Hands-On With Apple's New 2018 Mac Mini

[Peperino]

At the entry level pricing it is just a ****** computer targeted at consumers that would probably find better value in the iPad Pro.

At the high end pricing it is just a ****** overpriced computer professionals don't want because a real professional cares about what is inside a box and not the logo on the box.

Not sure what was the point of this update other then more general confusion coming from Apple not really understanding what consumers want anymore and an overt attempt to extort their fanboys for more greedy profit margins.

Completly agree!

A fund investor just said perfectly. Instead of making hardware available at more reasonable prices, so more people will get into the Apple ecosystem and consume more services (Itunes, Apple pay, etc) so Apple will grow its services, clearly they are alienating not only entry level users but Pro users as well with the ridiculously pricing and entry level spec computers.

That is the reason, Apple is selling less in the last quarter and will be selling even less in the quarters to come.
That is why Apple will not be announcing anymore how many units are they selling...

 

[solarmon]

No such thing as a stupid question.
The Mac format is HFS+ or APFS; while your Surface will be NTFS, or some version of FAT32. Thus, unless you have the software to read/write across these formats, you are done right there. I'm sure that someone makes an application that will allow this to happen; but I have no idea who would do it for the Surface.

Then, as long as your applications on the Mac side, save the file in a format that can be read by the Windows side (ie. *.doc, *.pdf, *.xlsm, etc) you should be good to go.

Ok, thanks for saying “no stupid questions.” Why would one need so many Thunderbolt ports? I have a 2015 Mac mini and do not use the TB ports on it. What are the possible uses? Just for monitors?

 

[Sabelonada]

It is not forecasting. It is reality.
Macbook Pro prices raised by $500, Mac Mini 65% increase, Macbook Air 20%.
What is worse is that with the price increases, there was not really a much increase in innovation and internals.

The way Apple has been ridiculously increasing its prices, we do not expect any less for the Mac Pro.

Sadly, overpriced underspeced is the new Apple moto.

Please, point me to another compact machine which has a desktop class CPU and as many TB3 ports.

Apple has upgraded the Mac mini from mobile grade processors to the best readily available Intel chips. It has added not one but two state of the art TB3 controllers for expandability. It has class leading SSD performance.

The fact that I doubt you will be able to provide even one example of a truly competitive machine undermines your claim that there is a lack of innovation in the Mac mini.

I don't disagree that it's expensive. But Apple has to compete in a saturated market and still generate enough revenue on Mac to pay for MacOS. Or did you forget that it's included in the price of a Mac?

There is plenty of innovation. If you don't want to pay the price, no one is forcing you.
[doublepost=1542212678][/doublepost]

Ok, thanks for saying “no stupid questions.” Why would one need so many Thunderbolt ports? I have a 2015 Mac mini and do not use the TB ports on it. What are the possible uses? Just for monitors?

Storage, eGPU, driving montors, networking.

 

[pl1984]

Please, point me to another compact machine which has a desktop class CPU and as many TB3 ports.

Assuming there are none I'd speculate it's due to lack of demand instead of lack of ability to produce such a system. Probably because other manufacturers offer solutions which don't require Thunderbolt to work around them.
[doublepost=1542212967][/doublepost]

Storage, eGPU, driving montors, networking.

My Z440 system easily handles additional storage, GPUs, and networking without the need for Thunderbolt. Thunderbolt appears to be a solution to limitations of Apple's own making.

 

[Zdigital2015]

Um, this is last year's i3 and i5, so no, the i3 isn't better. Of course this year's 9th gen processors are in low supply so it's good Apple didn't use them.

Even comparing 8th gen i3 to 7th gen i5 the comparison isn't accurate. Saying the 8th gen i5 8600 is more powerful than the 7th gen i7 7700 is true.

Not trying to be nit-picky, but I am...apologies in advance.

