Need to make a purchase decision urgently need insight please

I considered the same options a few months ago. I got the fastest 6-core i7 Mac mini 2018 because I do photos and video and just to be future proof (I tend to buy expensive and use the gear for a long time). I guess the old Mac Pro might not be supported as long as the new Mac mini. The new Mac Pro is too expensive for my needs. I considered iMac Pro but I prefer separate display(s).

I got 16 GB RAM because some reports suggested 8 GB might not be enough for smooth display (and the photo/video apps I use). I have experience installing RAM and storage so I could have saved some money by installing cheaper RAM myself but some cheap suboptimal RAM might produce obscure errors so I didn't do it on such a new Mac, maybe later.

I got 1 TB HD because according to MacInTouch forum that is faster than smaller drives (*) and I do video work that needs HD space (I also have OWC dual drive Thunderbolt dock).

(*) Sequential write performance between the SSD sizes in the Mini:

128GB -> ~0.6 GB/s

256GB -> ~1.3 GB/s

512GB -> ~1.9 GB/s

1TB -> ~2.6 GB/s

Reads are all > 2 GB/s.

I also got 10 Gigabit Ethernet option although I might never need that. That might be useful when moving large video files between computers although currently I use drive docks for that.

I don’t yet feel a need for an eGPU.

Hello,

An attractive option some professionals are looking towards is using a Mac mini with an eGPU. This allows a user to upgrade their GPU down the line when newer options are available without having to buy a new Macintosh. You can also find Mac Pro 2013 for very affordable prices online. The other day I saw a Mac Pro 2013 on eBay for just $1000. While the hardware is becoming dated, it still performs very well. You may also want to look towards a 27” iMac. This allows for user accessible RAM upgrades. With the iMac you get a beautiful 5K display, powerful internals, and low power draw all in a thin desktop without needing a tower. I hope this helps!