[geeks] Disk ugprade in Mac Mini - worth it?

[nate at portents.com]

> I still prefer the current-gen of the most-recent generation, for the
> following reasons:
>
> Faster CPU (in base model)
> Faster RAM (DDR3 vs DDR2)
> Larger memory supported (I *believe* the current-rev would handle 2x 2
> Gig SoDIMMs as true 4 Gigs of RAM without loss)

Yes, running my 2009 Mini with 4GB (2x2GB was $52) right now, uses all 4GB
(and video memory allocation grows to 256MB out of the 4GB).

Incidentally, the inability to use all 4GB of RAM in previous Minis was
due to an absurd Intel chipset design issue that all Intel pre-"Santa
Rosa" mobile (and some desktop) chipsets suffered from.  Basically the
chipset couldn't map I/O above the 4GB, even if the CPU could handle it
and the OS could handle it, and even if the CPU and OS were 64-bit!  Thank
Intel for adding to the already massive confusion regarding 32-bit,
64-bit, 4GB, virtual address space splits and TLB.

> Faster video (nVidia 9400 vs. Intel GMA950)
> Dual video output (previous-gen has only one)
> Faster Firewire port (Firewire 800 vs. Firewire 400)

I'd suggest people do what I do with a 2009 Mini - get a nice external
Firewire 800 case (or get several, you can hook up to 63 Firewire devices
together) and boot off a 3.5" drive on that (and use another FW800 drive
as a Time Machine drive), and use the internal 2.5" drive as a scratch
disk or as a kind of emergency boot or repair disk if you have problems
with an external drive.

- Nate