Mac Mini M1 or new 24" iMac?

[Serban55]

With the imac you get a better value than the mini if you go with the 1499$ imac
But can you live with the 24"? can you adapt easily coming from the 27" to 24" ?
If yes, then there is no question, be happy with the colour if you want of the imac

 

[Serban55]

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.

Of course it matters...in a pro display, everything should matter nowadays.

 

[Donfor39]

What is to be learned from imac.
Enjoying smart design, choice of blue or yellow.

Is there any decent mac based software packages to purchase and learn from.
Photos could be a decent start.
Something different from Windows for a change -xps at home.

t.i.a.

 

[tubular]

I'm teetering on the brink of replacing my 2018-model hexcore Mac mini with an M1, but I think I will likely wait until seeing what the next step is on the M1 evolutionary ladder.

 

[ADGrant]

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!

Maybe you should return the monitor and buy a better one. You can get a 24" 4K LG Ultrafine for less than $600 on Amazon or you could go bigger and get the 27" 5k Ultrafine which is the same screen the 27" 5k iMacs have.

Alternatively you could get something even bigger. That is the great thing about the Mac mini.

 

[ADGrant]

With the imac you get a better value than the mini if you go with the 1499$ imac
But can you live with the 24"? can you adapt easily coming from the 27" to 24" ?
If yes, then there is no question, be happy with the colour if you want of the imac

Do you? A 4k LG Ultrafine is less than 600 and the base mini is 699. The iMac monitor does seem to have a slightly higher resolution but the LG has black bezels!

The mini also has USB-A ports and the option of 100GB ethernet.

Given the versatility of the mini, I am not sure the new iMac is such a great deal. If you were comparing the Intel mini with the 27" Intel iMac that would be different because the 27" 5k monitor is very expensive and the Intel mini doesn't have a proper GPU making it a poor choice for a desktop Mac (but fine for a server).

 

[grandM]

I am not into graphics and no expert. Screen real estate seems important though, or so I would presume.

If you hadn't bought the mini I would have advised to hold on till the new larger iMacs are released. Maybe you can still get a refund? Then I would choose that path.

Why? The iMac is better price value. Furthermore you dig the colors. You owned and loved your previous iMac for 11 years. You will regret not having the colors IMHO.

If you can't hold on till the next device you are in a tough spot. I own a Dell U2713H and love it.

I own it for 9 years now and it will serve me for many years to come. I can connect it to a new mini. But it is cable hell. If you want a clean setup the iMac rocks.

A huge disadvantage of the iMac is apple keeping refusing to making it height adjustable. From an ergonomical viewpoint that is a plus for the dell.

Last but not least. My monitor is in plain black. I like that for it is immersive. Something tells me you love the new design. You are into design and might regret not owning the new looks for the next decade...

 

[drrich2]

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.

Sounds like you are trying to keep costs down, but keep things for a long time. I picked up the PC Magazine Editor's Choice Philips Brilliance 279P1 at Amazon for around $350; right now they don't show it in stock and one vendor has it for $874.99, but that's far beyond what I paid. Just an option you might have an interest it, evidently well thought of by some, for well under $500. I paired it with this monitor stand for near $50, and that's gone well.

In a nutshell, I think you'll be happier long-term with a 27" monitor like you're used to, and a good quality one.

 

[Serban55]

Do you? A 4k LG Ultrafine is less than 600 and the base mini is 699. The iMac monitor does seem to have a slightly higher resolution but the LG has black bezels!

The mini also has USB-A ports and the option of 100GB ethernet.

Given the versatility of the mini, I am not sure the new iMac is such a great deal. If you were comparing the Intel mini with the 27" Intel iMac that would be different because the 27" 5k monitor is very expensive and the Intel mini doesn't have a proper GPU making it a poor choice for a desktop Mac (but fine for a server).

Maybe he wants colors , like he said,and something out of the ordinary so black bezels are so common these days
Lets do the math
Macmini has 2 usbA but the imac has 2 usb3 ports witch i preffer. Yes no hdmi and no 100 gb ethernet
Touchid keyboard is 150$ and mouse is 80$ how much for an good 1080p webcam and for a good speaker for the mini? Around 100 for both
So 600$ with 150 80 and 100 total is around 930 with the mac mini 700 is 1630 and no all in one for the simplistic way that the imac provides
yes from math stand point the imac is a better value. But if he needs that hdmi and or 100gb ether or a larger display, then he must go with the mini. With the mini you can also keep the cost down as 900-1000$ buying cheap monitor keyb mouse
Too bad is not hdmi 2.1

 

[drrich2]

Forbes put out an article on the subject - arguing that a Mac Mini setup is the better choice. Some of the points have been made by others, but it may still be of interest. A monitor outlasting the computer portion, the possibility of replacing only the broken piece of a modular system if it quits working vs. the 'all-in-one' approach, and the potential for the new Mac Mini to so impress you that you may want to upgrade to it...without having to buy a new monitor (as composed to upgrading from iMac to iMac).

