Olekzap: “I have a 2014 2.8 Ghz. Lorenzojc: “I have a 2012 Mini, it’s definitely worth it. Here’s a brief breakdown of the tech specs for each Mac mini: 1.4GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 (Turbo Boost up to 2.7GHz) with 3MB on-chip shared L3 cache. The iMac's processor, GPU, and other internals are hidden behind its display, giving it a remarkably thin (5mm at its edge) appearance for having so much tucked inside. The MPX bays feature an x16 gen 3 PCIe slot for graphics bandwidth, as well as an x8 gen 3 slot for Thunderbolt. The main thing I need the Mini for is Boot Camp and Microsoft office stuff. With the updated iMacs for 2019, the choice isn't so easy. The 21.5-inch 4K model ships with either a Radeon Pro 555X card with 2GB video memory, or a Radeon Pro 560X with 4GB video memory at a $200. It will have to do for the life of the machine, so may as well max it out. Configurable to 3.0GHz dual-core Intel Core i7 (Turbo Boost up to 3.5GHz) with 4MB on-chip shared L3 cache. With the imac, I can upgrade the memory easily. On the multi-core side, the Mac mini wins with 25,979 over the iMac's 19,257. The base model is great for educators and household tasks, while the 4K model provides an excellent mid-size screen and horsepower for basic video editing, day-to-day work, and gaming. Storage is all solid-state and very fast. While the iMac Pro can hook up to multiple external displays, RAID systems, and eGPUs, it ultimately relies on external accessories to augment its performance; if you want a computer that you can upgrade yourself, you might want to consider the upcoming Mac Pro instead. Learn more. Is Apple’s Mac mini worth buying? Whether you're looking for a base-level headless Mac, a basic-to-midrange all-in-one, or some pro-level power, there are some solid options here. Anyone who has seen an iMac in the last few years will instantly recognise the slim, all-in-one design of the current model. My Mac mini (i7, 64GB ram, 512GB SSD) performs well for what I do, but I would never buy another one. I would not buy a new one i would however work at it and pick up a great copy used off eBay or CL. 2.8GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 (Turbo Boost up to 3.3GHz) with 3MB on-chip shared L3 cache. Now the iMac has been updated for 2019, there's not an obvious choice here. What specific issues are there for MacOS monitor integration/handling? The 2TB Fusion Dive is the best value as it marries a 128GB SSD with a 2TB HD, that’s the ideal Fusion Drive configuration. The data on this chart is calculated from Geekbench 5 results users have uploaded to the Geekbench Browser.To make sure the results accurately reflect the average performance of each Mac, the chart only includes Macs with at least five unique results in the Geekbench Browser. The Mac mini starts at $799 for the baseline low-end model with a quad-core 3.6GHz eighth-generation Intel processor. Thanks!”. I was thinking about getting a Mac mini because I can’t justify spending the money on a new iMac that I will only use a couple times a week. It really depends what you want to do and how much you have to spend. The iMac range has a few more strands, due to the different displays on offer and Apple has introduced some new models 2019. The 21.5-inch iMac comes with either a Radeon Pro 555X or 560X with 2GB or 4GB of video memory. Based on my experience, I would recommend going with the iMac if you can afford it. Thanks so much!! Read our full iMac 21.5in (2017) review for more details. Or you could get the Radeon Pro 5700 XT, with 16GB of GDDR6 video memory, for $500 more. Awesome, cool! What about memeory, or graphics? You can save a few hundred dollars by using the Mac mini, but at a significant cost in hassle, performance, and irritation. ”, Winterds001: “I have the latest Mac Mini 16/256 as my PLEX server. Unlike the iMac, the Mac mini doesn't come with a monitor. On the low end, it’s all about the Mac mini. As for the iMac, the entry-level 4K model features the same 8th-gen Intel Core i3 processor and 8GB RAM found in the base Mac mini. From music and video production to photo editing, it's a great little machine for amateurs, as well as professionals who don't need an incredibly powerful rig. I was platform agnostic when i was hunting for a server, however i had to have thunderbolt for my array and the mac mini was the perfect price and fit for that need.”. No spam, we promise. So you do have some configuration options that will let you tweak the specs of your Mac mini. Question: Q: Mac Mini vs iMac. I had not even considered that the monitor would have the USB ports. Now Apple has updated the iMac range for 2019, the all-in-one is a much more attractive choice if you can afford one. Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide View more prices. Later, if you want to upgrade it, buy a SSD elsewhere and install it yourself, it really makes a difference. Apple's bringing its Health Records feature to Canada and the UK, but here's why everyone needs to know about it, too. It also comes with 8GB of RAM and a 256 GB PCIe-based SSD. But it's also about convenience and cutting down on waste. For Mac mini users, we would like to keep to a 27” display form factor. Apple TV+ has reportedly ordered 12 episodes of the new show from a British production company. The Mac mini is Apple's least expensive desktop computer and remained so even after a price hike with its latest refresh in 2018. That’s a shame because it can be a great alternative to MacBooks and iMacs for the right user. If you're still not sure which Mac desktop is right for you, get some advice from the iMore community in the Mac desktop forums. The first time I purchased a new Mac after digital music had become popular it took forever to migrate all that music. These 17 Amazon Prime Day deals are available right now to purchase. They're the ones with 4K or 5K displays, not the entry-level 21.5-inch model which is from 2017. 