| Joined: | Mon Apr 2nd, 2012 |
| Location: | South Lakeland, UK |
| Posts: | 4066 |
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http://www.bresink.com/osx/TemperatureMonitor.html
I have it on all my computers and keep half an eye on it especially during intensive sessions. I have yet to see it rise significantly.
After three years I am a little concerned about dust in my oldest Mac mini, I may do a little 'spring cleaning' soon not because I have seen it overheat. I know dust can cause individual components to get hotter than they should, so just a precaution.
My ex Wife runs a PC, about every month I have to vac it out because it overheats due to dust.
Regarding DVD/CD why do you need one, to read audio disks. or for backup?
I haven't burnt't a DVD in about 2 years but our needs differ I know. The Mac Book Air DVD drive is only about £60 and connects with any Mac by wi-fi pretty well seamlessly.
To transfer 'stuff' between computers I tend to use USB thumb drives now. Most software is either downloaded or on thumb drive. All Apple OS's, updates and software is downloaded. Even Adobe software is downloaded now. I always back up the downloads to an external drive before installation of course.
For backup you have Time Machine. you plug a 500Gb (or whatever size you like) USB drive into the Mac, set up time machine which is part of the OS, it makes a copy of all changes you make on the computer every hour, and keeps them for a week, it then keeps a daily record for as long as the room on the disk allows. This means if you accidentally delete something or edit a wrong document, you can go back in time before the deletion or edit and retrieve it exactly as it was. So the need for CD backups has gone.
I would avoid after market keyboards, the key layout while it may work, is well less than ideal and is a source of frustration at least to me. Particularly with regard to the command, option and control keys. In my view the Apple layout is better because you can manage command keystrokes with one hand, while the PC layout I need both hands even for simple commands.
Not quite sure what you meant by,
I am seriously considering your suggested system JK
Because JK suggested two systems, the latest iMac AND the i7 Mac mini.
If you go for an iMac you get a CD/DVD drive, keyboard and Magic mouse and a very good screen, you would only need a trackpad.
Frankly I don't think you NEED an i7 Mac mini if your needs are modest, the smallest of the Mac mini's are very capable, and well powerful enough for 90% of needs. I only got the i7 because I got a special deal and I also want to use it for some intensive video editing. Otherwise it would have been a base model.
Regarding taxing your 'grey matter'! are you meaning spreadsheets and word processing? If so iWorks is a very capable Office replacement. It takes a little getting used to but once over the initial hurdle it works well.
____________________
Robert.