Need Buyers Advice: Older Mac Mini or New iMac?

[nicmeredith]

Hey everyone, here is my dilemma. I started my own videography business mostly doing weddings and I've gotten a few music video gigs too. Right now, I have an older 2007 MacBook Pro that is super slow when trying to edit these videos. It won't even run Final Cut anymore.

I want to upgrade so I can dive more into the videography business. I have the money for the cheapest iMac right now, but I found a 2009 Mac Mini on craigslist that sounds like it might do the trick. I don't know anything about hardware specs, so my question for you techys is can you look at this mac mini and see if you think it would handle final cut pro and heavy video rendering okay? Here are the specs...

Intel Core 2 Duo, 2.0GHz, 1.07GHz FS BUS,
8GB DDR3 SDRAM 1067MHz, 120GB SATA HDD,
DL SuperDrive DVD Burner, Wi-Fi N, BlueTooth 2.1+EDR,
Display Graphics - 256MB NVIDIA GeForce 9400M,
Supports Dual Displays - 1920x1200 and 2560x1600

Connectivity includes Mini-DVI and Mini DisplayPort, a Firewire "800" port, five USB 2.0 ports,combined "optical digital audio input/audio line in" and combined "optical digital audio output/headphone" mini jacks, a 10/100/1000Base-T Gigabit Ethernet port, and built-in AirPort Extreme (802.11a/b/g/n) and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR.

 

[blanka]

Not really, for FCP I would advise a quad i7 mac mini, it is more than 4 times as fast as your find. It is still better than an iMac, as an imac with i7 will be an expensive BTO order, where the base 2.3 quad Mini is almost as fast. You can also hookup a Dell U2713HM, which allows video framerates, unlike any Apple diplay.
Your find is a very good media center, kicking apple TV's butt.

 

[Fishrrman]

Get a _new_ (late 2012) Mini with the 2.3ghz i7.

If you can afford the 2.6ghz i7, that's a better choice.

 

[kumquat]

Why has your MacBook slowed down so severely? Have you tried cleaning out old cache files and the like? What OS are you running? You might consider doing a clean install and seeing if things speed up again.

Do not buy an Intel Core 2 Duo anything.

I agree with the others that you should be looking at the highest spec'd Mini you can afford, remembering that you're going to need a monitor, keyboard and mouse/trackpad, too. While the top of the line, built to order iMacs surpass the best Mini, they're also a whole lot more expensive, not really that much more powerful and have a long history of problems with the displays going kaput from overheating.

Keep an eye on what pops up in the Apple Refurbished store. The Minis tend to come and go fairly quickly, but you might be able to snag something of a deal.

 

[dbroncos78087]

Why has your MacBook slowed down so severely? Have you tried cleaning out old cache files and the like? What OS are you running? You might consider doing a clean install and seeing if things speed up again.

Do not buy an Intel Core 2 Duo anything.

I agree with the others that you should be looking at the highest spec'd Mini you can afford, remembering that you're going to need a monitor, keyboard and mouse/trackpad, too. While the top of the line, built to order iMacs surpass the best Mini, they're also a whole lot more expensive, not really that much more powerful and have a long history of problems with the displays going kaput from overheating.

Keep an eye on what pops up in the Apple Refurbished store. The Minis tend to come and go fairly quickly, but you might be able to snag something of a deal.

Agreed. At work, we have OptiPlex 780s and Lenovo ThinkCentres and the difference is night and day and it's almost exclusively because the Lenovo machines come with the I-series processors. You don't notice it until your off the old stuff.

I recommend the MM and two good price monitors and you're set. I have a 2012 MM with two 23" monitors.

 

[kumquat]

You don't notice it until your off the old stuff.
….

I have a 2012 MM with two 23" monitors.

I still my use old, white Santa Rosa MacBook mainly hooked up to one of my TVs and, since I got my 2012 Mini, it's amazing to me how slow the MacBook feels. It had previously been my "fast" computer as my only other one left is a PowerMac G5. I think I'd wind up throwing the MacBook out of a window in a temper tantrum if I had to try to do video editing on it. It's also kind of stunning how much more power is needed for smooth operation than was only 5 +/- years ago for just basic stuff like web browsing. The advancements have been great; I only wish upgradeability would factor more into all electronic design because, at the rate things are moving, we're all going to be buried under an avalanche obsolete electronics pretty soon.

 

[ioannis2005gr]

No doubt! new iMac...check specs!

 

[blanka]

No doubt! new iMac...check specs!

Seriously, not much happened. Most models are still beaten by the quad mini's en even GPU power is only the slightest improved. And type of wifi on a desktop: who cares?

 

[ioannis2005gr]

Seriously, not much happened. Most models are still beaten by the quad mini's en even GPU power is only the slightest improved. And type of wifi on a desktop: who cares?

Blanka, I will be very happy if HD4000 graphics is replaced with a new HD5xxx series (hopefully, not the HD4600).

Besides, PCI-e SSD is very recommended!

Generally speaking, I prefer a dGPU similar to GT750M (better performance).

Also, new iMac i7 processor is powerful (better than the previous i7 in Mac Mini).

your opinion?

 

[fig]

Seriously, not much happened. Most models are still beaten by the quad mini's en even GPU power is only the slightest improved. And type of wifi on a desktop: who cares?

The Mini he mentioned isn't a remotely new one, hence it would get the doors blown off it by any recent iMac.

I can see the argument for a new Mini vs new iMac either way, depends on your particular needs.