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Apple Killed the Mac Mini (LinusTT Review)
- Thread starter killawat
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The guy is annoying, his buddy looks like an idiot (who puts an imac screen back on vertically and seems befuddled when it falls down?), but he does point out that the mini is the only option for those of us who want to use our own monitor, unless you want the 5 year old mac pro.
another "[insert youtuber name here] is annoying" comment
Linus is a "PC guy" and he always seems to focus on "value", but he does not hesitate to criticize many high end PCs too. His style aside, I generally find their reviews informational.
Linus runs an extremely successful YouTube channel* and web site and he’s quite knowledgeable.
He’s a Windows guy (not surprising, if only because things like computer builds are his bread and butter), and this is as close as he’s going to come to a positive review of an Apple computer.
Note that he installed extra RAM but, while mentioning the possibility, did not use an external GPU for his graphics tests. That was not an accident.
The title of the review is pure clickbait and Linus sounds like he’s being forced to be more positive than he’d prefer. He's just playing to his audience.
* His review has been up less than 24 hours and he’s already closing in on a million views.
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I watched this review and suggested that they change the thermal paste to Arctic Silver, or something similar. Another YouTuber, Snazzy Labs, did this and got lower temperature readings in the 80s.
Is this advice sound? Is Apple really releasing products which requires the user to pull the system apart to correct a manufacturing issue?
I don't think he hates Apple, but he calls things as he sees them. He often gives them praise for what they do well, and criticism for what they don't. That's the point of reviewing products, and I can't imagine why anyone would have it any other way.
It isn't his fault that Apple's made many decisions that worthy of criticism lately.
People have been asserting that replacing the thermal paste improves performance and/or drops temps on Macs for decades at this point, and it's a pretty common thing I've seen people suggest on PCs too.
Either way, I've not had any heat death or hardware failure in all my years of owning Macs, so it's not something I'd be concerned about. If you're really invested I guess reapply thermal paste and crank the fans manually to try and eek out as much performance as possible.
For years enthusiasts have been doing this with Macs, PC, and components (GPUs) because careful personal attention with quality thermal paste results in better cooling than whatever the bulk manufacturing process does.
But it's not "correcting a manufacturing issue". It's just an extremely optional cooling performance tweak.
That would be swell, if it worked, which it apparently doesn't, at least with the Mac mini: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/so-much-for-thermal-paste.2161171/
One is tempted to say that there's one born every minute.
When will people realize that these guys would review dog turds and say they taste great if it would generate clicks($)?
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Perhaps, though it isn't like there aren't good reasons to not like Apple these days.
In any case, despite what feelings he may have on Apple, the reviews are still quite neutral. Do you only want to hear the good about products when you watch reviews?
A review titled "Apple Killed the Mac Mini", a title that can only be justified by some pretty convoluted linguistic footwork in the review itself, can hardly be described as neutral. In fact, the review is more or less begrudgingly favourable, but it's like watching him pull his own teeth out the whole way through.
There is no serious attempt at testing the mini on its own terms, but instead facile comparisons with other computers. I was struck by the odd statement that he just happened to have the right RAM "in the warehouse". What was that about? And why talk about the ability to use an external GPU, and then proceed with graphics tests without even mentioning that an external GPU wasn't used? The suggestion that the mini was made for editing with Final Cut and Premier Pro came out of noplace, wasn't explained and made no sense given what preceded the suggestion.
This was not one of Linus's better efforts. To me, it looks like he didn't know where he was going with this, but realised that he had to be backhanded to meet the expectations of his audience.
Meanwhile, criticisms here are kind of irrelevant, given that, as I write this, Linus's video already has 1.1 million views. I suspect that the only other person who could get to a number like that in 24 hours, if he chooses to do a review of his own, would be Marques Brownlee.
As a guy who lives in New York, where Brownlee is from, but who has also spent a good deal of time in Vancouver, British Columbia, where Linus is from, I find their difference in style and appeal interesting. It's also pretty cool that YouTube makes it possible for the two of them, from different countries and coasts, to share the same platform, and to a significant degree, I suspect, the same audience.
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The mini keeping its form factor is probably one of the few things Apple did absolutely right lately. All server racks, custom mounts, base docks, especially ones with mechanical levers for power trigger can adopt to the new mini straight away. Also by not further shrinking the room it meant the "class" of hardware that can go inside can increase, which we got in CPU TDP budget / core count. The location of the 8-figure AC-in, the ethernet, and the exhausts are also exactly where they were, with only necessary port changes and the HDMI port being moved.
Though I quite agree with the part about boot drive being held ransom by the T2 chip. Even just the fact that the drive is soldered, means the machine can only live as long as the SSD. The alternate OS booting is a lesser side effect.
