The Ultra-Compact Media Centre

Mac Mini is one of Apple Inc.’s many technological geniuses; an ultra-compact and light desktop computer, the latest version of this machine came out in mid-2011. The exceedingly small proportions of this computer combines with the fact that it has excellent performance and very low power consumption, it can make the perfect media addition to your living room.

At just 2.7 pounds, the Mac mini looks more like a data traveler or even a living room decoration piece than a desktop computer. However, do not be fooled by its size, because the software for this device is comparable to those for laptops, which explain its speedy performance. With a matte and sleek finish, the Mac mini is a very elegant object but requires some previous use of computer knowledge for operation. The hardware is more or less similar to the hardware of its predecessor; among the connectors you will find the AC input, FireWire 800 port, HDMI, gigabit Ethernet jack, Thunderbolt, four USB ports, audio input, SDXC slot and headphone port which is quite a lot considering the size of the computer.

As far as the performance is concerned, the 2.3 Gh dual-core Core i5, 2GB of 1333MHz DDR3 memory, Intel HD Graphics 3000 processor with 288 MB of DDR3 SDRAM and a 500GB hard drive delivers decent performance and speed. While heavier applications tend to take some time to load for the first time, everyday use application like Office were pretty fast to load. However, due to the low 2GM Ram, the Mac mini can get a bit slow after three hours especially when operating different applications like Firefox, Chrome, TweetDeck, Word etc. together. While the 2GB is more than enough for playing HD clips, YouTube files etc. people who need to work creatively and use multiple applications together should get this Mac with more gigs.

The gaming front of the Mac mini is pretty impressive as well since you can crank up the resolution to get good quality gaming foundation. In short, it can make the perfect media center for your living room especially if you are one of the iPhone users as it can handle the controls without the use of the mouse or keyboard. The only problem with the latest version of the Mac mini is the departure of the optical drive as all desktop computers, irrespective of their sizes need to have the ability to play data on a physical disc. This optical drive feature was present in previous models of Mac mini which allowed users to play DVDs, install applications using discs and burn music and files on CDs which is something almost everybody requires every once in a while if not oftener. The OS X Lion is a superb operating system to work on, play on or just browse around on.

If you are seriously considering buying the Mac mini, you might have your own reasons for getting the latest model of this desktop computer. However, if you want utility as well as class then you should go for the previous model, which includes the ability to play physical discs. In addition to that, you can get the older version for a much lower price than the recent most model of the Mac mini.