Reply to: Apple mac newbie needs advice

[css_jay99]

Thanks very much.

looks like I have a new toy to play with tonight .

so much power for something so small !.

css_jay99

[Durbs]

final questions

1) I have an external laptop style USB blu-Ray/DVD burner, will the mac be able to at least use it as a DVD reader ? ... i dont want to go buying another drive
2) Will bug standard dell wired keyboard n mouse work ?. I read somewhere that I could end up needing them initially before I could setup the wireless Apple ones?
3) Is apple care worth it? , can I buy it at a later date at similar price ... this will be pushing the price up

css_jay99

1. it should work as a reader if the manufacturer has released Mac drivers. You can also probably use it to actually burn to Blu-Ray if you have an app like Toast which supports that on Mac. Playing back Blu-Rays - dunno if there are any software players for bluray or whether Toast supports that too?
2. Any USB keyboard and mouse will work with it
3. Dont know whether its worth it but I bought apple care recently, just as my 12 month warrantly was about to expire, so yes, you can buy later.

[css_jay99]

final questions

1) I have an external laptop style USB blu-Ray/DVD burner, will the mac be able to at least use it as a DVD reader ? ... i dont want to go buying another drive
2) Will bug standard dell wired keyboard n mouse work ?. I read somewhere that I could end up needing them initially before I could setup the wireless Apple ones?
3) Is apple care worth it? , can I buy it at a later date at similar price ... this will be pushing the price up

css_jay99

[css_jay99]

Over £2k and you can claim the VAT back.

mac mini server is only £849

Please, please do not buy it from PCworld/Currys !!!! Buy it form the Apple store, any hassle - take it back to the Apple store - they'll fix it there and then, or give you a new one.

Buy it from PCworld/Currys, any problems - raise a case, wait for it to be sent off, chase for an update, wait for it to come back, and so on.


seyre

Apple bluewater/lakeside it is then.


Now I have to convince the missus that I bought it bargain price on ebay


css_jay99

[seyre1972]

Buy it from Apple - PCworld/Currys have the worlds worst support/follow up

ok looks like i am sold on the quad core!


I understand that Mac OS x 10.7 Lion came out in july 2011 ..... and that 10.7.2 update came out oct 2011

(1) Would the mac minis (or even other macs) that ship direct from apple come with 10.7 or 10.7.2 ? ... i dont want to be faffing round updating if i could make sure i pick the latest build


(2) considering same price at pcworld/currys/comet and apple. Is there any particular reason to buy straight from apple store which is about 1.5 miles further from those lots?


css_jay99

Please, please do not buy it from PCworld/Currys !!!! Buy it form the Apple store, any hassle - take it back to the Apple store - they'll fix it there and then, or give you a new one.

Buy it from PCworld/Currys, any problems - raise a case, wait for it to be sent off, chase for an update, wait for it to come back, and so on.


seyre

[stek]

Over £2k and you can claim the VAT back.

inc VAT of course!

[Scrag Meister]

Over £2k and you can claim the VAT back.

[css_jay99]

Yeah, quad looks good, plus the HD 3000 integrated graphics aren't actually too bad. Integrated graphics have always been absolutaly rubbish but the one integrated into the Core ix chipset are capable of a bit of light gaming if needed.

Doesn't matter if its Apple Store, Comet, Pc World etc, same product and warranty, no difference. I tend to use John Lewis due to extra warrantly and good service.

As for updates, wouldn't worry, takes 10 mins even if you have to update it yourself.

I was looking for staright of the production line without a need for update

i just checked john lewis and they only sell the base non server version. shame cos they are including a 2yr warranty


css_jay99

[Durbs]

Yeah, quad looks good, plus the HD 3000 integrated graphics aren't actually too bad. Integrated graphics have always been absolutaly rubbish but the one integrated into the Core ix chipset are capable of a bit of light gaming if needed.

Doesn't matter if its Apple Store, Comet, Pc World etc, same product and warranty, no difference. I tend to use John Lewis due to extra warrantly and good service.

As for updates, wouldn't worry, takes 10 mins even if you have to update it yourself.

[css_jay99]

ok looks like i am sold on the quad core!