Though I quite agree with the part about boot drive being held ransom by the T2 chip. Even just the fact that the drive is soldered, means the machine can only live as long as the SSD. The alternate OS booting is a lesser side effect.
I disagree, last time I checked server racks and custom mounts isn't the primary market for mac minis, I don't see how that should be a priority when it's compromising the potential of the machine especially when Apple is intending to appeal to a subset of the pro market now.
After a 3 year hiatus Apple could have completely re-engineered the machine. Wouldn't it have been great to have an easier RAM door, or an extra m.2/SATA bay? Also larger heatsink for better cooling and/or a built-in dGPU to give us smoother 4k/5k performance?
I agree with Arstechnica's conclusion that the mac mini is small for the sake of being small with no justification for the tradeoffs made, "The small size has no utilitarian purpose; it's small for the sake of being small."
Mac mini review—a testament to Apple’s stubbornness
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2018/11/mac-mini-review-a-testament-to-apples-stubbornness/
You and ArsTechnica are making assumptions that are perhaps not shared by Apple. I purchased a mini precisely because of its size, and I suspect that many other people will as well.
The underlying assumption of what you are saying is that Apple doesn't know how to do market research. Okeydoke.
It possible for them to shrink the Mini a bit (particularly just the height) without stuffing up rack mounting. Just needs a spacer added to each slot in the existing rack. A pain, but a minor and inexpensive mod, not a deal breaker.
But glad they didn't. Leaving it as is gives more options for future internal changes.
Plus, of course, it is a desktop, not a mobile. Nice that it can be easily unplugged and thrown in a backpack, or mailed across the country. But shrinking it by say 20% isn't going to make a significant difference on that score for most users.
I agree with you, he annoys me too but as for Mac Mini, I myself am still thinking about buying the thing, there is still something in it to me...
Sure the title is pretty click-baity since it can be taken two ways (sadly the norm with most tech reviews now), but the review wasn't so biased. He does say outright that macOS "isn't [his] favorite" and states it's mostly because he isn't familiar with it, so the viewer is perfectly aware of that constraint.
He mentions the RAM because they didn't have to order a specific kind of RAM to make it work, which has been a problem in many Macs over the years. It's actually both a praise and useful information, but you seem unable to see it.
He praises the powerful desktop CPU, the port selection, the 10-gig ethernet, the ability to upgrade RAM (and shows the entire process of what's involved to do it), says it runs smooth and is powerful, dispels that Linux can't be run due to T2 and explains how and with what limitations, and the form factor/quietness/power consumption.
He explains the potential issues of soldered storage with the T2 involvement (non-upgradeable/replaceable), the poor integrated graphics (though mentions the eGPU capability and even that macOS only supports AMD), the heat/thermals, and possibly the price.
Honestly there's quite a bit of good consumer information and IMO a fair evaluation of the Mini. None of the criticisms are without warrant and the praise is earned. He could easily have grilled it harder.
You have managed to completely miss the tenor of my post, and to be insulting in the process. Congratulations.
No, I disagree with your assessment (except the clickbaity title). He's reviewing a product for prospective buyers and letting them know some limitations that they should know about (some of which Apple don't hide, but certainly don't advertise). Comparing with similar products is half the point of these videos -- consumers are interested in value for money and comparisons with similar products. The Mini doesn't exist "on its own terms", it's one product of many.
While you call him biased I can't help but feel you made your mind up about his video ahead of watching it. That you thought the RAM bit didn't make sense when it was useful consumer information indicates so.
Half your post is about his locale and MQBHD, anyways.
No, I disagree with your assessment (except the clickbaity title). He's reviewing a product for prospective buyers and letting them know some limitations that they should know about (some of which Apple don't hide, but certainly don't advertise). Comparing with similar products is half the point of these videos -- consumers are interested in value for money and comparisons with similar products. The Mini doesn't exist "on its own terms", it's one product of many.
While you call him biased I can't help but feel you made your mind up about his video ahead of watching it. That you thought the RAM bit didn't make sense when it was useful consumer information indicates so.
Half your post is about his locale and MQBHD, anyways.
I'm going to repeat what I said. You have misunderstood the tenor of my posts about Linus and his reviews. And yes, I did indeed talk about YouTube, Linus, Marques Brownlee and their respective audiences, and I did so deliberately, whether you appreciate what I said or not, and notwithstanding the fact that you decided to characterise what I said on this subject by being dismissive and by using a "stick out tongue" emoji.
Furthermore, let me suggest to you that you don't help your argument, or your credibility, by insulting the person with whom you are having a discussion, as in your statement "you seem unable to see it". Pardon me?
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