Trading in a G5 PowerMac for an Intel Mac Mini - any advice or comments?
in [UK Mac]
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From: Jaimie Vandenbergh on 4 Mar 2010 20:18 On Fri, 5 Mar 2010 11:41:02 +1300, dempson(a)actrix.gen.nz (David Empson) wrote: >Debbie Wilson <djmaizels(a)mac.com> wrote: > >> Andy Hewitt <thewildrover(a)me.com> wrote: >> >> > You'll obviously lose some upgradability - no PCI slots, onboard >> > graphics etc, but the later ones can run two monitors, have FW800, >> > wireless (5GHz), Bluetooth, DVD burner etc. >> >> Sorry for the thread hijack - do you think a new Mac Mini will run a 30" >> Apple screen satisfactorily? > >Should do. You will need to buy the expensive "Mini DisplayPort to Dual >Link DVI" adapter (which also ties up one USB port). Displaces it, really - it comes out at the DVI end. Presumably it's used to power the converter. >The main limitation you might run into is that the integrated graphics >chipset in the Mac Mini isn't particularly good at doing 3D graphics >(compared to what could be achieved with an iMac or Mac Pro). It should >be fine for 2D, and will probably beat the pants off whatever graphics >card is in your G4. The 9400 chipset it actually pretty decent - very good as integrated graphics go. It's not going to play 2010 3D Windows games well, but it'll do a fine job on 2008's games. And Mac releases tend to be a couple of years behind anyway... >Note that the integrated graphics controller ties up part of the >computer's main memory for the video buffers (at least 256 MB). 128meg if you have 1gig RAM, 256meg if 2gig or more. It was a worry for me when I bought my most recent Mini (early 2009) with 1gig. Cheers - Jaimie -- "the first successful time machine will be used to retrieve lost Doctor Who episode footage." - KKC, ugvm
From: David Empson on 4 Mar 2010 21:54 Jaimie Vandenbergh <jaimie(a)sometimes.sessile.org> wrote: > On Fri, 5 Mar 2010 11:41:02 +1300, dempson(a)actrix.gen.nz (David > Empson) wrote: > > >Debbie Wilson <djmaizels(a)mac.com> wrote: > > > >> Andy Hewitt <thewildrover(a)me.com> wrote: > >> > >> > You'll obviously lose some upgradability - no PCI slots, onboard > >> > graphics etc, but the later ones can run two monitors, have FW800, > >> > wireless (5GHz), Bluetooth, DVD burner etc. > >> > >> Sorry for the thread hijack - do you think a new Mac Mini will run a 30" > >> Apple screen satisfactorily? > > > >Should do. You will need to buy the expensive "Mini DisplayPort to Dual > >Link DVI" adapter (which also ties up one USB port). > > Displaces it, really - it comes out at the DVI end. Presumably it's > used to power the converter. Ah, I hadn't spotted that. Thanks. I expect it limits the current output on the USB port at the DVI end (the adapter will act like a USB hub with one port, so it must take at least 100 mA for itself). Reviews on the Apple Store are a bit worrying - reports of static and other issues. > >The main limitation you might run into is that the integrated graphics > >chipset in the Mac Mini isn't particularly good at doing 3D graphics > >(compared to what could be achieved with an iMac or Mac Pro). It should > >be fine for 2D, and will probably beat the pants off whatever graphics > >card is in your G4. > > The 9400 chipset it actually pretty decent - very good as integrated > graphics go. Certainly compared to any of the previous Intel GMA series. > It's not going to play 2010 3D Windows games well, but it'll do a fine job > on 2008's games. And Mac releases tend to be a couple of years behind > anyway... With Valve's Steam rumoured to be appearing on the Mac soon, there will be more Mac games and they are more likely to be up to date in future. Blizzard tends to release simultaneously for Mac and Windows (certainly did for Warcraft 3; I wasn't paying attention for World of Warcraft; Starcraft 2 might be released before Christmas this year but who knows what it will require). > >Note that the integrated graphics controller ties up part of the > >computer's main memory for the video buffers (at least 256 MB). > > 128meg if you have 1gig RAM, 256meg if 2gig or more. It was a worry > for me when I bought my most recent Mini (early 2009) with 1gig. Since the Late 2009 models come with at least 2 GB, the 256 MB figure is the only one of interest to someone buying a new Mac Mini. That is a minimum - it may need more in some situations (probably 3D graphics). -- David Empson dempson(a)actrix.gen.nz
From: zoara on 5 Mar 2010 05:45 David Empson <dempson(a)actrix.gen.nz> wrote: > With Valve's Steam rumoured to be appearing on the Mac soon, there > will > be more Mac games and they are more likely to be up to date in future. Am I correct in thinking that if I bought Portal through Steam running in a VM, then when (if) Steam comes to the Mac, I can just redownload Portal with the same account and without re-paying? -z- -- email: nettid1 at fastmail dot fm
From: Debbie Wilson on 5 Mar 2010 06:22 David Empson <dempson(a)actrix.gen.nz> wrote: > The main limitation you might run into is that the integrated graphics > chipset in the Mac Mini isn't particularly good at doing 3D graphics > (compared to what could be achieved with an iMac or Mac Pro). It should > be fine for 2D, and will probably beat the pants off whatever graphics > card is in your G4. Thanks for your advice, David. I upgraded the G4's graphics card to an ATI Radeon 9600 so it could run the 30" cinema display. Though I'm sure it's still outclassed by any of the current offerings. After looking at the Apple Store for some time I'm completely unsure as the the best options now. The Mini's max 4GB memory seems very limiting when thinking of future upgrades to apps such as Photoshop which eat up RAM. A 21.5" iMac could run the 30" screen as well but after adding extra RAM and storage it's not far off the price of a Mac Pro, and I don't have desk space for 50" of screen :-) Guess I need to play the waiting game a bit longer.... Deb. -- http://www.scientific-art.com "He looked a fierce and quarrelsome cat, but claw he never would; He only bit the ones he loved, because they tasted good." S. Greenfield
From: Chris Ridd on 5 Mar 2010 06:52
On 2010-03-05 11:22:04 +0000, Debbie Wilson said: > David Empson <dempson(a)actrix.gen.nz> wrote: > >> The main limitation you might run into is that the integrated graphics >> chipset in the Mac Mini isn't particularly good at doing 3D graphics >> (compared to what could be achieved with an iMac or Mac Pro). It should >> be fine for 2D, and will probably beat the pants off whatever graphics >> card is in your G4. > > Thanks for your advice, David. I upgraded the G4's graphics card to an > ATI Radeon 9600 so it could run the 30" cinema display. Though I'm sure > it's still outclassed by any of the current offerings. After looking at > the Apple Store for some time I'm completely unsure as the the best > options now. The Mini's max 4GB memory seems very limiting when thinking > of future upgrades to apps such as Photoshop which eat up RAM. That seems like the main limitation to me. Having said that, OWC do sell 8GB upgrades for the current models of Mini. $349.99 though... -- Chris |