Apple Mac mini Dual Core 1.66GHz
April 11th, 2006 | by Jason Tomczak
Full Review - Conclusion
Performance/extra One thing that impressed me about the Intel-based Mini is it's ability to do more than just run OSX and look svelte. I plugged the Mini into a 20-user Windows XP network, duplicated the entire contents of the Dell PowerEdge server onto to the Mini's hard drive, and after a little configuration on the Mini and Windows machines, had the Mini running as a worthy replacement file server. Gigabit Ethernet helps a lot, especially if the Mini is going to be used to send or receive large files over a LAN. Conclusion The Mac Mini is the Bruce Lee of the computing world - small frame, incredibly fit, lightning fast and able to take on any sized opponent with unflinching confidence. The video performance was impressive - exceptional in many ways - but could be improved upon. The integrated video chip is certainly worthy of applause and congratulations but it may not deserve a standing ovation. The Intel-based Mini is more computer than grandma or grandpa would ever need for emailing the grandkids or cataloging jam recipes (unless they manage an international jam conglomerate). It would be a great system for students - perhaps even those Computer Sciences geniuses at MIT. All in all, the Mini is a fantastic computer for home use, quite sufficient for experienced users who need computing speed yet suffer for space, and it's a great place to start for those who want to sample the design prowess of the Apple team and/or get their feet wet with OSX. The Intel-based Mini met or exceeded all my expectations. Pros: Cons:
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by Richard Neate on January 31, 2008:
“Ok, right, so I'm a Mac-lover :). I was standing there thinking about buying a new 20" iMac :). But then realized I already had the keyboard, mouse and monitor. So why? I wasn't going to use this to play games. Just a bit of graphic design and university work....” More...