View Full Version : Mac Mini VS eMac
soccerkid656
2005-05-12, 16:00
So I am currently a student just going into high school and I want a Mac for my room. We currently have a PC in the living room, but I want my own computer and I have just decided that it's going to be a Mac because they're better than Windows. I have narrowed it down to two Macs: the Mac Mini upgraded to 512 MB of RAM or the new 1.42 eMac also upgraded with 512 MB of Ram. So I know there are advantages and disadvantages, but I still cannot decide. I'm so confused and I need your help. Please help.
Signed,
Confused :confused:
In your case, I'd go with the eMac just because it already comes with a screen. By the time you upgrade the mini and buy a decent LCD/CRT monitor, it's probably going to cost a bit more. But if you've already got a screen, then go for the mini. My only advice to you is to buy the thing yourself. In my experience, parents tend to think that kids (especially younger than 17), are just wanting a computer for a toy, not a tool. At the same time, that brings up a good point. Do you REALLY need a computer, or are you just wanting a mini just because you want it. Your parents will be much more inclined to help you with your purchase if they see a use for the computer, and see you putting the machine to good use as well. Good luck! :)
soccerkid656
2005-05-12, 20:32
In your case, I'd go with the eMac just because it already comes with a screen. By the time you upgrade the mini and buy a decent LCD/CRT monitor, it's probably going to cost a bit more. But if you've already got a screen, then go for the mini. My only advice to you is to buy the thing yourself. In my experience, parents tend to think that kids (especially younger than 17), are just wanting a computer for a toy, not a tool. At the same time, that brings up a good point. Do you REALLY need a computer, or are you just wanting a mini just because you want it. Your parents will be much more inclined to help you with your purchase if they see a use for the computer, and see you putting the machine to good use as well. Good luck! :)
Well, I kinda' do need it. I mean my family uses the PC and whenever I want to get on they get mad and tell me to wait because I'm always on it. Which is probably true I guess. The main reason I want to get a new computer/Mac is cause I'm tired of using Windows and I want to have my own computer to use whenever I want.
I'm a teenager, and Id love nothing more than my own computer as well. I see where you're coming from. But before you bring the subject up, give them reasons why you need a computer. Like when you have reports, make comments about how bad MS Office for windows is compared to a mac, or talk about why a mac is better and how it would make your life easier, etc. Don't be too straight forward :). Try and get a summer job too. Make as much money as possible so you can say "look, I'm saving up b/c I got a job!" That makes you look responsible :D. Score as many brownie points as possible ;)
soccerkid656
2005-05-14, 19:23
Yup, you're right. I'm now currently looking for a summer job and hopefully they'll pitch in. But which computer should I buy? I have no LCD/CRT monitor and no keybored or mouse. I added up the total and they're both the same price. The Mac mini does come out about $50 dollars cheaper though. The only thing I'm concerned about is the graphics card. Is 32MB of dedicated memory enough? I wasn't thinking of playing really expensive games that require really good graphics, but I was thinking about playing The Sims 2. Also is 40GB of Hard Drive space enough anymore?
Also is 40GB of Hard Drive space enough anymore?:lol: Damn - I think I had a 40MB HD :eek: in my Classic II and I thought I'd never fill it! [EDIT: Actually, it was a 60MB HD now that I think about it.]
Perhaps look at it this way - once you purchase the keyboard, mouse and display it will be easier (and cheaper) to just upgrade the Mac mini when you next want to update. As for the 32MB video card, I never really play games so I can't offer any advice on the merits of the supplied video card. However, this TiPB uses a 16MB video card and it is doing OK. :\
hrmm that card won't support the fancy graphic engine in tiger, woah man your gonna miss out on the waves. As for gaming my PB has a 64 bit and it lagges a bit in like WoW and Jedi Knight II, ohh and don't even try to have 12 comps in WCIII, just don't do it. there "should" hopefully be an update to the mini to make the video card good enough to fully use tiger, else apple will end up looking alot more like M$ in my book. but i digress
HTH
Mac+ does bring up a good point as far as upgradeablilty and easiness goes.
I'd have to go with the eMac because the hard-drive is better, and that's one of the main things that irks me about the mini. Oh, and you better plan on investing in some good speakers if you want the mini. The built-in one (yes, singular) is piss-poor.
The Mac mini does come out about $50 dollars cheaper though. The only thing I'm concerned about is the graphics card. Is 32MB of dedicated memory enough?
