# WILDLY positive Mac Mini review: TOM'S HARDWARE!



## Macaholic (Jan 7, 2003)

The much-respected PC geek's website, Tom's Hardware, has posted an extremely positive review for the Mac Mini.
http://www.tomshardware.com/howto/20050216/index.html

So did the also-respected Anandtech:
http://www.anandtech.com/mac/showdoc.aspx?i=2328

PC Magazine gave it four out of five starts:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1753962,00.asp

Even Paul Thurrott likes the Mac Mini:
http://www.internet-nexus.com/2005_01_30_archive.htm

What the hell is going on with this world now?? Speed-wise, the Mac Mini can get smoked by ANY PC of equal price (come on; I don't believe that a 1.25gHz G4 with no L3 cache is faster than a 2.8gHz Celeron). And yet, these traditionally PC-centric sites are... actually... loving this thing!  Are they beginning to see the light? Are they finally realizing the superiority of Mac OS X?? Did they get fooled by a cute form factor (never worked before...)??? Does only MONEY speak to these people??!  

Whatever. The more thumbs heading north, the better.


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## da_jonesy (Jun 26, 2003)

WOW.... 20 watts of power? That's incredible. My next big purchase was either going to be a new powerbook or a new widescreen TV. This cinches it... widescreen TV with a Mac Mini as a media server! It draws less power than a lightbulb so i can have it on all the time to schedule and record things. Yeah baby, I love it!


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## Macaholic (Jan 7, 2003)

i CAN'T WAIT for my Mac Mini to arrive!


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## K_OS (Dec 13, 2002)

I can't wait for the Best Buy near me to get some Mini's in stock so I can play with it a bit before I pluck down some cash for it.


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## used to be jwoodget (Aug 22, 2002)

Yes, but Apple is still doomed...... 

Before people dismiss the mini as a cut-down, low cost Mac, they should take a look at one in person. The possibilities are endless. The mini is the perfect "project" machine. I don't even have a keyboard and mouse connected to mine. Just a BlueTooth dongle and Salling Clicker along with a wireless connection to an Airport Express and a cable from audio out to the home theatre receiver. All I have to do now is persuade my wife that its time for an HDTV...... That's the big project.


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## Macaholic (Jan 7, 2003)

Yeah K_OS the BestBuy near me has a Mac Mini on display, and it's a model of "BYOKVM": Kensington keyboard and Bluetooth mouse, couple with a Sony 15" flat panel.


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## ArtistSeries (Nov 8, 2004)

Macaholic said:


> The much-respected PC geek's website, Tom's Hardware, has posted an extremely positive review for the Mac Mini.
> http://www.tomshardware.com/howto/20050216/index.html
> 
> So did the also-respected Anandtech:
> ...


Are your reality field distortion googles on?

1) Tom's Hardware did not post a review - it's only a "guide" - an overview
2) Anandtech had some reservations about the the mac mini "The performance of the Mac mini in its standard form is unacceptable, even for a $499 machine.....here's a ton of stuttering when multitasking (not even heavy multitasking) and it's completely caused by disk swapping.*"
3) Paul Thurrott may love his mini but does have reservations about it citing the Bare Feats article
"he Mac mini is a credible performer when running "normal" productivity applications. Unless you are a speed fanatic with demanding, resource hungry applications, you should be very happy with your mini.

But the mini has weak spots. If you play 3D accelerated games, it won't do as well as its siblings ... The biggest weakness is the hard drive speed. As you know, the size, weight, and price design goals dictated that it have a sluggish 4200rpm 2.5 inch drive. If you aren't on a tight budget, I recommend either upgrading to a 5400rpm or 7200rpm drive.

It's a scandal that Apple still considers 256MB as adequate for entry level Macs. They must know better since they send out review units with 512MB. Mac OS X is a virtual memory operating system, but I don't think you want constant virtual memory hits on your mini ... I think your mini will "feel better" if it had 1GB of memory.

Of course, adding drives and memory can drive the price of the mini up quickly. If you don't have a keyboard, mouse, and display already, you can find yourself spending as much as the cost of an iMac G5/1.6 -- which is a faster machine"


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## da_jonesy (Jun 26, 2003)

used to be jwoodget said:


> Yes, but Apple is still doomed......
> 
> Before people dismiss the mini as a cut-down, low cost Mac, they should take a look at one in person. The possibilities are endless. The mini is the perfect "project" machine. I don't even have a keyboard and mouse connected to mine. Just a BlueTooth dongle and Salling Clicker along with a wireless connection to an Airport Express and a cable from audio out to the home theatre receiver. All I have to do now is persuade my wife that its time for an HDTV...... That's the big project.


