Early Impressions and Benchmarks on Apple's 2012 Mac Mini

[Steveorevo]

Don't insult us with Xserves and say that the two are comparable. Does the new Mac Mini support ethernet bonding? oh wait, it only has one ethernet port.

Here is the solution: place second Mac Mini on top of your current Mac Mini. If you are trying to run more than 100 shared sites off of one Mac Mini than you really need more than one Mac Mini.

You said it yourself, the keyword there is "two". 1 X-Serve < 2 Mac Minis.

 

[Winni]

Yikes! That's one ugly m************... If you feel that's a better choice over the mini then you probably shouldn't be buying Macs.

Yeah, it's one ugly ****************. But you can bet your sorry little ass that it runs circles around everything that Apple currently sells.

Apple gives you form over function. This machine gives you raw computing power over everything else. And guess what, some people prefer raw power and saving money over expensive, fragile nice looks. Some people want to USE their stuff while others only want to adore things in a glass cabinet.

 

[Michaelgtrusa]

Yeah, it's one ugly ****************. But you can bet your sorry little ass that it runs circles around everything that Apple currently sells.

Apple gives you form over function. This machine gives you raw computing power over everything else. And guess what, some people prefer raw power and saving money over expensive, fragile nice looks. Some people want to USE their stuff while others only want to adore things in a glass cabinet.

I have to agree that that PC is a monster.

 

[Tacitus]

Anybody know if it is possible to run ML client on the server model? An SSD as the main drive with a 1TB drive for time machine backup, would make a nice little machine.

 

[jowie]

I'm struggling to think how a dedicated GPU would improve HTPC performance. These will handle any video format available without missing a beat.

I'm guessing that as long as Apple are using Ivy Bridge's Clear Video, the GPU is not required for HD video playback anyway.

Would be very happy to own one of these as an HTPC

 

[woodbine]

Im thinking about one to replace my 08 MBP

I sold my MP 2008 and thought to replace with new iMac, but the new models just don't grab me that much. Looks like for my uses, the best MacMini full of RAM, an SSD + Hard drive will satisfy my needs. Might need to do a bit of DIY, but I'd rather dive in a MM than the current iMacs!

Plus USB3 for all my drives....just need to find a suitable monitor

 

[Macist]

i7 quad mini looks compelling for an everyday work machine. I have a 2010 MBP, which does the job and also runs a LaCie pro monitor, but maybe an dedicated desktop attached to that would work well, making the MBP more of a dedicated portable.

 

[Cockney Rebel]

This is the best answer I've ever seen in this forum.

The truth has been said.

Here here!!

 

[haravikk]

I think the comment about the 2010 Mac Pros is the most difficult to bear; it's great to see the Mac Minis continuing to improve as I've got two and they're great little machine, but they should not be threatening the workstation model!

 

[everything-i]

For the price of a single Xserve you could buy 2 to 4 Mac Mini's and end up with two or more ethernet ports as well as full system redundancy. If you are constrained by power and cooling to your server room, you can probably support even more Mini's in place of a single Xserve.

True, we have a whole rack of these things, it's like having a really cheap blade center, sort of They do make pretty good little servers.

 

[Macist]

I think the comment about the 2010 Mac Pros is the most difficult to bear; it's great to see the Mac Minis continuing to improve as I've got two and they're great little machine, but they should not be threatening the workstation model!

Right. Years back I use to be a 'tower buyer' but now I use a laptop. I know loads of designers and content creators using solely MacBooks and iMacs. So not everyone that bought G3, g4 or G5 towers wants a Mac Pro.

But there are uses whree you can never have too much power and speed so Apple need to always have a top class workstation. Is doesn't matter if it doesn't sell millions - it needs to be there for the sake of platform completeness.

 

[unplugme71]

I've set up many mac mini's as servers with external storage devices using iSCSI and this is going to be an even better unit. With a thunderbolt hub, you could add multiple ethernet ports if needed - dedicate an IP for each iSCSI storage device and a few for the network. Not sure if it allows you team through thunderbolt.

I'm sure they'll come out with thunderbolt video cards, if not already, that you can add being that it has the speeds for it.

Good job Apple.

 

[435713]

Yeah, it's one ugly ****************. But you can bet your sorry little ass that it runs circles around everything that Apple currently sells.

Apple gives you form over function. This machine gives you raw computing power over everything else. And guess what, some people prefer raw power and saving money over expensive, fragile nice looks. Some people want to USE their stuff while others only want to adore things in a glass cabinet.

Ive has to talk against a white background though, how else can this be done.

IVE: "It's truly....remarkable....when we can get a product this....thin and beautiful....." goes on and on.

 

[howyoudoin]

I'm looking to buy the 2.6GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 Mac Mini.

Main uses are going to be for encoding movies and also as a HTPC.

Since the Mac Mini lost the discrete graphics card, will this affect me much for what I am needing for?

From my understanding, the encoding process strictly uses CPU resources and not GPU. Is this correct?

Yep it will do very well with encoding due to the CPU and the intel hd 4000 graphics can do video playback without issue (including 1080p video)

 

[g60chris]

For work, I have a Mac mini server. It's a nice work horse!
OSX for the fluffy stuff, and runs various Linux VMs for Dev work.
Plus its small size makes transport via rucksack a doddle

The new Mac mini server is a nice increment bar the storage options.
My set-up meets my needs nicely; with 256GB SSD and 750GB 7200rpm HDD.

