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redhot_nyc · Apr 12, 2006, 06:20 AM

First time in the iPod forum - apologies if this topic has been beaten to death already - so what is the consensus?

Can't decide between a 1GB Nano and a 4GB Mini. They are essentially the same price. I've weighed the pros & cons...

Mini - Way more storage for the money. Unlimited write cycles but HD's are flaky & fragile. Bootable. Better battery life. Out of date?

Nano - No moving parts. Tiny. The latest thing. Scratches easily.

brassplayersrock² · Apr 12, 2006, 08:04 AM

i have both, and i feel like i cant be as rouph with the nano as i do with the mini. the mini is more rugged than the nano, and i dont have to worry about it breaking. so what if it has a non color screen, it still works, AND it allows for the better attachments than the nano. as you stated the nano is way scratchable, i've already have to use brasso a couple times on the back of the nano. (6 gig mini silver, and 4 gig nano black)
so if you want a "not have to worry about it snapping like a twig" ipod, than get a mini.

bbales · Apr 12, 2006, 08:23 AM

Can you even get a mini anymore? I thought they were discontinued, though you're probably talking ebay or secondary markets.

By the way, I have an original mini and I love it. We have 3 in the house, in fact. No Nanos, though.

UNTeMac · Apr 12, 2006, 09:01 AM

The Nano seems fragile but feels fine with a hard case. The color screen and tiny size are nice as are the other software extras you get with the newer firmware. The nano also will work with more of the recent and forthcoming accessories including the radio remote.

However, if you're not willing to spring for the extra money to get a 2-4gig nano, I'd say go for the storage space of the mini and save your money for the next big thing. Make sure you buy it from a reputable source. Good luck

lilford · Apr 12, 2006, 04:40 PM

The mini being older than the nano, probably won't have a warrenty when you buy it, so when you break it, don't go running to apple to get a new one. And yes, you do get a bigger hard drive, 4X the space for the same price, which is nice. The nano's side, you get new firmware, which is basically stopwatch, screenlock and some other stuff that is not necessery to play music, and you get a color screen like what I said, is not needed to play music. The mini is much more durable than the nano, but the mini has a hard drive, which could get damaged from being banged around from running etc. The nano has no hard drive therefore no moving parts, but the downside, is very thin and could break very easily, "snap like a twig". The screen does scratch a little more with the nano too. So if you are not into style and just want something that plays music, get the mini, if you want something super compact and newer, get the nano.

redhot_nyc · Apr 12, 2006, 05:05 PM

Best Buy has some "open box" Mini units ... that's why I was asking. I'm not sure if they'd still be eligible for AppleCare at this point, but they would still get 1 year BestBuy "Warranty" which could be extended to 3 years.

Also I feel the Mini's don't really need a case - maybe just a screen protector, but the Nano's definately do, which makes them almost the same size as a Mini.

iREZ · Apr 12, 2006, 06:13 PM

you could buy minis from apples refurb site with a 1 year warranty on it still and theyre pretty much new units 70% of the time (made up number based on past posts read). id go with the mini, i mean 1gb is cool as a second ipod but im a firm believer in your first ipod having enough storage to store alllll your music.

besides some of the nano features are almost null n void when it comes to the 1gb if you ask me...you figure 1gb holds an average of 220 songs realistically....thats only 20 albums worth of music...and if you start using the picture, notes, contacts, and external storage functions on a nano...youre looking at even less music. just something to note.

brassplayersrock² · Apr 12, 2006, 09:02 PM

one more thing..... about that best buy warrenty. :shakes: they take your money and they run with it. they're so finiky about them. i took a camera I bought there back for warrenty, and a couple of the serial numbers on the camera got smudged off somehow, and best buy wouldn't honor the warrenty due to not able to verify the serial number. they could read all but 2 of the numbers, so they wouldn't honor the warrenty.
:angry:

lilford · Apr 13, 2006, 12:33 AM

I have always been lucky and have had really good luck with best buy products so far,