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User profile for user: fyreal
fyreal Author
User level: Level 1
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Mac Mini with a Dell monitor?

I'm looking to purchase a Mac Mini, the 1.83Ghz model and was wondering if my existing monitor is compatible with it. It's a Dell E171FPb; specifications > http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/monitors/E171FPB/En/specs.htm I don't know a whole lot about this stuff but I'm pretty sure it has a VGA input. I know the Mac Mini comes with an adapter for this but I just wanted to make sure if this monitor would work as I've been reading about several monitors being incompatible with the Mini even if they had VGA or DVI inputs. I don't have an Apple store near my house so I can't try it out or anything.

Another quick question since I'm already making this thread, would getting the 2.0Ghz model, with the 4MB cache, over this make a huge difference for light audio recording? I don't really need the extra memory or the superdrive and if the 1.83Ghz can handle some basic guitar tracks might as well save a few bucks.

Thanks! 🙂

Dell XPS, Windows XP

Posted on Feb 4, 2008 12:22 PM

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User profile for user: AndyO
AndyO
User level: Level 6
17,064 points

Posted on Feb 4, 2008 1:06 PM

Welcome to Apple Discussions!

That display has a standard VGA input, meaning that it is compatible with the mini by using the DVI->VGA adapter which comes with the system.

It's true that there are some displays which have proven difficult with the mini, though most are not standard monitors so much as variants of TVs which don't feed the mini with the correct data it needs to correctly identify the screen type and display options. I've not come across a VGA-based Dell display that doesn't work however (and I've actually got one - a 178FPW) connected to the G4 mini on my desk, working perfectly well.

In terms of performance, the 2GHz mini will give you somewhat better performance, but not markedly so. It would be better, in terms of overall system performance, to get a 1.8 model with 2Gb RAM than a 2GHz model with the base 1Gb memory.
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User profile for user: AndyO
AndyO
User level: Level 6
17,064 points

Feb 4, 2008 1:06 PM in response to fyreal

Welcome to Apple Discussions!

That display has a standard VGA input, meaning that it is compatible with the mini by using the DVI->VGA adapter which comes with the system.

It's true that there are some displays which have proven difficult with the mini, though most are not standard monitors so much as variants of TVs which don't feed the mini with the correct data it needs to correctly identify the screen type and display options. I've not come across a VGA-based Dell display that doesn't work however (and I've actually got one - a 178FPW) connected to the G4 mini on my desk, working perfectly well.

In terms of performance, the 2GHz mini will give you somewhat better performance, but not markedly so. It would be better, in terms of overall system performance, to get a 1.8 model with 2Gb RAM than a 2GHz model with the base 1Gb memory.
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Mac Mini with a Dell monitor?

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