MacBook Pro , Mac Mini or wait?

[zap2]

So my grandmom just moved in with us

She has an addition on our house to live it, she has a PC (big GateWay Box) and a nice Plasm TV, so now we are think about getting a small computer(Mac) so with the intel macs i was think if we should get a

MacBook Pro becuz it has 1) big graphics card to support a nice resolution on her Plasm, 2) fast intel dual core 3) when its down it will not take up much space, 4) has front row and remote

Mac Mini becuz it tiny and she just needs a basic computer, but i doubt it would support the Plasm Screen(its a 42'')

or wait for a cheaper MacBook Pro(like a 12'') or a Mac Mini intel and perhaps it would have frontrow

money is of course important and something to think about but she does not really have many bills now so she COULD go all out but she does not have the needs to

 

[matperk]

a macmini would be better for her. she's obviously not a pro, so a pro computer is probably not her best fit. you don't need more than a $500 mac-mini for what she is doing.

from all the hype, i'm sure there will be an apple media center computer coming out within the next 6 months, probably in april. so i would just wait and see, but if she needs it now, go with the mini.

 

[Benjamindaines]

I say wait a month or so to see if they release a 12" MacBook Pro.

 

[gallivant]

Grandmothers come in many ages, but very few of them have young eyes, which means a 12" may be a pretty bad idea. I vote for a Mini, especially if you wait for its Intel incarnation.

 

[Benjamindaines]

but very few of them have young eyes, which means a 12" may be a pretty bad idea

42" Plasma TV

 

[MRU]

The mini would likely drive the plasma. What's the native resolution, usually that are 1280x768 or 1376x868.. Mini should have no problem coping with that.

For surfing, writing a letter, checking email a mini is more than adequate, macbookpro lovely but way over-specced for the task at hand.

 

[XIII]

The mini would likely drive the plasma. What's the native resolution, usually that are 1280x768 or 1376x868.. Mini should have no problem coping with that.

For surfing, writing a letter, checking email a mini is more than adequate, macbookpro lovely but way over-specced for the task at hand.

Aggreeyyyddd.

If she needs something now, get the Mac mini. If she can wait, wait for a Mac mini media centre.

 

[zap2]

you really think a 32Mb graphics card could support the Plasma? i had my iBook G4 on there(using Screen Span) and it was on there but the graphics were not to great my mom's PB with 128mbs was great. But at the time both we also using the normal laptop screen.

 

[mpq]

It doesn't have anything to do with the size of the screen. Plasma generally has a relatively low resolution so the mini will have no problem at all.

 

[matperk]

I think one of the most common misconceptions about TVs are their resolution. I believe the highest HDTV resolution is 1920x1080. Standard tv is like 640 x 480. If you were to set your monitor to that everything would look gigantic and awful. Most monitors can't even support resolution that low.

Point is--the mini should be fine. Especially if they do a Media Center mini, or even just an Intel MacMini. Look at the graphics card bump they have the MacBooks from the PowerBooks.

Just wait and see what they release April. If there is not one then, there should be by September/October.