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Processor or Video card? What is the best mini for me?

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Username02

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 13, 2010
125
0
Hi all.

Opinions welcome.
I am trying to decide between the Mini Server and the upgraded Mini with the dedicated graphics.

The uses of the machine will be:
- Home file server
- iTunes TV & Movie repository for streaming to Apple TVs
- HTPC hooked up via HDMI to TV
- Back up machine to use in lieu of my 2010 i7 15" MBP in the event of MBP breaking (I can not have computer downtime due to work ~ must run Parallels very good)
- Machine will be accessed mostly with Apple's Remote Desktop software and VNC applications but will be hooked up to an ACD in the event of MBP downtime.

Also, a quick question, if I get the server, can I restore from a Time Machine backup of a current machine in order to get my programs and files on to the server software (machine is currently running Lion standard)?

Thanks for looking.
 
Last edited:
obsidian1200

obsidian1200

macrumors 6502
Jun 19, 2010
359
0
Albuquerque, NM
Judging by what you listed, you'll benefit from the quad core more than the dedicated GPU. The HD3000 can handle all the things you listed just fine. Unless you plan to do any gaming on the machine, which I don't think you will, the AMD GPU will be overkill for your needs.

EDIT: as for your time machine question, I'm honestly not sure how that would work out. I'd assume that you can make a new profile on your machine and use time machine to restore your files from the MBP to the profile, but I'm not positive on that, since I've never dealt with the server versions of OSX.
 
U

Username02

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 13, 2010
125
0
Thanks so much for your thoughts!

SO I take it that with only an HDMI connection used and mostly VNC/ARD access the graphics card is not necessary.

Will the extra cores help in Parallels vs. video card?
 
DHart

DHart

macrumors 6502
Jan 17, 2008
398
12
If I may add on to the discussion of processor vs. video card.

Which would be better for this application:

Photoshop and Lightroom work with a lot of large files displaying on a 61" 1080p flat screen TV.

I know that maxing out the RAM is a must for PS and LR, but which would serve better for this: the quad core processor or the better video card?
 
obsidian1200

obsidian1200

macrumors 6502
Jun 19, 2010
359
0
Albuquerque, NM
Username02 said:
Thanks so much for your thoughts!

SO I take it that with only an HDMI connection used and mostly VNC/ARD access the graphics card is not necessary.

Will the extra cores help in Parallels vs. video card?
Click to expand...

For those tasks, I'm fairly certain the HD 3000 graphics will work just fine. You will definitely benefit more from extra cores when using Parallels than you would with the video card (assuming you don't plan on doing any heavy gaming while running parallels) because Parallels is more CPU reliant than GPU reliant.
 
C

ccc123

macrumors newbie
Jul 20, 2007
6
0
DHart said:
If I may add on to the discussion of processor vs. video card.

Which would be better for this application:

Photoshop and Lightroom work with a lot of large files displaying on a 61" 1080p flat screen TV.

I know that maxing out the RAM is a must for PS and LR, but which would serve better for this: the quad core processor or the better video card?
Click to expand...
+1

Thanks, C
 
U

Username02

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 13, 2010
125
0
obsidian1200 said:
For those tasks, I'm fairly certain the HD 3000 graphics will work just fine. You will definitely benefit more from extra cores when using Parallels than you would with the video card (assuming you don't plan on doing any heavy gaming while running parallels) because Parallels is more CPU reliant than GPU reliant.
Click to expand...

Thanks so much for your help and advice on this.. I really appreciate it.
 
X

xheathen

macrumors 6502
Aug 5, 2010
300
17
obsidian1200 said:
For those tasks, I'm fairly certain the HD 3000 graphics will work just fine. You will definitely benefit more from extra cores when using Parallels than you would with the video card (assuming you don't plan on doing any heavy gaming while running parallels) because Parallels is more CPU reliant than GPU reliant.
Click to expand...

Granted, this is on a Windows machine, but I ended up building a small profile 3.2ghz Sandy Bridge box w/ 8gb of ram and the HD3000, and I've found the video to be a little sluggish. For most everything it works decently, and I can play Halflife on high settings unless it gets really intense (then it just stutters alot) but even in Photoshop, you can feel it dragging a little. At this point, I'm buying a new case so I can use my better vid card.

The mac mini is going to be my introduction into the apple world, and based on my HD3000 experience, I'm really thinking I'll need the discrete chip for graphics.
 
U

Username02

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 13, 2010
125
0
What version of Photoshop if you don't mind me asking?
Adobe has sure done a great job of bloating their software of late. :(

Mac Mini is a great machine for first foray to Mac. Such a great machine and Parallels is no joke for Windows needs. Just be sure to max out the machines ram! (not through apple. go with a 3rd party provider, but I am sure you know that if you build machines ;))
 
X

xheathen

macrumors 6502
Aug 5, 2010
300
17
CS4. On my previous machine, which was an AMD 949 Quad 2.8, I had a 512mb nVidia 9800gt in it, and it was smooth as butter. It lead me to believe it was the video that was doing it.
 
U

Username02

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 13, 2010
125
0
xheathen said:
CS4. On my previous machine, which was an AMD 949 Quad 2.8, I had a 512mb nVidia 9800gt in it, and it was smooth as butter. It lead me to believe it was the video that was doing it.
Click to expand...

Thanks much for this insight. I do use CS3 on the Mac side (and so happy it still works in Lion) so I am going to have to give this some more thought now.
 
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