Mac Mini M1 or new 24" iMac?

[kimberley129]

My new Mac Mini came the same day as they released the new colorful iMacs. I have to admit I'm a sucker for all the colors, but now I'm not sure if I should return the Mac Mini and get the 24" iMac, ugh!!!

Coming from a 2012 27" iMac, the monitor I bought to go with the mac Mini is so disappointing. Yeah, I only spent $250 for the 24", the type is so small, and everything is so not vivid, and that's definitely being returned... but I'm wondering if I should invest in a 27" 4K monitor around $500 or so... or just get the 24" iMac and be done with it. (I definitely don't want anything bigger than 27" for my purposes... which is photo editing and some graphic design).

You get spoiled when you have the iMac monitors... so there anything out there with a glossy screen that won't break the bank?

Thanks!

 

[Glmnet1]

24" might feel small coming from a 27". Other than that it's really up to you.

Which models are you comparing? The base iMac is missing 1 GPU core, Ethernet and HDMI compared to the Mac Mini.

If you need a webcam, mouse, keyboard and speakers the iMac makes more short term economical sense.

 

[mtneer]

What are you planning to do with this? If this is your main work computer where you'll spend hours and hours everyday - then get something that you really like. If this is just a general family computer, to be used lightly for banking/ social media, FaceTime - then save your money and keep your current setup.

 

[4sallypat]

Coming from a non 4K/5K display (2012) iMac to a 4.5K iMac display will be a very huge step up.

As for a 2nd monitor, I am going to re-use one of my 10 year old 27" Thunderbolt Apple monitor with the new M1 iMac....

 

[SsSsSsSsSnake]

Coming from a non 4K/5K display (2012) iMac to a 4.5K iMac display will be a very huge step up.

As for a 2nd monitor, I am going to re-use one of my 10 year old 27" Thunderbolt Apple monitor with the new M1 iMac....

was my idea too but they have removed the option with Big Sur and M1,
Or can it https://9to5mac.com/2021/04/21/m1-imac-target-display-mode/

 

[BP9906]

I’m in exactly the same situation as @kimberley129. I have a 2012 iMac 27”. I need an upgrade still weighing my options. On one hand I found an HP 27” monitor with the same display specs as the 2012 iMac for $250 which I would use with the M1 mini. On the other hand I’m considering the new iMac. This computer would be a home machine for photos and files and occasional iMovie editing. I think the downside to the iMac is that I can’t use the monitor with my work-provided MacbookPro 16” Intel.
I’m leaning towards the mini and the HP monitor until 4K monitors come down.

 

[AxiomaticRubric]

Get the iMac. The 24" 4.5k screen will be amazing compared to the older models. It's difficult to match that with an external monitor at a price that won't break your bank account.

 

[4sallypat]

Get the iMac. The 24" 4.5k screen will be amazing compared to the older models. It's difficult to match that with an external monitor at a price that won't break your bank account.

Agree - the price point is very good and the 4.5K 24" screen is amazing - even better than my silly slow Intel 2019 4K 21.5" !

 

[Lemon Olive]

That's not even really a choice. The iMac is the infinitely better value. By the time you equip the Mac mini, it will be almost the price of the same equipped iMac...and you won't find any display anywhere that rivals the iMac display for the difference.

 

[Lemon Olive]

I’m in exactly the same situation as @kimberley129. I have a 2012 iMac 27”. I need an upgrade still weighing my options. On one hand I found an HP 27” monitor with the same display specs as the 2012 iMac for $250 which I would use with the M1 mini. On the other hand I’m considering the new iMac. This computer would be a home machine for photos and files and occasional iMovie editing. I think the downside to the iMac is that I can’t use the monitor with my work-provided MacbookPro 16” Intel.
I’m leaning towards the mini and the HP monitor until 4K monitors come down.

You are exactly the kind of user who should buy an iMac.

 

[fathergll]

That's not even really a choice. The iMac is the infinitely better value. By the time you equip the Mac mini, it will be almost the price of the same equipped iMac...and you won't find any display anywhere that rivals the iMac display for the difference.

Is that true?

8 core/8 GPU M1 with 256GB


iMac = $1499
Mac Mini = $645 from Adorama right now


$855 difference

You are basically in the territory of being able to buy a pro grade 27" monitor with is not glossy and would be superior the iMac's display and could last many years. I know this as I own a 5k iMac and a separate 27" monitor in that price range which is superior to the iMac. I would not get the iMac unless you truly need the space like you live in a NYC studio apartment with no room.

 

[BP9906]

You are exactly the kind of user who should buy an iMac.

Could you explain why? Thanks

 

[fishkorp]

Is that true?

8 core/8 GPU M1 with 256GB


iMac = $1499
Mac Mini = $645 from Adorama right now


$855 difference

You are basically in the territory of being able to buy a pro grade 27" monitor with is not glossy and would be superior the iMac's display and could last many years. I know this as I own a 5k iMac and a separate 27" monitor in that price range which is superior to the iMac. I would not get the iMac unless you truly need the space like you live in a NYC studio apartment with no room.

A magic Keyboard is $99. Magic Mouse is $79. The closest display in size and quality is the UltraFine 4K for $699. Not everyone has a keyboard and mouse, especially if they’ve only had notebooks. So picking the closest equivalent items is a better way of gauging the price. Adding those three items ends up costing more than the iMac, and the screen is lower resolution. Of course, you don’t need a keyboard or mouse that are that expensive. I’m just going by the price of what is included in the box with the iMac for the sake of straight up price comparison.

 

[bigtomato]

I went for the Mac mini already have monitors, mice and keyboard...did 16GB memory and 512GB ssd...can't wait !!

