Mac Mini Review

First impressions
What sets the Mac mini afar from every added computer is its size. At just 5 cm (2 inches) high, and 16.5 cm (6.5 inches) square, its ambit are remarkable. If compared to the beefy accumbent cases and building of so abounding analogously priced machines, the Mac mini is in a chic of its own.
This isn't the abounding story, of course, but on admeasurement alone, the Mac mini offers a space-saving befalling for PC owners to about-face to a Mac and absorb their absolute monitor, keyboard, abrasion and added peripherals. It's even possible, acknowledgment to a Belkin KVM switch, to absorb your PC, put a Mac mini nearby, and change from one to the added as you ambition after rearranging your desk.
Technical specs and performance
On the abstruse side, the latest Mac mini models are aswell able-bodied account a look. They now acquire Intel Core 2 Duo processors of either 1.83GHz or 2GHz. These processors are from Intel's 65 nanometre ancestors with 64 bit architecture. To accompaniment them, Apple has added 2MB of L2 accumulation for the 1.83GHz Mac mini and 4MB for the 2GHz model, calm with a 128 bit SSE3 agent engine on both.
The aftereffect of this technology is interesting, to say the least: the new Mac mini is up to 39% faster than the antecedent model. This jump in acceleration varies according to your appliance - the 39% amount refers to Apple's iPhoto '08 - but there are abounding examples of improvements with added software. For example, all-embracing speeds appliance Apple's web browser, Safari, are up by 26%; and burden a blur with the 2.0GHz Mac mini has accelerated by 35% compared to the old agnate machine.
For memory, the 1.83GHz and 2GHz Mac minis acquire 1GB of 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM on two SO-DIMMs as standard. 1GB of RAM is absolutely a admirable amount; but if you ambition added capacity, you can bifold it if you wish.
Standard accumulator for the 1.83GHz Mac mini is an 80GB 5,400 rpm Serial ATA harder disc drive. The 2GHz adaptation has a added ample 120GB. Apple does accord you the adventitious to advance on both of these with a 120GB drive for the 1.83GHz Mac mini, and 160GB for the 2GHz.
As for graphics, the Mac mini has an chip processor so you've no best but acquire it. This needn't be a problem, however, because the processor is the Intel GMA 950, a assemblage that can handle the latest 3D games.
Hardware
A advantageous section of accouterments that accompanies the Mac mini is the Apple Remote. This is accessible if you use Apple's Foreground Row media application. You can sit aback and ascendancy at a ambit the music and films you play through the computer.
Ideally, of course, you ambition a acceptable superior adviser to yield abounding advantage of Foreground Row. The Mac mini has a DVI video achievement anchorage that supports agenda resolutions up to 1,920 x 1,200 pixels. This agency you can affix and adore a 20 inch Apple Cinema Display or a 23 inch Apple Cinema HD Display. If you don't acquire such a monitor, however, and you're cerebration of affairs one, accede the absolute cost. An iMac, with its bigger spec, can accomplish a added adorable banking another to a Mac mini/Apple Cinema Display combo.
For alternation adviser connections, the Mac mini has a DVI to VGA adaptor. You can aswell buy an Apple DVI to Video Adaptor to accord you S video and blended video out access to a projector or TV.
Other ports on the aback of the Mac mini cover a accumulated optical agenda audio input/audio bandage in minijack, and a accumulated optical agenda audio output/headphone out minijack. You can use these for your agenda audio equipment, headphones, a microphone or alien speakers. Incidentally, despites its compactness, the Mac mini does acquire a congenital speaker.
The actual ports are a FireWire 400 and four USB 2.0s. Four USBs may assume acceptable but don't overlook that you acquire to affix a keyboard and a abrasion afore you start. You could, though, opt for wireless versions.
Wireless technology is Apple's congenital 54 Mbps AirPort Extreme wireless networking additional congenital Bluetooth® 2.0 + EDR. These two are just what you charge for wireless activity. There's aswell a 10/100/1000 Ethernet anchorage for those who adopt cable affiliation to the Internet or a network.
At the foreground of the Mac mini is a slot-loading optical drive. Here there's a audible aberration amid the two models with the 1.83GHz advancing with a Admixture drive, and the 2GHz with the added able SuperDrive, which allows you to bake DVDs as able-bodied as CDs.
Software
As anytime with Macs, the software that accompanies the Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard operating arrangement is comprehensive. Amid them Leopard, iLife '08, and Foreground Row accord you appealing abundant aggregate you charge for a abounding multimedia experience.
With iLife '08, for instance, you accept iPhoto for acceptable and organising your photographs; iMovie to advice you actualize and allotment your films; GarageBand, which lets you play with a basic bandage as able-bodied as actualize music and podcasts; iWeb for authoritative websites that accommodate photos and films as able-bodied as text; and iDVD, an appliance that enables you to transform your home movies into professional-looking films.
Other Mac mini applications cover iChat for video calls, and Safari, the fastest web browser around. A added benefit is the adventitious to try out iWork, which contains Pages '08 for chat processing; Numbers '08 for spreadsheets; and Keynote '08 for presentations. If you're added accustomed with Microsoft Office, this is a acceptable befalling to see what iWork can action instead. You can aswell accomplish a absolute allegory because the Mac mini has balloon software of Microsoft Office for Mac.
Conclusion
Pros
A baby accurate amalgamation with top superior specs
Ideal for authoritative the change from PC to Mac
Abundant faster than antecedent model
Remote ascendancy included
Contains all the accepted Apple software additional iLife '08
Great amount if you already acquire a monitor, keyboard and mouse
Cons
If you intend to buy a top superior monitor, keyboard and abrasion for the Mac mini, you ability ambition to analysis out the iMac