2020 iMac isn't out yet. Choosing my own monitors isn’t worth giving up. You can then chose your own monitor, get a 27" if that's what you like. Those happy with a 21.5in panel can opt for either of the following: Should you prefer the larger 27in display, these are the options (all new for 2019): All are configurable in different ways, offering extra storage, RAM, and processor upgrades. Even choosing the cheapest option from our recent Best Mac monitors & displays roundup, the Dell S2718H, added a further £272, and that left us with only HD rather than 4K abilities. I would like to receive mail from Future partners. That price is out of the ordinary for an iMac, and for good reason: This iMac is packed full of hardware to make video editing, photography, VFX, software development, gaming, and base VR development, as easy as possible. Does the Mac mini provide enough connectivity ports? Shmoe: “I’ve had 2 – a late 2009 and now a current gen. Learn more. I purchased one of Samsung's first high end digital displays years ago and that's what I'm currently using. CIO As mentioned earlier, you should avoid the cheapest model which is from 2017 and has out-dated specs. Just bear in mind you don’t get a display, mouse or keyboard with the Mac mini — but if you have these anyway then that might not be a problem. coverage includes Apple Watch, Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Pay, Apple TV. Though its space gray sheen may attract those who otherwise don't need the machine, its $4999 starting price tag should ward off most idle interest. 4GB of 1600MHz LPDDR3 memory. Either can be configured up to a whopping 64GB of RAM (for an equally whopping £1,260/$1,260 additional cost) and 2TB of PCIe-based SSD storage (which will set you back another £1,440/$1,440). I would like to receive news and offers from other Future brands. Joseph Keller is a senior writer at iMore. If your needs exceed these tasks, the 5K iMac provides a huge jump up in parallel processing power and graphics, offering VR-ready performance and room to process video, photography, and basic software development. I’m looking to see how people like the Mac mini in comparison to the iMac. One of my major disappointments with the Mac mini is that Apple’s handling of monitors is poor. The Retina display Apple fits to the rest of the iMac range is beautiful, with crisp definition and warm colours. 2019 Apple iMac vs. Microsoft Surface Studio 2: Top All-in-One Desktops Face Off. Serenity Caldwell contributed to an earlier version of this article. A highlight for us in our review, the Mac mini is ideal for sitting under a monitor or at the side of a desk. Note that when you go to buy your Mac mini, you can opt to pay more for a faster processor, more RAM, or a larger hard disk or flash storage. For more graphical power or the visual appeal of the all-in-one, the iMac is what you want. Check the Eye On Apple home page to get caught up with the latest news, discussions and rumors about Apple. I bought the 6 core version with 2TB SSD and it is incredibly fast. So, for around £1,400/$1,400 the Mac mini is far from affordable for most people. In the middle, you’ll need to make a choice based more on your computing needs. You will probably occasionally have monitor problems—monitor won’t wake up, monitor takes a long time to wake up, etc. The HDMI out makes it ideal to hook up to HDTVs.”. Mac mini features the Apple T2 Security Chip — second-generation custom Mac silicon designed by Apple to make Mac mini even more secure. How to fix an overheating Mac. In the past the Mac mini was always attractively priced, so when you factored in the purchase of a display, keyboard, trackpad/mouse, speakers, cables and such, it was still a good deal for the consumer. Of course, if you already own a display and/or peripherals you can use with the Mac mini, then this price comes down. Weighing in features like design, performance, and our overall impressions of the new Mac mini, we’ll help you decide which is right for your setup at work or home. © Copyright 2020 IDG Communications Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Just be aware that the other variants are available if you want more power, different screen sizes, storage options and so on. At long last, Apple has introduced a new Mac Pro. You have a speaker, but it is tinny and weak in comparison to that on the iMacs and you will want something else. The last time I checked, the latest Mac Mini gets a pretty reasonable repairability score of 6/10. Mini for me albeit the 2018, I'll tell you why: I've always favoured the Mini over an iMac as I believe in reliability from an integrated (particularly Intel) GPU, the iMac's have AMD GPU's which often breakdown over use due to thermal issues, and you can upgrade your RAM and display should you wish too. There have been quite a few reviews of the Mac mini posted by prominent tech sites. Starting with 8GB of RAM, you can swap it out later for up to 64GB. Remember that the base iMac model doesn't feature the 4K display that adorns the other 21.5in device in the range, so the lower price of that model comes with a big caveat - don't buy it. User profile for user: Sziehr: “I use a current gen mac mini as a server. Wondering how the 2018 MacBook Air and Mac mini compare? If you need something with more power, or you need a computer with a display and peripherals, you should instead take a look at the iMac, iMac Pro, or Mac Pro line. The Mac mini can be (and is built to be able to be) used as a server, connected to multiple Mac minis in a server farm. It’s perfect.”. In response to CTSeaDragon, I just finished migrating to the new mac mini 2018 exactly from the same iMac 27" 2011. 1TB Fusion Drive. If you want to see what this incredible powerhouse can do, then read our full iMac Pro review.). You can match the 4K retina screen of the 21” iMac for a reasonable price, but not with the superb integration of the iMac. We probably would have never compared these two in the past, but thanks to the price jump on the new Mac mini, and the update to eighth generation Intel CPUs on the iMac, there’s now some overlap in configurations and capabilities. I also had the issue of an iMac 2011 that bit the dust and wanted the server functionality with out the head.