Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #2492 in Personal Computers
- Brand: Apple
- Model: MC239LL/A
- Dimensions: 6.00 pounds
- CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo 2.53 GHz
- Memory: 4GB SDRAM
- Hard Disk: 320GB
- Graphics: 9400M
- Processors: 2
Features
- Intel Core 2 Duo Processor 2.53GHz
- 4GB DDR3 RAM
- 320GB 5400RPM Hard Drive
- GeForce
- Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard
Apple Mac mini MC239LL/A Desktop (OLD VERSION)
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- 2.53GHz/ 320GB HD plus NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics Mini-DVI to DVI Adapter 110W power adapter and power cord Install/restore DVDs Printed and electronic documentation
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
147 of 149 people found the following review helpful.
By Glenn R. Howes
[Update June 15, 2010: this version of the Mac Mini has been superceded by an even slicker looking, smaller, more powerful model. Unless you can get this model at a great closeout price, I would get the newer Mini. It looks great.]First of all my credentials, I have been writing Mac software since 1992. I've had on my various desks a Mac Plus, Performa 605, PowerBook 100, several iBooks, PowerBook G4s, MacBook, PowerMacs 7600, 8100, G3, G4 and G5, a couple recent generation iMacs and a previous generation Mac Mini. I have seen Macs come and go, and I just love this little desktop. It is exactly what I need for compiling a large desktop application using Apple's development tools. What I need is a reasonably fast processor, Firewire, 4GB of RAM and multiple monitor support. I do not need a huge box filled with disks. I do not need some super fast GPU. I do not need PCI cards. If I did, then yeah, a Mac Pro would be sitting under my desk sucking up the Watts.My company has also provided me with a monstrous, fully loaded, Dell whose case could hold upwards of 30 Mac Mini's. In the one processor intensive task I do--doing a full rebuild of a large C++ application--the Xenon processor and desktop hard drives in the Dell can complete the task in 6 minutes while the Core 2 Duo processor and laptop drives in the Mini can do the task in 13 minutes. If I were doing that task many times a day (as opposed to several times a week) then I would need to move up to a high end iMac or Mac Pro; but I don't and I can live with the more typical single change, compile, link time of 14 seconds on the Mini versus a very erratic 6 seconds on the Dell (for whatever reason Visual Studio on the PC will sometimes take over a minute to do this).Why is this Mac Mini a better value than the MC238LL/A at the lower price? Because it adds more RAM, a larger hard drive, and a slightly faster CPU, and I don't have to pop it open to max it out. All three things together make it worth the extra dough. If you are just going to use it for a home theatre PC, as many people do, then added expense is probably not worth it and you should go with the lesser model.Why would you choose this over a current generation iMac? The iMacs are great machines, and can be ordered as quite the powerhouses with i5 or i7 processors, and with desktop level graphics engines, but they might be overkill and in the long run it may not make sense to be ordering machines where you can't reuse the previous machine's monitor. If you have a monitor already, the Mini will be several hundred dollars cheaper. Also, if the monitor has multiple inputs, the Mini bought today can be retired as a home server in a couple years with the Mini of the future stacked upon it sharing the same monitor. While the newest iMacs can be used as an external Display Port monitor, its still a bit inflexible tying the computer to the display. Having said this, I like the iMac too, and if you need a monitor and have the room, it may be the way to go.Why is this Mac Mini much better than previous Mac Minis? The Mini has had several value adding changes over the last couple years: going from PowerPC to Intel, adding multiple monitor support, adding FireWire 800 support, and getting a decent GPU in the NVidia 9400M. This is a real computer. Not some dinky Ion laptop. It can do computationally intensive things, like in my case compiling hundreds of thousands of lines of C++ code. And yet it is tiny, and quiet.So, yeah, I like this box.What about the nearly as compact Dell Inspiron Zino HD? Well presumably you would buy the Mini because it is a Mac. The Zino is certainly cheaper, and is a valid competitor if you were setting up a home theatre PC, and could use the slightly better video card and Blueray option. If I were buying a Mini just to run Windows Media Center, I'd certainly be open to getting a Zino. I don't see an overlap between the uses of this non-home theatre Mini and the more multimedia centric Zino. I think you will find the Mini better made and faster at processor intensive operations: and it's definitely smaller.Anyway, installation could hardly be simpler. Pop it out of the box, plug in a keyboard and mouse. It comes with a mini-DVI to DVI adaptor which will connect to any modern monitor, and you can get a mini-Display Port adaptor separately to add multiple monitor support. Power it up and you will soon be computing. It's nice, fast and quiet. Plenty of USB ports (5). Add up whatever peripherals you need: speakers, external hard drives (look at getting drives with Firewire 800, they are much faster and reliable than USB 2.0).My wife has an older Mac Mini which she runs Windows Vista in Boot Camp mode and has done so without problem for over a year. I would think this Mini would be even better as a Windows 7 box with the much improved graphics chips allowing for better use of the Aero interface.
