| View Larger Image | Apple Mac mini MC238LL/A Desktop | Personal Computersby Apple Computer
| List Price: | $599.00 | | | Available: | Usually ships in 24 hours |
| | Publisher: | Apple Computer | | Model: | MC238LL/A | | Operating System: | Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard | | Sales Rank: | 17th |
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FEATURES | - Ships in Amazon Frustration-Free Packaging
- 2.26GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor
- 160GB SATA Hard Drive, DVD SuperDrive, 2GB 1066MHz DDR3 SDRAM
- NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics
- Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard Operating System
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ACCESSORIES |
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EDITORIAL REVIEWS |
Product Description
Theres nothing like Mac mini. At just 6.5 inches square and 2 inches tall, its designed to take up far less room and use far less energy than any other desktop computer. Mac mini was engineered to fit a lot of computer into a little space. Its powered by an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, with advanced NVIDIA graphics and fast DDR3 memory. Theres plenty of storage space up to 500GB1 for just about anything. And it comes with Mac OS X Snow Leopard, the worlds most advanced operating system. Who knew something so small could be so huge? Mac Mini-2.26GHz & 160GB HD plus NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics Mini-DVI to DVI Adapter 110W power adapter and power cord Install/restore DVDs Printed and electronic documentation |
Amazon.com Product Description
Upgraded with a faster 2.26 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, Apple's innovative Mac mini desktop is a great choice for home computing tasks and creating a digital media hub. It fits everything that makes a Mac a Mac inside an elegant 2-inch-tall, 6.5-inch square--just add your own keyboard, mouse, and display. The Mac mini also includes excellent video processing power from the integrated NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics chip, an ultra-fast FireWire 800 port, and dual video outputs--a Mini DisplayPort and a Mini-DVI port. Inside its 2-inch-tall, 6.5-inch-square anodized aluminum enclosure, the Mac mini houses the fast Intel Core 2 Duo processor. Officially, Mac mini is a desktop computer. But because it can go places no other desktop can go, it's been used everywhere from boats to server rooms, as the heart of an entertainment center--and even to power robots. Small, elegant, and unassuming, it has a sleek, anodized aluminum case and clean, white surface. Continuing Apple's commitment to the environment, the Mac mini exceeds current Energy Star 5.0 requirements by consuming less than 14 watts when idle 45 percent less power than the previous generation. It's also made from highly recyclable aluminum, uses PVC-free internal components and cables, contains no brominated flame retardants, and even features smaller packaging. It comes pre-loaded with Apple's Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard operating system--an operating system custom-designed for the advanced technology inside--and it also comes with the iLife '09 suite of applications, including iPhoto, iMovie, Garageband, and iTunes. Key Specifications Fast 2.26 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor helps you breeze through everyday tasks such as emailing, web browsing, and working with documents, spreadsheets, and presentations in iWork or Microsoft Office for Mac (both sold separately). 160 GB hard drive (5400 RPM) 2 GB installed RAM (1066 MHz DDR3; supports up to 4 GB) NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics processor (with 256 MB of DDR3 SDRAM shared with main memory) for an outstanding everyday graphics experience 8x slot-loading SuperDrive with double-layer DVD support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW) Wi-Fi wireless networking (based on 802.11n specification; 802.11a/b/g compatible) Gigabit Ethernet wired networking (10/100/1000BASE-T) Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR (Enhanced Data Rate) for connecting with peripherals such as keyboards, mice and cell phones Dual video output options with Mini DisplayPort and Mini-DVI (includes Mini-DVI to DVI Adapter; optional Mini-DVI to VGA Adapter) Built-in mono speaker Combined optical digital output/headphone output (also includes line-in/microphone jack) Dimensions: 6.5 x 6.5 x 2 inches (WxDxH) Weight: 2.9 pounds What's in the box Mac mini; Mini-DVI to DVI Adapter; 110W power adapter and power cord; install/restore DVDs; printed and electronic documentation Limited Warranty And Service The Mac mini comes with 90 days of free telephone support and a one-year limited warranty. Purchase the AppleCare Protection Plan to extend your service and support to three years from your computer's purchase date. Only the AppleCare Protection Plan provides you with direct telephone support from Apple technical experts and the assurance that repairs will be handled by Apple-authorized technicians using genuine Apple parts. Key Features Intel Core 2 Duo Processor Experience improved energy efficiency and improved multitasking with the 2.26 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, which also offers an ultra-fast 1066 MHz front-side bus (FSB) and a large 3 MB L2 cache. (An L2, or secondary, cache temporarily stores data; and a larger L2 cache can help speed up your system's performance. The FSB carries data between the CPU and RAM, and a faster front-side bus will deliver better overall