More RAM with Fusion Drive?

[twocircles]

I'm looking at a Mac Mini to replace our family computer, which is currently a Windows 7 PC. I have a MBP, which is my primary computer. The family computer is used to browse the Internet, check emails, run all MS Office programs, stream video and play DVDs and Blu-Rays. None or not many games.

When my wife works from home, she uses this computer. It is possible that she will need to run some Windows-only programs, so she may run Parallels or VMWare possibly on a regular basis.

I'm looking at
2.6GHz Dual-Core Intel Core i5 (Turbo Boost up to 3.1GHz)
8GB 1600MHz LPDDR3 SDRAM
1TB Fusion Drive
This model has the IRIS graphics. Will that make a difference?
This configuration only stretches my budget a little.

Everyone in the house uses it daily, so programs get left open, etc. Then someone starts Netflix or a DVD, but there are no real power users.

I typically like to max out RAM. I upgraded to 16 GB on my MBP a year after purchase, and I rarely see a spinning pinwheels, even when running proprietary software in Parallels.

On the Mac Mini, I do not have that option. No upgrades. I guess Apple got tired of letting that money go to Crucial.

My assumption is that Fusion Drive with 128 GB of flash memory will contain OS X, some frequently accessed programs and most importantly the system SWAP file overflow from the physical RAM, My question is with the Fusion Drive will 16 GB upgrade of RAM from 8 GB really speed the system noticeably? Do I need to go further over budget to max out the RAM or should I save $200?

Thanks for sharing your experience and opinions.

 

[chas_m]

If you're set on the Mac Mini, then I think it would be a good idea to max out the RAM, since it is not upgradable later (well, never say never, but presently it isn't). The Fusion Drive will help, but even SSD virtual RAM is no replacement for real RAM. If you weren't running Windows I'd have said you should be fine with the 8GB, but Windows will want its own RAM stake unless you're running true Boot Camp style (rebooting to switch the OS).

You may want to see if Apple (refurb) or a trusted local source is offering the previous Mac Mini model; it could be expanded to 16GB very easily by the user if I'm not mistaken.

As for your wife, unless she's a power-user of Excel I'd suggest just getting the Office suite for Mac (or even LibreOffice or iWork, depending on what she's doing) and avoiding the Windows thing altogether if possible.

So, to be clear, the Fusion Drive + 8GB would do nicely for your stated uses except for needing to potentially run Windows (and for future-proofing the machine a bit).

 

[twocircles]

I am not set on a Mac Mini. It just seems to best fit my budget. My Windows machine was supposed to last one more year when I would buy a 27” iMac, but my PC is beginning to fail. The Mac Mini is a stop gap measure that will likely cause a delayed purchase of the iMac.

I built the PC 5 years ago, I guess I could resurrect it instead. I am just tired of Windows issues. My four year old MBP 13 rarely to never gives me trouble. It is just a workhorse.

Those circumstances aside, I wanted to know if the flash drive part of a fusion drive was fast enough to minimize the need for additional RAM. It really stinks that the RAM in the Mini is not upgradeable. That would make this a no-brainer.

 

[bobtomay]

What's wrong with the PC?
Is it just that time to blow away and reinstall? One day vs a few hundred on the mini?
Only need a new HD or video card?
Both of those can be replaced for under $100.
After you get use to OS X, a new Mac instead of working on the old Windows rig sounds awfully good to a lot of us. But, if you can stand to live with Windows and fix the family's problems on it for another year, I'd stick to your plan and go for that 27" iMac next year instead of a stop gap mini. Especially since you don't have to use the PC.

 

[twocircles]

HDD is giving error messages that it is failing.

If I turn the system off, it takes a long time for the PS to re-engage to turn on.

Video is underpowered now. It was OK 5 years ago.

Silverlight keeps crashing, I have current version. Can’t figure out why and don’t want to invest time to figure it out. There are other odd things going on too.

It might be less expensive to repair, but if I have to replace PS and the CPU, I’ll have to replace the MB too. It adds up quickly. I don’t really want to commit myself to Windows for another 5 years.

I have HDD backing up periodically and will probably go until it dies. Maybe it will go long enough to get an iMac. If so, I will skip the Mac Mini.


Thanks for the comments.