Buying a mini vs buying an iMac?

You might find some useful information by browsing a few of the many existing threads on this topic:

iMac or Mac Mini
Mac Mini vs iMac
Any advantage of Mac mini + ATD over new iMac?
The iMac / Mac mini equation
Mac Mini or iMac
New imac with HDD or Mac mini with SSD
Macworld Mini Benchmarks compared with new iMacs
Poll: iMac vs Mac mini
iMac or Mac mini 2012?
iMac 27" base vs Mac Mini High end + 27" Monitor?
I'm very inclined to go for the mac mini over the iMac
Moving from iMac to mac mini
Mini or iMac
New iMac or a mini?

A grate mac mini config is with apple bluetooth keyboard and mouse and a least fancy display making the price point of the mini very interesting.

gdourado said:

So, what is the plus of the mini?

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Hard drive is more easily replaced. Can add a second hard drive.

You can use a monitor you already have.

You can buy any monitor you like instead of being stuck with built-in Apple monitor... for example you might prefer a matte screen, more ergo adjustments, cheaper, multiple inputs, larger, smaller, more expensive, TN panel, better, or worse monitor. Or maybe you just want a monitor with a power button.

When the Mini becomes obsolete, the monitor isn't stuck to it. Just get a new Mini and keep using the monitor... for example, my monitor is on its 6th year and its 4th computer. And because it's a 1920x1200 24" widescreen Dell Ultrasharp, it isn't obsolete at all, even by today's standards.

gdourado said:

Hello,

How are you?
So today I was thinking about this...
What are the plus points of buying a mini vs buying an iMac?

From what I can see, the Mini is cheaper, but it does not include a monitor.
If you add a thunderbolt display, the price of the mini and the thunderbolt display is more expensive than an iMac...

So, what is the plus of the mini?

Cheers!

Click to expand...

I recently tried to go through the pluses and minuses here and got some good replies.

Basically, my response would be: the Mini is cheaper and it doesn't have a monitor. Both on the plus side for me since the Apple screens don't work for my specific needs and wants.

The other plus is that it is cheaper to get one with i7 processor while an i7 iMac is a lot more expensive (screen or not). The only advantages I see with the iMac is the better GPU for those who need that and more than one TB port. The Mini on the other hand still has a designated FW 800 port which can be important to some folks like musicians.

Or to say it differently: neither is perfect and Apple makes you prioritize or rather pick you poison. It's the price for not having to deal with Windows8 I suppose.

gdourado said:

Hello,

How are you?
So today I was thinking about this...
What are the plus points of buying a mini vs buying an iMac?

From what I can see, the Mini is cheaper, but it does not include a monitor.
If you add a thunderbolt display, the price of the mini and the thunderbolt display is more expensive than an iMac...

So, what is the plus of the mini?

Cheers!

Click to expand...

I am using my mini with a 46 inch led tv basically making all other points mute. to be less flip it is always what do you want to do with youR mac. if you want to use it with a large screen tv you want a mac mini. if you want all computer use OF imacs can be argued over the mini. if you do intensive gaming iMac set the screen for 1080p get the new 2012 with the top end gtx680mx gpu it will game well. no mac mini can touch this

The biggest plus of the mini is price.
You can also upgrade it in ways that you can't an iMac.
You also get the freedom of choosing your own monitor.

minifridge1138 said:

You can also upgrade it in ways that you can't an iMac.

Click to expand...

You mean RAM and SSD? Many guys are taking apart their new '12 iMac to do that. RAM is easy on the 27, but SSD and RAM on the smaller iMac takes a bit more courage. But doable.

53x12 said:

You mean RAM and SSD? Many guys are taking apart their new '12 iMac to do that. RAM is easy on the 27, but SSD and RAM on the smaller iMac takes a bit more courage. But doable.

Click to expand...

YOU can alter cooling ,
you can use an endless variety of monitors and tvs. if you buy the 21 inch iMac without fusion you can not add an ssd and convert it to fusion.

all 2012 mac minis can go to diy fusion

With the iMac the computer guts are always 3 feet from your face

If you make the fans spin - there they are

With the mini you can stash it 10 feet away.

