Apple mini mac - help needed

Lynsey

What's the best deals around on the Apple mini mac ??????????

Can this one at PC World be bettered with discounts etc ????????

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/store/pcw_page.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@1841817691.1168294335@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccgeaddjlffifmecflgceggdhhmdgml.0&sku=874865&page=Product

Lynsey

Sui_Generis

The best deals on a Mac Mini will be from the Apple refurb store - which closes at midnight BTW and will open 9-10AM tomorrow. Usually around £419.

I suggest you get one with a minimum 1Gb RAM which would be a custom order so you're unlikely to get a discount.

What do you want to use it for?

girders

Depending on what you want need it for what about a G5 iMac instead for £469.99?
http://www.morgancomputers.co.uk/shop/detail.asp?ProductID=3801&adnetwork=af

Appears to be this model here:
http://support.apple.com/specs/imac/iMac_G5_iSight.html

Although this is Power PC chip rather than Intel it's the last of the G5 models and was being sold/manufactured at the same time as the Intel iMac as there was still a demand/requirement for them due to their better performance of some applications that had yet to be updated - Photoshop etc. This could not be used to run Windows if you have that in mind for the Mac Mini. I'd expect the perfomance of this iMac to be roughly equivelent to a current Mini (comparisons are difficult) but with the included screen, keyboard, mouse it's probably a better buy if it suits what you want it for.

I have no knowledge/experience of the company so do a bit of research first.
Saw the offer yesterday on -
http://www.hotukdeals.com/forums/showthread.php?t=41607&highlight=imac
Bit more discussion there.

And certainly worth holding off until you see what Apple announce at their big San Francisco conference later this afternoon/evening.

girders

When I was trying (unsuccessfully) to get a cheap older Mac Mini last week (see this thread http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=339205&highlight=girders
I was given a price of £399 in ToysRUs for a 1.66Ghz version but there have been a couple of models at that speed so may not be the same as the one you found at PC World - notably may not come with DVD burner.

Also always worth trying John Lewis if they have a store near you and getting them to price match, although their website only does the higher spec version at the moment for £500+

Sui_Generis

girders wrote:

I have no knowledge/experience of the company

Morgan are excellent IME.

Lynsey

Thanks all. My son is at Uni and needs a mac for his work. He was given an old G4 pc which has no aiport card/wireless connection. To do this properly will cost nearly £100. He also needs a dvd writer for his coursework (he does sound and motion).
So is it really worthwhile trying to upgrade a slow old pc, or to invest in a mini mac which he has been after ??
I have already bought him a new tv/monitor, so would not need another one.
Any advise welcome and if anyone has discount codes for PC World, even free delivery, it would be appreciated. This would reduce the cost down along with the 6% from Quidco.

Lynsey

Helix

If he orders though the eduction part of the apple store they give student discount. They don't seem to have a set percentage so its best just to go on the site and look. You get the biggest discount if you access the site through a university network.

Lynsey

I believe the discount may be 15% which would bring it around the PC World price.
I've just checked the PC World website and it's ot of stock due to "high demand". Hope they get it back.

Lynsey

Helix

Thats the old model so I doubt they will get it back in stock. Only the 1.83Ghz Duo model comes with the DVD-RW Superdrive now. The 1.66Ghz Duo model just has a DVD with CD-RW. The PC World one is from when they had Solo and Duo Processors.

Sui_Generis

Lynsey wrote:

Thanks all. My son is at Uni and needs a mac for his work. He was given an old G4 pc which has no aiport card/wireless connection. To do this properly will cost nearly £100. He also needs a dvd writer for his coursework (he does sound and motion).
So is it really worthwhile trying to upgrade a slow old pc, or to invest in a mini mac which he has been after ??
I have already bought him a new tv/monitor, so would not need another one.
Any advise welcome and if anyone has discount codes for PC World, even free delivery, it would be appreciated. This would reduce the cost down along with the 6% from Quidco.

Lynsey

Given that info I'd seriously recommend buying the G5 iMac from Morgan lsited above. Its a steal at £479 especially when a refurb Mini will cost £419. Don't worry about the fact he has a monitor already he can use it to extend the iMac's desktop which will be really useful for editing etc.

Consider if you pay £449 you could have a superb LCD monitor for an extra £30 with the iMac.

One final consideration is the programs he'll be running - will they run on a Mini? I think the Mini's are excellent but they have integrated graphics and don't come close to the power of the iMac.

Lynsey

Thanks Helix, which model do I need ??
I will ask him to try and get it from Apple via his Uni.

Lynsey