Initially, I was considering the Mini for a rack mount config but I'm on hold. I'm surprised that this rather long read doesn't even mention the SSD option when considering performance. I guess the author didn't catch that on the BUY page. 
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Mac Mini 2014: Which Model to Buy
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I just bought two mid spec 2014 minis, both with the 2.6ghz i5 & 8 gb ram. One has the 1tb hdd, the other has the fusion drive. I'm using both as media players. The fusion drive one opens apps heaps faster, but otherwise they're much of a muchness.
Both are really excellent for this purpose. They rip CDs and DVDs incredibly quickly and just work. They idle at 7w, so there's no need to even turn them off.
Before buying the macs, I thought of using Intel nucs for the same job. By the time I specced a nuc up with i5, 8gb ram and a 1tb drive I was looking at much the same price as the mini, but without thunderbolt and without OS X.
Dunno why people bag the new mini so much. For the price, they're a whole lot of computer.
Both are really excellent for this purpose. They rip CDs and DVDs incredibly quickly and just work. They idle at 7w, so there's no need to even turn them off.
Before buying the macs, I thought of using Intel nucs for the same job. By the time I specced a nuc up with i5, 8gb ram and a 1tb drive I was looking at much the same price as the mini, but without thunderbolt and without OS X.
Dunno why people bag the new mini so much. For the price, they're a whole lot of computer.
Is there an advantage of the SSD over the Fusion Drive?
I'm looking more for performance over storage as I don't even have more than 100Gb stored on my current Mini.
I won't be buying this version of the Mini but will wait to see if they do a real upgrade next version.
I'm looking more for performance over storage as I don't even have more than 100Gb stored on my current Mini.
I won't be buying this version of the Mini but will wait to see if they do a real upgrade next version.
Having used both Macs and Windows (from DOS on), my perspective is that computers are at our service, primarily, in that they perform a service. So, depending on one's needs, the hope is to find what fits.
This should be simple. The complications are that we are somewhat subservient to the powers that be who determine the price point. The conflict happens when the price point is compared to the ease of use of the machine. Most current computers are quite similar in capabilities. It becomes an issue of ease of use, not power. In this sense, Apple has disappointed me. The new Mac Mini is a throwaway. As is most common these days, they are more interested in what makes money, feeds the coffers.
After these facts, for me the question is longevity, (certainly my own) but also that of my servicing computer, the tool I use to express myself beyond email. Surely most of us do not want to publish our great novel, or create the film that will take Avatar to the next step. Still, a tool does provide each of us with opportunities to create. Apple is now concerned not so much with creativity as with connectivity and portability, the value of which is up to you and I to determine. It seems that the vote is in. Connectivity to the max, and smaller is better. Ipods and Ipads.
No objection, here, except that in real life, the view is so much richer and grander. We cannot yet fit our emotions into a machine. I am not judging, but observing that if you want to be in a state of grace, you might learn that this is simply our process. Most of all, have some faith.
If you appreciate this physical life, you desire some longevity. With computers it's the same. The Mac Mini will not be around for long. In our world, especially our culture, nothing may take its place, Don't give up your importance in this equation. It is we who determine what happens, not the powers that be, not Apple or Microsoft. If we give this up, we are lost.
There are three aspects of this problem. One is the operating system, the other is the price point, and the third is technology. Combine all three, and the Mac is the choice for OS and technology, Windows for price. What a frickin bind, right?
My advice is to meditate. Cultivate your friends. Have some distractions, then come back to the problem and find the computer that suits your needs,. Forget about longevity (if you ever considered it), for in this world, it is about money and that's the destruction of anything lasting more than someone wants it to.
Good fortune to you,
Greg in Pittsburgh
This should be simple. The complications are that we are somewhat subservient to the powers that be who determine the price point. The conflict happens when the price point is compared to the ease of use of the machine. Most current computers are quite similar in capabilities. It becomes an issue of ease of use, not power. In this sense, Apple has disappointed me. The new Mac Mini is a throwaway. As is most common these days, they are more interested in what makes money, feeds the coffers.
After these facts, for me the question is longevity, (certainly my own) but also that of my servicing computer, the tool I use to express myself beyond email. Surely most of us do not want to publish our great novel, or create the film that will take Avatar to the next step. Still, a tool does provide each of us with opportunities to create. Apple is now concerned not so much with creativity as with connectivity and portability, the value of which is up to you and I to determine. It seems that the vote is in. Connectivity to the max, and smaller is better. Ipods and Ipads.
No objection, here, except that in real life, the view is so much richer and grander. We cannot yet fit our emotions into a machine. I am not judging, but observing that if you want to be in a state of grace, you might learn that this is simply our process. Most of all, have some faith.
