what you want - it outperforms many Mac systems that have been sucessfully doing pro-level video and audio work for years. On the video side the system is very capable, and whether in iMovie or Final Cut, professional results are achievable. Indeed, being digital, there's no practical way to tell from the rsult whether it came off a mini or an old G3 iMac or a brand new G5 tower. The mini's only drawback is that rendering takes time. Less time than older systems, and more time than a G5 would. Some rendering (such as transitions or effects in iMovie) run in the background and don't prevent continuing work.
    On the audio side, I'll leave that to people who have a better knowledge of the application than I do as a rather 8th-rate amateur!
    As for the model you should buy, I would suggest NOT the $699 version with superdrive. I'd suggest you buy the $599 model, replace the 512Mb RAM with a 1Gb stick, and add an external burner. That way you would be getting enough memory to give the mini a solid performance in video work, and giving yourself the choice of DVD burner which not only would include possible dual layer devices (the superdrive is single) but also better burn speeds.

  • I have read up on all about crashes and i cant even open it in safe mode :( i have tried deleting it and reinstalling it but the problem still persists. What would you suggest i do and is there any way i canget hold of firefox 6 for mac?

    i have read up on all about crashes and i cant even open it in safe mode :( i have tried deleting it and reinstalling it but the problem still persists. What would you suggest i do and is there any way i canget hold of firefox 6 for mac?

    Does the regular Firefox 8 release version work or does the version crash as well?
    *Firefox 8.0.x: http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/all.html
    Create a new profile as a test to check if your current profile is causing the problems.
    See "Basic Troubleshooting: Make a new profile":
    *https://support.mozilla.com/kb/Basic+Troubleshooting#w_8-make-a-new-profile
    There may be extensions and plugins installed by default in a new profile, so check that in "Tools > Add-ons > Extensions & Plugins" in case there are still problems.
    If that new profile works then you can transfer some files from the old profile to that new profile, but be careful not to copy corrupted files.
    See:
    *http://kb.mozillazine.org/Transferring_data_to_a_new_profile_-_Firefox

Maybe you are looking for