Should I buy N-O-W?

Hardware Reviews
1

My beloved 2015 MBP will need to be replaced very very soon (don’t need the portability of a laptop and it is starting to age) and I’m thinking of replacing it with a Mac mini. Whenever I am on the go I can take my iPad Pro.

Looking at pricing, I can get the mid range Mac mini for the $849 educator price (that storage size works for me), and Apple will give me $429 for my MBP.

Advice on whether I should buy the Mac mini now, or wait for any upcoming line changes to the mini?? In other words…good time to buy???

2

Would the current M1 mini meet your needs?

  • Do you need more than 16gb RAM?
  • Do you need more than 2tb SSD?
  • Do you need more than two Thunderbolt ports and 2 USB-A ports?
  • Do you need to drive more than two external displays?
  • Do you need something faster than the M1?

I would expect that the next Mac mini that Apple releases would be focused on overcoming these limitations of the M1 mini. If those limitations aren’t things that affect you, then I’d say to go ahead and buy the current machine.

2 Likes
3

Spot on question Chris…

  • Do you need more than 16gb RAM? (nope)
  • Do you need more than 2tb SSD? (nope, but “want” that much? Sure…but not need)
  • Do you need more than two Thunderbolt ports and 2 USB-A ports? (nope)
  • Do you need to drive more than two external displays? (two would be perfect)
  • Do you need something faster than the M1? (I’m probably at the very low end of needs per a MacPowerUser…my workflow is basically along these lines:
  1. 80% writing and drawing
  2. 15% spread sheet work
  3. 05% the odd video creation here and there…

I’m just now really hitting the speed ceiling of my current MPB, in terms of making backups and processing times for my basic stuff…)

4

I have a fully specced M1 mini and it’s a tremendous machine. I’ve overcome the ports limitations with a CalDigit TS3 dock, which is an awesome piece of gear. If you need a machine and none of the other M1 limitations are a problem for you, I think you will be very happy.

5

Thanks KillerWhale…as I just noted I am really a low end MacPowerUser, in terms of needs…so it sounds like a very wise purchase. When you say full specced out is that ram and storage…?

6

I would wait 'til the 7th to see what they announce then. It probably won’t influence your mac mini decision, but it’s only four days away.

Edit: In fact, there’re some relevant rumours around… High-End Mac Mini Said to Feature Thinner Design With 'Plexiglass' Top, Magnetic Power Port - MacRumors

1 Like
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I will note that only one of the two displays can be >4K (the current M1 mini will drive one 6K display via Thunderbolt and one 4K via HDMI). Probably not a problem right now given the general lack of good 5K displays, but something to keep in mind.

8

Thanks for that…I currently have a 28in LED cinema display (probably 10 years old??..not quite sure to get the specs on that)…the mini should be able to drive that??

actually it is a 27-inch (2560 × 1440)

9

2560 × 1440 shouldn’t be a problem for the M1 mini.

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Well, thank goodness it’s

THINNER

2 Likes
11

While I’m not exactly chomping at the bit for a thinner Mac mini, if you look at teardowns of the current M1 mini there is a huge amount of unnecessary space. The current form factor was designed to accommodate not just a spinning hard drive, but a DVD drive. They can definitely make it smaller if they want to.

12

Yes in both terms. But already at 8 Gb of RAM the machine is very capable especially if most of what you do can fall under the wide umbrella of « office » work.

13

Good topic - I’m in a similar situation and wondering whether to pull the trigger.

I’m trying to decide between the standard 8GB RAM vs upgrading to 16GB, as I’m really hitting the limits of my memory on my current MBP. I think I remember reading somewhere that due to the speed of the new Mac Mini, 8GB feels like 16GB (or at least is certainly an upgrade on what 8GB currently feels like).

Can anyone confirm/deny? If I’m reaching the limits of my memory on current MBP (which is a few years old now), will I likely run into the same problems on a new Mac Mini?

Thanks a lot

14

In my precise instance, I’ve moved from a late 2015 24 Gb RAM iMac to a 16 Gb RAM M1 Mac mini, but I don’t feel constrained at all, quite the contrary.

15

I just went from a 2015 MBA with Thunderbolt Display to a M1 iMac. Keeping the Air for travel. The 8gb on the Air has been a minor issue at times. I think it was the perfect time to buy the iMac. With the Mini being over 7 months old it’s still fairly current and may not have an upgrade for some months. I would not expect it at WWDC.