Will M2 Mac mini run better than a 2017 Macbook Pro on Ventura?

[spinedoc77]

I'm hoping to fix the abyssmal performance of Ventura on my 2017 Macbook Pro (16gb RAM) with an upgrade, but I wanted to make sure performance would be improved. I'm looking at the M2 Mac Mini with 8gb RAM so I'm not sure if that's a significant upgrade. I really don't want to spring for the extra 16gb RAM, at that point I'd just suffer with my old Pro. Thoughts on how good of an upgrade this would be?

Also would there be any issue in running 2 4k displays? One display would be USB-c to HDMI and would run 4k 120hz, the other display would also be USB-c to HDMI but would run at 4k 60hz.

 

[je@]

Hi, I have a Mac mini M2 and it runs 2 4K displays (both max out at 60hz) one over HDMI and one USB-c to HDMI.

Coming from an iMac 2017 21.5inch - - - it runs way better.

But to get higher than 60hz, I think you need to step up to the Mac mini pro...

From apple's website https://www.apple.com/mac-mini/specs/

Simultaneously supports up to two displays:

• One display with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt and one display with up to 5K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt or 4K resolution at 60Hz over HDMI

Thunderbolt 4 digital video output

• Support for native DisplayPort output over USB‑C

HDMI display video output

• Support for one display with up to 4K resolution at 60Hz

 

[spinedoc77]

Hi, I have a Mac mini M2 and it runs 2 4K displays (both max out at 60hz) one over HDMI and one USB-c to HDMI.

Coming from an iMac 2017 21.5inch - - - it runs way better.

But to get higher than 60hz, I think you need to step up to the Mac mini pro...

From apple's website https://www.apple.com/mac-mini/specs/

Simultaneously supports up to two displays:

• One display with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt and one display with up to 5K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt or 4K resolution at 60Hz over HDMI

Thunderbolt 4 digital video output

• Support for native DisplayPort output over USB‑C

HDMI display video output

• Support for one display with up to 4K resolution at 60Hz

Thanks, that stinks about the 4k but good to know. Do you have the 8gb RAM version? Have you ever had a ton (like 30+) webpages open and does that bog it down?

 

[je@]

I have the 8GB and opening 30+ tabs will get your memory pressure in the yellow but it doesn't become unusable.

 

[HDFan]

I'm hoping to fix the abyssmal performance

What is the performance problem? What are you doing?

 

[PBG4 Dude]

Thanks, that stinks about the 4k but good to know. Do you have the 8gb RAM version? Have you ever had a ton (like 30+) webpages open and does that bog it down?

Just remember CPU and GPU share RAM, so the RAM required to drive 2 4K displays will be reduced from your 8GB bucket. By how much, I have no idea. Just something to consider. I personally consider 16GB to be the minimum RAM I’d get in a computer today, but I’m not you.

 

[spinedoc77]

What is the performance problem? What are you doing?

Fans are almost always maxed out with anything that I do, even with it just sitting there on my desk the fans are constantly just going on maxed out for no reason. Part of it is the display server issue with Ventura and multiple external displays, but other times it's other processes. Yes I clean installed Ventura, and I took it apart and cleaned the fans. On paper it's a monster (i7/16gRAM/1TB HD), but in practice it's a complete POS.

 

[spinedoc77]

I pulled the trigger and grabbed a 8gb M2 Mini today, HOLY CRAP it's so much faster and smoother than my old Macbook Pro. On the Macbook I couldn't even open 2 YouTube tabs, with the Mini I can easily open at least a dozen, that's where I stopped though I'm sure I could go more. Extremely happy with this new setup!

 

[stradify]

Now you know what all the hoopla has been about for the last two and half years.
Congrats on the purchase!

 

[bmcgrath]

Yeah you will definitely see a night and day difference in performance of the new M series Macs. I saw a huge jump from an I9 Mac to the M1 Pro. Software is just way more optimised for Apple Silicon vs Intel too.