That is it exactly! I use Salling Clicker as well with my 12" PB G4 that and the Mac mini are a perfect combo... now to choose the TV.


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## da_jonesy (Jun 26, 2003)

ArtistSeries said:


> Are your reality field distortion googles on?
> 
> Of course, adding drives and memory can drive the price of the mini up quickly. If you don't have a keyboard, mouse, and display already, you can find yourself spending as much as the cost of an iMac G5/1.6 -- which is a faster machine"


Ummm isn't that exactly the point? If you go to purchase the whole shebang... drop the coin on an iMac. If you already have a monitor get the mini. Sounds pretty simple to me.


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## monokitty (Jan 26, 2002)

da_jonesy said:


> Ummm isn't that exactly the point? If you go to purchase the whole shebang... drop the coin on an iMac. If you already have a monitor get the mini. Sounds pretty simple to me.


Yeah, really. I don't know what the hell is difficult to understand that the Mac mini is for those whom already _have the monitor, keyboard, and mouse._

I'm with you.. some people just can't grasp such a simple concept.


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## gmark2000 (Jun 4, 2003)

da_jonesy said:


> If you already have a monitor get the mini. Sounds pretty simple to me.


If you already have a monitor, you can enable dual display spanning on the G5 iMac to have a bigger desktop. You need the cable and hack though.


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## Pelao (Oct 2, 2003)

What I enjoy reading in most of the reviews is praise of OS X and the iLife apps. To me these are the real strengths of Apple's offerings. These things have been around a long time but received little attention.

Now, Macs are seen to be within reach of a wider audience, and that audience is reading about the OS and apps. Good stuff.


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## Macaholic (Jan 7, 2003)

ArtistSeries said:


> Are your reality field distortion googles on?
> 
> 1) Tom's Hardware did not post a review - it's only a "guide" - an overview


Are you on DRUGS? I would hardly call eight pages of information and TWELVE photos including the Mac Mini ripped down to its motherboard and determining its power consumption "an overview". And BTW, I did a text search on EVERY PAGE. The word "overview" is nowhere to be found. And the word "guide" is even what the entire site is named. So, does that mean to you that everything they post ion that site should be taken lightly?? others out there in the internet very well experienced would beg to differ. Also, this DEEP LOOK INTO the Mac Mini bears this summary: *"Its compact size, cool yet simple design and its attractive price set the Apple Mac mini apart from anything the competition has to offer."* The conclusion states: *"On the whole, the Mac mini is a worthwhile investment, both for the home user and the corporate buyer. It becomes even more attractive once its depreciation in value is factored into the equation, which is much lower than that of the competition. Companies keeping a close watch on the long-term TCO will find this especially attractive. The bottom line is that in many respects, Apple's Mac mini is a real trend-setter in the small computer market."*. Oh1 And let's not forget this one: *"Mac Mini: Tiny, Quiet, Energy Efficient, With Lasting Value"*

To assert that this look into the Mac Mini is without merit is ludicrous.




> 2) Anandtech had some reservations about the the mac mini "The performance of the Mac mini in its standard form is unacceptable, even for a $499 machine.....here's a ton of stuttering when multitasking (not even heavy multitasking) and it's completely caused by disk swapping.*"


Dude, _we all know that Apple is dumb for shipping with 256Mb._ I guess that's as good a reason as any to piss on Macs and get a Windows machine, huh? Be my guest! We ALL here recommend a minimum 512Mb RAM for any Mac (I'm getting that much with my Mac Mini). Some other comments parsed from the Anandtech REVIEW:

_"if you aren't in the market for a notebook, then the Mac mini is the next best thing...*The performance of the Mac mini with 512MB of memory (or more) is more than enough for OS X and the majority of tasks involving the iLife suite... As a machine to recommend to the computer illiterate, you'll find that many will appreciate the styling of the mini and thus, will be more willing to give it a try...*Apple did a very good job with the mini. They effectively completed the transition of the entry-level computer into a commodity... As a second system for any PC user, the Mac mini can't be beat."_

I see nothing delusional in assuming that Anand gives the Mac Mini an overall thumbs-up. Is the Mac Mini a pro media box? Of course not. Neither is a $500.00 Dell. Is the Mac Mini a gamer's paradise? of course not. Neither is a $500.00 Dell. The Mac Mini -- like a cheap Dell -- is intended for generic consumer use. But even that "overview" at Tom's hardware recommend mac Mini as an excellent network client. But what do they know over there?