Core i3-8100 - Introduced on 9/24/2017; Launched on 10/5/2017, BGA variant still not listed in the Intel ARK as of 11/14/18.
Core i5-8500B - Introduced and launched on 4/2/2018
Core i7-8700B - Introduced and launched on 4/2/2018

9th Generation CPUs announced on 10/8/2018; launched on 10/19/2018

Core i5-9600K; 95w TDP, unlocked, 6c/6t
Core i7-9700K; 95w TDP, unlocked, 8c/8t
Core i9-9900K; 95w TDP, unlocked, 8c/16t

Like the 8th Generation rollout, I do not expect to see Intel to announce the Core i3-9100, Core i5 9500/B or Core i7 9700/B until April of 2019, if they follow their past pattern.

I would have to disagree about comparing the Core i3-8100 to the 7th Gen Core i5, to a point. The Core i3's higher clock speeds are making up for the disparity in cache and lack of Turbo Boost. How this translates into day to day productivity is not a question I can answer until I win the lottery.

The Core i3-8100 is comparable to the Core i5-7500 used in the base 27" iMac, using the Geekbench Browser's Processor Benchmarks chart - http://browser.geekbench.com/processor-benchmarks/

Core i3-8100 - 4376 SC/12522 MC - http://browser.geekbench.com/processors/2068
Core i5-7400 - 4424 SC/12431 MC - http://browser.geekbench.com/processors/1793

Core i5-7600 - 4855 SC/13880 MC - http://browser.geekbench.com/processors/1971
Core i5-7600K - 5358 SC/15305 MC - http://browser.geekbench.com/processors/1790

Core i7-7700K - 5696 SC/18815 MC - http://browser.geekbench.com/processors/1779

So, the Core i3 Mac mini can be equated with the mid-tier 21.5" iMac/entry level 27" iMac, for $799 instead of the $1,499.00 21.5" iMac, which equates to paying $700 for a Retina 4K display and a discrete GPU, which is a fair tradeoff in some regards. The 4 display from LG is no longer being sold by LG, as far as I can tell. Adding a base eGPU is going to be $430 for the Sonnet Technology eGFX Dev Box which does not leave much money for a 4K display.

Is the Core i3 better? You say no...I say...well, maybe it is, or at least getting darned close.
[doublepost=1542213280][/doublepost]

Assuming there are none I'd speculate it's due to lack of demand instead of lack of ability to produce such a system. Probably because other manufacturers offer solutions which don't require Thunderbolt to work around them.
[doublepost=1542212967][/doublepost]
My Z440 system easily handles additional storage, GPUs, and networking without the need for Thunderbolt. Thunderbolt appears to be a solution to limitations of Apple's own making.

Are you comparing an HP Z440 workstation to a Mac mini? Just asking for clarification.

 

[Peperino]

Please, point me to another compact machine which has a desktop class CPU and as many TB3 ports.

Apple has upgraded the Mac mini from mobile grade processors to the best readily available Intel chips. It has added not one but two state of the art TB3 controllers for expandability. It has class leading SSD performance.

The fact that I doubt you will be able to provide even one example of a truly competitive machine undermines your claim that there is a lack of innovation in the Mac mini.

I don't disagree that it's expensive. But Apple has to compete in a saturated market and still generate enough revenue on Mac to pay for MacOS. Or did you forget that it's included in the price of a Mac?

There is plenty of innovation. If you don't want to pay the price, no one is forcing you.
[doublepost=1542212678][/doublepost]
Storage, eGPU, driving montors, networking.

Obviously, you do not get it.
The whole idea of a Mac mini was to create an entry level machine for the Apple users, or to convert window users to Apple. At a 65% increase, many users are not going to get it no matter how good you think they are.

Sorry, but Innovation is NOT delivering in 2018 a computer with 128SSD that it is soldered and not replaceable. Some internal components might be good, which does not make the Mac mini "innovative.
Furthermore, After 4 years, they kept exactly the same case.

Read the posts (or do a poll), and see how many users are NOT buying a Mac mini, simply because the SSD is not upgradable...
The only innovation is truly the price and the ridiculously expensive pricing that Apple is trying to charge for Ram and SSD upgrades.