performance.) The hafnium-infused circuitry--which reduces electrical current leakage in transistors--conserves even more energy. With a substantial 3 MB of shared L2 cache, data and instructions can be kept close to the two processor cores, greatly increasing performance and allowing the entire system to work more efficiently. And, because the processor cores share the L2 cache, either can use the entire amount if the other happens to be idle. Graphics Processor The Mac mini features the NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics processor for up to five times better graphics performance than its predecessor, and its dual display support can drive two Apple or third-party displays with Mini DisplayPort or DVI connections. The NVIDIA GeForce 9400M shares 256 MB of DDR3 SDRAM with main memory. You'll notice the difference when you work with high-resolution photos and high-definition video, where graphics-intensive features in iPhoto and iMovie are smoother. And 3D game play--from Spore to Call of Duty--is faster and more responsive. Wireless Connectivity The built-in 802.11n wireless networking provides up to five times the performance and twice the range of 802.11g, but it's also backward-compatible with 802.11a/b/g routers, enabling you to communicate with the a wide variety of Wi-Fi resources. It works seamlessly with the new AirPort Extreme with 802.11n. Use the built-in Bluetooth wireless technology to connect to your PDA or cell phone, synchronize addresses, or download pictures from your cell phone. You can also use a wireless headset for iChat audio chats and VoIP calls as well as quickly share files with a colleague. Pre-Loaded with Mac OS X Snow Leopard and iLife '09 Every Mac comes with Mac OS X Snow Leopard, the world's most advanced operating system, and iLife, Apple's innovative suite of applications for managing photos, making movies and creating and learning to play music. Snow Leopard builds on a decade of OS X innovation and success with hundreds of refinements, new core technologies and out of the box support for Microsoft Exchange. iLife features iPhoto, to easily organize and manage photos; iMovie with powerful easy-to-use new features such as Precision Editor, video stabilization and advanced drag and drop; and GarageBand which introduces a whole new way to help you learn to play piano and guitar. Installed software Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard (includes Time Machine, Quick Look, Spaces, Spotlight, Dashboard, Mail, iChat, Safari, Address Book, QuickTime, iCal, DVD Player, Photo Booth, Front Row, Xcode Developer Tools) iLife '09 (includes iPhoto, iMovie, GarageBand, iWeb, iDVD) Environmentally Friendly Design Because Apple designs both hardware and software, we can reduce our environmental footprint in ways others can't. For starters, a highly efficient power supply reduces the amount of power wasted when bringing electricity from the wall to your Mac. Unlike a lot of PCs, a Mac uses energy-efficient hardware components that work hand in hand with the operating system to conserve power--even between keystrokes. A Mac also doesn't contain a lot of toxic materials. All Mac displays are mercury and arsenic free, and the internal components are free of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and brominated flame retardants (BFRs). Efficient Power Supply Mac mini includes a highly efficient power supply that reduces the amount of power wasted when bringing electricity from the wall to your computer. Lower power consumption reduces energy bills and lessens the environmental impact of greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. Advanced Power Management Unlike a lot of Windows-based PC systems, Mac mini uses energy-efficient hardware components that work hand in hand with the operating system to conserve power. Mac OS X spins down hard drives and activates sleep mode. And it balances tasks across both central processors and graphics processors. Mac OS X never misses a power-saving opportunity, no matter how small. It even regulates the processor between keystrokes, reducing power between the letters you type. That's just one of many ways Apple manages small amounts of power that add up to big savings. Mac mini is a great example of Apple's energy-efficient design philosophy. It uses less than 14 watts of power when idle--that's something no other desktop computer can do.2 ENERGY STAR Qualification Mac mini meets the stringent low power requirements set by the EPA, giving it ENERGY STAR qualification. ENERGY STAR 5.0 sets significantly higher efficiency limits for power supplies and aggressive limits for the computer's typical annual power consumption. |
CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 5.0 based on 7 reviews)
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Great with my Sony HD set by R. Guest  5 Stars
November 17, 2009
I bought this to be a media center for my 52" Sony HD LCD set. My media is stored on a NAS device and includes movies, TV shows, photos, home video, etc. The Mini with Front Row does a good job of giving the family a dead-simple way of accessing all of this content. Plus we can do some fun things like create music using Garage Band and play it through the surround sound system. The Apple TV is cheap but also very limited. With a little knowledge the Mini provides a very flexible alternative. Video and sound (using the mini TOS cable) are outstanding. Not seeing any stutter or delays. I run mine without a keyboard or a mouse. On the rare occasion when I want one I just use the Mobile Air Mouse on my iPhone as a combination keyboard and mouse.
