Is the New iMac a Mac mini Killer?

by Chris Howard Sep 07, 2006

The Mac minis are a great computer, but the latest upgrades and pricing of the minis and the iMacs firmly direct the consumer’s focus to the iMac.

Consider these specifications:

Mac Mini
- 1.83GHz Intel Core Duo
- 2MB on-chip L2 cache
- 1GB 667 DDR2 SDRAM - 2x512
- 160GB Serial ATA drive 5400RPM
- SuperDrive 8x (DVD+R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
- Apple Wired Keyboard & Mighty Mouse Kits
- Mac OS X - U.S. English
- 1.83GHz Intel Core Duo
- Intel GMA 950 graphics
- Bluetooth 2.0
- Apple Remote
- 1 Firewire 400 ports
- 4 USB 2.0 ports

Price: US$1,152

The customizations on this mini to match the iMac below are: Memory upgrade from 512MB; Hard drive upgraded from 80GB; keyboard and mouse added.

Now looking at an iMac that can be bought off the shelf:

iMac 17inch
- 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
- 4MB shared L2 cache at full processor speed
- 1GB 667 DDR2 SDRAM - 2x512
- 160GB Serial ATA drive 7200RPM
- SuperDrive 8X (DVD+R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
- Keyboard & Mighty Mouse + Mac OS X - U.S. English
- ATI Radeon X1600 128MB SDRAM
- 17-inch widescreen LCD
- AirPort Extreme
- Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR
- Apple Remote
- 2 FireWire 400 ports
- 3 USB 2.0 ports

Price US$1,199

So, for a measly $47 extra, you get:
- A 17 inch screen
- Significantly better graphics controller
- Faster processor (and newer version)
- Much faster hard disk
- Much better caching
- Ability to run a second monitor
- An extra FireWire 400 port
- One less USB 2.0 port
- An iSight camera
- Photo Booth software
- Built-in speakers

To top it off, there’s a 3-5 week wait for the Mac mini (since it’s customized) but that iMac can be bought off the shelf and received in 1-2 days.

That’s all beyond impressive.

So why buy a mini?
When you look at those specs and pricing, you’d have to wonder if anyone would buy the higher-end Mac mini now. What’s Apple up to? Is Apple trying to kill off the Mac mini? Is it trying to guide people more to iMacs?

Some people will argue they don’t need the 160GB HDD or the keyboard and that they’ve already got a monitor (no Mac should be bought without 1GB RAM). At that minimum spec the Mac mini drops to $874, and then they probably could justify buying the mini.

But hey, I think I could easily swing my thinking to the iMac at its pricing and specifications. (Which is I’m sure what Apple want to hear me say.) And what I like best of all: for the first time in ages, Apple is selling a Mac you can buy right off the shelf, without any “mandatory” customization. That is going to be very appealing to consumers.

One downer
One thing I’m not impressed with these new Mac minis and iMacs is that the CD Combo drives cannot be upgraded to SuperDrives. If you want a SuperDrive equipped model, you have to buy the next model up. A SuperDrive is almost as mandatory as 1GB RAM, so I think Apple should provide it as an option on the bottom end Macs.

Overall, I can see Apple moving a lot of these new iMacs. I for one had been patiently waiting for the Mac mini upgrade, but the specs of the iMac, and especially its pricing, have put it right back into consideration for me. And I bet I’m not alone.

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Comments

  • What about the low-end iMac with GMA950?  Surely that competes even with the low-end mini, to a degree…?

    mungler had this to say on Sep 07, 2006 Posts: 16

  • I love my mini (I’ve got two) except for one thing - it can’t drive multiple monitors.

    I’ve got an XP box at the desk, and if the mini could drive both of my 19” monitors I would drop the XP box in a heart beat.

    So now I’m considering getting the new 20” iMac and selling one of my 19” monitors, and running Parallels for my XP needs on the second monitor (mini DVI port on the iMac).

    But I hate the front bezel of the iMac.  It puts the bottom edge of the monitor like 8 inches above the desk.  My 19” is just 2 inch above the desk, just barely above my keyboard.  I like my eye to be level with the top of the screen, not the middle or bottom.

    Hopefully Apple will resurrect the Cube and give me dual monitor support and 3.5” drive in a mini form.

    seattleda had this to say on Sep 07, 2006 Posts: 1

  • A SuperDrive is almost as mandatory as 1GB RAM, so I think Apple should provide it as an option on the bottom end Macs.

    I absolutely agree about this.  No way a DVD-R shouldn’t be standard these days.

