Mini Tower
Mac Mini Review
First impressions
What sets the Mac mini apart from every other computers, including Mac computers, is its size. At just 5 cm (2 inches) high, and 16.5 cm (6.5 inches) square, its dimensions are remarkable. When compared to the bulky horizontal cases and towers of so many similarly priced machines, the Mac Mini is in a class of its own.
This isn’t the full story, of course, but on size alone, the Mac mini offers a space-saving opportunity for PC owners to switch to a Mac and retain their existing monitor, keyboard, mouse and other peripherals. It’s even possible, thanks to a Belkin KVM switch, to retain your PC, put a Mac mini nearby, and change from one to the other as you wish without rearranging your desk.
Technical specs and performance
On the technical side, the latest Mac mini models are also well worth a look. They now have Intel Core 2 Duo processors of either 1.83GHz or 2GHz. These processors are from Intel’s 65 nanometre family with 64 bit architecture. To complement them, Apple has added 2MB of L2 cache for the 1.83GHz Mac mini and 4MB for the 2GHz model, together with a 128 bit SSE3 vector engine on both.
The result of this technology is interesting, to say the least: the new Mac mini is up to 39% faster than the previous model. This jump in speed varies according to your application – the 39% figure refers to Apple’s iPhoto ’08 – but there are many examples of improvements with other software. For example, overall speeds using Apple’s web browser, Safari, are up by 26%; and compressing a film with the 2.0GHz Mac mini has accelerated by 35% compared to the old equivalent machine.
For memory, the 1.83GHz and 2GHz Mac minis have 1GB of 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM on two SO-DIMMs as standard. 1GB of RAM is certainly a respectable amount; but if you want more capacity, you can double it if you wish.
Standard storage for the 1.83GHz Mac mini is an 80GB 5,400 rpm Serial ATA hard disc drive. The 2GHz version has a more spacious 120GB. Apple does give you the chance to improve 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 integrated processor so you’ve no choice but accept it. This needn’t be a problem, however, because the processor is the Intel GMA 950, a unit that can handle the latest 3D games.
Hardware
A useful piece of hardware that accompanies the Mac mini is the Apple Remote. This is handy when you use Apple’s Front Row media application. You can sit back and control at a distance the music and films you play through the computer.
Ideally, of course, you want a good quality monitor to take full advantage of Front Row. The Mac mini has a DVI video output port that supports digital resolutions up to 1,920 x 1,200 pixels. This means you can connect and enjoy a 20 inch Apple Cinema Display or a 23 inch Apple Cinema HD Display. If you don’t have such a monitor, however, and you’re thinking of buying one, consider the total cost. An iMac, with its better spec, can make a more attractive financial alternative to a Mac mini/Apple Cinema Display combo.
For analogue monitor connections, the Mac mini has a DVI to VGA adaptor. You can also buy an Apple DVI to Video Adaptor to give you S video and composite video out connections to a projector or TV.
Other ports on the back of the Mac mini include a combined optical digital audio input/audio line in minijack, and a combined optical digital audio output/headphone out minijack. You can use these for your digital audio equipment, headphones, a microphone or external speakers. Incidentally, despites its compactness, the Mac mini does have a built-in speaker.
The remaining ports are a FireWire 400 and four USB 2.0s. Four USBs may seem generous but don’t forget that you have to connect a keyboard and a mouse before you start. You could, though, opt for wireless versions.
Wireless technology is Apple’s built-in 54 Mbps AirPort Extreme wireless networking plus built-in Bluetooth® 2.0 + EDR. These two are just what you need for wireless activity. There’s also a 10/100/1000 Ethernet port for those who prefer cable connection to the Internet or a network.
At the front of the Mac mini is a slot-loading optical drive. Here there’s a distinct difference between the two models with the 1.83GHz coming with a Combo drive, and the 2GHz with the more versatile SuperDrive, which allows you to burn DVDs as well as CDs.
Software
As ever with Macs, the software that accompanies the Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard operating system is comprehensive. Between them Leopard, iLife ’08, and Front Row give you pretty much everything you need for a full multimedia experience.
With iLife ’08, for instance, you receive iPhoto for enhancing and organising your photographs; iMovie to help you create and share your films; GarageBand, which lets you play with a virtual band as well as create music and podcasts; iWeb for making websites that contain photos and films as well as text; and iDVD, an application that enables you to transform your home movies into professional-looking films.
