Posted on 01/07/2023 2:50:24 AM PST by Cronos
refurbished Macminis:
amazon
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=macmini&crid=3IWP9RZ0XZSV5&sprefix=macmini%2Caps%2C127&ref=nb_sb_noss_2
apple
https://www.apple.com/shop/refurbished/mac/mac-mini
That one above in the OP looks pretty cool.
I have a windows desktop in the garage that is starting to show it's age.
I use one when traveling. Smaller than a deck of cards. Also carry an aluminum folding keyboard. Plug into the hotel TV and I have a computer for less than $200 and takes up virtually no space or weight. Keep my important files encrypted on the cloud or encrypted on a separate flash drive. Not as powerful as my laptop or desktop, of course, but when traveling and only need casual computer access while at the hotel it works better than a laptop.
Most comments say that if your needs are modest it will work for you. IMHO if you intend to use M$ Windoze 10/11 4Gb is insufficient. If you can upgrade the RAM on this unit, get at least 8Gb, more if it supports it. RAM is cheap and will provide the biggest improvement in performance of any upgrade you can implement.
All the Windoze machines in our home have at least 8Gb unless the hardware supports more. That contrasts with my three ‘linux’ systems that are very fast and are happy with only 4Gb RAM.
I have 2 NUCs as Intel calls them. One i5, and one modern-ish i7. They’re both smaller than a CD, and work GREAT. Now, if you’re trying to compute Pi all the way out, or play the new flight simulator with all the options on max, you’re going to be disappointed, but past that? NO problems.
My NAS box doesn’t have the horsepower to decode 4k video from Plex on the fly. So I frontended it with an i7 NUC, and it’s buttery smooth. Installed Linux Mint on it, and away it goes.
My primary computer is a 2017 HP Mini.
Bought it used on eBay for $150 because I’m done directly paying companies like Microsoft or Apple who are trying to kill me.
I replaced the Windows 10 with free Ubuntu because I’m done feeding the beast.
It plays all my movies and music without a problem using free VLC or SMPlayer.
It edits audio using free Audacity without a problem.
I have been able to edit video with free avidemux app.
The the free Librioffice word processor on Ubuntu works just like MS word.
It surfs the net with free Brave browser with free built in adblock with no problems.
It also has a powerful live graphic equalizer and effects app called PulseEffects which is essential.
Managing external hard drive libraries is just the same.
I was afraid of losing functionality leaving Microsoft.
Not true at all.
$150.
Most of the software I use has a Unix counterpart, except for my media player WinAmp. But I'll try to make do with VLC. I think you will find that a data server off your main modem will handle the lack of storage in the mini-computer.
As do I. A power failure on top of a Win 7 Pro disk wipe to install Win 8 left a bad taste in my mouth for IBM, then they state I can't update any further because of my processor, which is an i7 .... then God showed me mercy by taking out the IBM in a power outage.
Which version of Ubuntu?
I used an Apple Mini Mac (or whatever) for a few years as my main computer and it was awful, but I think it was more because it was an Apple and not a mini. So I would tell you don’t get an Apple mini.
Apple products are the absolute worst and I cannot understand how anyone thinks they’re useful or helpful. They are the very opposite of intuitive, but I guess the Apple Geeks like that.
Many solutions offered here and I have used just about all of them between my business and personal computers at one point or another.
The mini computers you are looking at are nifty. They come in a lot of different configurations. I bought a $200 for simple web access in my showroom and it was a dog even for that. I bought an almost $600 one with an i7 chip, 16GB RAM, a 512GB SSD and Windows Pro 11. That one is great for everything but gaming.
Let’s get this off the table right now...if you are really into PC gaming, you are best off buying a tower configuration and the best hardware you can afford, including a dedicated video card. No mini systems excel at gaming. Now, back to the minis...
A couple of folks mentioned Mac Minis. I have owned 6 with 5 still in operation. If you are looking for a machine that will let you get work done and not mess with hardware issues and (most) security issues and that operates snappily, Mac Minis are excellent. I have also bought them for less than techy family members for whom I didn’t want to be constantly going over to their house to fix one thing or another like I was with their Windows systems. They just work. They start at $699.
One other type of machine that I saw mentioned was small factor business machines. HP and Dell and some others sell these. Smaller than towers, larger than minis, they are weird hybrids. You still can’t put good graphics cards in most of them, so gaming is off the table. They are not as tiny as the minis and almost take up as much space as some towers. I have purchased them for singular purposes, like when I needed a machine to act as our Quickbooks server. I got a refurbished one for $300. Since it backs up off site every day, reliability wasn’t that critical. It has been chugging along for 4+ years. When I go to do any sort of hands on updates, reboots or whatever the box is slooooow to respond, but it does what it is supposed to do.
All that to say, if you needs are modest and you are willing to spend $500+ - no gaming, no high end video editing - then the minis will serve you well. For a couple hundred more you could get a Mac Mini that will offer functionality for twice as long and free you from (nearly all) security worries.
I use a Raspberry Pi for media. And not sure if it really counts but I use Nextion HMIs and Arduino board for automating my solar system and off grid house.
Ubuntu 20.04
Thanks! :)
Behold the future of desktop pc’s:
https://www.amazon.com/Mini-Computers/b?ie=UTF8&node=13896591011
Many to choose from. I would be looking for lots of ram and the ability to upgrade the “hard drive” size and add additional internal ones and use the usb ports for external. The new type of drive is a tiny circuit board called NVME SSD. The graphics card I suspect is built in and cannot be upgraded which should only be of concern for gamers. I like the small size.
I run Kubuntu 22.04 on a Thinkpad W530. Kubuntu runs the Plasma desktop which is fancy and fast. 2.7 GHz and 16 GB RAM. Will take anything I can throw at it. Does everything I need. Less than 30 second start up, 5 second shut down. Rarely needs a restart on update and if so, 45 second restart.
Dang! :)
I tire of dealing with WinBS - the latest saddleburr is Win 11.
Took me three months to eliminate a svchost app that was winding up if you even LOOKED sideways at the start menu.
I'm still having issues with some app winding up RAM usage if I'm away from the box for too long - completely random, though.
Not a Celeron. Intell. Not the same unit as this person is showing. Same size and form.
Any graphics or reporting/ visualization work?
I intend this for home for basically Microsoft office stuff and surfing
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