How good is the Mac Mini?

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I have a friend that is looking to get a Mac Mini, he plans to get it to run iMovies, Avid, Final Cut, & Parallel. I told him I would check on here and see how the Mac Mini would hold up for these apps.
 
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chas_m

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It's a very powerful machine for its size and price, roughly equivalent to the low-end of the iMacs. It can handle those tasks you mentioned, though a higher-priced iMac would be a better choice, both in terms of power now and future-proofing later.
 
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I have one, and love it. However, it is like a laptop in the way you can only upgrade the hard drive and ram. Also, while it is good enough to run all those apps, I would not recommend pushing any of them to hard, it will get frustrating. I use my MBP for the heavy lifting. The biggest issue with using the Mini for those apps listed is the video card just isn't up to par for intensive apps.

I use mine for a very specific purpose: as a media serv using AirPlay and iTunes.
 
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Thanks for the responses guys; in your opinions would he be better off saving up a little more and getting a MBP? I just hate to see someone spend money and then not be happy with their purchase or not have things work up to their expectations.
 
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Personally, for doing the work you listed, I would get the following, unless he needs the portability of a laptop
27-inch: 3.1GHz


  • 3.1GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i5
  • 2560 x 1440 resolution
  • 4GB (two 2GB) memory
  • 1TB hard drive1
  • AMD Radeon HD 6970M with 1GB
That one is $1999.

Now, the MBP I would get as a minimum is:
15-inch: 2.4 GHz


  • 2.4GHz quad-core
    Intel Core i7
  • 4GB 1333MHz
  • 750GB 5400-rpm1
  • Intel HD Graphics 3000
  • AMD Radeon HD 6770M with 1GB GDDR5
That one is $2199


I have the 17" which starts at $2499.


If it were me buying just a work machine, would be the big iMac with all the trimmings. but that is me. I will always have a laptop, I hate being tied down to a certain spot, however if it was just for work, the iMac is nice.
 

pigoo3

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Thanks for the responses guys; in your opinions would he be better off saving up a little more and getting a MBP? I just hate to see someone spend money and then not be happy with their purchase or not have things work up to their expectations.

Look at it this way. If your friend needs/wants a Mac-Mini...then mobility must not be concern. If they want a MBP...then mobility is a concern.

When shopping for a computer...one of the first deciding factors is desktop or laptop. If someone wants/needs a laptop (MacBook Pro)...then they shouldn't be thinking about a Mac-mini.;)

And if the friend was looking at the Mac- Mini because of it's price (can't afford more)...then a MBP is certainly a lot more than the Mac-mini ($1199 versus $599).

- Nick
 
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chas_m

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Agree with Pigoo3 ... your friend would be best served by an iMac of some kind UNLESS mobility is a priority, then I'd suggest a MacBook Pro.
 

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