Mac Mini VS Macbook Pro 2011

[Bigwidge]

I know it's more of a personal choice, but I am torn between the two. I have a 2010 APEX 32" flat screen that I could use with a mini to have a pretty big screen. And as I have always been loyal to the desktop idea, I could use a mac-book pro for the portability. Although, 90% of the time it would be on my desk, and I really would never NEED to have the portability. Does anybody have any recommendations?

 

[paulrbeers]

I assume the 32" Apex screen is actually a tv? The pixel density of that is pretty horrible for computer use. Fine for distance viewing of movies/games/etc, but for day to day computer tasks it isn't good at all. Otherwise, it really comes down to personal choice. The MBP will be more powerful since it has quad core processors AND a discrete GPU. The Mac Mini either allows you to have a quad core processor OR a discrete GPU. However, if you aren't a gamer this probably won't matter much.

The choice is really a personal preference. If I only had one machine at my house, it would be a laptop.

 

[Bigwidge]

Okay, makes sense. So the TV would not be a good choice at all. And I am not much of a gamer on a PC, although I do some minor photoshopping and video editing in my free time.

 

[shortcut3d]

The 13" Macbook Pro and the Mac Mini are very comparable. You can get a more processing power with the Mac Mini Server than the 13" Macbook Pro. Graphics performance would be the same. However, consider that the server model has no keyboard or mouse vs a laptop with those items integrated for $199 more.

Things change dramatically when you start looking at the 15" & 17" Macbook Pro. It's obviously more expensive, but much more powerful machine all around. My 2011 15" 2.3GHz quad-core MacBook Pro is by far the most powerful machine in the house. It handily beats last years 27" 2.93GHz iMac (several factors such as Sandybridge processor and SATA III lend to this). Yes, the specs in my signature are enthusiast / prosumer based, but near the same performance can be had with consumer based / general availability upgrades.

It comes down to your personal budget and usage patterns which I did not see in your original post. However you can weigh a few factors in your decision:

Screen and Keyboard: Y/N
Internet Usage: Y/N
Business Graphics: Y/N
Casual Gaming: Y/N
-------- Answer Yes Above this line base Mac Mini --------
Video Editing (i.e. RAW): Y/N
Video Decoding/Encoding: Y/N
-------- Answer Yes Above this line Mac Mini Server or 15"+ MBP --------
3D Video Gaming: Y/N
Portability: Y/N
-------- Answer Yes Above this line 15" or greater Macbook Pro --------

 

[Bigwidge]

I'm probabl somewhere between your first and second line. Video editing is minor at the moment. Budget is low that is why I want a mini, but want to make sure my 32" apex would work fine as a display

 

[Minicube]

If your budget is low, it's decided for you. The low end mini is several hundred less than even the 13" MBP. However, if you do have the $, the MBP is the better choice IMO. You'd be shocked how much you use the portability, and you can hook it up to a big screen and use it much like a desktop when desired.