DavidB1980

Q: Should get a Mac Mini or better?

I need some help determining if a Mac mini would be good enough for my family. Currently we use a Windows 10 machine.

Specs

  • Intel Core i5-6400 processor, 2.7 GHZ|Quadcore
  • 8GB memory
  • 1TB hard drive

The PC works good enough, no lagging and handles everything we throw at it. However, since we got iPhones 6S’s and an iPad Pro we have been interested in getting a Mac.

I use the computer to browse online, pay bills, and track finances. My wife browses online, streams music, and does vector artwork (Inkscape) and some Photoshop. We have a 23in monitor already and a 2tb external hard drive.

 

Would a Mac Mini be comparable/good enough for us or should we bump it up to the iMac?

 

We’re looking at a Mac Mini with the following specs…

  • 2.6GHz dual-core Intel Core i5
  • 8GB memory
  • 1TB hard drive

Posted on Sep 27, 2016 10:38 AM

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Q: Should get a Mac Mini or better?

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  • Helpful answers

  • by BDAqua,

    BDAqua BDAqua Sep 27, 2016 10:58 AM in response to DavidB1980
    Level 10 (123,765 points)
    Sep 27, 2016 10:58 AM in response to DavidB1980

    It should be fine, but be certain that you'll never need more than  GB of RAM, as you can't upgrade it after purchase.

     

    Personally, if an older upgradable model wasn't in the cards, I go with the Quad core & 16GB of RAM.

  • by DavidB1980,

    DavidB1980 DavidB1980 Sep 27, 2016 11:12 AM in response to BDAqua
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Desktops
    Sep 27, 2016 11:12 AM in response to BDAqua

    I was just reading that about the ram. What genius thought soldering ram to the motherboard was a good idea?! As for the quadcore you mentioned, did you mean the quadcore iMac? I'm not seeing a quadcore Mac Mini.

  • by Rudegar,

    Rudegar Rudegar Sep 27, 2016 11:47 AM in response to DavidB1980
    Level 7 (28,753 points)
    Apple TV
    Sep 27, 2016 11:47 AM in response to DavidB1980

    Mind you macs only run Mac software so if the programs you use on windows are not out in an osx version your out of luck

  • by lllaass,

    lllaass lllaass Sep 27, 2016 12:22 PM in response to Rudegar
    Level 10 (189,599 points)
    Desktops
    Sep 27, 2016 12:22 PM in response to Rudegar

    One can run WIndows on a Mac two ways:

    - Using Apple's Boot Camp. Windows run natively on the Mac hardware with Apple drivers

    - Using a virtual machine running in OSX. There is free VirtualBox and paid one like Parallels

    For both you have to purchase a WIndows licence

  • by DavidB1980,

    DavidB1980 DavidB1980 Sep 27, 2016 1:45 PM in response to lllaass
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Desktops
    Sep 27, 2016 1:45 PM in response to lllaass

    I wouldn't need to run Windows at all on the Mac. We're keeping the PC, just thinking of transitioning over to a Mac as our primary computer since our phones and tablet integrate with it so well.

     

    I'm just curious if i would get the same level of performance out of the mac as my current pc. I don't want anything slower than what i have now.

  • by lllaass,

    lllaass lllaass Sep 27, 2016 2:27 PM in response to DavidB1980
    Level 10 (189,599 points)
    Desktops
    Sep 27, 2016 2:27 PM in response to DavidB1980

    Since all the 2014 (current) Minis only have dual-core processors any 2014 mini will likely be slower than your quad-core PC for vector artwork (Inkscape) and Photoshop

  • by K Shaffer,

    K Shaffer K Shaffer Sep 27, 2016 3:13 PM in response to DavidB1980
    Level 6 (14,441 points)
    Desktops
    Sep 27, 2016 3:13 PM in response to DavidB1980

    The last Mac Mini with quad-core processor was the Late 2012 build model

    with i7 and either 2.3GHz or custom order 2.6GHz; there were Server builds

    too; those generally included two 1-TB rotational hard drives of 5400-RPM

    & were best replaced with faster SSD models such as macsales OWC has.

     

    General technical specs from Apple Support; model not in production:

    Mac mini (Late 2012) - Technical Specifications

     

    The version that shipped with dual hard drives works well to upgrade to SSDs.

    Because there was no optical drive, the ports are there for two full speed HDD.

    And the rotational drives are certainly a bottleneck to performance. Even if you

    were to get one and upgrade the RAM memory to 16GB, an SSD is superior.

     

    Video or graphics uses shared-RAM from the total population of 'standard' RAM.

    Later model Mac Mini with memory permanently affixed to logic board, offer a

    newer graphic processing chip; depending on build model option, details vary.

     

    Be advised, these Late 2012 i7 quad-core models in clean pre-owned condition

    appear to hold a greater share of their original retail price mark; and most did not

    ship with dual hard drives. Curiosity led me to check several sites on this matter;

    as I've a server model of this build year, bought in clearance page at Apple online

    near two years ago. Most resell sites (not auction) ask more now, than I paid then.

     

    {Memory upgrade modules of reputable quality for these can be bought online from

    two brand vendors, OWC macsales, & Crucial. Authorized resellers of Crucial can

    be a good source, at competitive prices for their memory chips, of exacting specs.}

     

    The details of technical specifications for the Mac Pro desktop tower models, more

    recent build year models and earlier, should be read for hard data; prior to serious

    consideration. Given their costs and upgrade paths, there is more to them than cost.

     

    In any event...

    Good luck & happy computing!

  • by Lanny,

    Lanny Lanny Sep 28, 2016 12:28 PM in response to DavidB1980
    Level 5 (7,999 points)
    Desktops
    Sep 28, 2016 12:28 PM in response to DavidB1980

    The performance block would be getting the stock 5400 rpm hard drive. Option for the Fusion drive or a SSD.

  • by dwb,

    dwb dwb Sep 29, 2016 9:44 AM in response to DavidB1980
    Level 7 (24,253 points)
    Notebooks
    Sep 29, 2016 9:44 AM in response to DavidB1980

    DavidB1980 wrote:

     

    What genius thought soldering ram to the motherboard was a good idea?!

    On the whole it is good business for Apple. It reduces the cost because soldering the RAM means they don’t need to install a RAM slot. It also means lots of us purchase more computer than we need now because we can’t upgrade later. Apple gets the RAM upgrade money instead of Crucial Tech. It also means fewer warranty repairs and genius visits that wind up not being an Apple problem but a 3rd party RAM problem. So good for Apple. Good for us probably not so much.