[screensaver400]

...what do I buy? $650 has to cover taxes, too.

I was thinking the $553 Mac mini at Mac Connection ($593-$40 MIR), which is a standard 1.25ghz Mac mini, but with AP and BT. I'd also get the $99 1GB of RAM from OWC.

Any better ideas? I kinda like the $650 eMac in Apple's Special Deals section, but I can't justify the difference in final specs compared to my above config. I want the most bang for the buck on a new Mac. I'm not opposed to refurb products, but I don't want used.

Also, is the Mini's standard 40 gig hd big enough? Or would the 80 be a better option?

[faramirtook]

If I was you, I'd either:

a. build/buy a computer and run Linux on it. (Gentoo if you're willing to spend some time, Ubuntu for ease of use)

b. get the Mac Mini.

[FFL]

I'd definitely get the larger hard drive - they fill up quickly.

[screensaver400]

Originally Posted by faramirtook a. build/buy a computer and run Linux on it. (Gentoo if you're willing to spend some time, Ubuntu for ease of use)

Its not for me... I'm quite happy with my Rev. D 12" Powerbook, thank you. Its for my sister... Shes just entering Jr. High, and her 800mhz Celeron eMachine just isn't doing the job.

I'll never build/buy another PC (unless it can run Mac OS X).

[Luca]

See if you can skip the Airport/Bluetooth - I don't think they're worth it for $100. Since it's a desktop you can just get a really long ethernet cable for $5-10 if you really need it.

[screensaver400]

Originally Posted by Luca See if you can skip the Airport/Bluetooth - I don't think they're worth it for $100. Since it's a desktop you can just get a really long ethernet cable for $5-10 if you really need it.

Are they worth it for $53? Mac Connection's rebate is only valid for bundles, and not stock systems.

[Luca]

Mail-in rebates are the devil, though! And given the budget, no, I don't think they're worth it even for $53, since she can EASILY get by without either.

That $53 can be spent in other areas, like upgrading the hard drive, getting a larger external hard drive (if she needs it), getting a decent set of speakers (if she doesn't already have any), and so on.

[screensaver400]

The conflict I'm having, though, is that it's $100 to add those things later, and they can't be user-installed. She needs the Airport for sure (other side of the house, her mother doesn't like the idea of running an ethernet cable down the hall), and it is $71 by itself if you BTO it on the Apple Store. If she needs the AP for sure, why not get Bluetooth, too, at that price (We do have bluetooth cell phones, so it would give us some use)?

Also, in regards to HD upgrades, it seems that buying an external upgrade to go under the Mini is a better deal. You get more ports, a faster hard drive, and it's likely less expensive.

[Luca]

Oh, I see... entering Jr. High. I must have misread and thought she was going into college, in which case she would not need wireless (since dorm rooms are small and all have ethernet hookups).

Yeah, if they are useful, then $53 is not a bad price at all, even if you have to use a mail-in rebate to get it. If she has a BT cell phone then the BT upgrade is worth it too. A lot of people get BT just for the hell of it.

[atomicbartbeans]

I would kill for a setup like that when I was entering Jr. High...

At any rate, an external hard disk would be a good idea, depending on what she's doing. Although I doubt a 7th grader will be editing 1020p in FC Studio, it might be a good idea for heat reasons too.

Bluetooth is a good idea for when BT iPods come out *crosses fingers*.

[Luca]

I doubt anyone's editing 1020p. You must mean 1080p

An external hard drive would be a good idea if 80 GB isn't enough. $50 to go from 40 GB to 80 GB is an okay deal, but if 80 GB isn't going to be enough then there isn't any point in spending the money since you'll need an external hard drive anyway, and external drives are much cheaper for the storage. I mean, the actual difference in price between a 40 GB and 80 GB desktop-sized hard drive is almost nothing (only $7 difference between the cheapest 40 GB and cheapest 80 GB 3.5" hard drives on NewEgg). Get an external 160-250 GB hard drive to supplement the 40 GB internal drive and she should be set for life.

But she probably doesn't need that much space. I don't think you'll need a Firewire hard drive.

EDIT: Just out of curiosity, I checked how much it costs for a 40 GB vs. 80 GB laptop hard drive. The cheapest 40 GB was actually a 5400 RPM one, for $68, while the cheapest 80 GB was a 4200 RPM one for $103. But there was an 80 GB, 5400 RPM for $103.50. So again, $50 to upgrade the internal drive isn't a bad deal, only a little more expensive than doing it yourself.

[infoterror]

Originally Posted by faramirtook a. build/buy a computer and run Linux on it. (Gentoo if you're willing to spend some time, Ubuntu for ease of use)

A friend is very fond of:

http://www.freebsd.org/

Better for rock-solid apps, he says.

[screensaver400]

Originally Posted by infoterror A friend is very fond of: http://www.freebsd.org/ Better for rock-solid apps, he says.

I've tried several linux variants (Mandrake 7.2, 9.2, 10; Suse 9; Redhat (back when there was just one Redhat project); Fedora Core), although I've never tried freebsd. They're all lacking in usability and software ease of use (ie: dependency hell). Perhaps OS Xi will encourage Linux and other *nixes to improve usability. Perhaps not.

In any case, I don't think any *nix (save OS X) is ready for your run-of-the-mill dumb user.

[FallenFromTheTree]

Your sister won't need the wireless stuff and you can get an Apple keyboard for $29.00
I'd concentrate of getting her the SuperDrive, larger HD and more RAM and she''ll be totally fine.

[Luca]

FFTT: read above. She actually does need the wireless stuff.

[FallenFromTheTree]

Originally Posted by Luca FFTT: read above. She actually does need the wireless stuff.

OOPS! My bad!

[Wickers]

Originally Posted by faramirtook If I was you, I'd either: a. build/buy a computer and run Linux on it. (Gentoo if you're willing to spend some time, Ubuntu for ease of use) b. get the Mac Mini.

I'd merge a. and b....

Buy a Mac mini, and install ubuntu on it.