Late Edit: If this MaxTech YouTube video is accurate in predicting the M1 system is likely to have strong longevity, then if you intend to keep your system a long time, the M1 iMac may be a strong over-all value...if you like it as is. Of course, I have to ask...are you going to be happy with a 24" display (even a beautiful, 4.5K one) for that long?

 

[KennyJr]

For what it's worth, you can still return your Mac mini M1, but if you change your mind later, new 24" iMac orders are not accepting M1 Mac minis for trade-in. Think fast, you only have 15 days from when you received your Mac mini M1 to make up your mind.

 

[Donfor39]

I suspect for my home use M1 Imac should suffice.
No hardware upgrades required, hopefully lasts a few years.

Only chosen online courses such as excel etc.

 

[throAU]

IMHO - mini every time.

Buy yourself a nice display in the size/form factor YOU like and replace it as/when you see fit. And if/when the computer becomes obsolete - replace the computer part.

All-in-ones IMHO are always a bad idea if you can get the same (or better) thing as two replaceable components for an acceptable price. If you've got a specific reason to have the all in one maybe that's something to consider - but if you're on the fence.... mini.

 

[LiE_]

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!

Personally I would go with the iMac, it really is a fantastic package. I've done the Mac Mini thing and I've always struggled with monitor choice. I ended up with a 24" LG Ultrafine 4K and although it was nice, running it in retina 2x meant a pretty mediocre resolution of 1920x1080. Here is how the new 24" 4.5K compares:

21.5 Retina iMac
Native: 4096 x 2304
Retina: 2,048 x 1152
PPI: 218.58 pixels per in

24" M1 iMac
Native: 4480 x 2520
Retina: 2,240 x 1,260
PPI: 218.73 pixels per in

24" LG UltraFine
Native: 3840 x 2160
Retina: 1920 x 1,080
PPI: 185.9 pixels per in

27" 5K iMac
Native: 5120 x 2880
Retina: 2560 x 1440
PPI: 217.57 pixels per in


So as you can see the PPI is proper retina level and you get a very usable 2,240 x 1,260 at 24". Add in the excellent colours, brightness and well balanced out of the box tuning, it really will be a lovely display.

The monitor is what you will be staring at all day, so make sure you are 100% happy.

 

[smbu2000]

Maybe he wants colors , like he said,and something out of the ordinary so black bezels are so common these days
Lets do the math
Macmini has 2 usbA but the imac has 2 usb3 ports witch i preffer. Yes no hdmi and no 100 gb ethernet
Touchid keyboard is 150$ and mouse is 80$ how much for an good 1080p webcam and for a good speaker for the mini? Around 100 for both
So 600$ with 150 80 and 100 total is around 930 with the mac mini 700 is 1630 and no all in one for the simplistic way that the imac provides
yes from math stand point the imac is a better value. But if he needs that hdmi and or 100gb ether or a larger display, then he must go with the mini. With the mini you can also keep the cost down as 900-1000$ buying cheap monitor keyb mouse
Too bad is not hdmi 2.1

The Mini has 2 usb-A ports and 2 USB-C (USB4/TB3) ports.

Generally the imac is a pretty good value as it includes everything (display, mouse, keyboard) that you need for your system. Easier to setup and you don't really have to worry about incompatibilities.

The mini is good at providing flexibility and letting you choose what peripherals you want to use.
Previously, minis could be limited to internal graphics compared to the discrete graphics on the imac, but now they are both pretty much equal with the M1.

For my own setup, I already had a decent monitor (32" 4k BenQ EW3280U) to go along with my Magic Keyboard (with numeric keypad) and Magic Trackpad 2 that I was using with my docked 2017 15" MBP before I switched it over to an M1 Mini. My only problem now is that my kb/trackpad are space gray and the mini is silver, hehe.

If you don't already have peripherals/monitor, then getting an iMac is most likely a better choice.

 

[pdxplm]

Definitely torn here..on one hand, the iMac has it all, keyboard, mouse, monitor, webcam, speakers, etc.. but the mini has the capacity to customize it all. Overall the iMac is still a great quality and value...

 

[Freeangel1]

I would go with a M1 Mac mini.
I just ordered a refurb on APPLES web site for $759 with the 512GB SSD 8GB Ram

The cool thing about the Mac mini is it uses less power, It is portable. you can do cool things like mount it in your car.
You choose the size of the monitor and the quality of the monitor.
The 24" iMac is overpriced and you cant upgrade it
In china they found you can pop off the ram and SSD mounted on the processor and upgrade it

GO Mac mini!

