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Hi,
I have owned iPhone and iPads for many years. With the advent of the Mac mini due out very soon(hopefully). My old win PC is going to get replaced.
Not a fan of apple tax, I have ordered a Pebble keyboard and mouse combo.
Is setting up a Max for a new user, simple or daunting? And do I need other hardware to set up my new currently Vapor ware machine?
Regards
John
Apple's site is now advertising a new Mac mini, which will be available starting November 8, 2024.
M4 version:
M4 Pro version:
Apple's site is now advertising a new Mac mini, which will be available starting November 8, 2024.
M4 version:
M4 Pro version:
“Is setting up a Max for a new user, simple or daunting? And do I need other hardware to set up my new currently Vapor ware machine?“
———-
Setting Up a New Mac:
How exactly would you define “new”? Is it new (as in 2024 model)? Or is it a used device that is “new” to you? If this is a used device, then the seller needs to perform as instructed here, including the iCloud logout: What to do Before you Sell, Give Away, Trade in, or Recycle your Mac - Apple Support. Elsewise, you’d likely never be able to use it, as it could be locked due to too many unsuccessful login attempts:
Link:
See the Links Provided here: Set Up your Mac mini for new Mac Users - Apple Support
The Mac mini has been available in several variations for about two decades now.
Setup of a factory new Mac mini is dead simple, but it will require that you have a wired USB keyboard, USB mouse and a monitor. After the mini is properly set up you can connect and use wireless devices.
In addition to the good guidance provided above by user @TheLittles, here is some guidance from Apple for moving files from a PC to a Mac:
Transfer from PC to Mac with Migration Assistant - Apple Support
Many of Apple's wireless Magic Keyboards have charging ports and come with charging cables.
When you plug one of these keyboards into a Mac, this
It isn't feasible to use a Magic Mouse as a wired mouse while it is recharging, due to the location of the charging port (on the mouse's "belly").
You're welcome.
To my knowledge yes, you will still need a USB keyboard and mouse to do the initial setup of a brand new Mac mini. You can find a set for as low as $20 or so. You can buy or borrow. Even a windows PC keyboard will work.
Just be aware that when using a PC keyboard, the Windows key substitutes for the Mac Command (⌘) key and the Alt key is used for the Mac's Option (⌥) key.
Experienced users will always keep an inexpensive USB set handy because sometimes a situation will require them for troubleshooting and problem solving.
Yes you will need a USB keyboard and mouse to setup the Mac mini and pair your Logitech Pebble combo.
Plus it is a good idea to keep a USB keyboard and mouse around for troubleshooting.
If you do not have a generic or pc USB keyboard and mouse, the less than $20 MK120 Combo is a good choice.
FWIW we are not a big fans of the Apple Magic either and use the MK120 Combo's with all 3 of our Mac mini's.
The new M4 Mac mini has 16 GB of RAM while maintaining the same price point in the US, which is a greatly welcomed improvement! It has also shrunk to just slightly larger than an Apple TV, which will make it easy to take outside to use. You could even buy a portable monitor for it and use it anywhere.
Thanks everyone, My new Mac Mini M4 should arrive in the coming week. I added more memory, but not more storage, I fancy an external NMVe, at much less than Apple tax for internal memory.
The support on here is great and friendly, I really appreciate your input. Hopefully over time, I may become proficient enough to help others.
I have access to my old keyboard and mouse and hopefully they will be good enough to set me up (adapter to USB C already owned).
Hopefully it will live up to my expectations
John
Remember that you can use any modern TV which has an HDMI connection as a monitor.
I happened to have a cheap 32" Toshiba TV hanging around which I pressed into service.
It appears to work as well as any dedicated computer monitor. You may think the colour looks rather dodgy but that is the fault of the photo and room lighting. To the naked eye they are identical.
The Philips doesn't look as big as the iMac but it is! Who says photos can't lie?
Hi,
Thanks for the reply’s. I’m going to order the New Mac mini, and have read online ( I know) in a couple of places that with a new machine and wireless KB and mouse, you need access to a wired keyboard to set the machine up initially. Is that the case or have things changed?
You don't need wired keyboards and mice but it is generally the most reliable way to get things initially set up. There have been issues with some 3rd party Bluetooth devices when trying to first set up a Mac.
Also, if the wireless devices are "dongle" based and not Bluetooth, those dongles generally make their wireless devices look as if they were wired. These types should work just like a wired device.
There are Mac minis with M2 and M2 Pro chips out now. So I assume that you're hoping that Apple will update the line to use M3 and M3 Pro chips, or M4 and M4 Pro chips, some time soon.
You will need a monitor, keyboard, and mouse. Also strongly recommended: at least one external drive to use for making backups. macOS includes a backup utility called Time Machine. There are also third-party ones (Carbon Copy Cloner, SuperDuper!) that some people like to use. Whatever you use, you should have some backup.
Depends on what you need. Honestly, a regular 1920 x 1080p monitor will be enough for most tasks, and it also saves processing power and prevents those weird display scaling issues that occur with some apps.
I recently tried a high-quality monitor made in Japan, boasting a resolution of 1920 x 1080p, paired with a MacBook Pro. It defaulted to the same 1080p resolution, which looked rather dreadful. In contrast, the same monitor connected to a Windows mini PC displayed quite well at the same default setting. This has led me to inquire whether anyone could recommend whether I should opt for a 2K or 4K monitor, considering that the 2K model defaults to 1440p, while the 4K defaults to 1080p. I’ve come across this information in YouTube videos, but I thought it prudent to ask if anyone here has experience with such monitors, just to be on the safe side.
macOS used to do something called "sub-pixel anti-aliasing" to make text look better on monitors that did not have Retina-level resolution - like 24" 1920x1080 ones. I read somewhere that this caused very messy, non-modular dependencies in the code … and that Apple removed it some time ago; maybe as far back as Catalina. With displays that have Retina-level pixel density, there are enough pixels to draw letter shapes more precisely without having to resort to this trick.
A logical consequence may be that text on 24" 1920x1080 and 27" 2560x1440 monitors might not look as good on a modern Mac as an old one.
About to buy a new Mac mini - a new Mac user.