It's acceptable on OS X. I wouldn't expect top-flight hardcore FPS action, but that's no great loss.
I wasn't thinking of playing really expensive games that require really good graphics, but I was thinking about playing The Sims 2.
From Aspyr via Inside Mac Games (http://www.insidemacgames.com/news/story.php?ArticleID=10932)
The Sims 2 preliminary system requirements:
• Operating System: Mac OS X 10.3.4 or later
• CPU Processor: PowerPC G4 or later
• CPU Speed: 1GHz or faster
• Memory: 256 MB or higher
• Hard Disk Space: 4.2GB free disk space
• Video Card (ATI): Radeon 8500 or better
• Video Card (NVidia): GeForce2 MX or better
• Video Memory (VRam): 32 MB or higher
• Media Required: DVD Drive
Those are preliminary specs, as it probably won't be released until June.
Also is 40GB of Hard Drive space enough anymore?
That really depends on whether you're planning on ripping all your CDs and downloading/ripping lots of movies and leaving them on your hard drive. If yes, then no, probably not. If not… it should be fine. You can always buy a firewire external drive if you start hitting the limits.
I suppose the other cool thing about the Mini for your age group is that it's very portable — it should be fairly easy to take with you when you move out, or if you want to go work at a friend's place etc.
soccerkid656
2005-05-15, 11:00
I think I've decided now. The Mac Mini does look better than the eMac, but the eMac has two advantages: Better graphics card and better hard drive. I do plan on using quite a bit of hard drive space because I have about 3GB of music so far and it's expanding fast. Also, I have an ipod mini, does anybody know how to transfer all of my itunes music library to the new eMac that I'm getting? If you do please help. Thanks! :)
soccerkid656
2005-05-17, 17:09
I made a mistake, they are both equal in price. I am now doubting myself...The Mac Mini is sleek and stylish and the eMac...well....it isn't. Looks are everything...aren't they?
Apple prides itself on its Industrial Design. Having said that I think the eMac is an aberration. :p
I noticed that you mentioned getting 512MB of RAM. Don't buy it from Apple - it is expensive to do it that way. You can purchase RAM cheaper from a 3rd party ... this might save you some $. :)
Again, having said this, I realise that installing RAM in the mini might void your warranty - but if you know what you are doing, then it should not really be a problem.
BTW - have you checked out the Similar Threads at the bottom of this page. There is some good reading in there for you. (If you can't see them, just click on the triangle icon on the right hand side.) :)
CobaltFire
2005-05-18, 13:33
Actually, Apple has stated that installing 3rd party RAM in it's computers will NOT void the warranty. The just don't extend their support to cover it. Also, opening the Mini will NOT void your warranty, but if you damage anything while opening it/working on it, they do not have to fix that part for you (aka they can deny warranty coverage). With that said, upgrading the eMac is actually a bit more touchy than the Mini. If you are going to upgrade an eMac's RAM, try to do it before you ever plug it in. Experienced guys out there, I know this isn't neccesary, but I doubt he has ever worked around a CRT before, and this makes it much safer. On that note, if it comes out to the same price with Mini vs eMac, I would suggest you go with the eMac. Given that you are in HS now, displays and the like are probably going to be significantly better when you are looking to upgrade. Also, the eMac's screen is pretty nice (even if it does look like a pregnant pig). Anyhow, for gaming, the eMac will be 50-75% faster on the same games due to it's MUCH better video card (experience there). Also, you will have an extra RAM slot (allowing for more memory, which makes a large difference in performance), which, when coupled with the faster/better HDD and the better video card, makes the Mini less capable of what you need than the eMac. At this point it is a question of which you want more, performance or looks. For performance, go with the eMac, for looks go with the Mini.
just my .02
soccerkid656
2005-05-20, 15:36
Okay so it's the eMac definitly. But the eMAc is so unattractive.....Hey!!! Does anybody have any ideas on how to make the eMac attractive??? If so, do post and share your ideas. :-)
atomicbartbeans
2005-05-20, 16:26
Not really. Short of painting it, you're stuck. I would personally get a Mac Mini or an iBook though.
