Mac Mini 2010 vs. 2011 for HTPC

[dgalvan123]

Let's have some advice:
Which should I use for my HTPC:
the 2010 mac mini or the brand new one 2011 version. I'll be using it to output to two LCD TVs in different rooms (using an hdmi splitter and a cable through a wall).

Main use will be as a DVR (using eyeTV and an HD Homerun tuner, both of which I already own), and for web streaming of cable TV shows (via Plex). I might use it for some ripping, but my MBP on my desk does that well already, so I don't mind not having an internal optical disk drive. (I'd want a blu-ray reader anyway, so I'll consider that for a later optional addition.)

Cost is an issue, so I want to get the entry-level model ($700 for 2010 version vs. $600 for 2011 version). I plan to upgrade the RAM via Crucial or some other non-Apple company.

So which one should I get?

specifically:
Will the new i5 processor run Plex and EyeTV faster than the last year's Intel Core 2 Duo? I've heard rumors that the Intel GPU on the new one is slower than the nVidia GPU on the 2010 version. But all that matters to me is the end result: Will Plex/EyeTV displayed on my TVs run faster on the 2010 mac mini, or the 2011 mac mini?

 

[Hellhammer]

It's hard to say anything until people get their 2011 Minis but I doubt you would notice any difference if you only use Plex/EyeTV.

 

[dgalvan123]

It's hard to say anything until people get their 2011 Minis but I doubt you would notice any difference if you only use Plex/EyeTV.

Thanks for the reply. I'm hoping that's the case as I'd prefer to future-proof by getting the newer model.

By the by, where SHOULD we see the difference between the 2011 Intel GPU and the 2010 nVidia GPU? Is it just hi-end games?

 

[Hellhammer]

Thanks for the reply. I'm hoping that's the case as I'd prefer to future-proof by getting the newer model.

By the by, where SHOULD we see the difference between the 2011 Intel GPU and the 2010 ATI GPU? Is it just hi-end games?

The GPU in 2010 model is actually made by nVidia but that's not a big mistake Intel HD 3000 is very powerful at video playback so the difference will mostly be in games.

 

[dgalvan123]

The GPU in 2010 model is actually made by nVidia but that's not a big mistake Intel HD 3000 is very powerful at video playback so the difference will mostly be in games.

Whoops! Will edit my original post. And thanks!

 

[MovieCutter]

Yeah, the real question is does the quad i7 in the server model make up for lack of dedicated GPU in the 2.7Ghz i7 when it comes to playing 1080P bluray rips. I need to replace my 2.4Ghz 2010 mini because it's choking on some of my higher bitrate blu-ray rips...and it's not the storage channel, I've tested that. I'm guessing it's just the C2D processor showing its age. Do I go for the quad core or the dual core with quad streams+GPU?

 

[3space]

Yeah, the real question is does the quad i7 in the server model make up for lack of dedicated GPU in the 2.7Ghz i7 when it comes to playing 1080P bluray rips. I need to replace my 2.4Ghz 2010 mini because it's choking on some of my higher bitrate blu-ray rips...and it's not the storage channel, I've tested that. I'm guessing it's just the C2D processor showing its age. Do I go for the quad core or the dual core with quad streams+GPU?

I'm holding off on buying the mini until I answer that very question. Also, the lack of built-in DVD is annoying. Using as a HTPC, installing in my rack, wanted a nice and clean solution (has to be mac). If the external superdrive were blu-ray, I'd be a little happier...

 

[Biff...]

I'm holding off on buying the mini until I answer that very question. Also, the lack of built-in DVD is annoying. Using as a HTPC, installing in my rack, wanted a nice and clean solution (has to be mac). If the external superdrive were blu-ray, I'd be a little happier...

I was thinking of getting one of these external blu ray players with a 2011 MacMini.

 

[Smileyboy]

This is a great thread to follow. Thx for the info!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[dgalvan123]

FYI: People have figured out how to add another HDD to the new mac mini without paying apple (though you pay $50 for an internal cable): https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1201731/

Apparently you can also install an SDD (for $375): https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1194678/

That SDD option looks really nice, though it's pretty expensive. I'd think it would be perfect for a HTPC though, as it'll give you that "instant on" experience. Really helps the Wife Acceptance Factor (WAF).

 

[Aussieiphone]

2010 wins

2010 Without exception, foremost due to DVD/CD SuperDrive.

Think re-install disks, install disks, playing DVDs & CDs from Netflix/friends/family/local library, your own collection to rip and place on portable devices.

No doubt the CPU is better, but my 2010 streams HD perfectly via Netflix, Hulu, etc, etc and I've been cable-TV-free for a year - that's paid for the mini.

Btw, works fine with the 2gigs of ram, but on eBay there is cheap 2 x 4gig sticks for about $75, so I did this and run it in 64-bit mode. Works great and with the current pricing on the 2010 is like a total cost to you of $25 extra over the new model...only thing is iLife, iMovie, etc is not 64-bit yet (in 64-bit mode runs as standard).

