Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Off Topic OT: Mac Mini

I feel the need to write some iPhone and iPad apps and so I need a Mac. Should I look anywhere other than the current entry level Mac Mini? (2.4GHz core duo, 2GB RAM).

Note: Mac mobility is *not* required. I have other Apple devices for that! And I have a nice screen and all the other peripherals.

If you can hang on a month there are strong rumours of an upgraded Mac mini.
But agreed you shouldn't need anything more expensive.

Expect the update Mac Mini at end of July, first week of August (with Lion included) - which should have the latest i5/i7 chips (plus Thunderbolt).

Meanwhile, look for the outgoing models to be heavily discounted on the Apple Rufurb store.

If it matters to you, the advantage of buying new over 'used' is if something goes wrong with a new model then Apple will give you a replacement, while you will just get a refund with a refurb.

That hasn't typically put me off buying refurbished Mini's, but it did when buying a MacBook Pro a few weeks ago.

Thanks. Does Apple have a history of keeping to the same price points when it releases new models? In other words, if I wait until the new models come out, will I still be able to buy one for �612 (the current price of the entry level Mac Mini)?

Two other questions:

1) I wasn't aware of the refurb store. Do you have a link?
2) I noticed the following, apparently kosher, BIN on eBay has the same 2011 entry level model going for �529. The auction says it's brand new, not refurbished. Is this guy just a legit reseller making lower margins?

Hi VK

The Mac-mini use to be a lot cheaper as an entry level machine. Now they're so close to the price of their entry level laptop ... saying that I can't see them getting any higher because of this reason. (watch the price of their laptops increase now!)


http://www.cultofmac.com/analyst-disappointed-updated-mac-mini-includes-100-price-increase/46879


Cheers
Tom

Haven't looked at this one, but I think some resellers are buying with Educational Pricing instore and then punting on eBay. I got caught that way with a faulty Time Capsule, I thought I still had about 5 months' of warranty left, took it to an Apple store, and was horrified to find that it had actually been bought 16 months prior to then in the Apple store in Birmingham. It was well out of warranty. To their credit though, they honoured it and gave me a refurb (but I think that's because it had keeled over with a well documented/publicised batch fault).

The refurb store is on the main Apple online store page, left hand column, down at the bottom here.

Apple product prices do seem to have been maintained at specific price points, or even dropped slightly, for each line over the past two years.

Cheers

George

Thanks guys. Am tempted just to grab that one on eBay, but if as you say, it's only a month until the new models and I'll be able to grab an old model off the refurb site, perhaps that's what I should do. Guess I'll sleep on it.

Here's the link to the only Mac Mini (Server) on the Refurb store at the moment. I have the previous generation Mini Server.

BTW, while Lion will only cost around �20 you will be able to add/upgrade to Lion Server for only �35!

http://goo.gl/OKeMo

Some companies have employee purchase programmes agreed with Apple with similar pricing to the educational store - most macs come with reasonable discounts (e.g. MM for �575).

Hi Ed, my company has such a scheme, but only in the US! However, my other half works for the Open University, so I'll check to see if she can get one on the educational scheme.

One further question: Do you need the Server OS for file serving. I can check in work tomorrow, but one of you chaps will know. Lion Server is only �35 anyway.

no, you can serve files without needing the file server. I'd probably suggest that very few home users need the server edition really.

dave

Thanks Dave.