Hi All, Currently I'm sporting a 2005 or 1st Generation Macbook 13". It's a Core Duo 2GHz, 2GB RAM, 120GB HDD, BT+AP & Superdrive. It's currently a desktop replacement. I'm wondering - would it be worth selling this laptop and buying a brand new Mac Mini (base model - 2GHz C2D etc) with the proceeds? Would the performance increase be much bigger? -OR- Do I go back to PC and buy a Dell Studio machine (Q8200, 3GB RAM, 500GB HDD, ATI 4650) with 20" TFT? Thanks!
Build a hackintosh. Then you'll have a computer that runs OSX with better performance and a much lower price tag than if you were to purchase a Mac. I'm sure the Dell Studio would work as well, if you would rather not build.
Doubt you'd see much of a performance boost. The new Minis really aren't much of a leap above the old ones except for the GPU, but that won't mean much in the short-term unless you're playing games on it (games? Mac? Maybe for boot camp, even if it's way better than gma900/950 it's still an integrated chip with shared memory). I think when Snow Leopard comes out, there will be a lot more that can take advantage of the beefier GPU. OpenCL/GPGPU and all that. If you tear it open, stick in 4GB of DDR3 ($60ish at Newegg, dunno about in the UK) and maybe a 7200RPM notebook drive (or solid state.... mmmm), you may notice a bit of a performance boost, but doing the same to your current Macbook would net you about the same increase. Are you doing anything where you need the extra performance, or are you more just looking for an excuse to get a new Mini?
Upgrading the one you have will probably be the most cost effective. When it comes to the Dell... why? Please consider using the money to build your own... it would end up being much much better.
agree with this! i've been trying to get a hackintosh working on my PC last few days, and it's incredably easy to do. able to get into Mac first time i tryed. just make sure buy the graphics card that Apple supported last generation and you will be sure to have a fully functional Hackintosh. my problems were my graphics card is too new, only Snow Leopard have support for it.
It is almost too easy, especially if you choose to build your own. Then you can pick and choose the hardware that works 100% with OSX. It's true that the newest GPU's do not work, for example the GTX 200's, but the 9800 GT and 9800 GTX will work. I say go for it!
agree, im bidding on a ebay 6200 PCI and with that, my system will have 100% functional OSX Leopard 10.5.6. edit: haha, that 6200 PCI is mine! just set PCI to be primary boot device and off we go all my previous trys ended with working OSX except hardware accelerated graphics.