 

[Codestud]

I've got an Early 2009 Mac Pro (4 core Intel Xeon W3520).

Is the 2.3Ghz or optional 2.6Ghz Quad Core i7 in the new Minis going to beat my Mac Pro, for something like Logic Studio?

 

[macsmurf]

Right. Years back I use to be a 'tower buyer' but now I use a laptop. I know loads of designers and content creators using solely MacBooks and iMacs. So not everyone that bought G3, g4 or G5 towers wants a Mac Pro.

But there are uses whree you can never have too much power and speed so Apple need to always have a top class workstation. Is doesn't matter if it doesn't sell millions - it needs to be there for the sake of platform completeness.

Why does Apple need to have a complete platform? Does it show up somehow on the bottom line?

 

[CheesePuff]

I've got an Early 2009 Mac Pro (4 core Intel Xeon W3520).

Is the 2.3Ghz or optional 2.6Ghz Quad Core i7 in the new Minis going to beat my Mac Pro, for something like Logic Studio?

The 2.3 GHz model will come quite close in many tests, and paired with the faster RAM it may just beat it.

 

[paulrbeers]

That would net you two ethernet ports, but I don't know whether it's actually supported with the use of dongles. This would also leave you with just hdmi for your display.

I know that with a little terminal magic you can even do bonding with wifi.... I don't think the dongles will matter. Further, I was responding to a post about needing ethernet bonding for it to be like an Xserve, if you are going the Xserve route then you probably wouldn't even hook it to a monitor at all. Also, the Thunderbolt display + built in Ethernet or USB 3.0 to Ethernet + Built in Ethernet, neither of those would limit your monitor connections would they?

 

[bbeagle]

Anybody know if it is possible to run ML client on the server model? An SSD as the main drive with a 1TB drive for time machine backup, would make a nice little machine.

Yes, OS X Mountain Lion non-server may be run on the server model.

The server version changed in Mountain Lion. Instead of the server being another OS, the server is just a 'patch' or an 'app bundle' that is installed after the OS is installed.

Therefore, not installing the 'patch' or 'app bundle' (what ever you want to refer to this as) on top of Mountain Lion will give you just the regular Mountain Lion.

 

[theSeb]

- Don’t look now, but the new Mac minis are getting comparable to the last gen Xserve and 2010 Mac Pros as far as benchmarks. Tech progress marches on.

This is very misleading. Using a synthetic benchmark, like Geekbench and others, to extrapolate real-world performance is not a good idea. Especially when comparing a thermally constrained computer to one that isn't.

Geekbench is like sprinting. Using a computer in CPU intensive apps is more like a marathon. Just because the new Mac Mini can sprint very well, it does not mean that it will keep up with a 2010 Mac Pro in a marathon. The GB score is an ideal result, when Turbo boost is running at its best. Unfortunately the Mini and Mac portables don't keep themselves cool enough to allow Turbo boost to work continuously. It will throttle back to help cool the CPU cores down.

I love my little 2011 Mini server, but it's hardly going to render as well as a 2010 Mac Pro.

 

[elec999]

I hope this new mac mini it will be easier to swap the hdd for an ssd.

 

[milo]

Don't insult us with Xserves and say that the two are comparable. Does the new Mac Mini support ethernet bonding? oh wait, it only has one ethernet port.

Don't insult us by pretending they didn't say that comparison was specifically about the benchmarks. Which is absolutely true, I have a 2009 MP and it gets a little over 12000 on geekbench. These will blow away many of the MP quads.

I still need more ram though, can this take 16 gig chips or do they not make those for laptops yet?

Scores are good. Imagine the increase if the case was...dare I say...a little bigger and fatter, with the ability to have a nice GPU as well as a desktop CPU. Wait I said bigger? WHOA Johnny Five Ive don't pass out.

Mini is a good machine though not knocking it really, it could be so much more.

Agreed although for me video card is lower priority than more ram slots or full size drive bays. Just make a headless box big enough that it doesn't require laptop components.

 

[The Wedge]

Anyone going to use the new Mac mini to build a render farm? Looking for some tips... I.e. is CPU the most important variable?

I was thinking about it. Haven't seen much online though. But this is just a band-aid. I need a mac pro and I'm not buying the current ones. Working in finalcut on my 2009 macbook pro is taking it's toll on me.

 

[Tastydirt]

Yeah, it's one ugly ****************. But you can bet your sorry little ass that it runs circles around everything that Apple currently sells.

Apple gives you form over function. This machine gives you raw computing power over everything else. And guess what, some people prefer raw power and saving money over expensive, fragile nice looks. Some people want to USE their stuff while others only want to adore things in a glass cabinet.

And some people don't want the equivalent of a tarted up chav car with shiny rims and neon LEDs on their desk. That GPU also isn't discrete, it's still integrated (although a lot better than the HD4000).

The Mac mini absolutely trounces that on CPU power, the only area where that piece of **** is better is with 3D gaming.

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I still need more ram though, can this take 16 gig chips or do they not make those for laptops yet?

16GB SODIMMs don't exist