4K Monitor for the 2.8GHz Mac mini

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Please forgive me if this is answered: I've searched here. And I’ve spent two hours online searching, didn't find it.

I'm nearly computer (particularly Mac) ignorant about technical terms and their meanings. So I use the following not really knowing what it is.

I'm interested in buying a Mac Mini with:

3.0GHz Dual-Core Intel Core i7

16GB 1600MHz LPDDR3 SDRAM

AirPort Time Capsule - 3TB

Question is will this Mac Mini, as I have it configured (haven’t bought it yet), handle a 4K Monitor?

If so, I’d be obliged if there are recommendations. If not, the same: recommendations for the best monitor for my interests. These interests are mostly graphic related. Examples: I use Photoshop a lot. I upload images to my main website. And sometimes my image files start out at very high resolution RAW images.

As it is, I’m using a ten year old Power Mac G5 with an Apple Mac Cinema 22" Monitor Display.

Really, all I’ve ever used this G5 for over the years has been for scanning, Photoshop and for capturing single frames from DVD movies. Never even set up an email, or use the browser. Then I’ll pick up my files from the G5 over to my Windows machine to upload and/or further work on them. This time, with the Mac Mini, I intend to see what all it has, and use it much more.

So, there’s a short story long. All I need to know at the moment is an answer to that question:

Will the Mac Mini handle a 4K monitor?

Thank you very much for your patience, and looking forward to answers from you all to a pretty much illiterate Mac user.
 
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pigoo3

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What exactly is the question? The thread title suggests something…but the post itself does not contain a question.

- Nick
 
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What exactly is the question? The thread title suggests something…but the post itself does not contain a question.

- Nick

Sorry, Nick. Got it edited up above now.
 
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Depends: let me explain this in a lot more detail a 4k display might work but might only display in 1080p i would actually recommend getting a 32 inch or better hdtv they work excellent with the mini's as a display and i have three 32 inch Samsung's connected to my 3 machines one is a 2011 Mac Mini and the other is my mac pro 2.1 and my other is a g4 cube with video converter to HDMI all work no issues.
 

pigoo3

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pigoo3

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This Mac-Mini (as configured above) will cost $1399. In my opinion…$1399 for a Mac-Mini is VERY expensive. If it were me…I would get the 2.7ghz 21" iMac ($1299)…upgrade the ram to 16gig (+$200)…then get the 4k display you were thinking of.

$1499 for the iMac (instead of $1399 for the Mac-Mini)…you get a:

- quad-core computer
- dual monitors (with the 4k display) for just $100 more
- and you also get a keyboard and mouse with the iMac (this by itself is worth $138)

:):)

- Nick
 
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Actually not true a nice non brand name tv can be had for 200.00 the same cost as a monitor so i would honestly look around i spent 500.00 on my three and there still going stronger then ever and they work really good with yosemite
 
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This Mac-Mini (as configured above) will cost $1399. In my opinion…$1399 for a Mac-Mini is VERY expensive. If it were me…I would get the 2.7ghz 21" iMac ($1299)…upgrade the ram to 16gig (+$200)…then get the 4k display you were thinking of.

$1499 for the iMac (instead of $1399 for the Mac-Mini)…you get a:

- quad-core computer
- dual monitors (with the 4k display) for just $100 more
- and you also get a keyboard and mouse with the iMac (this by itself is worth $138)

:):)

- Nick

Yes, Nick. I have been thinking of the iMac. A friend wrote:

"Did you consider an iMac with Retina 5K? That would be instead of the Mac Mini and a separate monitor. I've been happy with the visual quality. The issue there is cost, that would be $2500 of the $3000 [± as to the budget I have in mind] you mentioned. The 3TB Fusion Drive is another $150 and then you would not necessarily need the external Thunderbolt drive unit."

Does seem both easier and, as you say, just a hundred bucks or so more.

I'm headed back to the Apple store, see if I can take your advise altogether - or try and combine yours with my friend's. Will keep you posted....

Thanks much.
 

pigoo3

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Yes, Nick. I have been thinking of the iMac. A friend wrote:

"Did you consider an iMac with Retina 5K? That would be instead of the Mac Mini and a separate monitor. I've been happy with the visual quality. The issue there is cost, that would be $2500 of the $3000 [± as to the budget I have in mind] you mentioned. The 3TB Fusion Drive is another $150 and then you would not necessarily need the external Thunderbolt drive unit."