I understand that Mac OS x 10.7 Lion came out in july 2011 ..... and that 10.7.2 update came out oct 2011

(1) Would the mac minis (or even other macs) that ship direct from apple come with 10.7 or 10.7.2 ? ... i dont want to be faffing round updating if i could make sure i pick the latest build


(2) considering same price at pcworld/currys/comet and apple. Is there any particular reason to buy straight from apple store which is about 1.5 miles further from those lots?


css_jay99

[Durbs]

I very unlikely to play games on it so which means my problem now is deciding if I would end up needing the discreet graphics of the 2.7 or not

I'd say go for the quad then if its mainly for encoding etc. Games are the only thing that the discrete GPU will make a really big difference in (it can help to a lesser extent in other tasks too, lots of apps will use it if its available). If you aren't using it for games though or an app that is known to make particularly good use of the GPU then go for number crunching horsepower instead.

[css_jay99]

Hi - tried to answer a few of your questions.


4) It would come in handy for authoring home videos -

I use mine for Video encoding (not so much authoring) but it copes with this really well.


1) should I go for the 2.7GHz dual-core i7 or the server 2.0GHz Quad-core i7

If you are doing lot's of video encoding, go with the i7 2.0 Quad Core.

seyre

so my problem is now deciding between 2.7GHZ dual core with decent graphics or the 2.0GHZ Quad core with shared graphics.

I very unlikely to play games on it so which means my problem now is deciding if I would end up needing the discreet graphics of the 2.7 or not

css_jay99

[stek]

Watch out with hard disks though, the recent iMacs will only accept Apple firmwared replacement system disks, check Google.

[seyre1972]

Ah - go on - you know you should ...........

1) Use as a media player/HTPC ..... I know it does not cut it feature/cost wise but I already have a ps3 ...

2) install windows xp in virtual machine to do what my old laptop used to do ... i.e. torrents, install rarely used software i dont want clogging up my main laptop ..

4) It would come in handy for authoring home videos ... considering that i hear that its the best platform for such things ..

Questions
1) should I go for the 2.7GHz dual-core i7 or the server 2.0GHz Quad-core i7 ? ; Is there a big speed difference?


3) Is the Lion server software just a set of application suite install?



4) Considering the prices charged for memory & HDD !, is it better to carry out those upgrades post purchase?


cheers

css_jay99

Hi - tried to answer a few of your questions.

1) Use as a media player/HTPC

Yes - they make brilliant HTPC's (mine is sat in my Cellar out of site, along with my NAS) I run Plex, with all my DVD's now ripped to the NAS. Mine also acts as my home server, running the CCTV/remote login for my business.


2) install windows xp in virtual machine ?

Run either VMware Fusion, or Parallels. But for yuor Torrents - Vuze is available for OSX.

4) It would come in handy for authoring home videos -

I use mine for Video encoding (not so much authoring) but it copes with this really well.


1) should I go for the 2.7GHz dual-core i7 or the server 2.0GHz Quad-core i7

If you are doing lot's of video encoding, go with the i7 2.0 Quad Core.


3) Is the Lion server software just a set of application suite install?

More or less. I don't think you'd need it - unelss you want the dual hdd, and the slight CPU bump.


4) Considering the prices charged for memory & HDD !, is it better to carry out those upgrades post purchase?


Definetely do it yourself. Just follow the guides on iFixit

I maxed out my Ram, and swapped the stock HDD for a SSD, then mapped several shares from my NAS.

I no longer run any PC at home, just the Mac Mini, and iMac as my main desktop, plus a MacBook Pro as my work Laptop which somes on-site with me.

I do still run Windows, but on a VM - and then only for MS Visio which I need. The OSX alternate doesn't have the full set of stencils I needed.




Regards,



seyre

[css_jay99]

Very much so, just doubled the memory in my MBP for a teensy fraction of the price that 8GB would have added to the purchase price.

Used to have a Mini that I used to start getting into iOS development, great bit of kit but cant comment on the server versions of OSX as never seen 'em!

Guess the quad core would benchmark quicker but both of those are fast processors and i'd personally prefer the discrete Radeon GPU that the non-server minis come with rather than the ability to crunch numbers a bit quicker. Someone else has asked the same here: https://discussions.apple.com/thread...art=0&tstart=0

looks like the 2.7 dual core with discreet graphics might be a better option as you said. I am just a little bit sceptic because I have a Dell XPS 15 laptop with i7 2860QM and cant really see what the fuss is about its speed, .... so going down to 2 cores and lower GHz might be noticeable?


i wonder what the wait time is with the non default configurations

css_jay99