If you appreciate this physical life, you desire some longevity. With computers it's the same. The Mac Mini will not be around for long. In our world, especially our culture, nothing may take its place, Don't give up your importance in this equation. It is we who determine what happens, not the powers that be, not Apple or Microsoft. If we give this up, we are lost.
There are three aspects of this problem. One is the operating system, the other is the price point, and the third is technology. Combine all three, and the Mac is the choice for OS and technology, Windows for price. What a frickin bind, right?
My advice is to meditate. Cultivate your friends. Have some distractions, then come back to the problem and find the computer that suits your needs,. Forget about longevity (if you ever considered it), for in this world, it is about money and that's the destruction of anything lasting more than someone wants it to.
Good fortune to you,
Greg in Pittsburgh
I'm using a Mac Mini as the center of my entertainment system.
my bas mini does everything I want it to do and it's running fine. Plus the whole 802.11ac Wi-Fi. Yes, it has some ups and downs, but what Apple tech doesn't? I don't need to upgrade to a new one.
my bas mini does everything I want it to do and it's running fine. Plus the whole 802.11ac Wi-Fi. Yes, it has some ups and downs, but what Apple tech doesn't? I don't need to upgrade to a new one.
Not everyone can afford to buy both the Mac mini AND all upgrades at the same time, that's why a lot of us don't like the 2014 Mac mini.
There are a lot of things the author did not consider.Initially, I was considering the Mini for a rack mount config but I'm on hold. I'm surprised that this rather long read doesn't even mention the SSD option when considering performance. I guess the author didn't catch that on the BUY page.
This is a misleading article in a lot of ways. I can't even be bothered explaining why right now.
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the base mini for 499$ is a very good deal for what it is supposed to do.
If performance lacks in the future, just upgrade the hdd to an ssd and it will run like greased lightning for years to come.
I really debated long and hard on which Mac Mini to buy. I, at one point even put a "best offer" of $1500 on a Late 2012 2.6GHz Quad Core Mini and cancelled it. I ultimately decided to buy the new version and just pony up for the 3.0GHz i7 with a 512GB solid state drive and 16GB of RAM. For me the 802.11ac wireless and Thunderbolt 2 transfer capability plus the fact that the new model is faster in single core apps meant this would likely feel like a faster computer than the old Quad Core. I must say, I have not been disappointed. The machine is solid and silent. I only ever hear the fan when I am really running processor intensive apps and several at once. Yes, it would have been great to not pay Apple's price to max out the RAM but the easiest way to get past the non-upgradable issue is to just order it maxed out. I know this sucks. I really liked the old way Apple did things but this is a great little machine that just sits there quietly and works. The Mini configured this way was $1699 plus tax. The only other thing I could have done was had a 1 TB solid state drive but since I store everything on external drives 512GB is more than enough for me and I was not going to pay another $500 for 500GB of storage. I have my Mini connected to a Samsung 32" Smart TV with 1080p 60Hertz picture which is the Mini's video card's native resolution. It is a match made in heaven. The only funny thing about this all is, the TV has a quad core processor!
Current Status of MacMini?
What is your current level of satisfaction after the upgrade?
What is your current level of satisfaction after the upgrade?
The machine runs like a champ. No issues.
Note that we have not filled up the Fusion Drive enough to have any files on the traditional spinning hard drive. Given the users (wife and kids) it's conceivable that we might not operate on anything but SSD for years.
Thanks for the reply. What is your final configuration? Did you stay with the basic 1.4GHz and simply add the Fusion Drive or did you move up to the 2.6GHz version of the Mini?
I actually have the 2.8 i5 with 8GB; the $999 top pre-configured one in a box. You could save $100 by customizing a 2.6 i5 and adding the Fusion Drive, but time was more important to me than money when I was buying. Frankly I was very discombobulated, what with having basically set up a whole Mini for four users, transferring all their files, and then realizing I would have to format the thing, stuff it back in the box, return it, and do it all over again. My retailer was awesome about it, given that I really should have known better in the beginning.
I've heard people say that 4GB is enough, or that the 1.4 gHz processor is enough, and yada yada yada. In the end, ONE of those things (or as I said in my original post, perhaps the lack of an SSD) kept my base machine from performing at an acceptable level. I "swatted the fly with a bazooka" by throwing money at it and fixing all three potential causes. Absolutely no complaints, and I like to think this Mini has many years of service ahead of it.
Mac mini does have optical out (and input too).
1.4Ghz processor hasn't been a problem on MacBook Air and still isn't.
Even current MacBook Air aren't much faster.
The issue with the mini is RAM paired with slow HD.
- 4GB RAM ist just a reasonable minimum for OS X.
Once this fills up, contents will be "swapped" to HD, which drags down performance.
- On the flip side, RAM can help cache data for faster access (try: restart Mac, open MS Office, close Office, open again). Though with only 4GB built in, there's just not much (any) available memory for possible swapping in the first place.