Testseek.co.uk have collected 71 expert reviews of the Apple Mac mini - Late 2009 MC238 / MC239 and the average rating is 74%. Scroll down and see all reviews for Apple Mac mini - Late 2009 MC238 / MC239.
March 2009
(74%)
71 Reviews
Average score from experts who have reviewed this product.
Users
-
0 Reviews
Average score from owners of the product.
74010071
The editors liked
Fast new graphics processor
DDR-3 memory offers better performance
Small but fairly powerful
Quiet
The small form factor
Beefed-up graphics card
Faster RAM
Tiny size
Significantly improved graphics performance compared to older models
Dual video outputs with support for extended Desktop mode and 30-inch displays
Five USB ports
FireWire 800.
No price increase
Boosted processor and RAM
Two independent video outputs
Decent gaming performance
5x USB ports and 1x FireWire 800
Performance comparable to that of the £649 model
Tiny. Timeless. More powerful and more efficient than before
Cheapest way to own a Mac. Desktop power
Mac mini 2.26GHz] Tiny size
Impressive set of features
All the dramatic improvements of the Early 2009 model plus better performance. [Mac mini 2.53GHz] Tiny size
All the dramatic improvements of the Early 2009 model plus be...
Combination of hardware and software is attractively priced
Enough processing power for small businesses
Small workgroups in larger enterprises
And educational environments.
Compact
Low energy consumption
Nice to look at
5 USBs
Industry-leading design
Competitive Nvidia graphics chip
Includes updated Apple iLife '09 suite
Energy-efficient
Space-saving chassis retains distinct design
Compact design
Near silent operation
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth and plenty of power
Small
Cheap (ish)
The editors didn't like
Price increase takes a lot of the wind out of its sails Min specs
2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo CPU
3MB shared L2 cache
NVIDIA 9400m graphics
8x SuperDrive
£499 model
1GB DDR3 RAM
120GB 5300-rpm S-ATA hard drive
£649 model
2GB DDR3 RAM
320GB 5400 S-AT...
Expensive
Limited display connectors
Not enough RAM
Small hard drives
No processor upgrades
Slow hard drive
Difficult to upgrade
£150 premium over £499 model doesn’t get you many improvements. Min specs
2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
2GB memory
320GB hard drive
8x double-layer SuperDrive
8x double-layer SuperDrive.
It should be cheaper
Needs HDMI output
Still no HDMI option
Mediocre RAM and hard-disk spec
The price has gone up
Even slower hard drive than £649 model
Too little RAM
Difficult to upgrade. Min specs
1GB memory
120GB hard drive
NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics.
No bundled remote. Only 1GB RAM
Small hard drive. Can't upgrade. Pricey
Mac mini 2.26GHz] Slow hard drive
Difficult to upgrade. [Mac mini 2.53GHz] Slow hard drive
Performance increase over £499 model still not dramatic.
No optical drive
Use of 2.5in hard drives hampers speed.
Video interfaces in mini
No BluRay
Average CPU performance
Poor builtin speaker
Poor performance for its price
Not as living-room-friendly as its Windows-based competitors
Similarly priced PCs offer greater functionality
No SD card slot
USB slots close
Not much - but just think how good it would be if it had Apple TV built-in?
Abstract: Apple's new Mac Mini Server combines a lightly-modified Mac Mini with a Mac OS X 10.6 "Snow Leopard" Server software, in a server package unlike anything Apple has offered before. Apple's first server was the Macintosh Workgroup Server 95, a modifi...
Very compact; decent performance; great connectivity for a tiny chassis
Keyboard, mouse, monitor not included; not upgradable; costly for what you get
If you’re a PC user with a spare monitor, looking to dip your toe into Mac waters, the Mini is a nice introduction to Apple computers. All others, though, should weigh this tiny PC's value versus an iMac. ...
Combination of hardware and software is attractively priced; enough processing power for small businesses, small workgroups in larger enterprises, and educational environments.
No optical drive; use of 2.5-inch hard drives hampers speed.
For most home users, the Mac mini with Snow Leopard Server is not a wise choice. Few home users are crazy enough to serve their Web site and blogs off of their home DSL or cable connection, and most don’t need the workgroup tools that are the main f...
Tiny size; impressive set of features; all the dramatic improvements of the Early 2009 model plus better performance; no longer a very poor value compared to the $599 model.
Slow hard drive; difficult to upgrade; performance increase over $599 model still not dramatic.
According to Apple, the mini line was designed to be the most affordable way to get a computer with Mac OS X and iLife. While that may be true, the early-2009 Mac minis were the first that actually let you take full advantage of that software. The lat...
Abstract: Apple recently released an update to its Mac mini line of desktop computers. The changes include faster processors, more RAM, and Apple’s Snow Leopard operating system pre-installed. Macworld Lab has the two desktop Mac minis, and we put them through o...
Tiny size; significantly improved graphics performance compared to older models; dual video outputs with support for extended Desktop mode and 30-inch displays; five USB ports; FireWire 800.
Slow hard drive; difficult to upgrade; $200 premium over $599 model doesn’t get you many improvements.
The new Mac mini models provide the most significant upgrades to the line yet, offering slightly better CPU performance, considerably improved video capabilities, increased expandability, and better wireless technology. The result is that for the firs...
NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics processor provides better performance, FireWire 800 port delivers fast access to external hard drives, 5 USB 2.0 ports, Built–in 802.11n WiFi and Bluetooth 2.1, Duallayer DVD burner (SuperDrive).
5400 rpm hard drives, Small hard drives (120, 250, and 320 GB options), Limited RAM space (4 GB), Few userserviceable or expandable parts.
Compact. Energy efficient. Quiet. Dual-core performance. Wireless 802.11a/b/g/n and Bluetooth built in. New iLife 09. Mac Os X 10.5 Windows compatible. FireWire 800 now standard.
No Blu-ray option. No keyboard or mouse included. DisplayPort is still a nascent technology. 30-inch LCD support requires optional DVI adapter.
The minis new internals bring it up to the same performance level as Apples MacBook, and thats a good thing. Its the nettop-sized desktop thats a better alternative for many users....
