On Tue, Feb 16, 2010 at 10:07 PM, Ashley Aitken <[email protected]> wrote: > > On 17/02/2010, at 7:41 AM, George N. White III wrote: > >> Separate components simplify problems of thermal management and >> allow you to replace just the part than broke. ... Screens and hard >> disks are generally the first things to go. You can replace a hard >> disk (usually with something larger, faster, and cooler) but with an >> iMac all you can do is repair the screen, which may take weeks. > > I'm with George (I think). I had a G5 iMac GPU die and it wasn't sensible to > pay to replace the whole motherboard. Now there's a working display and > other components (inside the iMac) sitting there, that can't be used. I'd > have similar problems if the display had gone. > > I would prefer a midsize system, that would allow be to change the graphics > card (so not build onto the motherboard), desktop disk and RAM (of course), > and two external displays . The mini does all of that, except the graphics > card and, of course, it has a laptop disk drive. > > So I currently buy Mac minis - I would buy more a more expensive midsize > systems (as above) if they were available, so I guess Apple is possibly > missing out on some money from us. Now that I think of it, the Cube seems to > be exactly what I want. Unfortunately, that didn't do well. > > Having an external power supply brick, like the Cubes did and the Mac minis > do, is also not a problem for me (hidden under the desk and behind the TV > cabinet). I think this also enables the units to run a bit quieter than the > iMacs which have everything stuck inside the thinnest case possible. > > Cheers, > Ashley. > > PS We don't currently play serious GPU games or have other requirements for a > high-end GPU (but that's not saying I wouldn't pay for one ...).
High end graphics cards need lots of power and cooling -- often as much as the rest of the system. Most have fans and separate power connectors, so won't fit in a mid-size system (typically 300 wt PS). At present, I think mid-size systems are for those who need multiple disks and add-on cards (serial ports, additional USB and firewire, etc.) with low power demands. In few years the power requirements for a GPU that would make sense as an upgrade to 2010 vintage integrated graphics will be lower, but by then the integrated graphics will have improved, so you are better buying a mini now and putting the savings (initial and operating cost) over a mid-size system into a fund for buying a new mini in a couple years. > -- > Ashley Aitken > Perth, Western Australia > mrhatken at mac dot com > Skype Name: MrHatken (GMT + 8 Hours!) > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > MacOSX-talk mailing list > [email protected] > http://www.omnigroup.com/mailman/listinfo/macosx-talk > -- George N. White III <[email protected]> Head of St. Margarets Bay, Nova Scotia _______________________________________________ MacOSX-talk mailing list [email protected] http://www.omnigroup.com/mailman/listinfo/macosx-talk
