I friend of mine got a new Mac Mini. It doesn’t come with a VGA connector or adaptor by default! Thus rendering about 90% of computer monitors obsolete? Apple want to sell him an adaptor for another £21 …
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I friend of mine got a new Mac Mini. It doesn’t come with a VGA connector or adaptor by default! Thus rendering about 90% of computer monitors obsolete? Apple want to sell him an adaptor for another £21 …
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Richard WM Jones 
Apple really hasn’t used VGA as the default output on their monitors in a really long time, so they’re probably assuming that everyone buying one is ONLY an Apple fan and have DVI/Displayport/HDMI.
But yeah, ~$25 for an adapter is a bit steep, especially when most standalone video cards come with gobs of DVI to VGA adapters.
That’s true .. my missus has a Mac Mini from many years ago which requires an adaptor. However also I’ve got a lot of flat panel monitors with VGA, so I’m pretty surprised that no adaptor is thrown in.
25 pounds is closer to US $40.
Most monitors these days have DVI. Now why it didn’t come with an adapter is another story – I think they should throw one of those in the box (or at least give it to you free if they’re concerned about wasting parts)
As I contacted Apple recently, I understand the HDMI to DVI adapter comes in the box with the Mac mini. I have a Windows PC connected to my monitor’s DVI input. I have a VGA input on the monitor but it costs $29 for the Thunderbolt to VGA adapter.
Rendering 90% of what obsolete? I haven’t seen a monitor use VGA in ages… They all have HDMI and DVI nowadays.
How did you come up with 90%? Maybe in enthusiast houses were we tend to save older stuff, but most houses I go to fix computers have some sort of hdmi or dvi connector on their monitors…
I made that one up. In my house, it’s something like 50% VGA monitors vs 50% dual DVI/VGA.
I bet there are no PS/2 comnectors on the back of the Mac mini either. The nerve of Apple!
The 2011 MacMini also has an HDMI port. HDMI to VGA adaptors can be had for less than $10 in the US of course you can also pay $50 for a “Monster” HDMI cable that is no better than a $5 one. So you have to shop around. FireFold.com is a pretty inexpensive source of good cables and adaptors. I buy from them and an mark it up a bit for local customers, to prices less than Walmart.
Oops! My bad. Those were HDMI to DVI adaptors at $6. No electronics required. That is why they are so cheap. Working from digital back to analog is another matter. Still $6 vs $19 for a HDMI to DVI vs mini Display Port to DVI is worth noting. Sorry about the misinformation. No cheap Display Port to VGA or HDMI to VGA, I fear.
I am not an Apple fan but I find myself in need of an Apple computer with Apple O/S to develop a smartphone app. Apple forces the development to be on an Apple O/S. Since I have a spare monitor with VGA input, I was dismayed to learn no VGA support on the current Mac mini. Groan!
DVI to VGA adapters are pretty inexpensive – especially if you have a friend with a PCI just using regular VGA connectors, as his LCD monitor or VGA card probably would have had a DVI->VGA adapter.