need mac mini suggestions please

[ruxpin810]

in the market for a mac mini and was gonna purchase a 2011 model but i read that the 2010 model might be better. i just found a listing for a brand new 2010 model 2.4ghz c2d 2gb ram and comes with a wireless keyboard and wireless mouse for $575, all brand new. this sounds like a really good deal to me considering the cheapest i could find for a 2011 base model with the wireless mouse and wireless keyboard was a little over $700 but i just wanted to know what you guys think. is it worth it to dish an extra $130 for the new model? thanks in advance.

[Bandit Bill]

I wouldn't even consider the 2010. Especially at that price.
Unless you have a NEED for Snow Leopard.
I wouldn't even purchase a MAc within the next week unless you NEED to.

World Wide Developers Conference is only a week away.

[Y-Guy]

From the Apple Refurb store, the plus is these come with a standard warranty. Yes you need to add keyboard/mouse, but you have some assurance. As Bill said I'd wait to see if there is a refresh coming that might bump prices around.

$519
Refurbished Mac mini 2.3GHz dual-core Intel Core i5
Originally released July 2011
2GB memory

500GB hard drive

Thunderbolt port with support for up to 2560-by-1600 resolution
HDMI port with support for up to 1920-by-1200 resolution
Intel HD Graphics 3000
_________________
iMac 24" 2.4 GHz 4GB | Logitech S530 | Z-2300 speakers | NewerTech Guardian MAXimus RAID
MacMini HTPC 2.26 GHz 2GB | Panasonic Plasma TV | Logitech diNovo Edge | Mercury Elite-AL Pro 800
AppleTV1 unhacked | Panasonic LCD

[ruxpin810]

thanks for the advice. i didn't even think that there's a refresh due sometime soon. and i did look in the apple refurbs and saw that one listed for $519 but after tax, it would pretty much come out to about the same as a brand new one from amazon. but yes, i'll definitely wait for a refresh before biting the bullet as i'm in no hurry. thanks again.

[Fox]

The better processor and video card in the 2011 is worth the difference in price vs the 2010, unless an internal optical drive is important to you.
_________________
Mini 1: 2.3 ghz Core i5; 8 gb RAM, Corsair 240gb SSD, 500 gb Seagate XT
Mini 2: 2.26 ghz Core 2 duo, 8 gb RAM, 500 gb Seagate
Also a Cube, 13" MacBook Air, 20" 2.66 ghz iMac & 11.6" Acer 1810TZ running Ubuntu, Mint & openSuse

[ruxpin810]

darn, was hoping for a mac mini refresh today. rumors say maybe august, what do you guys think?

[g5g5]

[Smallwheels]

In early 2007 I wanted a Mini. Everybody said the next refresh was due at any time. I waited until September 2008 and there were no new Minis. My XP computer broke which forced me to buy a different Mac for more money.

I know that we can't count on Apple to follow a regular release cycle based on past releases. Last years iPhone was released six months later than most people expected. The iMacs releases aren't regular and certainly the Mini's isn't regular. The Mac Pro is now in the same position as the Mini was in 2008, way overdue with no release date in sight.

If you know what you want and are willing to wait for it then just hang in there. If you're lucky Apple will make something that you want to own. If you're not lucky Apple will either drop the Mini or do another lackluster refresh which will make you wish you had bought something else months ago. Now that I have two functioning computers I can afford to wait a long time and see what is out next because I've got that spare just in case one breaks.