2018 mini + VM better than 2012 mini?

[Arty Greg]

Hey all... freelance illustrator and graphic designer specialising in 2D work. Looking into viability of 2018 intel mini and one of the VM options running Sierra as a possible 'upgrade' to run CS6... (Avoiding Adobe sub route for as long as I can) Currently running it on my 2012 mini 2.3ghz i7 quad / Sierra (16gb ram, fast ssd for apps + original hd for storage/ backups).

On my 2012 setup all runs great but on large projects it starts to show it's limits... I wonder if anyone can advise if CS6 running on Sierra in a VM (Parallels etc?) on a 'maxed out' 2018 mini (3.2ghz i7 6 core + 32 or 64 gb ram) would be faster and / or more capable of dealing with these larger more complex projects (in Illustrator specifically 300 - 500mb files that have a lot of brush strokes + textures + blurs etc that take forever to undo the tiniest change) or if there are any issues going the VM route that would offset any advantage or simply block my way.

I read somewhere (another post on this forum I think) that hardware acceleration is not possible in VM ... would the difference in specs be enough to outweigh this?

I have Affinity but eveytime I try it I come away thinking it's great but not quite there yet... I will be testing Affinity 2.0 on an M1 soon but been using Adobe for 20+ years so keeping options open long as I can!

I guess the other option is have m1/m2 and 2012 mini and use some kvm setup to enable newer software for daily use and testing of Affinity at it's best.

Thanks for any help
Greg

 

[Raz0rEdge]

If performance is your priority, VM is the not the answer. unless you're running it on ridiculously powerful bare metal hardware. Mac Min ain't that. With VM, you have the host OS working while a guest OS is sharing the same resources.

I had the Mac Mini you are referring to and with the 6-cores, I dedicated 2-cores to a VM and 4 cores for Mac (as the primary OS) and the VM performed OK for basic things, but nothing crazy.

I would strongly suggest that you avoid the trap you are falling into. If you want performance, you want to utilize the machine to it's best capability which means running things natively on it.

An M1/M2 based Mac will be leaps and bounds better than that Mac Mini. I upgraded to a Mac Studio (M1 Max) and it's like 10x better than the Mac Mini it replaced.

If you enjoy the Adobe toolset well enough, you should then consider coming along for the ride to a set that works effectively on the latest Mac hardware. Getting caught up the subscription prices is foolhardy when it's a toolset that you use to make a living.

Adobe has Creative Cloud for $40/month until Nov 25 and then it's $55/month. Even at regular price that's $600/year. Surely you make more more than that in your work with that toolset, so it's easily paying for it.

 

[Lifeisabeach]

I hate subs as much as anyone, probably more than most. But you are hitting a wall here. Your only practical solutions going forward are to stick with older and increasingly outdated hardware to avoid paying for a sub, or bite the bullet and keep up with the times. An alternative to Adobe's software might be worth exploring, but I don't know your specific needs or what good alternatives would be.

 

[Arty Greg]

Thanks for the replies!

Agree with what you're both saying and my query here has been part of figuring out just how much of a trap/wall I'm heading towards... and how soon.. as I've known it's coming at some point.

The real issue with Adobe sub for me is my business and health have been up and down over the years and when things get tight that sub could make a real difference to food on the table/ bills paid. I guess keeping the 2012 mini with CS6 as backup is possible and just hope business does well! Great to hear from someone who has used the 2018 mac mini with VM ... certainly doesn't sound like much of a solution in my case...

Totally agree on the M1/M2 front - have the M1 base mini ready to set up for testing before it goes to family member who has let me test it first

Being frank, CS6 works fantastic for the majority of commissions that come in as I'm doing 2D artwork (illustration / design / branding etc) most of the time (as explained only runs out of steam when things get complex - be nice not to have that limiting factor) ... however I know I'm already 10years behind current tech and want to take the leap while also being painfully aware the extra cost is risky if business takes a less favourable turn... that's ultimately my call of course.

I'll be using the M1 for a few months likely - hopefully M2 mini won't be too long ... have pondered the M1 studio but seems overkill - if I'm not doing video editing / 3D / motion graphics etc...

 

[Raz0rEdge]

If the decision is being able to pay a subscription of put food on the table, it's obvious, you stick with what you have and deal with the slowness when it comes up.

When upgrading is not a luxury, you do so.

 

[Arty Greg]

100% yep Raz0r... as I have been for a good while now - hence my pondering and making sure to check out if the newer much higher spec 2018 mini + VM is any option to keep CS6 going for a few more years ... sadly seems while sure it would technically work it would be a downgrade in performance... Business has been going pretty well this last year so thought wise to see what options are out there.

Starting to think while it would create a more messy desktop - having an affordable M1 as well as my 2012 mini may be my best solution to enable compatibility. I guess while not the best value there is always the option of paying for one-off month or two of latest Adobe if a large commission comes in...

 

[Lifeisabeach]

I wonder if you'd be well served by getting a 2013 "trash can" Mac Pro? They can be had for just a few hundred dollars and certainly are more powerful than your Mac mini.

 

[Arty Greg]

Haha yep I have been pondering that for a few years Lifeisabeach! Annoyingly part of my health issues is sensitivity to fragrance ... all trashcan Pros are going to be pre-owned now I'd imagine so refurb would be least risky.