USED Mini Loaded vs. NEW Mini

[Jumpin Jack Mac]

I was going to hit the Apple Store tomorrow to pick up a NEW Mac Mini. As fate has it I stumbled on the opportunity to buy a used 09' machine. Now, I'm not savy with processor speed or for that matter most other technical data. My planned usage fo the Mini is Recording and mastering original music, running "Logic Express or Logic Studio"

Here's the Facts on the two machines;

Mint 2009 Mac Mini
2.0 GHZ Core 2 Duo Processor
4gb RAM (machine has later firmware update and can recognize up to 8gb RAM)
500GB HD
AppleCare (till mid 2012) [Priced @ $575.00]

vs.

New 2010 Mac Mini
2.26 GHZ
4gb RAM
160GB HD
No Apple Care

Help?

 

[Badger^2]

Old one is a better deal.

Refurb minis have been showing up at the apple store, $499 for that 2.26 model -- if that matters

 

[Jason Beck]

As soon as new ones go up I am putting mine up for sale. Had it since
November. 2.26, 4gb ram (crucial upgraded), 500gb hdd (upgraded),
Will probably sell my Dell Mini 10v too. That way I can buy the new
Mac Mini. ^_^ I would probably consider 499 plus shipping to someone
serious, when the refresh happens. Should be within a few months.


Who knows though.

 

[Jumpin Jack Mac]

Processor speed?

What is the qualitative difference between 2.0 GHZ and 2.26 GHZ?.
and do you know if Apple transfers the Apple Care?

 

[MacHamster68]

qualitative ..hm none , its only a tiny bit faster thats all , in real world you wont notice the difference if you do not have both side by side

booting it up and opening safari or whatever browser you use and opening MR
the 2.26 might be a 10th of a second faster doing so compared with the 2.0

 

[drummerlondonw3]

does the 2009 have the dual screen support? That would be a major factor for me
applecare can be purchased within one year of buying the mini so you can save up for it over the year.

applecare can be transferred

2009 (minus the dual q) sounds the better deal and I wouldnt worry about the processor difference

 

[fhall1]

is the 2009 HD 5400RPM or 7200RPM?

 

[RedTomato]

Very little difference. Applecare is rarely needed on desktop, especially one with no screen and few moving parts like a Mac Mini. (I consider AppleCare mandatory on a laptop)

Both processors are basically the same speed.

Dual monitor support is a good point - it's useful for pro use. Do you already have cables and adaptors to fit the Mac Mini (whichever one you get)?

Internal HD speed is a valid factor. Is 160GB enough? Even with the 500GB you may well prefer to use a fast 1TB external for your work files.

As this seems to be for work, it's worth looking at the tax situation. You might be able to claim more off your taxes if you buy new (or refurb) with a recipt rather than second-hand cash-in-hand.

 

[steve2112]

OWC benchmarked various setups for the Mini. They included the 2.0, 2.26, and 2.53 procs in various setups. These are benchmarks, so real world results may vary.

You can find the results here.