Does seem both easier and, as you say, just a hundred bucks or so more.

I'm headed back to the Apple store, see if I can take your advise altogether - or try and combine yours with my friend's. Will keep you posted....

There's just one small detail regarding the friends advice (as your friend mentioned). Currently there's only one iMac model that has the 5k display. It's a 27" model…and with 16gig of ram...is going to cost you $2699. A good bit more $$$$ than we've been talking.

With the 21" iMac model I mentioned earlier…I was trying to stay close to the budget you were going to spend on the Mac-Mini.:)

- Nick
 
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There's just one small detail regarding the friends advice (as your friend mentioned). Currently there's only one iMac model that has the 5k display. It's a 27" model…and with 16gig of ram...is going to cost you $2699. A good bit more $$$$ than we've been talking.

With the 21" iMac model I mentioned earlier…I was trying to stay close to the budget you were going to spend on the Mac-Mini.:)

- Nick

Yes, I’m finding that out. Using yours, this is what I’m seeing:

16GB 1600MHz DDR3 SDRAM - 2X8GB
1TB Fusion Drive
Apple USB SuperDrive
Apple Magic Mouse
Apple Wireless Keyboard

Total: $1778.00

I’m liking this. Got to be better than my old G4 that's acting up just this week. Macs do seem to last a very long time.
 

pigoo3

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Yes, I’m finding that out. Using yours, this is what I’m seeing:

16GB 1600MHz DDR3 SDRAM - 2X8GB
1TB Fusion Drive
Apple USB SuperDrive
Apple Magic Mouse
Apple Wireless Keyboard

Total: $1778.00

Your total is higher than mine…because you added the USB Superdrive and the Fusion Drive.:)

And of course you can still get the 4k external display (if you want to)…and use it as part of a dual display setup. Or maybe you were only getting the 4k display because with the Mac-Mini you needed a display.

- Nick
 

pigoo3

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By the way…your budget seems to be "creeping" higher & higher. Now that you're talking about spending $1778…you could consider a refurbished 27" iMac from the Apple refurbished section:

Refurbished Mac Computers - Refurbished Notebooks & Desktop Computers - Apple Store (U.S.)

FYI…with a 27" iMac…you don't have to get the 16gig of ram right away. With the 27" iMac's you can upgrade the ram later.:) And the 27" display is super-awesome (lots of screen real estate)!:):)

- Nick
 
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Your total is higher than mine…because you added the USB Superdrive and the Fusion Drive.:)

And of course you can still get the 4k external display (if you want to)…and use it as part of a dual display setup. Or maybe you were only getting the 4k display because with the Mac-Mini you needed a display.

- Nick

Uh-huh. This USB Superdrive because I will need something for DVDs/CDs. Maybe I'm just not seeing something here? I don't see any other way. As for the Fusion Drive, this is one idea I'm taking from my friend. Again, I might be misunderstanding things, but the description makes some sense to me as very important feature for my work:

Fusion Drive combines 128GB of superfast flash storage with a traditional hard drive. And now it’s up to 50 percent faster than before.** It automatically and dynamically moves frequently used files to flash for quicker access. With Fusion Drive in your iMac, booting, copying files and importing photos are faster. Over time, as the system learns how you work, Fusion Drive makes your Mac experience even better. All while letting you store your digital life on a traditional, roomy hard drive.

I doubt I'll want a dual display. The answers you're offering have let me away from my first concern about the Mac-Mini all the way now to the iMac. It's all good so far. I do like a smaller display than what you suggest in a following reply about a a refurbished 27" iMac.
 
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Remember with a 21.5" iMac you cannot user upgrade the memory and memory from Apple is not cheap. For what it is worth with my iMac I use a cheap Samsung SE-208 optical drive - about $30.00.
 

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Uh-huh. This USB Superdrive because I will need something for DVDs/CDs.

Fine…no problem. I was just explaining that my price of $1499…and your price of $1778…the difference is due to the fact that you added the USB Superdrive & the Fusion Drive. Obviously if you add upgrades…the price will increase.

