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thunderous_funker · 11:09 PM

Lots of the usual grumblings about the GPU in the mini. Seems like there is always lots of "its not designed for the gaming market" in that discusion.

What seems different from previous GPU rows is the preception that Apple purposefully slighted gaming performance in favor of HTPC features.

I find it pretty humorous that Apple would priveledge a would-be HTPC market over a casual gaming market when it comes to an entry level machine. The gaming market is bijillions of dollars and HTPC is a pretty small niche (albeit growing).

So, how about an informal poll? Which are you most inclined to do? Is Apple marketing clueless or really in touch with what Apple users want? (at least the weirdos on this forum

)

Edited:

Ok, this was supposed to be a Poll but freakin forums gave me an error and now I can't add the Poll.

Poll:

What are you more likely to do:

1) More likely to fire up the occassional game

2) More likely to try and rig up an HTPC

3) Already have a Mac, might buy a Mini to use an HTPC

4) Already have a gaming rig like a PC or console so I wouldn't really consider a Mac for my gaming needs

ndptal85 · Mar 4, 2006, 11:09 PM

The gaming market may be big but its not big on the Mac platform. Most of the games available for Windows aren't available for the Mac.

Nearly everyone however has a television and cable. So it really makes more sense to focus on HTPC oriented people than gamers.

Lava Lamp Freak · Mar 4, 2006, 11:12 PM

I fall in category 4; I have a PC for gaming. As far as what Apple was aiming for with the new Mini, I think its obvious they're going more for the media center crowd than light gaming. Front Row w/remote was a step in that direction.

dreamryche · Mar 4, 2006, 11:26 PM

I fall into categories 3 and 4: I'm considering rigging up an Intel mini with an HDTV and 5.1 system. It would be a nice media server. I also own a PS2 which is more than fine for the occasional game.

volcano · Mar 4, 2006, 11:27 PM

Me? More likely to fire up the occasional game.

I feel like a doofus, but I actually had to look up "HTPC" at Wikipedia because I had no idea what it meant.

For others who don't want to look it up: HTPC = Home Theater PC

mduell · Mar 5, 2006, 12:18 AM

HTPC

Steam isn't available for Mac

JKT · Mar 5, 2006, 09:56 AM

You missed out an option

5) Use iLife.

I can guarantee that the number of people using iLife will greatly exceed those who fire up a game every now and then. It doesn't have to be hooked up to a TV for the Front Row and other additional new features to become important, you know.

toed · Mar 5, 2006, 03:03 PM

Originally Posted by volcano

Me? More likely to fire up the occasional game.

I feel like a doofus, but I actually had to look up "HTPC" at Wikipedia because I had no idea what it meant.

For others who don't want to look it up: HTPC = Home Theater PC

You aren't the only one... I was like "HTPC... wth is that?". But let me ask another "dumb" question:

"How can a pc be considered a HTPC" if you can't hook up any sort of Cable/Satellite feed to view/record/watch TV?"

Correct me if I am wrong, but the mini/imac/mbp are all incapible of that, no?

JKT · Mar 5, 2006, 09:08 PM

You are right - they aren't strictly speaking the full whack (unless you add an EyeTV or something to them), but the Front Row software is a half-way house toward that status.

ajprice · Mar 6, 2006, 07:51 AM

3 (kind of, next mac probably won't be a mac mini) & 4 for me.

I have a Mac and a PS2 (and a PSP and a DS, but anyway). My next mac, whatever it will be, would be great to have an TV tuner box with it to use as a HTPC. The FrontRow/iTunes downloads are great for the occasional video at the moment, but as TV shows arent on iTunes in the UK yet, I would get a TV tuner to make it a proper recorder system.

FrontRow at the moment has potential, but its still a version 1.0 piece of software (if that, from some reports it seems more like a beta version), that will hopefully grow into something more useful (and open to any content on the Mac, not just DVD, iPod & iTunes stuff).

torifile · Mar 6, 2006, 08:51 AM

The gaming market overestimates its importance.

badnewsblair · Mar 6, 2006, 11:03 AM

Option 3.

I really haven't been on the HTPC kick (I know it better as PVR/DVR, or even Home Media), but with the hype starting around it, I have to admit it piques my interest. I would love to have my television be as slick as my Mac. Imagine the interface, being able to search for TV shows and times using a Spotlight-like search, all the effects and eye candy, etc. It gets me a little excited to think about changing the living room experience.

I used to be a gamer. I played all the classics when I was PC (and adamantly against Apple... back in the day). Games like Quake 3 Arena, Counter Strike, Day of Defeat, Unreal Tournament, etc. My college time was devoted to gaming (and I still came out pretty well). As much as I'd love to see the options available for Macs that are already there for PEECEEs, I've grown accustomed to not having them already.

Plus, World of Warcraft takes up most of my free time anyway.

hotani · Mar 6, 2006, 06:16 PM

5) HTPC + the occasional game.

I have the HTPC right now, but am considering a mini since my current setup chokes pretty hard on 720p content. I'm running thru a 37" LCD at 1920x1080 with MediaCentral for the interface which works very well for DVDs and whatever other media is on my machine: xvid, DivX, etc..

However, since this is my main PC as well, I want something that can also handle the occasional game, ie - play Halo or similar FPS with high settings and 30+ FPS.

Not sure if even the new Intel duo mini is up to it, but it looks possible. Either that or I'll be waiting for a bargain basement price on the G5s when the intel PowerMacs come out.

justinkim · Mar 6, 2006, 08:50 PM

Categories 3 and 4. I want the Mini to use as a frontend for my MythTV box and a possible replacement for my home mail and webservers. It'll also be a backup box for my PowerBook.

thunderous_funker · Mar 7, 2006, 01:11 PM

Interesting responses. Thanks everyone.

Seems that a LOT of people think of the Mini as a secondary computer. And more of you are inclined to hook it up to a TV than I would have thought. Interesting.

Surprised we don't have more gamers around here. Haven't you tried World of Warcrack, uh I mean Warcraft yet???

thunderous_funker · Mar 7, 2006, 01:12 PM

Double Post

mduell · Mar 7, 2006, 09:52 PM

Originally Posted by thunderous_funker

Surprised we don't have more gamers around here. Haven't you tried World of Warcrack, uh I mean Warcraft yet???

doctre did:

Originally Posted by doctre

I've got a Core Duo mini with 1G RAM. It runs Wow better than the G4 mini did. At both 1280x1024 with all sliders set to high and default color depth / AA (24bit and 1x) in Org I get between 8-18fps. Oddly enough switching the res up to 1680x1050 doesn't change my framerate. I've not run outside of Org yet but the game is way more playable than it was on the G4 mini. The G4 mini could barely manage 10fps in org with everything turned all the way down at 1024x768.