 

[MacsRuleOthersDrool]

I realise this is a stupid question, but does a Mac mini work with, say, a Surface laptop, provided you have cables to connect them? I might be wildly off, but I assume that would be the easiest way for a PC user like me to access macOS.

Use Screen Sharing. Just have them be on the same network (or not), and have at it.
[doublepost=1542213522][/doublepost]

Are there any good 5K monitors that will work with this besides the beleaguered LG one that Apple sells?

There are others, and when Apple brings out its new TB-based display along with the Mac Pro next year, there will be at least one more... ;-)

 

[pl1984]

People are still doing unboxing videos in 2018?
[doublepost=1542213680][/doublepost]

Are you comparing an HP Z440 workstation to a Mac mini? Just asking for clarification.

I'm not following your question, can you clarify what it is you're asking?

 

[Sabelonada]

Assuming there are none I'd speculate it's due to lack of demand instead of lack of ability to produce such a system. Probably because other manufacturers offer solutions which don't require Thunderbolt to work around them.
[doublepost=1542212967][/doublepost]
My Z440 system easily handles additional storage, GPUs, and networking without the need for Thunderbolt. Thunderbolt appears to be a solution to limitations of Apple's own making.

If there is a lack of demand people won't buy the Mac mini. However seeing that so many are upset that Apple isn't begging people to purchase them with commodity pricing it seems there may be a demand.

There is no machine that competes directly with the Mac mini. The closest is the Intel NUC family which include TB3. Only two models offer more than 1 TB3 port. Both of those offer the Vega M video coupled with a mobile processor. However, spec one out with memory and SSD, and the prices approach Mac mini prices quickly.

What other machine offers the clustering capacity the Mac mini offers with desktop grade internals? I haven't found it.

The Mac mini is in a class of it's own. As such, Apple can price it how it sees fit. The Mac mini isn't the gateway into the Apple ecosystem anymore. That job is handled by millions of iPads and iPhones.

A Z440 is a workstation, which doesn't seem like a decent comparison to a Mac mini.

People seem to forget that the Mac mini comes with MacOS included. It also comes with a functional office suite of software. Adding those to any commodity PC or one from another vendor adds cost which many disregard.

We won't know the number of Mac minis sold now due to Apple no longer disclosing unit sales. That change isn't surprising given that consumer computing is a very saturated market. In that market, Apple is adjusting by charging a premium for upgrades.
[doublepost=1542213948][/doublepost]

Obviously, you do not get it.
The whole idea of a Mac mini was to create an entry level machine for the Apple users, or to convert window users to Apple. At a 65% increase, many users are not going to get it no matter how good you think they are.

Sorry, but Innovation is NOT delivering in 2018 a computer with 128SSD that it is soldered and not replaceable. Some internal components might be good, which does not make the Mac mini "innovative.
Furthermore, After 4 years, they kept exactly the same case.

Read the posts (or do a poll), and see how many users are NOT buying a Mac mini, simply because the SSD is not upgradable...
The only innovation is truly the price and the ridiculously expensive pricing that Apple is trying to charge for Ram and SSD upgrades.

I get it, you're unhappy about the prices. However that does not mean that there is a lack of innovation. The innovation is there and you seem unwilling to pay for it.

 

[Zdigital2015]

Ok, thanks for saying “no stupid questions.” Why would one need so many Thunderbolt ports? I have a 2015 Mac mini and do not use the TB ports on it. What are the possible uses? Just for monitors?

The great thing about those Thunderbolt 3 ports is that you can mix and match them to be any combination of TB3 or USB-C that you want, depending on your needs. If you use a wired keyboard and mouse that use both USB-A ports, but you still need to connect a USB 3.0 hard drive for Time Machine or an printer, you can purchase the proper replacement cables for around $7 to $10 in most cases. If you end up needing a DisplayPort monitor instead of using an HDMI monitor, the cable for that is about $22. If you find that you need higher speed storage, you can get something like a SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD that comes with a USB-C cable that you can plug in to the TB3 port and get great speed. If your needs change and end up needing an eGPU, you plug it into the TB3 port and you have plenty of extra power for 4K/8K video editing, 3D, etc.

the difference is that the older Thunderbolt 2 ports were only ever Thunderbolt 1/2 and the devices that tended to make use of Thunderbolt 1/2 were often very expensive. Apple and Intel's approach was pragmatic, in that they gave Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C the same port, while allowing either type peripherals to be used. It can be a bit confusing at first, but once you get used to it, you will not go back to the old way. Well, I can only speak for myself, which is that I want to get rid of anything that I own that use Thunderbolt 1/2 and I am not investing in anything with Thunderbolt 1/2 moving forward.

