[Canada-Man]

Which one is the best? These prices are in canadian currency and I have the student rebates.

With no options: iMac (intel) $1399
Mac Mini (intel) $680

Sounds much cheaper, but the iMac is faster (1.5 GHz Mac Mini and 1.83 GHz iMac), already has an LCD 17" monitor, 160 GB HD compared with 60 GB for the mini, an Apple keyboard/mouse, and the iMac comes with a SuperDrive to burn DVDs.

With options:

iMac (intel) $1735 -> That is only for 2 GB of RAM. The $55 modem was not selected.

Mac mini (intel) $1395 -> 2 GB RAM, 120 GB HD, wired keyboard & mouse, SuperDrive. Note that the USB modem costs $59 when you buy the Mac Mini. It's the same thing though!

So basically, if you want the cheapest computer, and do not care much about speed, RAM, hard drive space, and you already have a keyboard, a mouse, a monitor, the Mac mini will make you save some money ($719 in this case, basic). If you select options, the difference will melt. For a slower, less efficient computer, there was a difference of only $340, and you still have to get a monitor.

The Mac Mini is a pretty good computer, but if you want it more powerful, it's won't cost you a lot more to buy an iMac.

It's kinda like buying a Chevrolet Cobalt for $12,000 and putting all the options so that it will cost you $20,000, or buy a Chevrolet Malibu that will be as equipped as the Cobalt, and will better, for the same price. If you want to make a small machine like a big machine, it'll cost you more than buying the big one in the first place.