 

[ugahairydawgs]

Let's have some advice:
Which should I use for my HTPC:
the 2010 mac mini or the brand new one 2011 version. I'll be using it to output to two LCD TVs in different rooms (using an hdmi splitter and a cable through a wall).

Main use will be as a DVR (using eyeTV and an HD Homerun tuner, both of which I already own), and for web streaming of cable TV shows (via Plex). I might use it for some ripping, but my MBP on my desk does that well already, so I don't mind not having an internal optical disk drive. (I'd want a blu-ray reader anyway, so I'll consider that for a later optional addition.)

Cost is an issue, so I want to get the entry-level model ($700 for 2010 version vs. $600 for 2011 version). I plan to upgrade the RAM via Crucial or some other non-Apple company.

So which one should I get?

specifically:
Will the new i5 processor run Plex and EyeTV faster than the last year's Intel Core 2 Duo? I've heard rumors that the Intel GPU on the new one is slower than the nVidia GPU on the 2010 version. But all that matters to me is the end result: Will Plex/EyeTV displayed on my TVs run faster on the 2010 mac mini, or the 2011 mac mini?

On the cost side....you can get the 2010 base model from the Apple refurb store (when in stock) for $469.

 

[dgalvan123]

Macworld review

The Macworld review of the 2011 Minis is in. Find it here.

Here's a relevant few paragraphs that answer the "specific" question I posed in my original post:

When it comes to graphics performance, our benchmark results were mixed. Thanks to its discrete graphics chip, the $799 2011 mini was nearly twice as fast as the 2010 model in our Cinebench OpenGL and Portal 2 tests; it was roughly 50 percent faster in our Call of Duty test. But the $599 model, with its integrated graphics processor, was roughly even with the 2010 model in our Cinebench test and only 12 percent faster in Portal 2. (The $599 2011 model was actually slower than the 2010 model in our Call of Duty 4 test, although Call of Duty is an older game that was never optimized for Intel graphics. Newer games, such as Portal 2, perform much better with Intel integrated graphics processors.)

Benchmarks aside, I found the $599 model to play Portal 2 well enough to be enjoyable, although there was noticeable choppiness at the automatically selected resolution of 1280 by 800 pixels. If you plan to play games more than occasionally, the $799 model, with its discrete GPU and slightly faster processor, is a better bet. On the other hand, one area where the $599 model’s integrated GPU doesn’t seem to hamper it is in video playback. The lower-end mini had no problem playing 1080p video when connected to an HDTV.

This confirms Hellhammer's prediction in his response early on.

Note they used the stock 2GB of RAM when testing the low-end 2011 mini, and said this about memory:

We haven’t had a chance to test a $599 model upgraded to 4GB of memory, but based on real-world use of the two 2011 models, I suspect that more RAM will result in better performance in some of our more-memory-hungry benchmark apps. It will certainly help if you tend to run many applications simultaneously.

To me, this and the other benchmarks in the review that the 2011 mini is definitely worth it, instead of the 2010. The question then becomes: should I get the $599 or the $799. My main use as a HTPC should mean the $599 mini is sufficient, since it will mostly be handling video rips and streaming HD content. It would be nice to use it as a gaming machine as well. . . but my experience with computer gaming is that my mac does well with the current-day high-end games for about a year or two after I get it, and then it always becomes obsolete (for cutting edge gaming) within a couple of years anyway. Since I don't currently have time for computer games, and since my son is only 15 months old at the moment, I supposed I might just eschew gaming with the mini, in favor of getting whatever Console system is all the rage by the time my son is old enough to enjoy them.

On the other hand, the future-proofer in me is saying with a nagging voice: "Just get the higher end one. It will run the more intensive programs well, and survive longer, for just an extra $200."

I'll ruminate, as I'm not in a rush.

 

[dgalvan123]

2010 Without exception, foremost due to DVD/CD SuperDrive.

Think re-install disks, install disks, playing DVDs & CDs from Netflix/friends/family/local library, your own collection to rip and place on portable devices.

This is what the macworld review had to say about the lack of a superdrive:

. . . Apple sees optical discs as today’s floppy drive—an aging media format that’s quickly being replaced by USB thumb drives, broadband Internet connections, and other technological solutions. And for some people, that may be true. After all, between iTunes, the Mac App Store, Lion’s electronic distribution, iCloud, Lion Recovery (discussed below), Target Disk Mode, CD/DVD Sharing, and ripping movies on another Mac, many Mac users would be able to get along fine without an optical drive.

. . .And even with the external SuperDrive, the $599 model is still $21 cheaper than last year’s mini.

These reasons, and the fact that much of our disc-watching nowadays is rented blu-ray from Netflix (which a superdrive would not read), make me not too worried about the lack of optical drive. Plus my MBP has a superdrive, so I can do remote disc reading/ripping using that, which would be more convenient since it is at a desk, while the mini will be in my media cabinet.