Mac Mini ultimate

[trout]

The apple store here in Denver has a few Mini's in stock. They have the following configurations for sale.

standard 499$ model 1.25,256Mb, and 40 Gig
Standard 599$ model, 1.42,256Mb, and 80 Gig

and what they call the "ultimate" 1.42, 512RAM, 80Gig, superdrive, and bluetooth and Airport card. It is $873 reg. and $825 Educational(wife is a teacher)

Originally i wanted an iMac 1.8 17" model, but the more I think of it, I am not enamered with the Video Card, the heat issues and fan issues arent cleared up yet, the HD does not perform up to snuff, and I think a few updates and it will really be a great computer.

So I am currently a windows PC user that wants to switch, and am thinking ill jsut buy the ultimate mini for $825 and hold off for 6-12 months on my imac purchase till it really gets all the bugs ironed out, Tiger gets released and the bugs get ironed out.

Question though:
Will the configuration, 512RAM and 1.42 G4, wil this CLEARLY, and QUICKLY run the iLife apps.? I will be spending lots of time moving photos from my PCto the MIni, and playing with my Ipod and setting up itunes and my library of music, and I would like to make a few short home movies for FUN, and my wife will run Excel and Word and do teacher stuff on it.

OR

Would I be better off, just getting the stock 599$ model and forgetting about the superdrive and bluetooth and airport, and just pop in 1 gig of RAM and be done with it. I dont have a wireless keyboard or mouse so I would have to buy it, but I do have a regular keyboard and mouse and monitor. And I guess I dont need to burn DVD's, I can always burn short movies on a CD........correct?

Sorry for the long post, but at the present time I got nothing better to do here at work.

thanks
Trout

[iMav]

If you already have a wired keyboard and mouse, I see no reason why you would need bluetooth. Heck, if the mini will be in a static location (and you can easily wire the network connection), skip the airport as well. If you won't use it, heck, don't get the SmartDrive either (but if you think you will regret it later, go ahead and get it)...

Personally, I've never burned a DVD...however, I always buy the DVD burners "just in case". (I am, however, constantly burning CD's)

If you mini is going to be a stepping stone to an iMac, I'd get the base model, buy some RAM from a third party and be done with it...
_________________
-=iMav=-
http://geekhack.org

[trout]

thanks, I agree

IF I buy a mini, ill get the 1.25 with a gig of RAM and wait for a few iMac updates.

trout

[macit]

Get the 1.42Mhz with 512MB and SuperDrive. You can pass on the Airport and Bluetooth. Well at least the Bluetooth via an external adapter. I would not ever bother with the 1.25GHz!

[James T. Kirk©]

[lilrabbit129]

Roommate almost got the exact setup. 1.25Ghz version with a gig stick, and superdrive.