The worst thing about the 2012 imac is there is NO reasonably priced all SSD option. I don't do spinning drives anymore. 256G internal for $250 would be a game changer for me on the 27" model. 768G for $1300 is just not realistic (to me) and it is the ONLY all SSD option!!

I toyed with this choice for the last few months, but ended up ordering a 27" iMac with all the upgrades, but not the way too expensive SSD. I got the 1Tb Fusion Drive. I plan to keep it at least 4 years.

As for the LCD issue, I've had a G5 Tower for the last 5 years, it's on it's 4th monitor. The first one stopped working, 2nd has a similar issue, 3rd developed lines on the screen. So getting a separate LCD doesn't mean it will outlast the Mac Mini but at least if a problem occurs it's a lot easier to replace.

gdourado said:

What are the plus points of buying a mini vs buying an iMac?

...

So, what is the plus of the mini?

Click to expand...

Easy upgrades (modern HDD & SSD), you can use your own display (matte, minimal light leaks (see tftcentral.co.uk)) and so on. And the i7-3720QM processor in the high end Mac mini is not much slower than the i7-3770 in the iMac:
http://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=Intel+Core+i7-3720QM+@+2.60GHz

gdourado said:

Hello,

How are you?
So today I was thinking about this...
What are the plus points of buying a mini vs buying an iMac?

From what I can see, the Mini is cheaper, but it does not include a monitor.
If you add a thunderbolt display, the price of the mini and the thunderbolt display is more expensive than an iMac...

So, what is the plus of the mini?

Cheers!

Click to expand...

I purchased the Mac Mini 2012 because:

1) Easily add your own aftermarket Solid State Disc. You then have a HDD and a SDD in your Mac Mini +
Dual Hard Drive Upgrade kit

2) Memory easily upgraded. +
3) It has more than enough computing power for my needs, Web Dev and Programming with xCode. +
4) HDMI +
5) Choice of monitor. My personal choice is the Dell S2440L or the 23" Dell U2312HM IPS
6) Easy to take to Apple Store in the event of a suspect hardware failure. +
7) Bring your own Keyboard and Mouse.
8) Quad Core option +
9) Price +

Reasons that prevented me from purchasing an iMac 2012

1) 27 inch not within my budget. -
2) 21.5 inch no longer has an option for an aftermarket Memory upgrade. --
3) No option to add a 2nd HDD or SDD to the 21.5 iMac. -
4) Very difficult to upgrade, requires heat gun just for starters. -
5) To many eggs in one basket. -
6) Price. -

One potential plus-point of a mini is, that when you hide the CPU (e.g. under the table), you can
- install BootCamp and Win7
- get a run-of-the-mill PC monitor, keyboard and mouse
=> Pretend you're using Wintel hardware (no Apple logos to spoil the image).

Seriously, I'm not saying the Apple monitors (thunderbolt or built-into iMacs) are bad, they're not, but they are still seriously overpriced. If you can make do with FullHD, there are loads of good quality monitors for your mini in the 300$ range.
Considering how horrendously difficult Apple's made the updating of the new iMac, the mini might start gaining serious traction.

RGDS,

A better-than-thunderbolt display is just 550 bucks (Dell U2713HM). But even with TB display you can stay within the iMac price (remember that the Mini 2.3 quad is already faster than the entry iMac 27inch).

And with the Mini, you can update your computer to every new mini the coming years for roughly 100-150$ per update. You will stay at front of tech. For the price of a basic 27 inch iMac, you have a faster mini with a better screen and money for 2 updates of your mini for the next 3 years!
Big iMacs are usually bought for 3-4 years. The Mini has the least TCO of any mac.

Lancer said:

As for the LCD issue, I've had a G5 Tower for the last 5 years, it's on it's 4th monitor. The first one stopped working, 2nd has a similar issue, 3rd developed lines on the screen. So getting a separate LCD doesn't mean it will outlast the Mac Mini but at least if a problem occurs it's a lot easier to replace.

