Pre-emptive TL : DR version - getting what I think is a tricked out Mini (2012 i7 2.6, aftermarket 512 ssd, 16 gig for mostly work, will bootcamp on SSD) which I think should be a good demo of a mini's performance chops if you spoil it. Should I share some benchmarks?
Long version:
Hey all, long time reader, first time poster. So, I'm a PC admin guy, and have finally had enough of my PCs at home. Decided to go mac (multiple iphone/ipad user for years). Enough little things on the pc annoyed me, iCloud integration made me happy, etc.
So, let me explain my situation - I do lots of virtualization for work - use VMWare on desktops for teaching beginning server OS concepts, need to tweak these on PC. Recently picked up VMWare Fusion, pretty happy - used on my 2011 iMacs in my lab, felt pretty good. A few games seemed to run well, too, which brings me to...
I used to game - still do, on occasion, but not a hardcore gamer. The i7 XPS on my desktop is a painful reminder of the last time I bought a pc "as a gamer" with a tricked out vid card (which WAS noisy, until it failed) and aside from firing up a GOG game once in awhile, and WOW every time I promise I'll get back into it (for a day), haven't done much. But I look my neglected Steam account and promise it "I'll get back to you, someday"...
So: tired of pc. Start looking at macs. I'd pay the price for top-of-line imac, and almost did, but something (as a former system builder) irked me at each step - mostly, as loverly as that screen was, portability and a full on SSD install of Windows Boot Camp more important than a GTX number. End of day, 3k+ vs 900 (well, about to be 1300) I decided to accept what I could, and buy the top of line when I hit lottery.
So - building a fast mini. Before you shout "you fool!" - I know she won't be a gaming machine with the HD4000, but it'll run em at least in a window, and I thought it could be fun to do an article (my first blog kind of thing). Ordered the i7 2.6, 4 gig mem, 1tb platter disk, and going to swap out the memory for 16, and try to dual disk an SSD (512, with half for mac, half for windows boot camp) + the 1tb as a media drive. This should take out of the equation the performance of boot camp normally running on the slower 1tb.
My games collection is a little antiquated, but thinking of testing some pc games:
C&C Generals from origin (pc, cause i'd been waiting for years for a direct download version of generals)
Rainbow 6 3 (steam)
(...I know, i know, old games!)
Rainbow Six Vegas (1 and or 2, forget which ones I have)
Portal 1 & 2
One of the modern combat thingies - bought it, too jumpy for this gettin older gamer, but pretty pretty.
I'd accept requests for 1 or 2 other games, but I've fallen by the wayside on gaming, so other than hearing Witcher 2 is a killer, not sure what I'd get. I'm not buying 100 games though...
I'm excited, though, to have an opportunity to try to screen record these in Quicktime running under Fusion, and then again under Fraps I guess under PC, at a variety of resolutions each.
Any interest in this? Post results here, do a blog, a youtube channel?
Also, picking out a SSD this week, so reading up on performance on anandtech, toms, etc. Any suggestions, performance issues, problems with restore (other than the need to net-restore a clean install onto an aftermarket ssd) I should know about? Yes, I know, expect to spend about 600.
Twy
Long version:
Hey all, long time reader, first time poster. So, I'm a PC admin guy, and have finally had enough of my PCs at home. Decided to go mac (multiple iphone/ipad user for years). Enough little things on the pc annoyed me, iCloud integration made me happy, etc.
So, let me explain my situation - I do lots of virtualization for work - use VMWare on desktops for teaching beginning server OS concepts, need to tweak these on PC. Recently picked up VMWare Fusion, pretty happy - used on my 2011 iMacs in my lab, felt pretty good. A few games seemed to run well, too, which brings me to...
I used to game - still do, on occasion, but not a hardcore gamer. The i7 XPS on my desktop is a painful reminder of the last time I bought a pc "as a gamer" with a tricked out vid card (which WAS noisy, until it failed) and aside from firing up a GOG game once in awhile, and WOW every time I promise I'll get back into it (for a day), haven't done much. But I look my neglected Steam account and promise it "I'll get back to you, someday"...
So: tired of pc. Start looking at macs. I'd pay the price for top-of-line imac, and almost did, but something (as a former system builder) irked me at each step - mostly, as loverly as that screen was, portability and a full on SSD install of Windows Boot Camp more important than a GTX number. End of day, 3k+ vs 900 (well, about to be 1300) I decided to accept what I could, and buy the top of line when I hit lottery.
So - building a fast mini. Before you shout "you fool!" - I know she won't be a gaming machine with the HD4000, but it'll run em at least in a window, and I thought it could be fun to do an article (my first blog kind of thing). Ordered the i7 2.6, 4 gig mem, 1tb platter disk, and going to swap out the memory for 16, and try to dual disk an SSD (512, with half for mac, half for windows boot camp) + the 1tb as a media drive. This should take out of the equation the performance of boot camp normally running on the slower 1tb.
My games collection is a little antiquated, but thinking of testing some pc games:
C&C Generals from origin (pc, cause i'd been waiting for years for a direct download version of generals)
Rainbow 6 3 (steam)
(...I know, i know, old games!)
Rainbow Six Vegas (1 and or 2, forget which ones I have)
Portal 1 & 2
One of the modern combat thingies - bought it, too jumpy for this gettin older gamer, but pretty pretty.
I'd accept requests for 1 or 2 other games, but I've fallen by the wayside on gaming, so other than hearing Witcher 2 is a killer, not sure what I'd get. I'm not buying 100 games though...
I'm excited, though, to have an opportunity to try to screen record these in Quicktime running under Fusion, and then again under Fraps I guess under PC, at a variety of resolutions each.
Any interest in this? Post results here, do a blog, a youtube channel?
Also, picking out a SSD this week, so reading up on performance on anandtech, toms, etc. Any suggestions, performance issues, problems with restore (other than the need to net-restore a clean install onto an aftermarket ssd) I should know about? Yes, I know, expect to spend about 600.
Twy
