Used Late 2012 iMac vs. Used Late 2012 Mac Mini

[MacRobert10]

Hi guys:

We develop software and need a system that can still run OS X versions going back to Mountain Lion natively. Right now I'm looking at used late 2012 Mac Mini's and used late 2012 21.5" iMacs. Oddly, or so it seems to me, the iMac's comparably configured are selling for about the same prices as Mac Mini's. I realize that because Apple has castrated the newest Mac Mini's (worse performance than the 2012 models, soldered in RAM, generally non-configurable, etc. etc) may make the 2012 units command a price premium, but honestly, some of the prices they're selling for used are ridiculous.

I would prefer a Mac Mini, but for the same price, why not an iMac. The fact that the iMac sold for so much more than a Mac Mini has me worried that there's some type of known issue with the late 2012 iMacs. Are these units to be avoided for some reason?

Thanks.

 

[WorkerBee2015]

Hi guys:

We develop software and need a system that can still run OS X versions going back to Mountain Lion natively. Right now I'm looking at used late 2012 Mac Mini's and used late 2012 21.5" iMacs. Oddly, or so it seems to me, the iMac's comparably configured are selling for about the same prices as Mac Mini's. I realize that because Apple has castrated the newest Mac Mini's (worse performance than the 2012 models, soldered in RAM, generally non-configurable, etc. etc) may make the 2012 units command a price premium, but honestly, some of the prices they're selling for used are ridiculous.

I would prefer a Mac Mini, but for the same price, why not an iMac. The fact that the iMac sold for so much more than a Mac Mini has me worried that there's some type of known issue with the late 2012 iMacs. Are these units to be avoided for some reason?

Thanks.

Most software developers like systems that can be easily configured. The Mac Mini late 2012 can have things like the HDD and RAM easily changed, but with an iMac of the same vintage, it's a PIA. The Mac Mini requires removing some screws and removing parts, or what I call common sense design. The iMac is not bound together with screws but with adhesive strips. If you want to replace an HDD or SSD, which software developers frequently need to do, you essentially need to remove an adhesive bond between the display and the body, which can be quite tricky, and then replace it, which can be quite costly. This is not a task for novices. Check out the iFixit.com site and compare what's needed to do upgrades.

I personally know of no shortcomings from a quality standpoint of the Mac Mini vs. the iMac, but the servicing of the mini is much easier than that of the iMac. The current trend in Apple design seems to focus on style and not practicality, and the iMac is a perfect example of this new philosophy. The new philosophy exposes itself with the latest Mac Mini's which basically can't be configured at all. These are throw away computers. If something like a RAM chip fails or the drive or SSD fails, that's it for them.

People should be complaining, in my opinion.