An article on MacWorld.com claims that the Dell isn’t cheap anymore, despite costing $100 less, when you consider all that it lacks in comparison to the Mac Mini.
They’re wrong.
The specs table on their page states compares the Mac Mini’s “Two USB 2.0 ports” with the Dimension 2400’s “USB 2.0 (assumed–Dell doesn’t list this in the specs)”.
The Mac looks better, right? It actually isn’t. The Dell computer has six USB 2.0 ports: two in front, four in the back. As far as USB ports are concerned, it’s superior.
In the wireless category, they say the Mac Mini is “AirPort Extreme- and Bluetooth-ready”, while the Dell has “No wireless”.
The Mac also has no wireless. AirPort and Bluetooth cost extra - a lot extra. Did anyone mention that you can easily get an 802.11g USB adapter for $20? It’s probably about the same for a Bluetooth adapter. And you can use them, too, without an additional USB hub, because the Dell has six USB ports rather than two.
By the way, the Dell also has two PS/2 ports for the keyboard and mouse (you can also use USB ones). On the Mac Mini, you must use a USB keyboard and a USB mouse. That immediately uses up both ports, unless the keyboard has a built-in USB hub (some do).
When we look at audio on their comparison chart, the Mac Mini has “Audio out” while the Dell has “Integrated audio”. Integrated audio, much like integrated video, has the connotation of being low quality. Now, I’m not saying it isn’t - in fact, it is - but guess what?
The Mac Mini’s “audio out” is also integrated audio!
Now, to clarify, I’m not a big fan of Dell, but I just had to post this because the facts were so slanted and skewed.
mac can also continuously upgrade. I had a imac G3 at 333mhz that was around 6 or 7 years old and it ran Panther perfectly. It was very reliable and did not crash on me once. I just got a mac mini (i figured it was time to upgrade) and even though I am dissapointed there hasnt been a Graphics upgrade for it yet, it still kicks. I can play halo with no lag on high quality. For the audio, no one notices. It might be integrated, but you had to look that up, didnt you. Nobody would be able to notice the lack of quality. And it is way better then the Dell anyway. You might dislike dell, but you are obviously very biased against mac.
“Spyware and Virus’ will never be a problem for Mac users but will for windows users.”
Long time known aspect of this oft repeated line: ‘Writing viruses for Mac is not any harder than writing for Win machines, it’s just that the honey pot isn’t there.’
Why spend a week writing a good crasher if only 1 out of every 100 computer users will get bit. Virus writers, like all software writers, go for the big audience. I haven’t checked lately but tell me: Is Doom3 out for Mac yet? HalfLife2? Adobe Premiere 7? PaintShopPro? SOundForge7? WaveLab5? Pinnacle Liqud? Any C++ IDE even half-way as helpful for development efficiency as Visual Studio 6/7?
How about anything with more than one company and seloling at the same cost as a direct Windows equivalent? More users, less cost. More users, more bugs uncovered, more fixes, more evolution on the product faster. That’s the way Windows took over the numbers and it’s a long way before Apple can catch up, IMHO.
Bottom line for viruses: No audience, no reason to waste time. However, as more people *say* they are going to try Macs I think you’ll see more viruses coming. Mac users will of course not admit being bit, just like the corporations running Linux who tend to avoid admitting being cracked and smacked.
Just for fun, I’m buying a Mini and having a go at writring some fun “virusware” just for friends. I’m probably not alone so enjoy your little apple pond while it lasts
I think you ment buy a power mac, and as for the rest, who in their right mind things Dell is better than any MAC
I aboslutley love the mac mini.
Yes, It only has 2 USB ports, but really…It’s so small. Smaller than 9 CD cases stacked on top of each other.
…and it’s not a piece of junk, unlike the Dell, and with such a small form factor, why not spend a little nit extra for somthing that barley takes up the space of a book.
Although, in my humble opinion instead of buying a Mac mini with the bluetooth, airport, keyboard, mouse, and monitor (which add up to be more than $1,000 US, Why not just get an iMac G5. For an extra $200 you also get a 17″ LCD screen, also crammed in to somthing the width of a book.
I’m not attacking Apple, or the Mac mini. But if you really want lots of power, by an iMac. Period.
you know what u didnt say about the dell…is that it has twice as vunerable to viruses and spyware. while the mac may be more expensive, it will last longer.