Mac Mini (Mid 2011 version) : PC users, is it your best bet to try Mac OS X?

When I moved to my new place more than a year ago, my old PC had gone Kaput after 6 years of service and I was using my Samsung laptop for the last year as my home desktop. Last September, it also started to give signs that it was on its last legs (It's more than 3 years old so you could probably consider it in its twilight years already since most electronic seem to have an average lifespan of 3 years these days).

I looked for a replacement and I started pondering the options available. I wanted a small form factor computer to save space and also not to spend too much for it. I took an honest look at my usage over recent years and it encompassed activities such as checking emails, surfing the web, watching youtube videos, playing facebook games, writing blogs (of course), simple photo editing and using office applications. With this in mind, The following were considered: 

1. Small Form Factor PCs: Can be custom assembled with different powerful components but the hassle would be to start going over reviews etc to see what is the best value combo.
2. Laptops: Laptops have been getting cheaper and more powerful over the years and you can get a pretty decent one for less than S$1000 (US$790)

This time, other than the usual Windows options, I started considering options from Apple. I've always wanted to try a Mac but was always worried about compatibility with programs I used in Windows. In recent years, it has become much easier to run both Windows and Mac OS-es on the same Mac Machine with Bootcamp or Virtualisation Software such as Parallels Desktop 7 for Mac. This was what sold me: You CAN have the Best of both Worlds! 

Initially I was drawn to an iMAC with the lovely 22 inch LCD screen but it was priced at S$1648 (US$1300) and that's not counting the software that I need to purchase on top of that. The practical part of me opted for a Mac Mini.  At S$788 (US$620) , it is THE CHEAPEST entry point for Mac OS X and OS Lion had just been released so it was a good time to jump on the band wagon plus I already had the necessary peripherals to support it ( Samsung LCD Monitor, Keyboard and Mouse etc.) I bought the Mac Mini from an authorised reseller from Funan Centre (an electronics and Computer Mall in Singapore) and went home to set it up.

Mac Mini Main Unit & Connectivity
The Mac Mini comes in the following packaging:

Opening it up,  you have the Mac Mini unit and 2 cables, One power cable and a HDMI-to-DVI video port adapter for your monitor.

 The MAC Mini unit is a square shaped aluminium block that is slightly larger than a DVD-ROM. It houses a 2.3GHz Intel Core i5 CPU chip, 2GB DDR3 RAM (which is self-upgradeable), a 500GB harddisk and inbuilt Intel Graphics. Connectivity isn't an issue with the large number of ports on the back: e.g. 4 USB 2.0 ports, 1 Firewire 800 port, 1 Thunderbolt port, 1 HDMI (for video), 2 3.5mm Audio Jacks (IN / OUT) even an SDXC memory card slot. It does not come with a DVD-ROM but it isn't an issue for me since I have an external USB DVD-Writer that came with the Samsung Laptop that can be used with it. The Mac Mini also comes with inbuilt Bluetooth and WIFI (802.11 N) so no lack of connectivity options there.

Practical Tip #1: Word of warning NOT to place anything on top of the Mac Mini Unit as the aluminium case can be easily scratched. Learned that the hard way when I placed the DVD ROM on top of the unit to install some software. Ouch! Irreversible once scratched.

Getting Started

1. To get started, just put in one end of the power cable into the power cable port on back panel of the Mac Mini and the other end to a power socket. 
2. Connect the HDMI end of the HDMI-to-DVI adapter cable to the HDMI port on the Mac Mini and the DVI end (female end) of the adapter cable to  a DVI cable to an LCD monitor. 
3. If you have a WIRED LAN setup, connect the LAN cable to the gigabit ethernet port on the back panel of the Mac Mini
4. Press the power button on the right side of the back panel of the Mac Mini
5. Follow instructions to setup accordingly.
6. Once completed, you'll see the screen below:

RAM Upgrade
As stated, the base model of the Mac Mini only comes with 2GB of RAM. If you do want to upgrade the RAM, you have 2 options:

1. If you order your MAC Mini from the Apple online store, you have the option to upgrade to 4GB (2 x 2GB) for S$140 or 8GB(2 x 4GB) for S$420!
2. Get your own MAC compatible ram from a retailer at a fraction of the price and do the upgrade yourself.   

Needless to say, I choose option 2 as upgrading is quite easy to do. Note that there are only 2 RAM slots in the Mac Mini (compared to 4 slots in an iMac) so an 8GB RAM upgrade means you have to replace the existing RAM. I didn't want to wait so I got mine locally when I bought the Mac Mini. It costs me S$79. You could get something like this:    Corsair 8GB (2x 4GB) 1333mhz PC3-10666 DDR3 RAM

At the bottom of the Mac Mini, there is a black circular cover that can easily be opened to perform the RAM upgrade.

For step by step instructions on how to upgrade the RAM, you can read the following guide given by apple.com :Mac Mini : How to remove or install memory.

Software


How about my Windows?
In order to run windows on the Mac Mini, you need 2 pieces of softwares:

1. Parallels Desktop 7 for Mac
2. Windows OS Installation with a valid License Key

I won't go into details on how to do the installation but to describe briefly, you need to install Parallels first. Then run the option in Parallels to install other OS-es. Have your Windows software standing by to install Windows.


Office software 
Office for Mac 2011 (comes with Word, Excel and Powerpoint ) has a much nicer interface and has more attractive templates than its Windows counterpart. If you have or are intending to start a family of Mac Users, getting the Office for Mac 2011 Home & Student family pack (3 user license) is a better deal.
  
Practical Tip #2: Buying software online may be cheaper than getting it locally and if you are in no rush, wait for sales (e.g. Black Friday and Cyber Monday) to get them at a substantial discount. Case in point, I got Parallels Desktop for Mac for US$35 ( List Price US$79.95) at Amazon during a sale. 
  
Hardware/Input peripherals to use with your Mac Mini


Mouse/Keyboard: Contrary to what it says on some of the Microsoft Mouse or Logitech Keyboard packaging which may confuse you that it is only for one type of OS, you can use any wireless or wired mouse or keyboard with the Mac Mini (haven't had a problem with any). The main thing that is different is the keyboard is there are some differences such as the Option button on a Mac Keyboard which doesn't exist on a Windows Keyboard and no 'CMD' button on a windows keyboard (You can use the Windows Key as the command button). I've used both types of keyboards on the Mac Mini and so far haven't encountered any real handicap in ability to execute a keyboard task or command.


Verdict: 3 months in, my experience with Mac Mini and the OS X Lion has so far been quite positive and I'm getting more used to the Mac as I go along.   Hope this article is informative especially to those who want to take the leap to Mac side! May the Force (and Steve) be with you!