Help with comparison

[Stocks]

This is all opinion, but you guys know a lot more than me so I am interested in what you think.

I currently use a 2014 13" MacBook Air as a desktop computer with a 2560x1440 display and wireless keyboard/mouse. I really don't need the portability of a laptop.

The MBA specs:

1.4GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor
Turbo Boost up to 2.7GHz
Intel HD Graphics 5000
4GB memory
128GB PCIe-based flash storage

This MBA is like new and still has value to it, I can sell it for a decent amount of money and purchase a Mac Mini in it's place, which would be more powerful and last longer.

The Mac Mini I would buy is the mid level with SSD upgrade:

2.6GHz dual-core Intel Core i5
Turbo Boost up to 3.1GHz
Intel Iris Graphics
8GB memory
256GB PCIe-based Flash Storage

With the student discount I could get this for $859, which isn't much more than I could sell my MBA for.

My question is if there is a large difference between these two as far as performance? I know there is a lot more to this than clock speed so I just want to be sure.

I am a very casual computer user, but I like things to be quick. I don't want a laggy computer that can't handle the current operating system in a zippy manner in 3-4 years.

 

[AlfaLavala]

The mac mini has higher specs in every way than your Air, even the 256 SSD is probably faster.

 

[redheeler]

The Mac mini and Macbook Air are only the same price because of the Air's desirable aspects as a laptop. If you don't need a laptop then the mid-level mini with SSD is better in every way.

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The mac mini has higher specs in every way than your Air, even the 256 SSD is probably faster.

Yes, this.

 

[Stocks]

Thanks for the replies. I just wanted to be sure. It seems that clock speed is pretty tricky. For example, the old MBA base model has a clock speed of 1.8GHz while my new one comes with a 1.4GHz which they say is faster.

Hell, I built a computer over 10 years ago with a 1.6GHz CPU (overclocked it to 2.4GHz with just a heatsink/fan too ). And I am sure today's 1.4GHz CPUs are faster.

Plus, I have read a lot of negative things about the 2014 Mac Mini here on this sub-forum.

So I just wanted to make sure that the Mac Mini I speced above was truly going to be considerably more powerful than my MBA.