Click to expand...

Aside from being very well built, offering a choice of over 50 monitors, anti-glare coating and excellent ergonomic adjustments, NEC displays come with up to a four year warranty that is included in the cost. (The NEC warranty would have covered the time period during which you purchased four displays.) I can say from personal experience that NEC customer service is top-notch.

I think that you should consider spending more on your display. You really get what you pay for and it sounds like you haven't been paying enough to obtain a display from a reputable company that offers a decent warranty.

Mojo1 said:

I think that you should consider spending more on your display. You really get what you pay for and it sounds like you haven't been paying enough to obtain a display from a reputable company that offers a decent warranty.

Click to expand...

I would have but I couldn't afford to, especially with the first plus I've been upgrading in size, started with a 19", then 21" now on a 24" BenQ. Also if I'd gone for a much better LCD I might as well have bought an Apple one.

Just curious: What is the total amount that you spent on the four displays? Were there any additional costs such as shipping for warranty service? How much is your time worth futzing around with defective hardware?

And just because it's an Apple-branded display doesn't automatically mean that it is the best quality or a good value for the money...

A smaller, higher-quality display would provide a better user experience and save you money in the long run. As you have discovered, size isn't everything...

44 models starting at $89 with 3 or 4-year warranties. Online retailers such as Newegg routinely offer some models at a discount and NEC has online specials too. I snagged a soon to-be-discontinued high-end 24" display for $550 vs. its $899 MSRP from B&H Photo.

http://www.necdisplay.com/category/desktop-monitors.

The reason I got the Mini in the first place was that I wanted something transportable, not portable..... Being an ex-pat on an annual contract, and a motorcyclist, without a home to call my own, it fitted my lifestyle, and budget.

Perchance I have been in the same place for the past nine years, and when it cam time to replace my original Mini, the other advantages of a modular set up became apparent. All I had to replace was the computer; I already had the keyboard, monitor and so on that served my needs.

I will probably be moving on some time next year. It will be just the Mini and Apple keyboard that will be going into my backpack.

Micky Do said:

I will probably be moving on some time next year. It will be just the Mini and Apple keyboard that will be going into my backpack.

Click to expand...

So what do you use for a monitor?

53x12 said:

So what do you use for a monitor?

Click to expand...

Beg, borrow, or buy another; same for speakers, and mouse...... obviously I would have thought.

Micky Do said:

Beg, borrow, or buy another; same for speakers, and mouse...... obviously I would have thought.

Click to expand...

Nope Micky, not obvious.

With the 2012 imacs and minis the main difference is the dedicated graphics card in the imacs vs the lower price of the minis. If you don't need dedicated graphics go the mini, you can upgrade easier and choose your own monitor, if you need dedicated graphics then you have to get the iMac.

Micky Do said:

The reason I got the Mini in the first place was that I wanted something transportable, not portable..... Being an ex-pat on an annual contract, and a motorcyclist, without a home to call my own, it fitted my lifestyle, and budget.

Perchance I have been in the same place for the past nine years, and when it cam time to replace my original Mini, the other advantages of a modular set up became apparent. All I had to replace was the computer; I already had the keyboard, monitor and so on that served my needs.

I will probably be moving on some time next year. It will be just the Mini and Apple keyboard that will be going into my backpack.

Click to expand...

Micky Do said:

Beg, borrow, or buy another; same for speakers, and mouse...... obviously I would have thought.

Click to expand...

53x12 said:

Nope Micky, not obvious.

Click to expand...

How easy is it to stuff a monitor, speakers and other paraphernalia into a back pack to carry on a motorcycle, or ship the same across an ocean?

I suppose not obvious to some geek with a room full of computer stuff, though plainly obvious to a simple itinerant used to moving light.

Besides being able to upgrade ram and hd...one of the reasons i would pick the mini is because i don't like the default height of the imac screen...i prefer to look slightly down at my monitor (way better on back).
Another reason,i prefer a Matte vs Glossy screen.