Other Mac mini applications include iChat for video calls, and Safari, the fastest web browser around. A further bonus is the chance to try out iWork, which contains Pages ’08 for word processing; Numbers ’08 for spreadsheets; and Keynote ’08 for presentations. If you’re more familiar with Microsoft Office, this is a good opportunity to see what iWork can offer instead. You can also make a direct comparison because the Mac mini has trial software of Microsoft Office for Mac.
Conclusion Pros
- A small neat package with high quality specs
- Ideal for making the change from PC to Mac
- Much faster than previous model
- Remote control included
- Contains all the usual Apple software plus iLife ’08
- Great value if you already have a monitor, keyboard and mouse
Cons
- If you intend to buy a top quality monitor, keyboard and mouse for the Mac mini, you might want to check out the iMac
About the Author
Ben T Wilson writes about Mac computers.
Lian Li PC-A05N – Mini Tower Case Review
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Cupcake Courier 36-Cupcake Plastic Storage Container Designed to transport and store cupcakes and muffins in a stylish carrier. Invented and developed by a mother of two in need of a product to transport gazillions of cupcakes to schools and parties…. |
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Submersible Battery LED 10 Lights~WHITE~wedding~tea Light $9.74 WHITE -Submersible Underwater Lights all with batteries included- Just twist the light it is an easy on/off switch with replaceable batteries. The battery included gives the lights 12-16 hours of operation. These are not returnable. The batteries for these are CR2032-and 2 are used in each light. The size of these lights are 1″ tall and 1 1/4″ across. These lights can be used for Parties in arrang… |
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Sterilite 29308001 3-Drawer Wide Cart with See-Through Drawers and Black Casters, White $26.99 Sterilite 29308001 3 Drawer White Wide Storage Drawer CartSterilite 29308001 3 Drawer White Wide Storage Drawer Cart Features:; Durable storage cart; Features clear drawer front design that allows for easy identification of contents; Useful in any room of the home or office; Comfortable handles and easy slide-out drawers are simple to use; Casters are included to create rolling storage options; Gr… |
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Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse Cupcake Rings Toppers $1.75 You’ll receive 12 cupcake rings which kids can actually wear!… |
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Tripp Lite 1200W Mini Tower Line Conditioner $104.99 Tripp Lite 1200W Mini Tower Line Conditioner |
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Tripp Lite 1800W Mini Tower Line Conditioner $140.75 Tripp Lite 1800W Mini Tower Line Conditioner |
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Thermaltake Armor A30 System Cabinet – Mini-tower – Black – Steel, Pl $97.99 Thermaltake Armor A30 System Cabinet – Mini-tower – Black – Steel, Plastic |
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Liebert PowerSure PSA 500VA Mini-tower UPS $89.99 Liebert PowerSure PSA 500VA Mini-tower UPS |
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Liebert PowerSure PSA 1500VA Mini-tower UPS $205.49 Liebert PowerSure PSA 1500VA Mini-tower UPS |
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HP QY901US Convertible Mini-tower Workstation – 1 x Intel Xeon W3520 $2366.49 HP QY901US Convertible Mini-tower Workstation – 1 x Intel Xeon W3520 2.66 GHz |
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HP VA823UT Convertible Mini-tower Workstation – 1 x Intel Xeon W3680 $2379.99 HP VA823UT Convertible Mini-tower Workstation – 1 x Intel Xeon W3680 3.33 GHz- Smart Buy |
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HP VA817UT Convertible Mini-tower Workstation – 1 x Intel Core i3 i3- $649.99 HP VA817UT Convertible Mini-tower Workstation – 1 x Intel Core i3 i3-2120 3.30 GHz |
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HP B2B96UT Convertible Mini-tower Workstation – 1 x Intel Xeon E5-160 $1049.99 HP B2B96UT Convertible Mini-tower Workstation – 1 x Intel Xeon E5-1603 2.80 GHz |
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HP B2B95UT Convertible Mini-tower Workstation – 1 x Intel Xeon E5-162 $1509.99 HP B2B95UT Convertible Mini-tower Workstation – 1 x Intel Xeon E5-1620 3.60 GHz |