> 3) Paul Thurrott may love his mini but does have reservations about it citing the Bare Feats article "The Mac mini is a credible performer when running "normal" productivity applications. Unless you are a speed fanatic with demanding, resource hungry applications, you should be very happy with your mini."


I'm snipping the rest of your quote for brevity, but we can read that it deals with his criticisms of the Mac Mini for 3D gaming, the hard drive speed and the RAM. And a $500.00 Dell would also not be considered for gaming, either. Nobody is spinning the Mac *MINI* into some kind of PC slayer... but not everyone needs PC slaying performance, including many PC users.

Thurrrott (as you quoted) goes on to say: _"Of course, adding drives and memory can drive the price of the mini up quickly. If you don't have a keyboard, mouse, and display already, you can find yourself spending as much as the cost of an iMac G5/1.6 -- which is a faster machine"_

He has a good point, one that anybody with half a brain would realize and can summarize thusly: the components of the Mac Mini combined together serve a very particular range of uses. Aside from minor, low cost modifications to the device to increase its capabilities, any uses beyond these would be better served with a different choice of Mac. But gosh, I'll bet that, with only 256Mb RAM, a 40Gb hard drive, a *CD-ROM only*, no Firewire and no speakers, a US$499.00 (after $50.00 mail-in rebate) Dell Dimension 3000 only serves a limited range of functions as well. As a matter of fact, without Firewire and ANY kind of writable optical drive, that Dell can't do what Mac mini can -- but the Dell has a MUCH faster processor and (free analog LCD) monitor. Is it overkill? For that system it sure is: a 2.8gHz PIV... with Intel Integrated Extreme Graphics that SHARES RAM with the system... and there's only 256Mb RAM?! Plus, no disk burning or Firewire. Gamers would really need such a fast processor, but they'd pass on integrated graphics. Media creators could use those CPU cycles... but there's no Firewire or DVD burning on the stock system. That leaves -- in its stock form -- casual web and Office users; all of whom a PIV of such speed would be overkill. A 2gHz Celeron would do well for such users just fine. That cheapo Dell is a poorly configured system for almost anybody. if anything, they should have reduced the CPU cpeed (oh... but what about the mHz Myth??) and added the CDRW stock for DATA BACKUP... like the bae Mac mini can offer. Pity the Windows user whose PC ges trashed by a trojan or virus with no data backup.

So, one can add the price of component upgrades to the base price of either system to make them more compatible. But even in the Dell's case, that's no reason to diss it. You're just not getting out of Dell for US$499.00 (after mail-in rebate), and _the reality_ is that you don't at Apple, either. But Apple HAS geared the Mac Mini for exactly the purposes it was designed for WAY better than Dell has. Regardless, I'm purchasing several additional components with my Mac Mini which will serve my needs of web, email, Quicken, Office and iLife: 512Mb RAM, 80Gb drive, DVDRW, Apple Pro Keyboard, MS optical Trackball Explorer, a printer and a DVI capable 17" flat panel. With the $150.00 in mail-in rebates I am using (printer and display), the total for the system is CAN$1,300.00. WOAH! WHAT HAPPENED US$499.00??! Only a moron would believe the $499.00 price at Dell or Apple -- but it would have been $400.00 cheaper for me without the KVM. I also WANT to burn DVDs. Should i have gone with a G5 iMac? it would have been nice to, but the 17" 1.8gHz with Superdrive $1,849.00... and a Dell system -- using a Celeron processor and a DVI connected 17" flat panel and everything else as equal as possible -- would have cost me CAN$200.00 *more* than my Mac Mini config. And a Superdrive eMac with 512Mb RAM would have cost $50.00. Same CPU, GPU, FSB, but faster drive... and a 17" CRT. I don't want a CRT. I have a honking 19" Sony CRT sitting in my basement and I want to get rid of it. So, given my needs, I think I got the right combination for my needs and desires at an affordable price -- and many tens of thousands (dare I say HUNDREDS of thousands) of casual users out there would be very well served by a Mac Mini with even LESS than what I got. Most of them need the cheaper one. but the Mac Mini _does_ provide a very flexible way to get systems in between the capabilities and prices of the eMac and iMac. That's what is nice about it... and i what people have been clamoring for years at Apple.


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## sccoaire (Feb 11, 2005)

Just spent the last 3 hours reading Anandtech's articles, all 3 of them. I think he did a very good and honest job at describing his first impressions, and his overall views. I'm fairly new to Macs myself and definitively could relate on almost all points. 

