PC user here. Wanting to switch from the darkside but now concerned

[LeftCoast]

I'd like to dump my PC for the standard set of reasons and am in love with the new mini, but I'm sorta worried about the processor speed. Is a G4 really enough? I don't really do huge photoshop-style programs, but I do tend to have A LOT of windows open. I like to have as many as five different programs running at the same time. Will a mini really be able to handle this? Any advice from you mac users out there would be most appreciated.

[demodonkey]

1. I run 4-6 programs at a time INCLUDING Photoshop 8.0 and

& OS 9 Quark 3.32 (which is running in Classic) on a G4 1.25 Ghz eMac. Solid as a rock.

I have 1 Gig of RAM.

Switch! You'll LOVE it!

:-)

[LeftCoast]

3. I was planning on upgrading to 500 mb RAM

Do you think that would be sufficient?

Thanks for your help, btw.

[demodonkey]

5. 500 Should be OK, but if you can swing it to get more RAM I would do it...

The extra RAM was the best investment I EVER made. Got this computer back in May with 1 Gig of RAM and have been throwing everything I can at it program-wise since... have not had even ONE memory issue yet (knock on wood, lol!)

They do say that 500 MB is adequate for general use, though.

One good thing about the Mac system X is that even if you run into problems, system crashes (including memory related ones) are VERY rare.

This is my 9th or 10th Mac, BTW, since the 1980s. Love it!

On edit: Definitely get third-party RAM if/when you get it, NOT Apple's build-to-order... if you can't self-install (and I'm not sure about the Mini), it is almost always cheaper to get a local Apple-authorized Mac Tech to do it than to get RAM built-in from Apple.

[rocktivity]

8. Glad to hear it, Demodonkey--I just "invested" in a 1Ghz processor card

I'm in the process of bringing my seven-year old beige G3 (233Hz processor--blush) out of the stone age: USB card, combo drive, more RAM, OSX. I set my sights set on a 500Hz G4 processor card, mainly because the price was right. But then I thought, "Why am I settling for 500, especially since I don't want to have to do this for ANOTHER seven years?" It meant putting off my purchases for two months, but with the extra money I saved, I not only got the 1G card, I've decided to save up for a Super drive! The card will be delivered today, and ALREADY I'm not regretting it!

:bounce:
rocknation

[cheezus]

2. the mini is powerful enough for every except high end video

like motion or shake. it'll run photoshop fine. Consumer DV (iMovie, FCE) works well too. as for open windows, I've got about 30 open over two screens on my ibook and the only slowdown i notice is when i expose them (ha!).

it's really more about the operating system in this case -- os x is a really good multitasker.


oh, just make sure you get more than the 256mb of ram... the more ram, the better (although you may want to get it from a 3rd party, apple's markup is huge!)

[LeftCoast]

4. I thought you couldn't upgrade the mini at home

Since everything was packed so tightly into the case. I'm all for saving money and computer DIY! :)

[mrbassman03]

6. Nope, you can do it at home...

They have instructional videos on the Apple site...

Anyway, go for it! Boost the RAM to 512 or 640 and you will be set. I am running a 867 MhZ Powerbook with 640 and it can handle anything. Photoshop running alongside everything else with no problem.

[Poiuyt]

7. Don't worry, should be fine

The number of windows open is more affected by the amount of RAM than the processor speed. Obviously, the Mini isn't going to be as fast as a dual processor G5, but it should be quite sufficient for the average user.

Macsonly.com has done a number of speed tests and found that the standard 256 MB of RAM is adequate for most people. They found that the biggest increase in speed came from changing the hard drive from 4200rpm to 7200rpm. This added a lot to the cost which takes away a lot of the Mini's advantage.

http://macsonly.com/arch00501.html#311

I think you'll love the Mini. If you don't think it will be powerful enough, look into the base model G5 iMac.

[geekgrrl]

9. you'll be more than fine- I have an older ibook G3 800mhz and can run...

10 apps at a time easily. Right now I have adium, firefox, safari, entourage, word, excel, endnote, preview, itunes and spamsieve open and no slowdown. I usually have a couple excel docs and like 4 word docs open at once too.

I also use dreamweaver and photoshop and they run fine- not super speedy but okay for my use.

welcome to the world of apple! you won't be sorry you switched!

[alfredo]

10. I run OSX on a 333mhz iMac. It only had 256. It does

fine for everyday computing.

[Ready4Change]

11. Old PC new Mac user here too.

I've found my iBook handles multiple simultaneous apps far FAR better than my PCs and windows ever have. Mines a 800mhz G3 with 640k and runs things like a champ. A faster G4 with more memory should be sweet.

