Apple TV versus Mac mini – battle of Apples
When the first Apple computer was introduced the world was not so much amazed by the amazing performance of the device, but more by the simplicity with which it is designed and how all works together to make such a good product. This is also available in the case of the Apple TV or the Mac mini, the two computing boxes from Apple.
But which of them is better from a general point of view?
To begin with, one has to know that these products, although looking similar, have targeted different parts of the market.
Apple TV and Mac Mini - different and yet the same
The Apple TV is a home multimedia center in a box. It has a 160GB hard drive with the possibility of storing movies, video clips or music on it as to fully enjoy the quality of an HD television with the versatility of a Mac. It also has possibility of connecting to the internet as to get access to YouTube videos so as far as one can see this product pushes the limits of the normal TV to its max.
Turning to the Mac mini, this small device is a big computer in a small box. As with nettops, the Mac mini has everything you need from a computer: Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB of RAM and a good NVIDIA graphics card so it is perfect for anyone wanting to get rid of that big and bulky desktop PC. The software that comes with this product is the Mac OSX Snow Leopard which means that the Mac mini is ready to start firing on all cylinders from the start.
Moreover, when comparing these products it is clear that one has its eye on TVs and the other on desktop PCs, but isn’t there a way to have all in one? Is it possibleto use the Mac mini as an Apple TV? The IR remote with which the Mac mini comes with is perfect as to make it an Apple TV but when it comes to the user interface, there is a lot of fuss about which one to use. Some say that Front Row is the default choice for this but with other products such as Media Central or Myth TV on the market, the choice belongs to you, the user.
To conclude, it is obvious that both the Mac Mini and the Apple TV are great products which have their own particularities, but with the possibility of transforming the Mini into you own home theater it is arguable if the Apple TV is worth the money. Especially since the Mini gets more and more affordable these days. What do you guys think?
The idea behind it is great, however, with PCs being considerably cheaper don’t you think that it’s a moot point on whether it’s an Apple or not?
The idea behind it is great, however, with PCs being considerably cheaper don’t you think that it’s a moot point on whether it’s an Apple or not?