soccerkid656
2005-05-21, 21:26
Changed my mind again! This time it's definite though. I'm going to go with the Mac Mini. It looks cool and it's upgradable. The screen that I'm getting is going to be an LCD rather than the bulky CRT that the eMac uses. I learned today that an LCD is easier on the eyes rather than a CRT. And about the hard drive, 40GB is really not that bad. And Mac Mini's Video CArd will probably be okay since the iBook use the same video card and it looks decent on it. I'm not a big gamer, but I'm sure that the games that I do play on it will display beautifully. I am just a student and I really don't need a big performance Mac and this is going to be my first Mac so I really just want to try this out and then later if I want a better Mac (like the iMac G5) I'll go and buy that. Another advantage of the Mac Mini is that it's display is upgradable unlike the eMac's. I can change the monitor anytime I want with the Mac Mini, whereas in the eMac, you have to throw the whole computer away because it's CRT sucks. Well, I want to thank everybody for posting in my first forum and does anybody have any ideas for what kind on LCD I should buy? The budget cannot excede $200. Need help, thanks! :-)
if your looking for a cheap LCD that will get the job done just go to say best buy or some other dealer and they should have a decent selection of LCDs for you to choose from. I think that Wal-mart sells cheap yet decent enough LCDs.
soccerkid656
2005-06-01, 07:34
What about the Mac Mini? Gosh, I need help because I'm going back and forth over this! I'm getting a bit frustrated now because I can't decide...The Mac Mini looks good, but the eMac's a better performer....I need help and advice! Porfabor! :-( :confused: :confused: :confused:
I was about to point you at this (http://forums.applenova.com/showthread.php?t=6735&highlight=emac+mini) thread, where we discussed this not five minutes ago, until I realised that you are the OP there. :confused:
What isn't covered in that thread that caused you to need to post a new topic?
PS: Brad is going to spank you for that thread title, too. ;)
alcimedes
2005-06-01, 08:00
You're new so I'll cut you some slack. :)
What's with the two threads though? Just plain old excitement?
soccerkid656
2005-06-01, 08:20
sorry, it's just that i still can't decide.....mac mini or emac...mac mini or emac...mac mini or emac...
Okay, I'm going to merge these threads... they need to be merged.
Anyway, to answer your question... it comes down to a few advantages and disadvantages that each one has.
You should strongly consider the eMac if:
- You really want the extra speed (much faster video, slightly faster processor, faster hard drive)
- You need a lot of storage space
- You don't mind the built-in monitor or would be planning on buying a cheap 17" CRT for the Mac mini anyway
- You have a lot of USB devices
And you should strongly consider the mini if:
- You want a super-sleek, compact setup
- You already have a monitor, keyboard, and/or mouse to use with it
- You want a nicer monitor than the 17" CRT. My 17" LCD was inexpensive (a little over $200) and the quality is excellent.
- Your storage requirements are not that big or you are okay with getting an external Firewire hard drive to store your data.
soccerkid656
2005-06-01, 11:55
That was good Lucra and thanks for that info, but I have one more question before I buy this Mac. (Still don't know which one, but I'm leaning torwards the Mac Mini) Will it matter if I get a cheap 15' LCD? Please look at these specs and the link is below. I choose both of these LCDs 'cause they look pretty cheap. Which LCD is better? Also if I get one of these LCDs and buy the Mini, if I put in a DVD will it look weird on the LCD because it's cheap? Please answer these questions and thanks for merging these 2 threads and osrry for all of the trouble, but I am new...
soccerkid656
2005-06-01, 11:56
Link 1: http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.gsp?product_id=3300986&cat=163941&type=19&dept=3944&path=0%3A3944%3A3951%3A37802%3A163941
Link 2:http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.gsp?product_id=3138970&cat=163941&type=19&dept=3944&path=0%3A3944%3A3951%3A37802%3A163941
EDIT: Ah, now you have links there.
But anyway, I'll tell you this much... 15" LCDs aren't worth it. They're maybe $50 cheaper than 17" versions, if that. I'd strongly recommend a 17", as it'll give you 67% more screen space for not a whole lot of extra money.
This (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16824009029) is the one I got. Acer is a pretty good brand, and it's a great price too.
As for the ones you posted... meh. They're probably not bad, but I'd still recommend a 17" one instead. You'll be glad you did.
soccerkid656
2005-06-01, 12:09
What about this one: http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.gsp?product_id=3300983&cat=163944&type=19&dept=3944&path=0%3A3944%3A3951%3A37802%3A163944
or this one: http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.gsp?product_id=3391759&cat=163944&type=19&dept=3944&path=0%3A3944%3A3951%3A37802%3A163944
ALso can you please answer my questions that I listed before? Thanks for everything! :-)
Okay, let's see what I can do.