43 of 47 people found the following review helpful.
By D. Spong
This is my first Mac and Mac used since the Apple II was out in the 1980's, so I've owned a PC for almost 20 years. Bottom line is it works as a computer user would hope without all the issues related to using a PC. Connects (wireless network) to my old PCs and peripherals without any compatibility issues. It makes no noise, takes up a 6x6" area on my desk and does everything as well as my monster (9x24x20") 3.2Ghz PC I built awhile back and does without crashing. I thought I loved Windows XP, which was/is MSs best OS ever released (I have Win 7 Ultimate trial on my PC, nice but still bloated) however the Mac OS is much simpler without all the added nonsense (popups, balloons, smart copy, desktop cleanup, Aero graphics etc.), the OS is not meant to be entertainment, just a means of running the apps you actually want to install efficiently. My Mac came with zero crapware installed, no trial this or that; just the basic apps an average user would need and access to anything else you might ([...]).I am still learning new things each day but was able to figure out everything I needed to the first week. Installing applications is odd, not the same as a PC... So many free applications. I am running Star Office (similar to MS Office), it was completely free and no ads or popups. It opens, displays, edits etc all of my Office 2007 files. I had issues writing to my PC hard drives (via USB hard drive enclosure and network) initially but found a free app that corrected that issue and made the NTSF drive fully compatible, again, no advertisements or popups.I don't play computer games so I can not comment on its performance for games, however everything I do is instantaneous without locking up or hesitating. It has only an 8x(6x DL) DVD burner so if anything is not as fast as my old 3.Ghz I would complain about the DVD burners 8x cap. It has created flawless DVDs 100% of the time so far, which I can't say for my PC; again the Mac just works period. If anything is not up on current levels of performance it is the drive, not sure why Apple has not upgraded this, Blueray would also be a very nice option...I had to buy a new keyboard as my old one was not USB, could have gotten an adaptor but it was a good excuse to get the new Mac wireless keyboard, which is great. Still learning keyboard short cuts, probably the biggest learning curve. I have not read or looked at any Mac tutorials, which could probably get me up to speed quicker. Biggest complaint, ports in back of computer are loose, not snug, especially the AC and display port. I accidentally restarted the computer many time the first week I had it when moving the computer around slightly. Not sure if mine is defective or if they all are like this. USB ports seem fine. I watched a Youtube video on upgrading the Mac Mini, it is not as easy as my PC I built. Every bit of space in the mini is used as efficiently as possible. If you are one to upgrade your computer down the road I recommend doing so when ordering it, which is why I opted for the 2.53Ghz and 4GB RAM version. I've rebuilt/upgraded PCs many times but I would not feel very comfortable doing so with the Mac Mini.Overall I am absolutely very pleased with my switch to the Mac, I have yet to run into an issue or concern besides the sloppy/loose AC and display ports. I do not plan to buy another PC unless my kids absolutely need them when they go to school. Hope this review helps!
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful.
By Vox Locus
I have lots of Mac computers, both the ones I am in charge of at work, and my own at home.This 2.53ghz Mac Mini is my desktop at work, pushing to the side a MacBook Pro 15" 2.2 ghzWhy?I was using the MacBook Pro mostly as a desktop, driving a 24" monitor, and using the 15" MBP as the secondary monitor.I do a lot of spreadsheet work, and decided the Mac Mini's ability to drive two 24" monitors simultaneously would be a big help.And it sure is.I'm now running a Dell LED 24" and an HP that offers pivot for when I need to view all of a really long document.I am very happy with the purchase. Even tho the Mini sits about 2 feet from my ears, I can't hear it run.
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