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Folders drive you crazy by Doreen Appleton (Scottsdale, Arizona)  4 Stars
November 11, 2009
A problem with the 1gb Imac and the Mac Mini (but not the Macbook, I am told) is folders.
You set your folder with small icons, hiding the toolbar. You come back later, the toolbar is back, the icons are now large, falling all over each other like poker chips -- or, your icons have turned into a list.
You patiently put it back the way you had it, and you click the button that says "Always open in icon view."
You come back later -- the folder has gone crazy again. The toolbar is back, the icons have become a list, the icons are too big -- something.
You end up sighing ten times a day as you use the computer.
Very annoying.
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My First Mac by Clint 5 Stars
November 01, 2009
This is my first Mac so i can not compare it to others but I do like it. I have been a long time HP man and have been having problems with the HP I have right know. I had my HP custom built from HP a year and a half ago with all the highest performance parts and spent quite a bit on it. It has had a problem from the first week where it runs really slow one day every one or two weeks and none of the programs will respond, I believe it has something to do with a bad install from the factory and I am working with HP to get it fixed. For the amount I spent and the fact that it is not out of date performance wise I am not ready to give up on it and spend big money on another one. I figured I would invest in something cheaper and just use it for my web browsing and leave all my financing, gaming and music to the HP.
As far as the Mac goes I a impressed with it. I like how fast it starts, shuts down and comes out of sleep. The size is really nice since it doesn't take up alot of desk space. The 2GB of memory seems to work good but I will probably upgrade to 4GB in the next few weeks. I like the dashboard more than I liked the sidebar on vista and Snow Leopard more than Vista performance wise. The built in speaker is nice which I didn't realize it had before buying, I didn't really want to have to sets of speakers or switch back and forth between them. The speaker isn't much maybe about like laptop speakers but better than my Samsung netbooks speakers. Some of the thing I didn't like are Safari which was and easy fix with installing Firefox. I didn't give Safari much time since I have heard its security isn't any good and I couldn't get it to maximize to the full wide screen it was just square and had about 2 or 3 inches of open screen on the sides. Probably the only other problem I have found is I don't feel like I can multitask my web browsing like Microsoft. I like to have 3 or 4 Firefox windows opened and have a couple of tabs in each one when I am researching stuff and they are not all spread out on the Mac making it easy to switch from on the the other, instead you have to minimize them to switch. That my be something that can be changed but I have only had this for a couple of days and haven't figured it out. I had a spare Kensington SlimBlade keyboard and mouse that I hooked up to it. I didn't care for the mouse it just seemed to bulky and had bad response so I hooked up a spare Microsoft Arc mouse, which has to be one of my favorite mice. I have both it and the HP hooked up to a Samsung T220 with the HP using the DVI port and the Mac using the VGA port, and just switch back and forth with the source button.
I have not gave up on Microsoft yet either, I have a copy of Windows 7 that I had installed for about a half a day using the upgrade option and had the same problems with it as Vista. It started acting up a couple hours after being installed so I had a chance to test it out and liked it way more than Vista. HP told me to recover my computer to see if that would fix it and I am waiting for it to act up again to contact HP and let them inspect it. I purchased the in home protection plan with HP and they have been really helpful. The DVD-RW went out and they sent a guy that week to replace it at no cost, and the slow running problem they have spent over an hour on the phone with me with no rush to get off.
