6 core mini with dual 4k monitors

[J273]

I'm thinking of purchasing the 6 core mini to replace my ageing 12" MB as it's getting a little slow now.

One thing I'd like to do is run dual 4k monitors, how's the performance with the internal GPU pushing so many pixels?

Ideally I don't want to go down the Egpu route and my main use is Web browsing and light photo work.

Does anyone have the same setup and how does it perform?

Thanks

 

[Stephen.R]

I have an i7/64GB with two 24” 4K displays. If you want to use the “default” scaling (looks like 1920x1080) it’ll probably be fine.

If you want to use scaling to get more appropriately sized UI (eg I like 2304x1296 on my 24”s) there is one trick that will make it bearable: disable transparency (in macOS accessibility settings). Otherwise it’s... glitchy, at the best of times.

it’s not perfect, but it’s good enough that I use it this way (rather than going back to 1920x1080)

 

[J273]

Yeah id want to be using their native res and 100% scaled giving me maximum desktop space. I'm using dual 40" 4k @ 3840 x 2160 each.

Thanks I may try that trick with my current 12" MB running one of the monitors to see how it performs

 

[pldelisle]

I have an i7/64GB with two 24” 4K displays. If you want to use the “default” scaling (looks like 1920x1080) it’ll probably be fine.

If you want to use scaling to get more appropriately sized UI (eg I like 2304x1296 on my 24”s) there is one trick that will make it bearable: disable transparency (in macOS accessibility settings). Otherwise it’s... glitchy, at the best of times.

it’s not perfect, but it’s good enough that I use it this way (rather than going back to 1920x1080)

Heww.... you just confirmed that I don’t want a mac mini. Thanks.

 

[endlessike]

Heww.... you just confirmed that I don’t want a mac mini. Thanks.

There’s always an eGPU

 

[Stephen.R]

Yeah id want to be using their native res and 100% scaled giving me maximum desktop space. I'm using dual 40" 4k @ 3840 x 2160 each.

Thanks I may try that trick with my current 12" MB running one of the monitors to see how it performs

If you're running them at 1x, there's no scaling involved (and thus no performance hit), so you probably wouldn't need to worry about the transparency change.

 

[MecPro]

There’s always an eGPU

Which is how much on top of an already expensive MM?

Again, I’ll always hate the way Apple have handled this when I can put in my crap DELL work laptop and get full 3840x2160 4K resolutionat scaling of 150% and it looks excellent.

On my MBP I’m running the screen at sub-resolution because Apple have made that decision For me.

 

[romanof]

There’s always an eGPU

Not really. I have two of the 6 core minis with 16gb and a Blackmagic Pro, and I have to say that the eGpu is fairly worthless. Or maybe useless is the word. Even if the option Prefer eGpu is available in the Get Info pane, it doesn't make a difference to any but a couple of apps that I have. KiCad, for instance, flies on my 2017 27" iMac with the Radon Pro 570, but using it with the Intel gpu in the mini, it chokes badly. Adding the Blackmagic does absolutely nothing.
With any non-graphical programs, the 6 core mini outperforms my 4 core iMac, but the Intel junk inside is the only thing that keeps me from using it as my desktop. One mini has the eGpu and one doesn't and from the keyboard, I can't tell the difference.
Putting the eGpu on the iMac as a test, makes Minecraft WORSE.
I wouldn't suggest spending money on one.

 

[Stephen.R]

Not really. I have two of the 6 core minis with 16gb and a Blackmagic Pro, and I have to say that the eGpu is fairly worthless. Or maybe useless is the word. Even if the option Prefer eGpu is available in the Get Info pane, it doesn't make a difference to any but a couple of apps that I have. KiCad, for instance, flies on my 2017 27" iMac with the Radon Pro 570, but using it with the Intel gpu in the mini, it chokes badly. Adding the Blackmagic does absolutely nothing.
With any non-graphical programs, the 6 core mini outperforms my 4 core iMac, but the Intel junk inside is the only thing that keeps me from using it as my desktop. One mini has the eGpu and one doesn't and from the keyboard, I can't tell the difference.
Putting the eGpu on the iMac as a test, makes Minecraft WORSE.
I wouldn't suggest spending money on one.

On the mini at least, I'd suggest you try plugging the display into the eGPU, not just hanging it off the mini.

 

[endlessike]

On the mini at least, I'd suggest you try plugging the display into the eGPU, not just hanging it off the mini.

yikes if that was his issue.

 

[romanof]

On the mini at least, I'd suggest you try plugging the display into the eGPU, not just hanging it off the mini.

Weeeellll. That would be a good idea, but I have been around long enough to plug in a monitor properly. In fact, long enough to have plugged in the first green-screen text only mainframe montitors. With TV type analog pots on the side, no less, for trying to fix the roll about once a week.

Nope. Tried it on two Minis and as a sidecar on a nice 2017 iMac - that made Minecraft worse. Sad. I really wanted to use the Mini as a desktop, with one of the super-wide curved monitors.

 

[Stephen.R]

That would be a good idea, but I have been around long enough to plug in a monitor properly. In fact, long enough to have plugged in the first green-screen text only mainframe montitors. With TV type analog pots on the side, no less, for trying to fix the roll about once a week.

Did they use an eGPU too?

Nope. Tried it on two Minis and as a sidecar on a nice 2017 iMac

... Sidecar is technology to make an iPad usable as an extended desktop for macOS so im not sure how thats related.

Regarding the eGPU, but did you have the primary display connected directly to the eGPU on the Minis?

Also keep in mind that app specific acceleration with an eGPU (i.e. beyond just normal window drawing etc) is dependent on the app to some extent.

 

[romanof]

Did they use an eGPU too?



... Sidecar is technology to make an iPad usable as an extended desktop for macOS so im not sure how thats related.

Regarding the eGPU, but did you have the primary display connected directly to the eGPU on the Minis?

Also keep in mind that app specific acceleration with an eGPU (i.e. beyond just normal window drawing etc) is dependent on the app to some extent.

Sorry, Sidecar was a bad choice of words. I am not a iPad user so I didn't even know that was a particular tech-word. I just meant that I plugged it in a TB port on the iMac. But as to your question, yes. Tried it both ways, but definitely with the eGPU plugged into the Mini and the monitor (tried a couple of them) into the eGPU. The Mini sees it just fine, and uses it. The activity monitor GPU history shows it working, but there is no acceleration on any app that I use, no matter if the Prefer eGPU box is checked or unchecked. No difference at all. And like I said, with it plugged into the iMac and using Minecraft as a test, it is slower. Not much, but a little glitchy.

 

[Stephen.R]

but there is no acceleration on any app that I use

Sounds like an issue with the app not supporting egpus (or not having any acceleration for that specific gpu)

like I said, with it plugged into the iMac and using Minecraft as a test, it is slower.

Well most iMacs have a dedicated GPU already anyway, and using an egpu that way means pushing all the raw data down the same pipe the rendered image is being send back along. It’s hardly surprising you see worse results than with the built in GPU.

 

[J273]

When was the latest mac mini updated? Was it 2018?

Thanks

 

[pldelisle]

When was the latest mac mini updated? Was it 2018?

Thanks

Yes.