I've nothing but good things to say about these machines. Go for it.

[politicat]

12. It's not the same chip architecture, so the speeds are not equivalent.

One's a RISC (Mac) architecture, the other is CISC (Intel). The Reduced Instruction set Computer) uses fewer instructions per action than the Complex Instruction Set Computer.

So if you could tell a Mac to go to the store and buy a dozen eggs, a gallon of milk and a standard bag of flour, that's exactly what you'd do. But to tell an CISC machine to do the same thing, you'd have to tell it to open the door, step three feet through the door, close the door, turn right, go down three steps, walk 145.2 feet SSW, turn left, walk 1458 feet NNW, etc...

Here's an article on the issue: http://www.realworldtech.com/page.cfm?ArticleID=RWT021300000000 It's written in Geek, though.

As it happens, I have a 1 GHz Mac Powerbook (now nearly 3 years old), and came over from a 1 GHz PC running 98 and XP briefly. (XP drove me to Mac.) Photoshop CS works far better on this machine than it EVER worked in the Intel. Most of that I blame on Windows, because if I had more than one or two windows open on the Intel, it bogged down (I was maxxed on RAM on the Intel, too....). I don't have that problem on this machine.

Pcat

[burrowowl]

21. Absolutely!

Intel's old architecture uses more clock cycles to do anything. So the so-called speed is like reving your engine in neutral. It doesn't get you anywhere.

[WLKjr]

13. I just got a mac mini

took me a while to get it to start running even remotely slow, I lost count after having 10 windows open and garageband playing a made up tune.


I bought the 499 model and love it. Glad this was my first mac it is so ungodly easy to use and to tinker with. This comming from a Network Admin who has trouble remember all those places to mess with permissions in windows and has been learning how to for over 4 years, it took me 10 minutes to figure out how to do all that then some with my mac mini OS X.


My PC is now either going to preform either gaming (at least till I get a better mac), being a file/web server, or sitting in the corner collecting dust.

I am glad I made the switch.

[rocktivity]

14. The smart gaming companies will take advantage of the Mini's success

Macs aren't known as gaming computers, of course. But if that's not stopping people like you from buying one, a smart gaming company will start making more Mac-compatible games REAL quick!

:headbang:
rocknation

[reprobate]

16. Rock, I believe you are right. That's a good thing.

No idea how many minis apple has sold since announcement, but it must be huge. Even the PC mags are giving it a thumbs up. And I think there are a huge number of frustrated windows users like me who are just fed up with the windows problems.

In my experience since going mac, the OS is so solid and intuitive that for every switcher that tries it he will convince another to switch. And the bigger the base, the more programs will be written for it.

[alfredo]

15. Some good links I find helpful

http://www.macupdate.com/ I like it

http://osx.hyperjeff.net/ good guy

http://www.versiontracker.com/macosx/ Very popular.

http://www.macnn.com/slim/ good forums.

http://www.macosxhints.com/ geeky but good

Good magazine. Was voted best PC magazine a few years ago.

http://www.macaddict.com/

[Melynn]

17. I'm thinking about switching too

What I'm concerned about is being able to hook up my broadband connection correctly to a Mac. And no, I have no confidence in my cable company to do the job so it will be up to me to to make sure that I can make the switch right.

[Poiuyt]

18. Hooking a Mac up to a broadband connection is incredibly easy

Don't let that hold you back

[Melynn]

19. I suspected that but like all things Mac, I'm clueless

I'm going to buy a computer later this year and right now I'm leaning toward a Mac for security reasons. I'm lucky in that I live in area with an Apple store which will be big help in making the switch. Plus this Mac group on DU is going should help me too.

[emulatorloo]

20. People I know who have switched ask me "Why didn't I do this years ago?"

Do it and don't look back. . .

Check out the apple store -- they are great there.

And I am going to give you some links from a website that tracks mac bargains for when you get closer.

Best Mac Mini Deals

http://www.lowendmac.com/deals/mini.html

Best iMac Deals

http://www.lowendmac.com/imac/deals.html

Best G5 Deals

http://www.lowendmac.com/ppc/g5deals.html

Here is a site that tracks all kinds of mac bargains

http://dealmac.com/

[suston96]

22. Apple Products

Apple Products are outstanding and the new digital centers are unsurpassed. You should have little problem with the products themselves.

But the Apple Computer company has continuous consumer empathy problems.

By that I mean that it all too often ignores its customer problems and, for example, often, way too often, sells product that is obsolete to unsuspecting customers.

So check around, especially with the Quicktime 7 and the Quicktime Pro 7 fiasco.

The enigmatic choice remains between a superior product and a not too consumer sensitive company.