I doubt I'll want a dual display. The answers you're offering have let me away from my first concern about the Mac-Mini all the way now to the iMac. It's all good so far. I do like a smaller display than what you suggest in a following reply about a a refurbished 27" iMac.

Again…fine. I'm just trying to help you get the most for your money.:)

But if you do like a smaller display…why the heck were you looking at a 39" 4k monitor earlier in the thread?? There is a HECK of a lot of difference between a 21" iMac display, a 27" iMac display, and a 39" 4k display.

If you always preferred a smaller display…why did you ever mention the 39" 4k display??? I was only suggesting the 27" iMac…since it did seem that you wanted a LARGE display!

- Nick
 
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Remember with a 21.5" iMac you cannot user upgrade the memory and memory from Apple is not cheap. For what it is worth with my iMac I use a cheap Samsung SE-208 optical drive - about $30.00.

I see that there's only 16GB 1600MHz DDR3 SDRAM - 2X8GB available. I presume this is as high as it's possible to go?
 

chscag

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I see that there's only 16GB 1600MHz DDR3 SDRAM - 2X8GB available. I presume this is as high as it's possible to go?

That's correct, the 21.5" iMac models are limited to a maximum of 16 GB of memory (as far as we know). The problem with finding out if they can take more memory is that the logic board has to be removed in order to update the modules. Previous to 2012, the 21.5" iMac was user upgradeable to 32 GB.

All 27" model iMacs can take 32 GB.
 
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Fine…no problem. I was just explaining that my price of $1499…and your price of $1778…the difference is due to the fact that you added the USB Superdrive & the Fusion Drive. Obviously if you add upgrades…the price will increase.



Again…fine. I'm just trying to help you get the most for your money.:)

But if you do like a smaller display…why the heck were you looking at a 39" 4k monitor earlier in the thread?? There is a HECK of a lot of difference between a 21" iMac display, a 27" iMac display, and a 39" 4k display.

If you always preferred a smaller display…why did you ever mention the 39" 4k display??? I was only suggesting the 27" iMac…since it did seem that you wanted a LARGE display!

- Nick

I appreciate your taking into account my budget, and showing me ways to save even more. I can accept the increase of price for these two upgrades if, as I see they possibly - if not probably - are important ones.

And your suggestion of the 27" iMac is something I looked into too as soon as you mentioned it. Why did I mention the 39" 4k? It all started with my interest in the Mac-Mini and knowing I’d need a display. I was thinking about how little space the Mac-Mini would take, so a 39" would be about what I have now. That's my mistake in not thinking properly in measurements. I didn't even imagine how large a 39" display is, or even the 27". Finally I took a measurement of the Apple display I have now, and it's 23" measured diagonally, not close to the 39” I imagined. For me that 23” Apple screen always seemed large. Too large. Then I took a measurement of my Windows display and it's 21", which is fine. (Incidentally, I'm not only ignorant as to the technical terms involved in what I'm after - I've become over the last few years incredibly math illiterate, to the point that I've actually forgotten much of my multiplication table and cannot remember anymore how to do long division, or the arithmetic of subtraction.) So I’ve been making mistake after mistake. I feel like I’m almost there with you getting me thinking about the 21" iMac, as opposed to my friend’s idea of the much more expensive iMac with Retina 5K. I didn’t even see the 21” iMac at the Apple store until you suggested it. All I was looking at were the three Mac-Minis and the iMac with Retina 5K display.

So, I’m pretty much ready now to go with the 21” iMac. Just want to make sure I know what I’m doing as far as the two upgrades, and now memory for it. And wondering if there’s something else I’m missing. I wasn’t joking when I opened the thread declaring my ignorance: “I'm nearly computer (particularly Mac) ignorant.” Now I’m showing my ignorance and confusion all over the place. My apologies.
 
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That's correct, the 21.5" iMac models are limited to a maximum of 16 GB of memory (as far as we know). The problem with finding out if they can take more memory is that the logic board has to be removed in order to update the modules. Previous to 2012, the 21.5" iMac was user upgradeable to 32 GB.

All 27" model iMacs can take 32 GB.

Interesting about previous versions of the 21.5" iMac having more capacity than today's version. By the way, what year is the version we're talking about now?

I've got 16 GB of memory on Windows 7 and it's still running pretty well. I suspect, then, that 16 GB on the 21.5" iMac will be sufficient.
 

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