You can indeed get a cheap LCD. You don't have to spend $400-$600 on an LCD to get something good. Mine was $240 (now it's $230) and I couldn't be happier. However, I still think you should avoid "Brand X" monitors. Acer has a pretty good reputation. Furthermore, you should not be buying an LCD monitor from WalMart. WalMart probably has about the worst support possible. NewEgg has excellent support as their entire site is dedicated to selling computer equipment.
DVDs will look bad on REALLY bad LCDs, but in general they should look decent. LCDs don't have the shiny glass covering that CRTs do, so they are a little bit less subject to reflections than most CRTs (though they will still look washed out if there's too much light).
None of the LCDs you linked to really seem great to me. You'll probably be paying sales tax as well, and maybe shipping too. NewEgg is great because they give you all the information up front, photographs of everything you get when you buy the product, and they tell you how much it'll cost to ship as well. Wal Mart's site doesn't give you nearly as much information, plus they don't tell you how much it costs to ship the item until after you add it to your cart. You'll be paying shipping and tax. And who knows how long it'll take to ship? NewEgg often delivers stuff within two or three days of my placing the order.
Bottom line: Buy from NewEgg, not from Wal Mart, and make sure it's a 17" with an included DVI cable. Just look at the product images at NewEgg and if it includes a thick video cable with white connectors at each end, it has DVI included.
soccerkid656
2005-06-01, 14:51
So does that mean that you recomend the mac mini to me? These are the things that I was planning on doing when I got my new mac: IM,e-mail,music,ipod,burn CDs, & play DVDs. Which mac do you recomend for me?
He wants you to buy from Newegg. :)
I think this is the monitor he owns:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16824009029
Haven't read the whole thread, but based on your last post I'd suggest a mini with 512 RAM, and the above monitor.
Yeah, I was just saying that if you decide to get the mini, then you should get that monitor, and you should get it from NewEgg. But only you can decide whether to get the mini or the eMac. THE POWER IS YOURS!!
http://www.tvtome.com/images/shows/2/5/79-11601.jpg
He wants you to buy from Newegg. :)
I think this is the monitor he owns:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16824009029
Haven't read the whole thread, but based on your last post I'd suggest a mini with 512 RAM, and the above monitor.
Listen, I just got the 1.25 mini with 512mb RAM yesterday and it's GREAT. You can't go wrong with this computer. PLENTY fast enough for common every day stuff. I also got the Apple pro keyboard which is really nice. Get the mini!
Tom
atomicbartbeans
2005-06-04, 09:02
Assuming that the iBook has the same internal stuff as the Mini (I have an iBook), the Mini should be plenty fast. My iBook is great, even for proc-intensive stuff like Photoshop and iMovie.
That's all the iBook really is; a Mini with a display, keyboard, mouse, and battery. Oh, the Mini has DVI out.
soccerkid656
2005-06-04, 09:18
What connection would be better? DVI or Analog? I've heard a lot of issuses with DVI not working properly, but which one would be better and are those issues with DVI true?
atomicbartbeans
2005-06-04, 10:29
If at all possible, DVI. You get the best picture quality and color matching, and the connector pin layout is just damn cool. Also, you don't have to worry about the correct contrast, color, etc. setting on your monitor, that's all set via DVI connection. All's you need to do on the monitor itself is adjust the brightness, and it gives you true colors all the time.
I doubt if you'll experience a DVI problem with a newer Mac.
atomicbartbeans
2005-06-04, 10:39
So does that mean that you recomend the mac mini to me? These are the things that I was planning on doing when I got my new mac: IM,e-mail,music,ipod,burn CDs, & play DVDs. Which mac do you recomend for me?
I would definitely recommend the Mini to you, on the basis of the tasks you just listed. The Mini is quite adept to do all that and more.
By the way, Luca, it doesn't matter how many USB devices you have. I'm running (hold on, I'm counting)... 9 peripherals connected to my iBook at the moment. For one, the Apple keyboard has 2 extra ports on the back, and you can also buy a $10 hub almost anywhere. One extra port on the eMac means little in USB functionality.
Anyways, it sounds like what you'll be doing with it doesn't at all warrant the extra CPU power in an eMac. That, and they're fugly.
Get a Mini dude!
Edit: also, don't worry about DVD playback quality. A DVD played on even the cheapest, crappiest LCD will still look lots better than on a television. Also, about DVI vs. VGA, it's not that big of a deal when you're monitor shopping. If it's a good monitor, it won't make that much of a difference which connection it uses.
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