My mini was ordered almost 2 weeks ago and I can't wait to get it (estimated time is March 11th...  ). Although I will be keeping my PC as my main computer, the mini is *the* computer I will be having fun with.


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## IronMac (Sep 22, 2003)

Pelao said:


> What I enjoy reading in most of the reviews is praise of OS X and the iLife apps. To me these are the real strengths of Apple's offerings. These things have been around a long time but received little attention.


Right on, Pelao! OS X is the only reason I held on to AAPL when it crashed a few years back because I realized that it is the crown jewel of Apple. I could care less about iTunes and iLife and iWhateverElse that Apple puts out.


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## IronMac (Sep 22, 2003)

BTW, as some of you know, I'm pretty harsh when it comes to Apple but, in the case of the Mac mini, it's two thumbs up when you consider how it perfectly suited it is for its target market.


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## used to be jwoodget (Aug 22, 2002)

While adding various bits to the Mac mini increases its price, the fact is that the iMacG5 also comes with 256Mb RAM so you need to upgrade that as well. The iMac is a great starter Mac. The Mac mini is a great upgrading Mac or switching Mac or second level Mac, or livingroom/media centre Mac. The iMac G5 is a wonderful machine but its also $1000 more (with similar HD and DVD burner). The 17" screen is delicious but many people don't want an all-in-one or they already got a screen or they are cash-limited and want to buy components over time. These two products are aimed at distinct markets and, unlike the Cube, the mini is a huge success. Indeed, gorgeous as the iMac G5 is, it'll probably be the mini that is seen as the breakthrough product for exapanding Apples marketshare.


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## ArtistSeries (Nov 8, 2004)

You title your thread:
WILDLY positive Mac Mini review: TOM'S HARDWARE!

Have you actually read any of Tom's other reviews?
Where was the WILDLY?
I did not see the word review in Tom's hardware when it came to the mini. 
And since you like to quote the conclusion:
"Not quite a bargain, but that's not what the Mac mini is trying to be in any case. Buyers can save money when upgrading memory, which can be found much cheaper at the computer store around the corner." 
followed by:
"The only downside is that there are many fewer applications for the Mac than there are in the Windows world."
and
"Although a few worthwhile games are available for the Mac platform, playability will likely be limited to some extent by the Radeon 9200 graphics chip. Again, this isn't the Mac mini's target audience."
(I don't necessarily agree with some of the statements but if Macaholic like to pick and choose..."


The point is that these are NOT WILDLY POSITIVE as you yourself go on defending and making excuses for all the shortcomings that are pointed out in the articles.
A "switcher" will not know that he has to put in a minimum of 512mb of RAM

I think that Pelao and a few are right in pointing out that this is good exposure especially when they praise OS X and iLife apps. 

WILDLY positive? Not even close.... balanced and honest? Certainly.


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## TheBat (Feb 11, 2005)

*Great discussion folks*

When was the last time a new Dell / HP / Compaq /any Intel PC generated this much discussion?

Like others above, I can see a multitude of uses for the Mini (besides the obvious of getting Windows users to switch).


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## hayesk (Mar 5, 2000)

Macaholic said:


> What the hell is going on with this world now?? Speed-wise, the Mac Mini can get smoked by ANY PC of equal price (come on; I don't believe that a 1.25gHz G4 with no L3 cache is faster than a 2.8gHz Celeron).


I have a P4 with 1GB of RAM at work running Win2K. My PowerBook (G4 1GHz) with 768MB of RAM is faster at some things, and slower than others. It's not hard to believe that it can be faster at some operations.


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## macsackbut (Dec 15, 2004)

used to be jwoodget said:


> The Mac mini is a great upgrading Mac...


EXACTLY!

One thing I haven't heard much is that the mini allows people who want a Mac but don't want to buy another all-in-one machine to do so without breaking the bank on a Power Mac. To me, this is the really big appeal of the mini.

MacS


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## Macaholic (Jan 7, 2003)

ArtistSeries said:


> You title your thread:
> WILDLY positive Mac Mini review: TOM'S HARDWARE!
> 
> Have you actually read any of Tom's other reviews?
> Where was the WILDLY?


Oh COME ON, man. That "look", "review", "overview" whatever semantic you want to fixate upon -- reads like it came out of MacAddict Magazine. It's downright gushy.



> I did not see the word review in Tom's hardware when it came to the mini.


