Can't recommend M1 Mac mini to family members...

[theSeb]

But I mean, a $1000 34" monitor isn't some random piece of crap off the street. It's a known LG monitor that came out with pretty solid thunderbolt support 5 years ago lol.

Sure, but LG monitors have all sorts of problems with Intel Macs too - one just needs to take a look at the Accessories section to be put off LG monitors for life.

One of my Intel macs never manages to switch on the Dell monitor after a restart as another interesting data point. It wakes up the monitor fine when they are both sleeping. I just live with the problem since I've been living with it for about 6 years now.

Additionally, as I've also reminded in other threads, never gauge problem scope according to the number of forum/message board or other social media posts.

Best advice I've seen on this forum. Never be surprised to see sick people at a hospital and forums are hospitals. People see 10 or 100 others complaining about a problem and forget the scales at play of how many devices are sold and how many people don't have any problems

 

[velocityg4]

I tried an Apple Magic Mouse (Bluetooth) once. Absolutely hated it. Have used the Apple wired keyboard and Logitech G203 Prodigy (wired) gaming mouse since.

Wireless keyboards and mice are a solution to a problem that doesn't exist.

A wireless keyboard with built in trackpad is a must have for my HTPC. The last thing I’d want is a USB cord trailing across my living room.

For desktops I don’t really care. I have both. Although it’s nice for streaming video from my bed. With my bedroom PC.

 

[weaztek]

A wireless keyboard with built in trackpad is a must have for my HTPC. The last thing I’d want is a USB cord trailing across my living room.

For desktops I don’t really care. I have both. Although it’s nice for streaming video from my bed. With my bedroom PC.

I picked up a FLIR USB dongle which allows me to use an Apple Remote for my HTPC. Well, that in conjunction with the Remote App on my iPad.

 

[Think77]

People see 10 or 100 others complaining about a problem and forget the scales at play of how many devices are sold and how many people don't have any problems

That would imply that I actually know the scale at play (number of customers being affected by the issues and number not being affected), but I just choose to forget that 😊 Considering that Apple actually did state that certain HDMI problems were resolved in Big Sur 11.2 tells me that more than a few users have experienced some kind of display issues. And the fact that none (?) of the issues seem to have been resolved tells me that the problem could run deeper than software (but hopefully not!).

 

[pmiles]

So, by that logic, every customer who buys the M1 Mac mini should also buy an Apple XDR Display at 4,999 USD? And "whatever they had laying around"... like an all digital perfectly standard DVI-based 30" Apple Cinema Display (like the one I have)?

My comment was that Apple is used to a very closed eco-system... which is why things just work. It's when you open up that eco-system to third-party peripherals which you have no control over, that things just don't just work. Windows computers have always dealt with incompatibilities because their eco-system is about as open as one can get.

Apple probably only tested a limited amount of hardware with the devices outside of their own relatively new devices. Which is why so many people ran into so many issues with peripheral devices. It's not really Apple's responsibility to make an LG display work with their computer, it's up to LG to provide the correct drivers/software to make it work with their computer.

An all-in-one isn't likely to have issues like this... unless something is attached to it that didn't come in the same box. Easy to test architecture that can't be separated from the mobo. Once it's a peripheral device... all bets are off.

99% of the complaints were related to peripheral devices not functioning as expected. Again, Apple likely never even tested them or they would have seen the issues earlier. Now take that same Apple M1 Mini and connect it to an Apple XDR display instead, and I bet you it was thoroughly tested and had zero issues. It's their hardware, they are responsible for it. Apple Cinema Displays are EOL'd devices. Whether it works or not is not their responsibility. The fact that it did for many was more pure luck than design.

As the tech support guys would say.... there is no reason why it shouldn't work. They never said that it would work with absolute certainty unless they knew it would work. And that only comes when it has actually been tested.

 

[serpico007]

I’m surprised to read here about issues with the Mini. My 2011 has been working for years fine and now as a Plex server. It’s on every day connected to a Bluetooth keyboard and trackpad and monitor.

 

[Think77]

99% of the complaints were related to peripheral devices not functioning as expected. Again, Apple likely never even tested them or they would have seen the issues earlier.

If that's the case, it's just absurd.

Apple probably only tested a limited amount of hardware with the devices outside of their own relatively new devices. Which is why so many people ran into so many issues with peripheral devices.

