Price of Macmini's

3200 Views 22 Replies 13 Participants Last post by Fox, Aug 14, 2007

jmlachance

Discussion Starter · Aug 9, 2007

Am I mistaking or are used Macmini's holding their value more than any other Macs? I've been waiting for the price to drop into the low $300 to $250 range and that's not happening, going by what they're selling for on Ebay. Maybe I'm still used to pc's that lose half their value the first year.
On the other hand, maybe it's all relative. My Imac G5 has decreased in value probably 50% in the last 2.5 years and the Macmini maybe slightly less.( I haven't done the research so my numbers may not be 100%, maybe someone has a more accurate calculation).

Just checked Ebay: there's not much in the way of Macmini's for sale. Guess everybody loves them and are holding on to them..

1 - 20 of 23 Posts

(( p g ))

· #2 · Aug 9, 2007

They're definitely holding their value. And it's not just the used market that's hot for these. Finding one new here in town proved near impossible a few months ago...everyone was sold out.

It's the versatility that has people sold on it. Not only does it make a fine desktop or server, many (including yours truly) sized it up against Apple TV as a media centre and found that the Mac Mini offered much, much better value.

Andrew Pratt

· #3 · Aug 9, 2007

I've like to buy one as well and use it as a media player in the theater room but like you finding a used one isn't easy. I'm not in a hurry so I'll likely leave it awhile and pick one up next spring.

MacDoc

· #4 · Aug 9, 2007

We've been hording a few for systems solos and g4s and some well priced Superdrive units.

Last fall we sold over 80 G4s with Superdrives and all went in the $500+ range.

Highly desirable.

G4s have their niche for transition from OS9.

Now the price is down we think the market will be very good.
We've been running a Core2 ( upgraded solo ) on the back desk and it's a treat.

JetSter735180

· #5 · Aug 9, 2007

Something I don't get ..... How can you sell a G4 with Superdrive for 500$.... when I'm trying to sell a Mac Mini Intel Core Duo 1.66 Ghz, 2 Gig, 80G HD and Superdrive , for 800$, and getting comments about how high my price is! (oh I forgot, I'm also including Office 2004, mini jack to Digital adapter, and DVI to Video Adapter, worth at least 100$)

I looked on eBay, RFD and Anandtech, and for what I am offering, I did not see a better price.

I got 3 offers, all of them under 400$. For that price I'd rather keep it! Or am I completely wrong ?

CanadaRAM

· #6 · Aug 9, 2007

JetSter735180 said:
Something I don't get ..... How can you sell a G4 with Superdrive for 500$.... when I'm trying to sell a Mac Mini Intel Core Duo 1.66 Ghz, 2 Gig, 80G HD and Superdrive , for 800$, and getting comments about how high my price is! (oh I forgot, I'm also including Office 2004, mini jack to Digital adapter, and DVI to Video Adapter, worth at least 100$)

I looked on eBay, RFD and Anandtech, and for what I am offering, I did not see a better price.

I got 3 offers, all of them under 400$. For that price I'd rather keep it! Or am I completely wrong ?

Simple: Bundling accessories will never get you a higher price.

It is like installing gold plated fixtures in your bathroom before selling your house -- it is only worth anything to the buyer if they happen to want that exact combination of options that you are offering; otherwise it is discounted back to the base price.

Are you selling the original CDs with Office, and signing over the serial number and license to the purchaser?

Even with the extras, it going to be tough to sell that at $800 compared with $849 for a new Core2Duo with 120 Gb hard drive or a refurb Superdrive 1.66 for $739, both with full warranty.

Paradime

· #7 · Aug 9, 2007 (Edited)

jmlachance said:
Am I mistaking or are used Macmini's holding their value more than any other Macs?

Probably true because Apple hasn't provided any drastic updates to the line other than the move from G4 to Intel. Compare that to the major changes in the iMac line over the same time period.

JetSter735180

· #8 · Aug 9, 2007

CanadaRAM said:
Simple: Bundling accessories will never get you a higher price.

It is like installing gold plated fixtures in your bathroom before selling your house -- it is only worth anything to the buyer if they happen to want that exact combination of options that you are offering; otherwise it is discounted back to the base price.

Are you selling the original CDs with Office, and signing over the serial number and license to the purchaser?

Even with the extras, it going to be tough to sell that at $800 compared with $849 for a new Core2Duo with 120 Gb hard drive or a refurb Superdrive 1.66 for $739, both with full warranty.

Thx for your comments. I have now removed that unwanted stuff and updated my price.

