Moving from iMac to Mac Mini

[Benjamin99]

I currently have a mid 2011 iMac with the quad core 2.5GHz i5. It has been upgraded with 16GB of ram and a 128GB SSD to the 500GB HDD to make a fusion drive. It runs pretty well. I mainly use it for some hobby app development (Unity 5) and mild Photoshop usage, as well as ripping blu rays, and a Plex media server. I have currently ordered an LG 34um95-P monitor (mainly so I can switch between my surface pro for work and my mac mini without kvm switches and multiple monitors, cables, etc), and plan on replacing the iMac with a new Mac Mini - mid range with upgraded 16gb ram and 1TB HDD (can add SSD later it sounds like?). I am trying to decide if I am stepping down by moving to the mini? Moving from a quad core to dual core - will this affect performance with my current usage? I have been researching and from what I am seeing, it sounds like a step backwards for my usage, but would like to hear from people here that are more experienced with the mini.

I guess a couple other options would be to locate a used 2012 quad core mini and upgrade the ram and install SSD, or even perhaps build a separate headless ripping/plex server rig on the cheap...

Thanks!

 

[ardchoille50]

I currently have a mid 2011 iMac with the quad core 2.5GHz i5. It has been upgraded with 16GB of ram and a 128GB SSD to the 500GB HDD to make a fusion drive. It runs pretty well. I mainly use it for some hobby app development (Unity 5) and mild Photoshop usage, as well as ripping blu rays, and a Plex media server. I have currently ordered an LG 34um95-P monitor (mainly so I can switch between my surface pro for work and my mac mini without kvm switches and multiple monitors, cables, etc), and plan on replacing the iMac with a new Mac Mini - mid range with upgraded 16gb ram and 1TB HDD (can add SSD later it sounds like?). I am trying to decide if I am stepping down by moving to the mini? Moving from a quad core to dual core - will this affect performance with my current usage? I have been researching and from what I am seeing, it sounds like a step backwards for my usage, but would like to hear from people here that are more experienced with the mini.

I guess a couple other options would be to locate a used 2012 quad core mini and upgrade the ram and install SSD, or even perhaps build a separate headless ripping/plex server rig on the cheap...

Thanks!

You should be fine as far as app development and mild photoshop usage, I was doing the same thing on a base 2012 Mac mini (stock) and didn't have any problems. Your upgraded RAM and HDD will be a huge help. I can't speak for the ripping Blu Ray video or Plex media server, though, I've not tried to do those things on the base model Mac mini.

 

[axiomatic]

In my humble opinion, the mini sucks. My brother had one and the thing was slow as hell. Go into an Apple store and test it alongside any other computer, it's honestly a hell of a lot slower

 

[ardchoille50]

In my humble opinion, the mini sucks. My brother had one and the thing was slow as hell. Go into an Apple store and test it alongside any other computer, it's honestly a hell of a lot slower

Your brother likely had one with one or more bad components. I had my Mac mini, base 2012 model, and used it as my daily driver for a year. I'm still impressed with this machine.. and still wonder why Apple labels it "entry-level" when it performs well above the expectations of an entry-level machine. Keep in mind that I spent 13 years on Linux and spent the latter half of that time building my own computers. One of the reasons I moved to OS X from Linux is that the Mac mini "just works" without a lot of maintenance on my part. I'm also planning to buy another Mac mini for use as a media server.

 

[Dark Void]

Usually, and this is going just by what I've seen here, most that claim the Mac mini is "entry-level" have a system that they aren't fully utilizing in the first place - where a mini would preform just as well.

The Mac minis are great.

 

[Benjamin99]

So I guess my main question I guess is more regarding the mid level 2014 Mac Mini (2.5GHz dual core, 8GB ram) and whether that would suit my needs coming from the iMac, or maybe I should try and locate a 2012 (quad core) and do some upgrades to it?

 

[Dark Void]

So I guess my main question I guess is more regarding the mid level 2014 Mac Mini (2.5GHz dual core, 8GB ram) and whether that would suit my needs coming from the iMac, or maybe I should try and locate a 2012 (quad core) and do some upgrades to it?

I'd definitely recommend getting a quad 2012 if you can get your hands on one. You'd have to upgrade that middle-of-the-line mini model that you mention anyway out of the gate if you want it to be on par with your iMac because it lacks a SSD, unless you do a BTO configuration.

It would be cheaper to get a quad 2012, and the performance would be better as well, assuming you can utilize the cores.