If you are trying to figure out if the Mini Mac has the performance to run some games or other stuff this is not a review for you. I may try to play some games or start doing my quickbooks on it but like I said I will leave the most of that to the HP. If you are wanting to give Mac a chance without spending alot of money then this is a good choice. Im not a big fan of the all in one PC's so I don't really ever see an IMac being something for me and the desktop mac towers are way more than I would want to spend on a Mac. The Mac notebooks seem to be overpriced since trying to get a decent sized screen cost over $2000. I don't know what the life expectancy is on the mini mac personally but I have read it will last until it is out of date. I just think Macs have been overpriced and are finally reaching a point of lowering their price so in another couple of years they will have something other than the Mini that will be at a decent price. I have never had any problems with viruses on anything running Windows since I run good virus protection and have never had any personal information stolen. There have been times I've done a recovery if I did feel I had a virus just to make sure, but nothing that has ever ruined one of my systems. So either way with a PC or Mac I feel you get the same life out of it which is a year and its out of date and a couple of years and it just can't run the modern programs. Technology moves to fast which is not a bad thing but after a year there is something twice as good as what you have pretty much. I figure three years is my limit and then its time for something new. Just figure up how long you plan on keeping it 1,2,3,4 years and the price as for this I look at about two years which will cost me about .82 cents a day and I spend over a $1 a day on my internet why not have a computer that is that much. As for the HP its about $2.30 a day which is something I think is worth the money. Dishnetwork cost me about $3 a day I spend way more time on the computer then watching TV and there seems to be more to do on here than what there is to watch on TV. Thats just for the Dishnetwork not including what you spent on the TV to watch it.
I hope this helps you decide and I realize I began to ramble. I am happy with my Mini Mac and plan to use it regularly. Sorry if my review has to much Microsoft stuff for you but I am a technology nut and like the Mac and Microsoft worlds both in their on ways. I am also sorry if I had a sentence run on to long, used a comma where I shouldn't have, used bad grammar, paragraphed my review wrong and if reading this gave you a headache. I am aware that I have that problem and try to make it look as good a possible but I was not the smartest kid in my English class. I just know and like electronics and technology and was probably the top of the class on that. I like to research it and try what I think is best.
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The Mac mini is a great little computer for the money. by Robert B. Gillies (Volcan, Chiriqui, The Republic of Panama) 5 Stars
October 25, 2009
I have always used macs because they have the most sophisticated and user friendly operating system available. The problem is that most of their stuff is overpriced. One exception is the mac mini which gives you a lot of computer for the money. It is all the computer that most people will ever need. Now that the latest model takes up to 4 GB of ram, it is even a better. It's compact size is also a plus. I don't like the i-mac and the Mac pro is too much computer for most people. It would be nice if Apple would come out with a mini tower as an alternative to the i-mac. Also I would like to see Apple produce a net book for 300 or 400 dollars. As it stands right now if want a net book then you have to put up with an inferior Windows operating system. Of course Apple is making a lot money selling a bunch of overpriced toys that in a few years will be obsolete. In contrast the mac mini is a good solid value.
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Excellent product by CordlessTaco (Claremont, Ca USA) 5 Stars
October 24, 2009
This is my second Mac Mini. I bought my first Mac Mini when they were first introduced. I have been using that same Mac mini for about 5 years with no problems. I finally decided to get a new one because more and more of the internet features wouldn't work anymore because I needed software upgrades that didn't fit the specs I had. However, I didn't want to make the same mistake I made the first time and buy it right before a software upgrade. This is the perfect time to buy this Mac Mini. Snow Leopard is pre-installed, and there's roughly about $150 worth of extra memory and speed for the same price as the previous model that was just released about 6 months ago.
One complaint I did have with my old Mac mini was that it was a pain to configure my internet connection. The internet setup for this new model is simply plug and play. Absolutely no configuration is needed if your plugging in an Ethernet cable, whether it's hooked up to a router or not.
I basically only use my Mac Mini for the Internet, downloading music and video for my Ipod, digital picture storage, and occasionally typing and printing a paper. If that's all your going to use it for and your sick of all the viruses and hidden internet files that slow down your computer when you use a PC, then buy this entry level Mac Mini.
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