 

[bigtomato]

My new Mac Mini came the same day as they released the new colorful iMacs. I have to admit I'm a sucker for all the colors, but now I'm not sure if I should return the Mac Mini and get the 24" iMac, ugh!!!

Coming from a 2012 27" iMac, the monitor I bought to go with the mac Mini is so disappointing. Yeah, I only spent $250 for the 24", the type is so small, and everything is so not vivid, and that's definitely being returned... but I'm wondering if I should invest in a 27" 4K monitor around $500 or so... or just get the 24" iMac and be done with it. (I definitely don't want anything bigger than 27" for my purposes... which is photo editing and some graphic design).

You get spoiled when you have the iMac monitors... so there anything out there with a glossy screen that won't break the bank?

Thanks!

I would hang on to ti and wait for larger iMac too arrive you can always sell you mini by then.

 

[fathergll]

A magic Keyboard is $99. Magic Mouse is $79. The closest display in size and quality is the UltraFine 4K for $699. Not everyone has a keyboard and mouse, especially if they’ve only had notebooks. So picking the closest equivalent items is a better way of gauging the price. Adding those three items ends up costing more than the iMac, and the screen is lower resolution. Of course, you don’t need a keyboard or mouse that are that expensive. I’m just going by the price of what is included in the box with the iMac for the sake of straight up price comparison.

You don't need a magic keyboard or mouse. OP wants this for photo editing and graphic design. I picked up a 27" HP Dream Color a couple months ago for $900 and that is better than my 27" 5k iMac so in turn that would easily be better than a 24" glossy iMac for this line for work. Think of the monitor as a long term investment especially a pro grade one with self calibration and pro color profiles built right into the monitor. It can be a long term investment that can be used on multiple computers years down the road.

 

[Lemon Olive]

Is that true?

8 core/8 GPU M1 with 256GB


iMac = $1499
Mac Mini = $645 from Adorama right now


$855 difference

You are basically in the territory of being able to buy a pro grade 27" monitor with is not glossy and would be superior the iMac's display and could last many years. I know this as I own a 5k iMac and a separate 27" monitor in that price range which is superior to the iMac. I would not get the iMac unless you truly need the space like you live in a NYC studio apartment with no room.

Like what? Go ahead and list the monitor here that is less than that difference that is better than an iMac's display. It is non-existent. Apple's Retina displays are on a level unto themselves and add tremendous value to the machines that come with them. And despite how hard some people might try, the typical displays on the market today simply do not compare.

Also, those aren't the configs I would compare:
M1 mini 16 GB/1TB = $1299
M1 iMac 16 GB/1 TB = $1999 ( you can't BTO yet, but this is the likely price).
Difference = $700

 

[Lemon Olive]

I picked up a 27" HP Dream Color a couple months ago for $900 and that is better than my 27" 5k iMac

LOLOLOLOLOL. Uh, no. It is not. It is a $900 display with a resolution from 2010.

This is what I'm talking about. When people try to pretend that the displays on the market even compare with the Retina displays Apple delivers in their Macs, the conversation just veers into fantasy.

 

[fathergll]

LOLOLOLOLOL. Uh, no. It is not. It is a $900 display with a resolution from 2010.

This is what I'm talking about. When people try to pretend that the displays on the market even compare with the Retina displays Apple delivers in their Macs, the conversation just veers into fantasy.

LOLOLOLOLOL Newbie that doesn't understand resolution isn't anywhere close to being the important thing for photo editing. I own a 5k iMac as well.

 

[fathergll]

Like what? Go ahead and list the monitor here that is less than that difference that is better than an iMac's display. It is non-existent. Apple's Retina displays are on a level unto themselves and add tremendous value to the machines that come with them. And despite how hard some people might try, the typical displays on the market today simply do not compare.

Also, those aren't the configs I would compare:
M1 mini 16 GB/1TB = $1299
M1 iMac 16 GB/1 TB = $1999 ( you can't BTO yet, but this is the likely price).
Difference = $700

Just get a proper monitor for photo work like a 27" BenQ SW2700 for $600.

If you actually think the resolution is the selling point for photo work then you don't understand what you are talking about.

 

[tubular]

I did the iMac thing for a while but switched to Mac minis around 2012 because it's never the monitor that ages out, always the computer, and it just didn't make sense to me to doom a fully working monitor every time I moved to a new Mac.

 

[QCassidy352]

I went for the Mac mini already have monitors, mice and keyboard...did 16GB memory and 512GB ssd...can't wait !!

The mini is always going to be by far the better choice if you already have monitor/mouse/keyboard/speakers that work for you. I have a 4K Dell monitor from a few years ago that I'm sure is not equal in quality to the new iMac, but it still looks pretty good to me (no professional photo / graphics work), I already have it, and it probably only cost about $400 even when it was new.

 

[Lemon Olive]

LOLOLOLOLOL Newbie that doesn't understand resolution isn't anywhere close to being the important thing for photo editing. I own a 5k iMac as well.

Resolution is important to everything. And so is pixel density. I'm so tired of this argument. People trying to justify worse displays being good enough. It is most tiring.

 

[fathergll]

Resolution is important to everything. And so is pixel density. I'm so tired of this argument. People trying to justify worse displays being good enough. It is most tiring.

I don't expect you to have the capacity of understanding why many professionals purchase pro grade 2k monitors with advance CMS to this very day instead of just getting cheaper 4k display. If you want to believe pixel density and resolution are the biggest factors then knock yourself out.

 

[Loyola]

I keep going back and forth about what direction to go to replace my 2010 iMac.

Get the mini (already had what I need - monitors, keyboard and mouse)
Get the $1499 iMac
or
Just wait and hope a mid-range iMac comes out at some point

If there was more differentiation between the $1699 and $1499, I might go for the $1699. Just having larger HD is not enough.