Then why is it that Apple devices (mouse/keyboard/Cinema display) are among those being affected? I have a Magic mouse, a Magic keyboard and a Cinema display, and I ran into every single issue that has been reported since the release of the M1 Mac mini.

 

[pmiles]

If that's the case, it's just absurd.



Then why is it that Apple devices (mouse/keyboard/Cinema display) are among those being affected? I have a Magic mouse, a Magic keyboard and a Cinema display, and I ran into every single issue that has been reported since the release of the M1 Mac mini.

The Apple Cinema Display is an EOL'd device. I suspect the other peripherals are older as well. Hate to tell you this, but backwards compatibility is not a mantra that manufacturers are known for.

Bluetooth issues have always been an issue on all the Mac mini models... something to do with the placement of the antenna in the device. So it was no surprise that issue would remain considering the device was mostly unchanged in that respect.

Again, all you have done here is proved my point... that Apple was completely unprepared for the sheer onslaught of third-party peripherals (or older hardware if Apple's own) that would be connected to their new architecture. "Only Apple zealots are going to buy these things.... that means brand new Apple everything connected to them!"

What they got were a lot of tinkerers instead, connecting everything and the kitchen sink to them... for the sole purpose of trying to break them, to prove that they were the second coming or not. The price point brought a lot of crazy people out of the woodwork. Very unlike the transition from PPC to INTEL.

Like I said... it turned out to be a circus... it could have gone way worse than it did.

 

[outis16]

You should recommend the M1 MBA or M1 MBP to him.

My M1 MBA and my M1 Mini have exactly the same Bluetooth problems. Can't say they bother me particularly though.

 

[Apple_Robert]

My M1 MBA and my M1 Mini have exactly the same Bluetooth problems. Can't say they bother me particularly though.

I haven't experienced any Bluetooth problems thus far with my M1. I am glad of that as I do with my 2018 Mac mini.

 

[Think77]

The Apple Cinema Display is an EOL'd device. I suspect the other peripherals are older as well.

No, I have the newest versions of the Magic mouse/keyboard. And why would a DVI display stop working?

 

[Stella]

My brother called me yesterday for advice on which new desktop computer to buy. He's a "normal" guy with no immediate preferences for Windows or Mac. However, he's always had Windows machines in the past.

I really wanted to recommend the M1 Mac mini, that I've been using myself for moths now. And however powerful and silent this machine is, it pained me that I just could not, in good conscience, recommend it to him.

- External display not turning on
- Bluetooth keyboard/mouse not connecting
- Apple doesn't seem to recognize there is a problem

Even for me, a tech savvy Mac guy, it's a pain is the ***. So, how wouldn't it be a complete and utter nightmare for "normal" people?

Now he's going with an HP Windows machine, so this was a missed window of opportunity to have him try a Mac.

Best,
A frustrated long time Mac guy

PS: I still have my 12 core 4,1 -> 5,1 Mac Pro from 2009, and though it's become long in the tooth and slow like hell (with certain tasks), it's an absolute work horse. 12 years in, and it just works. And I suspect it could continue to work for another 10 years without any technical issues.

External Display - this does not occur , for me at least, with the HDMI connection. Only with USB C, which is the second monitor, in my case.

Do you have to use a bluetooth keyboard and mouse? I use a Logitech mouse / kb combo with the USB dongle and it's very reliable.

The Mac mini M1 is a fantastic machine and is great value for money.

 

[sgtaylor5]

Some perspective; the first Bluetooth device that I’ve ever had that worked properly was my MPOW Bluetooth headset. Everything else before that was simply trash and never worked well. That headset has one and only one profile installed “make and receive calls”. I figure that’s why it’s reliable.

The reliability of the Bluetooth protocol is the problem and not the manufacturer of the computer nor the peripheral. I tell my clients: wired keyboard and wireless mouse (as much as possible).

 

[JoeG4]

What they got were a lot of tinkerers instead, connecting everything and the kitchen sink to them... for the sole purpose of trying to break them, to prove that they were the second coming or not. The price point brought a lot of crazy people out of the woodwork. Very unlike the transition from PPC to INTEL.

Right, I'm sorry. Next time I'll make sure I buy a $6000 monitor for my $600 computer. No problem. I'll just have to put off getting the yacht polished for the week.

Maybe Apple should just give up making headless computers and stick to laptops and ipads.