 

[Mcdevidr]

The LG ultrafine 4K is my favorite monitor. I use it with my windows laptop and game on it. Just love the sharpness and brightness. It’s hard to find other monitors that compare for my use cases anyways. I’m sure for work there are other things to consider but for casual use and the games I play I haven’t found anything to match it. I suppose a 120hz 4K display would be better but nobody will make them in smaller than 27 inches.

So I could highly recommend it to use with a Mac mini. In doing so you’re at the same price as an iMac. So get whatever suits you. Hell if I could play the games I like on Mac OS with no issues I’d get the iMac it’s such a clean setup.

 

[blairh]

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!

You are in a super tough position honestly.

The issue is monitors at this point. I think you would be very happy with the 27" 5K LG Ultrafine display. But it retails for $1300. Maybe you can find it cheaper, but I'm sure you don't love the idea of such an expensive monitor. I'm not a fan of 4K at 27" honestly. 5k is much sharper/nicer.

However...it's also an excellent investment and your eyes will absolutely love it. I have the same panel on my iMac and it's just a total game changer.

There is also the 4K LG Ultrafine at 24" for $700. Another great option.

If you can stomach the white bezels, the new iMac has a great screen too. 4.5K at that size is killer. Another nice thing about the new iMac is that it is very light, so bringing it to Apple won't be such a burden if needed.

That's one thing I don't like about my iMac. It's huge and heavy. I hate the idea of lugging this thing to Apple when needed.

I'm honestly leaning towards selling this iMac and getting a Mini at some point. Problem is I'd like to get something bigger and nicer looking than the 27" monitor from LG that I referenced. Fingers crossed Apple releases a monitor this year. The competition otherwise at 5K is pretty scarce. Which is why the new iMac is a great choice if you like the way it looks.

 

[blairh]

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.

Yeah this actually makes a lot of sense. iMacs are a lot of fun, but you combine the monitor and computer and if one has an issue the other part is also tied to it regardless.

 

[eric4]

I'm trying to make the same decision - iMac vs. Mac Mini.

I have the 2012 21.5" iMac and it has been great. I do photography and video editing (Final Cut Pro) - mostly family projects with some simple commercial stuff. The iMac is also the family computer with occasional multiple users logged in (fast user switching) and some shared folders accessed by other computers in the house. It has 16 GB and 1 TB (fusion) drive. It's been awesome, but it is time to replace it. I don't want to wait for the next M2 iMac and with the larger screen it would likely be out of my price range anyway.

In comparing cost M1 Mac Mini vs. new M1 iMac 24", I'd be starting from scratch, so for a Mac Mini I'd need to buy everything - keyboard, trackpad, speakers (about $300 there), and then a monitor which is apparently at least $600-800 (if not more) to get a 24" or 27" 4k with high pixel density and decent color. At that point, the iMac ends up being more expensive.

I use a MacBook Pro 15" for work so I know how good a retina display looks. I'd love to have that for my home photo/video work. I like the fantastic iMac screen, but the Mac Mini is tempting me too. It has more ports and may be cheaper to upgrade by itself. I had a 2006? white iMac before the 2012, and that one was great too in its time.

The new iMac colors are, uh, interesting. I could learn to like the blue or green, and there's always silver. The chin and the white bezels don't bother me, but I would like to see this in real life. When will they be in Apple Stores (or Best Buy or wherever) so I can see the iMac in person?

Beyond cost, upgradability and aesthetics, is there anything else to consider? The performance should be identical, right?

 

[munakib]

I was torn for a bit once the iMac was announced but ultimately the m1 mini is the clear choice for me/for my daughter. I have a magic keyboard gen 1 and a Magic Mouse 2. I decided to buy the 16gb version off the refurbished section. if I had done the same with the iMac the $$$ would not justify it. Also remember, these M1s are most likely going to go through yearly refresh like iPhones - so you will have an all-in-one in your hand that you will most likely resell in 2/3 years. With the mini, you can just connect it to your 85" tv and use it as a HTPC in 2 years.

 

[trevpimp]

I would get the iMac if I had the funds already there and I needed a Mac to use

If you keep the Mini you would always have it without the iMac 4.5k display so think about it if you really like the best of Apple you can get

 

[phrehdd]

I got the Mac Mini M1 with no regrets. Went for my usual sweet spot - 512/16. So far so good and it feels odd not to have had any time where the Mini got warm or hearing a whirrrrrr from a fan. Only issue that some need to seriously worry about are types of monitors and how they are connected. Either Apple or the monitor maker need to address this and its rather late in the game.

As for the iMac. Feel lucky and relax. You an get a very nice 27" screen with good specs and come in at the same or under the price of a similar new iMac. Here is the deal - iMac had to add some wow features to get around the fact it is the same M1 inside as the Mini. I may get an iMac when the M2 chip comes out for a 27" (or whatever larger size they provide) down the road.