Mac mini alternative ready to go out of the box

[Ice_Dragon]

In the event I decide to go back to a PC, I was looking at this but perhaps in a Broadwell or Skylake version.

http://www.thebookpc.com/product-p/de7200.htm

I would go with an i7 quad core processor just in case, 16 GB of memory and at least a 240 GB SSD.

Thoughts?

 

[DesiPower]

lol @ the price

There are a lot of them out there. checkout alienware alpha, or HP Stream mini desktops. cheaper or better hardware for price your link shows.

 

[Ice_Dragon]

For the alpha, how is the "T" line of processors? For my AOpen, the configurations would add up to about the same as a Mac mini.

 

[Mushkins]

An i3 with 2GB of ram for $700?

I'd suggest buying an Intel NUC instead. Feel free to go back a generation or two to save money, the performance difference is mostly negligible considering its a SFF and not meant to be a powerhouse anyway.

 

[LoveMachine]

For the alpha, how is the "T" line of processors? For my AOpen, the configurations would add up to about the same as a Mac mini.

The T processors are just frequency/voltage limited i3s, meant to fit into certain power/thermal limited situations. You get less performance for the same price as a non-T CPU, but with the certainty you won't overtax your power supply or cooling system. As others have suggested, a NUC (even the lower level ones) is a cheaper option with more than enough CPU/Graphics power for HTPC use.

 

[scannall]

Lenovo has a faster, better one for a couple hundred less.

ThinkCentre

 

[Kaido]

In the event I decide to go back to a PC, I was looking at this but perhaps in a Broadwell or Skylake version.

http://www.thebookpc.com/product-p/de7200.htm

I would go with an i7 quad core processor just in case, 16 GB of memory and at least a 240 GB SSD.

Thoughts?

For that price, you can get a mini computer with a desktop-class i7 CPU instead of a mobile one: (plus better graphics!)

http://www.amazon.com/Gigabyte-Intel-i7-4770R-Barebones-GB-BXi7-4770R/dp/B00HWP6CMG/

Install is literally unscrewing 4 screws on the bottom, plugging the RAM & SSD in...takes all of a minute. Then just install Windows (run it from a USB DVD drive or a USB stick) & drivers (super easy download). I have one sitting on my desk right now with 16 gigs of RAM ($135) & a 240gb mSATA SSD ($130). Oh, and it comes with 802.11ac & Bluetooth 4.0 included. Much better (and smaller) machine! Also, all of the USB ports are 3.0. My only complaint is that the fan is a bit noisy when it really revs up.

 

[Ice_Dragon]

Are companies are going to release a Broadwell version or are they going right to Skylake I wonder?