You know what? You're being a jerk. If you want to get hung up on semantics, go ahead. But REALLY, if it walks like a duck, talks like a duck, farts like a duck and strips the item down to its rivets -- it's a duck. And it's an analysis and critical conclusion -- i.e.: a review.



> And since you like to quote the conclusion:
> "Not quite a bargain, but that's not what the Mac mini is trying to be in any case. Buyers can save money when upgrading memory, which can be found much cheaper at the computer store around the corner."
> followed by:


What does THAT have to do with whether or not this is "a review" or not. You're losing your focus  OF COURSE RAM is more expensive at Apple than buying 3rd party. Tell us something we DON'T know. And guess what? ALL THREE of Dell's cheapest PCs ship with 256Mb RAM. And yes; Apple's upgrade to 512Mb is $25.00 more than Dell's upgrade. BAD Apple. We've all discussed how BAD Apple is for their additional RAM prices, but -- thanks to you -- I have dug up the fact that Dell ships theirs with no more RAM than Apple does. Wow! Things that make ya go "hmmmm....". But the Mac Mini as per MY desired configuration -- including the exact display I wanted -- cost less than an equitable Dell system. Go figure!



> "The only downside is that there are many fewer applications for the Mac than there are in the Windows world." and "Although a few worthwhile games are available for the Mac platform, playability will likely be limited to some extent by the Radeon 9200 graphics chip. Again, this isn't the Mac mini's target audience."
> (I don't necessarily agree with some of the statements but if Macaholic like to pick and choose..."


"The only downside"..." OUCH! Gee. Maybe you're right. Maybye Mac Mini -- and all Macs as they share this downside, for that matter -- SUCK? Why dilute the thread about game availability. This thread is about the Mac Mini; NOT the Mac platform. Once again, everybody here knows that the PC is the gaming king. I tell a hardcore gamers to stay the hell away from the Mac platform. AND the Mac Mini isn't meant for gaming. Any moron who buys ANY $500.00 personal computer who thinks they'll ROCK in gaming needs their head read. I know it and we all know it and you should know it, too. Well, you do know it; you're just a **** disturber, that's all.

And you know what? YOU are the one that started quoting. Not me. But that's cool. I can quote with the best of 'em (gosh, this feels like my old days battling the PC bigots @ PC Mag's forums. WOO-HOOooooo!).



> The point is that these are NOT WILDLY POSITIVE as you yourself go on defending and making excuses for all the shortcomings that are pointed out in the articles.
> A "switcher" will not know that he has to put in a minimum of 512mb of RAM


Will you try to STRAIN yourself for a little perspective? Hmm..? Dells's cheapo PCs ship with 256Mb as well. AND no Firewire. Some schlep looks at that cheap Dell and thinks, "I'm gonna edit my home movies!" Pity they don't ship with Firewire by default and OFF he goes to Circuit City for a Firewire card that he has to PAY someone to install because he doesn't know how and is too scared to. And, he better get more RAM so XP runs smoothly while he's at it, because it too shipped with only 256Mb RAM. NEXT POINT, please -- and try making it a valid one this time. M'kay?

Of course there are negative points brought up in the review. I have eyes, read them and agree with many of them. The REVIEWER's (tee-hee) objectivity would be questionable if he didn't voice any single concern. I suppose the fact that the positives in his opinion outweigh the negatives -- especially coming from such a pro-PC site -- is what's most surprising. But, if it'll make you feel more comfortable, here's an ARS Technica review (uh-oh! This one is actually called A REVIEW  ) that absolutely CRAPS all over the Mac Mini. More your cuppa tea, I suppose... But even Macworld's review criticizes the RAM, as does PC Magazine's. They STILL gave it a strong recommendation, however.


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## Macaholic (Jan 7, 2003)

IronMac said:


> Right on, Pelao! OS X is the only reason I held on to AAPL when it crashed a few years back because I realized that it is the crown jewel of Apple. I could care less about iTunes and iLife and iWhateverElse that Apple puts out.


For sure! I'd be happy running OS X on the beigiest hunka plastic around because it's OS X. Meanwhile, despite the hottest Alienware PC being absolutely monsterous (and I have never ripped into the x86 HARDWARE platform anyways), it's WINDOWS that is the huge detractor in that equation.


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## kloan (Feb 22, 2002)

da_jonesy said:


> That is it exactly! I use Salling Clicker as well with my 12" PB G4 that and the Mac mini are a perfect combo... now to choose the TV.


You use Salling Clicker with your 12" PB? Curious, what palm model do you have and how much range do you get? Oh wait, you're syncing the PB and the mini??


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