If you have read Kim’s tale of computer woe, you know we are looking for a new computer. I don’t want to launch a holy war of PC vs Apple, but what about a Mac Mini? I don’t know much about Apple hardware. The main requirements that we have are able to do our podcasts (good quality sound in/out, edit 1 – 2 hours audio without bogging down, affordable software to do so) play some games (good video card… Sims 2 for Fi and ? for me I like FPS). I can get a Dell for about the same price (I get a discount) and I’m certified with Dell equipment, so I know it can do what I want and I know I can upgrade. The thing is, I’m pretty sure the Mini can’t be upgraded (except for memory?) … I ‘spose if I want an upgradable Mac I gotta go with the G5 which starts at USD$1300. Too much when compared to PCs. Any suggestions?
The Mac Mini doesn’t have audio in, unless you use a USB mic input. It isn’t upgradeable internally, either (save memory), but again, you can use Firewire or USB external drives for more space.
http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/imic/
http://www.lacie.com/products/family.htm?id=10007
If you’re looking for a usable computer that’s inexpensive, I’d go to a computer show and then slap a Linux distro on it (probably Ubuntu).
I am all for Macs. However they really hit you with the lack of expandibility in the “consumer” models. The one good aspect of the Mac is the lifespan – you can still find fruit colored iMacs (which are still usable and can run the latest software (slowly)) on ebay ranging from $50 to $350 while PCs of the same time frame are considered curbworthy. If you do spend the money for the Mac, it depreciates much more slowly than a generic x86 machine.
It’s true that Macs are not, by nature, particularly upgradeable machines. With a desktop box you have PCI slots for upgrading your video card, drive bays for larger HDs, and plenty of slots for more memory. And although in theory you can, I’ve never known anyone to upgrade their processor (there is a secondary market for processor upgrades.) USB and FireWire give you access to a ton of peripherals, however, so you can extend the hardware you have.
Audio tools under OS X are rich and varied, and you’ll probably have everything you need to edit your podcasts with the software that will come with the new machine. Remember that Mac OS X machines are *designed* to be used in the production of audio, video, and rich media.
If I were you, I would compare the specs on the Mini against those of the new iMacs, and see which one gives you a better video card.