2014 mid model mini with VMware

[Ics1974]

Thinking of getting the mid model mac mini 2014 with the 8GB of Ram.
Will it be powerful enough for a single win 7 VMware image running? Will use occasionally for some of my old windows apps.
I will also use the mini for streaming movies and other standard stuff like email, Internet, garage band recordings and picture editing.
I know the i7 quad core is better for vm but I am concerned about the outdated graphics chip years down the road. If the single core i5 will do a single VMware image running I think I will get the 2014 model.

 

[ymarker]

I have parallels 10 running on a mid tier 2014 mac mini with 256 gb pcie. I had parallels 10 using 1 core and windows was somewhat slow, set it to two core and coupled to the 256gb pcie flash, it flies and doesn't bog down mac OS X either. You are still constrained by your memory though which I have 8gb. For just productivity apps across windows and mac it is fine. But don't plan on heavy gaming under windows.

 

[Ics1974]

What if no pcie ?

 

[CausticPuppy]

The CPU will be fine. I run windows 7 in Virtualbox on my dual core 13" retina MBP so the mini should handle it just fine. The key thing is RAM when it comes to virtual machines. I have 16GB and allocate 4GB to windows 7. You might want to limit it to 2 or 3GB.

 

[Doc69]

Is anyone running VMWare Fusion successfully on the low end 1.4GHz mini with 4GB? My mom needs a new computer and she's on a budget. The 1.4 mini would be perfect for her, but unfortunately she needs to run VMWare sometimes, since a particular software she uses is Windows only.

 

[MRrainer]

Try to get hold of a basic 2012 model, replace the RAM with 2+8 GB RAM and a 256GB Crucial SSD. That should do the trick.
Do you love your mom? Don't make her use the base 2014 Mini with VMware!