 

[Think77]

The reliability of the Bluetooth protocol is the problem and not the manufacturer of the computer nor the peripheral.

And yet there seems to be a consensus in this thread that using a third party USB bluetooth dongle (thus bypassing Apple’s built-in bluetooth radio) is a solid solution? That would suggest the problem is not so much bluetooth as a data transfer technology but rather Apple’s hardware implementation (at least on the Mac mini).

And again: I had zero bluetooth problems with my 4,1 Mac Pro.

 

[fischersd]

I know my wired mouse/keyboard opinion is hugely unpopular. I'm pretty much a Luddite when it comes to this one though, lol.

I've just never had the need to move my mouse or keyboard away from the keyboard platform on my desk. And I'm really into dependability/response time and I hate worrying about batteries.

Easy one - using a Mac Mini as a HTPC - you're 10 feet away with the TV on the wall, Mini stored in the TV Cabinet and keyboard / mouse / trackpad on the coffee table. Heh. You want a cable across the living room tripping people as they walk by?

 

[weaztek]

I get that there is more than one way to control a HTPC. I select my tune/movie/show with the iPad and use the Apple Remote for volume and pause.

Here's my coffee table.

 

[shiftgears]

M1 is junk. Can't run Dual Monitors, bluetooth issues, screen issues, glitchy, etc.

 

[weaztek]

M1 is junk. Can't run Dual Monitors, bluetooth issues, screen issues, glitchy, etc.

When I upgraded to Catalina (version 10.15) on my 2018 Mac Mini it was horrible for several months. A ton of people on here had the same issues & bugs as myself.

Slowly but surely, Mac OS updates started fixing things and now my machine runs like a top. I 100% believe this will also happen with the M1 Mini. But I do realize it's a drag when things don't work right.

 

[supergravy]

I was about ready to return my Mac mini M1 over the monitor waking issue. But I think I have fixed my situation after a reading through a lot of threads on the subject.

I am connecting my Mac mini to a Dell monitor with an HDMI cable. My problem was that after an extended sleep I would find my keyboard lit up, indicating the Mac was awake, but my monitor would remain asleep and no amount of effort would wake it. I had to either unplug and replug in the HDMI cable or use the power button on the back of the Mac.

One of the problem threads that I read suggested that the Mac might be finicky on sending out the wake signal to the monitor. So your monitor better be ready when it does get sent. Using this information I went into my monitor input settings and changed it from "auto" to "HDMI 1". So now my monitor is scanning HDMI 1 exclusively. This seems to be working as I am now on two days without a problem. Fingers crossed that it continues.

 

[EdwardC]

I was about ready to return my Mac mini M1 over the monitor waking issue. But I think I have fixed my situation after a reading through a lot of threads on the subject.

I am connecting my Mac mini to a Dell monitor with an HDMI cable. My problem was that after an extended sleep I would find my keyboard lit up, indicating the Mac was awake, but my monitor would remain asleep and no amount of effort would wake it. I had to either unplug and replug in the HDMI cable or use the power button on the back of the Mac.

One of the problem threads that I read suggested that the Mac might be finicky on sending out the wake signal to the monitor. So your monitor better be ready when it does get sent. Using this information I went into my monitor input settings and changed it from "auto" to "HDMI 1". So now my monitor is scanning HDMI 1 exclusively. This seems to be working as I am now on two days without a problem. Fingers crossed that it continues.

Interesting. That could make sense since it's an issue that does not happen consistently. I have tried unplugging the HDMI with no success, only a restart resolves the issue over here. Keep us updated please.

Ed

 

[MRISX]

My recommendation:
Apple-refurbished 2019 27" iMac with an SSD inside, 8gb.

Easy-to-maintain Mac.
No T2 chip to cause trouble.
Yes, it's "Intel inside", but he's going to have that with the HP anyway...

It’s not like intel is somehow bad...

 

[Think77]

It’s not like intel is somehow bad...

Agree. The only reason I got the M1 (paid for by my workplace) is I had to do some video editing as part of a project. And the M1 is lightyears ahead in video performance compared to my Intel 12 core 5,1 Mac Pro. However, now that that video project has ended I will go back to using the Mac Pro for music production until the M1 Mac mini gets fixed with software updates - and by then I will be able to recommend it to other people. If software updates do not fix the issues in a few months I will return it, however.