WHICH is better MAC MINI!!!

[scruffles]

clarifying, i'm talking to samous in previous^^

 

[halfadder]

Depends on what games you want to play. I've been using computers for about 82% of my living years, so I've played and enjoyed everything from the original Atari 2600 version of Frogger up through HalfLife 2.

SimCity4, Enigmo, and Chess take up most of my gaming hours these days. When my friends and I have ad hoc lan parties, we often spend hours in Quake3 or StarCraft. Sure Rise Of Nations and Rome Total War are awesome fun games, but when it comes down to it, I have just as much fun with most of the classics. Shucks, 90% of my favorite games would run fine on an iBook. Probably 98% if I included emulated game ROMs.

Of course there's still that 2% - 10% of my games that require monsterous game hardware power, and that's one of the reasons I still maintain a nice PC rig too.

And as a side note, you're not going to be doing much modern gaming with anything that uses integrated Intel Extreme Graphics or VIA DeltaChome Graphics either. Even a lowly Radeon 9200 whoops up on that built-in garbage.

 

[scruffles]

thnks for the info Bunni, half, and others.

so say i retract my virus etc. comment, as i don't really care about that. I have no problem now nor have i ever. I jsut heard that mac was better for that stuff. This is my first one, so i'm relying on what i hear. I figured it might be a smidge better in the long run. Really, all i'm after is the OS and size. I've decided to wait the extra few days and come up with the money for the 1.42 and the 1 gig so i think i'm set.

thankyou all for your input.

 

[Excelsior]

Originally posted by: bunnyfubbles

Originally posted by: Excelsior

Originally posted by: Samus

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire

Originally posted by: scruffles
mostly just want the better os with less virus, worm, etc. worries.

Then build your own x86 PC and learn how to not suck at using it.

- M4H

I donno, I agreee with M4H. Buying a MAC isn't the solution to spyware, I can't help but laugh at that philosphy...

Just learn how to use the idiotnet.

Do you own a Mac? How the fvck would you know?

I own an iBook and he's right.

There are several very good and highly effective and most importantly FREE anti-malware programs for PC. The thing that gets me about the iBook is that if OSX starts to get targeted, you're going to be pretty SOL at first until there's antimalware software out there. And then the fact that is Mac won't help make a viable free solution, you'll most likely have to end up paying a ton of money in the end on all your programs. Although I'm sure the MiniMac could run Linux just fine so you could always go that route, but then it'd probably be pretty hard/unpleasant to play UT2k4 then...

UT2k4 is snailish at best on my 64MB Radeon 8500, this is with a AMD Athlon Barton XP @ 2.3GHz as well... Certainly the inferior Mac Mini won't be any more fun to play on, details cranked down all the way at low resolutions. If the OP is serious about quitting gaming, and gets a Mac Mini, he may be going cold turkey sooner than he thinks. Its a LOT easier to learn how to play a game as a slide show straight up, than get accustomed to tripple digit frame rates and high res eye candy only to be forced back down to the slide show. You might find some success but it just won't be as enjoyable either before or after you knew the game as it was meant to be played.

With that said I'd probably go with the faster CPU, seeing as you definately won't be playing at any sort of high resolution let alone decent resolution, perhaps 800x600 might work out, of which a fast CPU could actually boost your frame rates.

Are you saying that no free programs comparable to adaware or spybot would be made for OS X? What is your basis for that assumption? As of now, there is almost zero threat of spyware/etc to Macs. My father has gone to all sorts of websites, including dumb-ass porn sites, and nothing has happened to his computer.

 

[scruffles]

haha, nice to get some info from a mac user^

 

[hopejr]

I can't believe the stupid comments some of the PC only users have been making - well at least they sound like they know nothing about macs. As I've said many times in the past on this forum, I'm a veteran PC user that has just switched over to OS X. I love it, and find it much more intuitive than any of the other OS's I've used (believe me, that's no small number) - I find it a pleasure to use. I don't enjoy using my PC's much anymore. BTW, I got an iBook G4 1GHz and it's a nice machine. I've had it long enough for the novelty to wear off, and it's still my favourite machine.
As for ut24k, I've heard of ppl with 1GHz eMacs that can run it well.

 

[scruffles]

ok, thank salot hopejr. I'm looking foreward to the OS for sure!

 

[halfadder]

Originally posted by: bunnyfubbles
The thing that gets me about the iBook is that if OSX starts to get targeted, you're going to be pretty SOL at first until there's antimalware software out there. And then the fact that is Mac won't help make a viable free solution, you'll most likely have to end up paying a ton of money in the end on all your programs.

Huh? Mac software costs money, but so does Windows software. Apple include quite a bit of software with each new Mac they sell, but they're not going to include *everything* possible.

There are already two well supported anti-virus software packages for Mac, Norton AntiVirus For Macintosh, and McAfee Virex. They are priced similar to that of their Windows cousins.

 

[CraigRT]

Dont want spyware? (Windows users) set yourself up as a basic user, and when you want to install anything, log in as an Administrator, disabling the net connection.

Yeah, it sucks, but it works.

 

[Tiamat]

Get the 1.42 version. Ram is easy to upgrade, the processor may not be.

 

[Hottie]

Originally posted by: aplefka
I'd have to say that the MacMini is a little computer for a lot of money. At least from what I've looked at it makes more sense to look at the low budget system on the system builder's guide in the forum, but to each his own. With that system though, you at least get a monitor.

Hater, please go away. The member is asking for opinion which of the TWO he mention fit his/her need better not ask for opinion on Mac. I am sure 99% of members here have PC and everyone know the you can build a PC for less than $499 but 10x the weight and size, also the mini looks 100x better.

 

[0roo0roo]

well i can play ut on my 9000pro...just at 1024x768 with lowest detail though. not sure how much faster then 9200 is.

 

[Eug]

I wouldn't get the Mac mini for any sort of 3D gaming, unless you play older or less cutting age games. The Radeon 9200 just isn't great for 3D as everyone knows, and Macs are usually slower for gaming anyway.

Originally posted by: Tiamat
Get the 1.42 version. Ram is easy to upgrade, the processor may not be.

The CPU is soldered to the logic board (as is the GPU).

 

[crimson117]

Originally posted by: CraigRT
Dont want spyware? (Windows users) set yourself up as a basic user, and when you want to install anything, log in as an Administrator, disabling the net connection.

Yeah, it sucks, but it works.

I like how Fedora (maybe other distros) do this... when you need to do something admin-y, you don't need to log out and in as admin. It just asks you for the root password right there.

 

[scruffles]

decided to keep one of my shuttle pc till the mini arrives to make sure i'm set. Appreciate all the feedback, I decided on the 1.42 with 512 for now. I'll get a good list of playable games up and anything else i can think to post as soon as it gets here. 2 YEARS FROM NOW! I can't imagine Y it takes them so long. With the parts being out for years now, you'd think assembly wouldn't take too long. Just hope i get the fast hard drive, it's a 50/50 from what i've heard.

thanks all.

 

[imported_2x]

Get the 1.42 ghz one. Ram can be easily upgraded, the processor is tougher (and usually more expensive).