    I think the Mac mini, particularly the lowest-end model, will survive a bit longer simply because no matter how much more you get for your money with the iMac, some people simply can’t afford it.  This is why the $400 PCs are still around.  Maybe you get more from some models of Mac (maybe), but if all I’ve got is $400 to spend, then I’m getting a PC.

    Perhaps at this point, with the new iMac pricing (which of course comes just three months after I bought my 20”), they can now bring the Mac mini pricing down to around $500, where it was before they inexplicably raised the price on it.

    Beeblebrox had this to say on Sep 07, 2006 Posts: 2220

  • I think the Mac mini, particularly the lowest-end model, will survive a bit longer simply because no matter how much more you get for your money with the iMac, some people simply can’t afford it.  This is why the $400 PCs are still around.  Maybe you get more from some models of Mac (maybe), but if all I’ve got is $400 to spend, then I’m getting a PC. Totaqlly agree with you Beeb.

    nana had this to say on Sep 07, 2006 Posts: 63

  • Can Aperture run on the newer MacMinis and the new iMacs? It won’t run on first generation Macminis.

    Bakari had this to say on Sep 07, 2006 Posts: 37

  • I disagree about the SuperDrive.  I’ve got one on both of my Macs, but in all honesty, I have only burned one DVD ever.  A fast network connection and a single machine with the capacity to burn DVD’s would be more than sufficient for many users; if I had a new iMac, I would certainly not need it to burn DVD unless it replaced bothmy eMac (which I suppose it would) and my iBook (which it certainly would not).

    k95 had this to say on Sep 07, 2006 Posts: 2

  • Can the new iMacs kill the Mac minis? I doubt that very much.

    The Mac minis target a different product placement than the iMacs. The iMacs are definitely desktop-based only for their form factor and even the 24” model is not big enough as the main living room display (yet).

    The Mac minis can replace existing entertainment component systems not including the amplifiers, of course, but very much everything else. Mine already usurped my standalone CD/DVD players. And the Mac minis can drive HD DVI links. Next gen minis will also support HDCP-capable HDMIs for that full 1080p HD you’re craving.

    How about those automotive applications that a mini can serve? I don’t think any iMac form factor can replace the mini there.

    How about kiosks? Trade show displays? Kitchens? None of these can be served by the iMacs (practically, at least).

    So, the Mac mini has its own niches that the iMacs can’t practically serve. And the iMacs have their own turf that minis can’t touch.

    Therefore, the two lines are complementary to each other. There are no overlaps to worry about. Sure, the price points will now have to come down at the top end of the Mac minis. The bottom end may stay at $499 but now Apple can up the ante with a mouse and keyboard.

    Robomac had this to say on Sep 07, 2006 Posts: 846

  • A fast network connection and a single machine with the capacity to burn DVD’s would be more than sufficient for many users

    “Many users” don’t have multiple computers.  They have one.  And if they’ve bought a Mac, then they’ve probably blown their computer budget for the year anyway.

    DVD-Rs at this point are so absurdly cheap and so useful that there’s no reason NOT to have them in every computer.  And if Apple is trying to position the Mac as a media hub, then it goes doubly for them.

    Beeblebrox had this to say on Sep 07, 2006 Posts: 2220

  • I should also mention that including iDVD pre-installed on your product WITHOUT a way to burn DVDs is absolutely retarded.

    Beeblebrox had this to say on Sep 07, 2006 Posts: 2220

  • seattleda: Have you seen the Matrox DualHead2Go? It’s not cheap, but a lot cheaper than a new computer.

    http://www.matrox.com/mga/offhome/dh2go/home.cfm

    Here’s one guy’s experience with it:

    http://voice.firefallpro.com/2006/02/mac-mini-dual-monitors-using.html

    Chris Howard had this to say on Sep 07, 2006 Posts: 1209

  • iDVD pre-installed on your product WITHOUT a way to burn DVDs is absolutely retarded

    Beeb, that sums it up better than anything.

    I don’t use my DVD burner that much, but even a couple of times a year makes it well worth having.

    Chris Howard had this to say on Sep 07, 2006 Posts: 1209

  • I for one had been patiently waiting for the Mac mini upgrade, but the specs of the iMac, and especially its pricing, have put it right back into consideration for me. And I bet I’m not alone.

    I BET TOO, We are not alone.

    Take my word on this one => the next mac mini upgrade (maybe 1Q 2007) will have core 2 duo and $499 price

    And why apple charge $200 just for less than 200 mhz and a superdrive (wich before were a $50 add-in option)

    Maybe the mac mini is not dead, and wont die, but rigth now the mac mini superdrive is six feet under

    The mac mini superdrive is just in the limbo, not cheap as basic mac mini, not good value as an imac

    andreco had this to say on Sep 08, 2006 Posts: 3
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