Am i making a good decision?

[mikatz]

So, the time has come for change after all these years of being on Windows. I am really fed up with it and i don't want to discuss it further
I need advice. I was seeking for a couple of months a combination that suits me in apple universe but haven't found it. I was considering buying a Mac mini i7,8GB RAM, some SSD and HDD (double drives) which would cost me about 700 euros(960USD) where i live but found myself thinking. What i mean is that i needed to buy a monitor and apple keyboard and mouse and all that combined would be around 1000EUR(1370USD).

Monitor i was interested in was Asus MX279H, where i would also like to get advice about 1080p resolution on 27", is it bad, should i go with mx239h,23" one?.

...and for that price i can buy MacBook Pro 13" base model mid 2012 which is more portable but lacks power of i7 Mac mini. Have you guys ever found that MacBook Pro is lacking power for editing videos, running photoshop etc? Should i go with MacBook + monitor(i need monitor no mather what) or cheaper and stronger mac mini + monitor. One important thing! I do not want iMac because i need separate monitor which i can use for any device and it is incredibly expensive here in europe, base version surpases price of buffed Mac mini for a 500USD
I need to know you people who do simillar job as me, would you go with Mac mini or can MacBook do the intensive job all day long in years to come?
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[blanka]

If you can leave the monitor's untouched, the Mini is more portable than the Macbook! It is only 1100 grams, very tiny and power supply is built-in.
A Dell U2412M only costs like 200 bucks, that is a 1920x1200 IPS monitor, and it has more work-space than a retina macbook. So for little money you can equip two desks with great screens!
If you are into video, also check the sub 500€ Dell U2713HM as it does 24p playback.

Don't buy Apple mice and keyboards. They are flaky and you can get better generic Microsoft/Logitech stuff for less than half price.

 

[Micky Do]

Modular system vs All in one

With the Mac Mini you have an easily transportable machine that can be used with just about any monitor, keyboard, mouse and other peripherals. Use whatever you have on hand, buy to match your needs and budget, upgrade to suit your desires, or take it with you to set up with whatever is available where you go.

With the MacBook you have an all in one portable machine that can be opened up and used as is. It can connected to an external monitor if you want, but that kind of defeats the purpose of having an all in one portable.

I prefer a desktop….. I'm not keen on poky little glossy laptop screens. I don't want to take a computer everywhere I go, but I do want a computer that can easily fit in a backpack and go places sometimes.

The Mini works for me for my relatively settled here and now. However, with life likely to move into a more itinerant mode sometime for a while some time next year, I may be inclined to make the move to a MacBook.

For others….. it depends on your priorities.

 

[mikatz]

Thank you both for replying.
#blanka I really wonder why do you think apple keyboard and mouse are flaky, i have never used any of those so i would like to know. Did you have problems? I tought aluminium would be more sturdy than regular plastic ones? Btw I will consider U2412M

 

[coldsweat]

Don't buy Apple mice and keyboards. They are flaky and you can get better generic Microsoft/Logitech stuff for less than half price.

I've had no problems with Apple keyboards or mice & absolutely love my magic mouse! however a large section of Mac owners dislike them - it's purely personal preference & I would suggest you try them out for yourself before making a decision - different strokes for different folks.

 

[Fishrrman]

I agree with the previous post that suggested you buy a NON-Apple keyboard and mouse. Logitech mice are SUPERIOR to anything Apple offers.

You should be aware that the current Mini (called the "late 2012") is nearing the end of its product cycle. Many believe that a new version of the Mini is coming in early 2014.

However -- the late-2012 Mini is still a very nice computer (I have one) that should serve you well and last a good while.

If you get a late-2012, I would recommend that you get the i7, 2.3ghz version with the basic 1tb HDD and 4gb of RAM.

Then, add more RAM if you need it. I would suggest that you try the stock configuration of 4gb for a week or two first -- you may find that it's all you need at the moment.

You can buy an SSD on your own. Then, you have two choices of what to do with it:
1. Open the Mini and put it inside (requires the proper tools and some time (and be aware that there are small connections inside that are easily broken)
2. Get either an external enclosure or a USB3/SATA docking station, put the SSD into it, and boot and run the Mini that way (the differences in boot/run times will be all-but indistinguishable from an internally-mounted drive).

I chose choice #2 -- running almost a year this way with no problems.

 

[mikatz]

Solved...i guess

Well thanks everyone for advice but in the end i still don't know what to do...it's so *%#!##$ annoying! I would like MacBook Pro because i can bring it everywhere and it can serve me as desktop plugged in to monitor but it costs as much as Mac mini i7 + monitor + mouse and keyboard...even more and it's not upgradeable.