MMMMMike

· #9 · Aug 9, 2007

For a price comparison, I bought my Mac Mini, 6 weeks ago, used, private cash sale in Toronto.
Mac Mini 1.42GHZ PowerPC Processor,
1GB SDRAM (Plus the original 512mb ram module)
80GB Ultra ATA hard drive
SuperDrive (DVD+RW/CD-RW)
WiFi, Bluetooth etc
Apple Keyboard
Apple Mouse
All in original packaging and unregistered.
$430

Mike

jmlachance

Discussion Starter · #10 · Aug 10, 2007

Macmini +monitor Vs Imac

Anyone done the comparison, if it's possible, if it's cheaper and by how much, to buy the equivalent-power mini + monitor and kb/mouse, or the Imac?

MacDoc

· #11 · Aug 10, 2007

Now there is no such thing as an equivalent.

Previously the entry MacMini + a 20" third party was less than the entry 17" iMac with the same chipset

The line is now well spread out and exceptionally well priced/positioned.

Entry MacMini + 20 + kb and mouse is in the $950 range presenting a reasonable alternative to the entry iMac at $1299 and there are even cheaper screens around.

Superdrive MM is still overpriced and always has been.

People that have KB and mouse and perhaps monitor are best served by the MM entry level.

Those with older eyes or long working periods are very well served by a 22" with an MM> or on a budget a 19".

What the new MM represent is downward pressure on the earlier models G4s and Intel which brings a whole raft of new users at lower price points.
Big screen small box - low price.

We've been using a Core2 we built for several months and it is a real treat.
Now if Apple would just put an eSata port........

...swwwweeet.

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Fox

· #12 · Aug 10, 2007

MacDoc said:
...Superdrive MM is still overpriced and always has been.

Except for one thing; the entry level mini has a 1.83 ghz with a 2 mb cache, whereas the chip in the more expensive model is not only a 2.0 ghz, but it also has a 4 mb cache. That's my dilemma - I don't need the superdrive and would therefore be happy to save $200, but I would also lose speed and cache on the chip. Your souped up mini has the 2 ghz chip with the bigger cache. Do you think that the speed loss with the 1.83 is significant?

MacDoc

· #13 · Aug 10, 2007

I would say putting more RAM in the entry level would more than offset the cache
it's there but not that big a deal.

Dr.G.

· #14 · Aug 10, 2007

I wonder what the future is for the Mini? Is this the end of the line, or could there be something more added to this unique concept?

kevs~just kevs

· #15 · Aug 10, 2007

Dr.G. said:
I wonder what the future is for the Mini? Is this the end of the line, or could there be something more added to this unique concept?

Well given that there's no cheap iMac now that the 17" is gone, perhaps the Mini will evolve into that entry level model... I mean there's the MacPro, the iMac and the MacMini, but nothing inbetween the mini and the imac, how about "the Mac"? Given that Jobs is so keen on the "all in one" design, perhaps the Mini will get a screen one day...

Fox

· #16 · Aug 10, 2007

kevs~just kevs said:
Given that Jobs is so keen on the "all in one" design, perhaps the Mini will get a screen one day...

Bite your tongue!

jmlachance

Discussion Starter · #17 · Aug 10, 2007

next for the mini

Dr.G. said:
I wonder what the future is for the Mini? Is this the end of the line, or could there be something more added to this unique concept?

Aluminium Macmini?

As for the new Imac, I'm disappointed the look is still so similar to the previous Imac. I was expecting something a bit more avant-garde, different. I guess the Imac G4 and G5 were such bold concept-ideas that I've come to expect this on a regular basis from Apple.
Hope they don't fall into the same-old-same old that Jaguar did back in the 60's and seventies, keeping the body design the same for too many years.

Dr.G.

· #18 · Aug 10, 2007

I have good monitors, so I personally would not want to see a mini with a monitor. I was just wondering if they will abandon the mini or add something internally to its functions/power.

Vandave

· #19 · Aug 10, 2007

Fox said:
Except for one thing; the entry level mini has a 1.83 ghz with a 2 mb cache, whereas the chip in the more expensive model is not only a 2.0 ghz, but it also has a 4 mb cache. That's my dilemma - I don't need the superdrive and would therefore be happy to save $200, but I would also lose speed and cache on the chip. Your souped up mini has the 2 ghz chip with the bigger cache. Do you think that the speed loss with the 1.83 is significant?

I think people are too obsessed with chip speed, rather than overall system performance.

I bet most people could not tell the difference between chips (say 1.83 CD to 2.4 C2D) doing everyday tasks. The only time it makes a difference is for photo or video processing. Why worry about a few extra seconds every other day?

MacDoc

· #20 · Aug 11, 2007

iMac not avante garde - have you actually seen one up close..??

it makes the previous gen look dowdy

The MacMini has long been our entry level - it's even better for that now.

1 - 20 of 23 Posts

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