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Bionaire BAP815B-U Mini Tower Air Purifier Ionizing Cleaner $48.01 The Bionaire BAP815BU mini tower HEPA air cleaner is AHAM certified to provide clean air in rooms up to 120 square feet. This tower features an electronic ionizer that can work independently to aid in particulate /particle removal. |
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HP FM023UT Workstation – 2 x Xeon E5620 2.40 GHz – Convertible Mini-t $2567.06 HP FM023UT Workstation – 2 x Xeon E5620 2.40 GHz – Convertible Mini-tower |
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HP FM064UT Workstation – 1 x Xeon W3503 2.40 GHz – Convertible Mini-t $939.99 HP FM064UT Workstation – 1 x Xeon W3503 2.40 GHz – Convertible Mini-tower |
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Dell GX620 Dual Core 2.8GHZ 1GB 80GB XP Mini Tower (Refurbished) $197.99 Desktop computer comes with an Intel Pentium D – 2.8GHz processor (dual core)Computer has 1024MB RAM and a 80GB hard driveTower features a CDRW/DVD combo drive and integrated 10/100 LAN |
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HP VA768UT Workstation – 1 x Intel Core i7 i7-2600 3.40 GHz – Convert $1399.99 HP VA768UT Workstation – 1 x Core i7 i7-2600 3.40 GHz – Convertible Mini-tower |
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Compaq CQ2701 QW703AA Desktop Computer Pentium G630T 2.3GHz – Mini-to $379.49 Compaq CQ2701 QW703AA Desktop Computer Pentium G630T 2.3GHz – Mini-tower |
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HP Pavilion p6-2100 p6-2100 QW795AA Desktop Computer Fusion A4-3420 2 $449.99 HP Pavilion p6-2100 p6-2100 QW795AA Desktop Computer Fusion A4-3420 2.8GHz – Mini-tower |
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HP Business Desktop 8200 Elite XZ988UT Desktop Computer Core i7 i7-26 $1309.99 HP Business Desktop 8200 Elite XZ988UT Desktop Computer Core i7 i7-2600 3.4GHz – Convertible Mini-tower- Smart Buy |
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HP Business Desktop 8200 Elite XZ989UT Desktop Computer Core i5 i5-24 $1139.99 HP Business Desktop 8200 Elite XZ989UT Desktop Computer Core i5 i5-2400 3.1GHz – Convertible Mini-tower- Smart Buy |
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HP Business Desktop 8200 Elite XZ990UT Desktop Computer Core i5 i5-25 $1199.99 HP Business Desktop 8200 Elite XZ990UT Desktop Computer Core i5 i5-2500 3.30GHz – Convertible Mini-tower- Smart Buy |
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HP Compaq DC7100 Pentium 4 3.0GHz 1024Mb Computer (Refurbished) $161.99 Enhance your technology collection with this durable mini tower computer from HP Compaq. This desktop PC offers a 3.0 GHz Pentium 4 processor, great for either home or office use. |
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HP Pavilion HPE h9-1100 HPE h9-1150 QW790AA Desktop Computer Core i5 $1149.99 HP Pavilion HPE h9-1100 HPE h9-1150 QW790AA Desktop Computer Core i5 3.3GHz – Mini-tower |
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HP Business Desktop 8200 Elite B2C57UT Desktop Computer Core i5 i5-24 $809.99 HP Business Desktop 8200 Elite B2C57UT Desktop Computer Core i5 i5-2400 3.1GHz – Convertible Mini-tower |
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HP Compaq DC5100 3 GHz 40GB Desktop Computer (Refurbished) $145.49 This HP DC5100 mini tower PC is build to handle everyday tasks such internet, MS Office and music. This desktop comes loaded with an 3 GHz Intel Pentium 4 processor, 1GB system memory, a 40GB hard drive and CD-ROM. |
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In Win BK623 Chassis $72.49 In Win BK623 Chassis |
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Dell OptiPlex 330 2.2GHz 750GB Desktop Computer (Refurbished) $246.99 This DELL Mini Tower computer comes with an Intel Core 2 Duo 2.2GHz processor, 2GB of DDR2 memory, 750GB hard drive, DVD-CDRW (Combo) optical drive, Broadcom 5787 Gigabit LAN 10/100/1000 and the Windows 7 Home Premium (32-bits) Operating System. |
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HornetTek Prolinux Network Storage Server $114.49 HornetTek Prolinux Network Storage Server |
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In Win IW-Z583T.CQ350TBL Chassis $74.99 In Win IW-Z583T.CQ350TBL Chassis |
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CyberPower PFC Adaptive Sinewave Intelligent LCD CP1000PFCLCD 1000VA $139.63 CyberPower PFC Adaptive Sinewave Intelligent LCD CP1000PFCLCD 1000VA UPS |
Tags: mini tower, mini tower cases, mini tower defence, mini tower defense, mini tower fan
home improvement | admin | 
October 5, 2011 12:00 am
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