Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Rigtee

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 19, 2018
75
32
Belgium
Hello everyone,

I am most of the time an Apple fan lurker on those forums, while posting only sporadically. I tend to create a new subject when I have a very specific and personal question, which is the case here.

I am student, a true tech- and Apple-enthusiast as today my ecosystem is composed of a 2018 MBP 13", iPad Pro 10,5" and iPhone XR. At home we are also Apple addicts and deep into the ecosystem (iCloud storage, Photos, Apple Music for myself...). I used to own a desktop in the past (2013 iMac 27" before having my MBP) but gave it to my dad afterwards because I was starting the uni and needed a more portable device.

However, from time to time, I am missing a desktop experience. This appeared through my recent purchases of two external displays: a BenQ EW3270 (32" VA - 4K) for my student room and another BenQ but much more high-end this time for home usage: PD3220U (32" - IPS - 4K). This looks like a lot of money but those are really two of my best purchases ever made as they provide me lot of comfort, great picture quality and awesome flexibility (charging MBP, connecting to other media like PS4, Nintendo Switch...).

Here comes the Mac Mini: since a couple of weeks, I want to acquire a desktop to complement my laptop. First I planned to build a Windows machine from scratch as it is cheap and flexible and allows me to run some software more smoothly than on MacOS (Office Suite, like Excel and maybe games occasionally; but it is basically that). It comes with many drawbacks though. First, less integration in my ecosystem: weak iCloud sync (golden jail of Apple though...); ugly apps like iTunes, Spotify, 1Password; even absence of crucial apps for me like Notability, Devonthink, Final Cut Pro... By writing those lines, I reckon this potential Windows machine might be the ugly ducking of the family. That is why I patiently waited for the M1 to show up. What a surprise, a state-of-the-art chip as it seems highlighted in the first reviews. The new Mini makes much sense and I would like it to:
  • Drive my external display perfectly (not both at the same time as you have read but still at a 4K scaled resolution), which is not always the case with my MBP: gets hot fast (hello MS Teams), scaling/zooming problem sometimes when switching from clamshell to open mode, limited by its iGPU for apps like FCPX, Affinity suite...
  • Act as a personal hub for my workflow, including backup: my MBP only has 512GB storage so limited for all my files; I would likely purchase the same internal storage size on the Mac Mini (larger upgrades are too expensive) but with the advantage of having SSD connected through TB4, always powered.
  • To build on the previous point, in the future I would even like to use the Mini as a NAS for home or a least to be available when needed to stream (+ transcode) a 4K movie via Plex/Infuse on the living room TV
  • Of course, allow me to create, edit and manage things faster than my current MBP. I would like to use Affinity Photo more than today (as well as FCPX for video in a second phase) and take advantage of the beautiful screen of the PD3220U, therefore I would love to be able to comfortably edit full-resolution pictures without any lag
  • Remain small and transportable even if it's a desktop machine! That's an underestimated advantage IMO (and generally absent of desktop you build on Windows) as, for someone owning 2 external screens, a Mini makes sense and simply needs to be carried with its power cord!
  • Be powerful enough for the years to come. I don't think I need a true "pro" machine (like iMac Pro power) and I won't play much on the Mini but I desire my machine to have a decent CPU/GPU for the future. That is where M1 truly shined I think as, even if we might have a pro version of the Mini (dark grey), this "base" one is very capable even for more advanced users.
Would you therefore recommend me to buy the M1 Mini or is there maybe a product on the market that better fulfills my needs described above? I am typically not the early-adopter person (actually I could wait until Christmas to make my decision) but the M1 truly caught my eye!

Regards,

Tom
 

Erehy Dobon

Suspended
Feb 16, 2018
2,161
2,017
No service
Assuming you are a US resident, I suggest you buy the M1 Mac mini now since Apple has extended the return period until early January 2021 (the 8th I believe but make sure you read the fine print when you purchase).

That will give you a longer review period. If you wait until Christmas to make your purchase, you will basically end up with the normal 14 day return window.

If you don't like it, you can return it no questions asked. That said, you should put it through its paces immediately. Big Sur may or may not get better, any third party software you use may or may not get better so you will have to decide yourself before the return deadline whether or not its performance merits keeping it.

Best of luck.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jazz1

Rigtee

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 19, 2018
75
32
Belgium
Unfortunately I’m not as I live in Belgium. However, some “local” (European) websites have larger windows than the typical 14-day so I might buy the Mini there.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.