Hope this helps and does not just muddy the waters.
[doublepost=1542214294][/doublepost]

People are still doing unboxing videos in 2018?
[doublepost=1542213680][/doublepost]
I'm not following your question, can you clarify what it is you're asking?

You said, "My Z440 system easily handles additional storage, GPUs, and networking without the need for Thunderbolt. Thunderbolt appears to be a solution to limitations of Apple's own making." and I do not see a signature, so I am asking if you are comparing an HP Z440 to the Mac mini? No gotchas, just asking for clarification that I am reading it correctly and so everyone who does not know what a Z440 actually is.

 

[Peperino]

I
[doublepost=1542213948][/doublepost]
I get it, you're unhappy about the prices. However that does not mean that there is a lack of innovation. The innovation is there and you seem unwilling to pay for it.

I guess you are one of the very few that think that delivering a computer in 2018 with 128 soldered SSD at a 65% price increase is innovation... (unless you are an Apple executive).

 

[D.T.]

Incidentally, something like the Sonnet Breakaway Puck - which can be VESA-mounted behind a display - sounds like a more sensible companion for the Mini - pity about the power brick - but what it really needs is an affordable basic "better than Intel 630" eGPU in a stackable case with just enough grunt to be sure of giving adequate 2D performance on a couple of 4k or 5k displays. If it can be TB bus-powered from the Mini that's even better (it either can or it can't).

Kind of a side FYI: One of my buddies (referenced in a previous post) ordered the full sized Sonnet "Dev" model that comes pre-packaged with the 8GB 580, he's mostly doing opensource dev work, but has been wanting to try some game/AR/VR type dev with Unity and/or Unreal Engine, I'll have to report back when he gets his Mini, eGPU, etc., all setup

 

[Gs314]

Apple in late October unveiled a refreshed version of the Mac mini, marking the first update to the company's smallest desktop machine in four years.

We managed to get our hands on one of the new Mac mini models, and in our latest video, we unbox it and share our first impressions on the revamped machine.

Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.​

The Mac mini's design hasn't changed, and it's still a 7.7-inch square box that's 1.4 inches thick, but it is available in a new Space Gray color rather than the traditional silver.

It's otherwise the same, but with the exception of a new selection of ports. The Mac mini is outfitted with four Thunderbolt 3/USB-C ports, two USB-A ports, an HDMI 2.0 port, an Ethernet port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

While the design is largely the same, the internals of the Mac mini have been entirely overhauled. There are new, more powerful components, which necessitated a bigger internal fan with twice as much airflow, expanded vents, and a revamped power supply that offers 70 percent more maximum sustained power.

The base Mac mini ships with a 3.6GHz quad-core 8th-generation Intel Core i3 processor, and this is actually the first time that all Mac minis have had at least quad-core processors. A higher-end 3.2GHz 6-core Core i7 processor is also available as an upgrade option.

In our testing of the entry-level Mac mini, it earned a single-core score of 4452 and a multi-core score of 12391. That puts the base model on par with lower-end 13 and 15-inch MacBook Pro models from 2017 and 2018.

All 2018 Mac mini models ship with an included T2 chip, which makes sure all of the data on the SSD is encrypted using dedicated AES hardware, and offers a secure boot to ensure your software isn't tampered with and only OS software trusted by Apple loads at startup.

The Mac mini uses Intel integrated UHD Graphics 630, but with the Thunderbolt 3 ports, it's able to connect to an eGPU for workflows that require more graphics power. Thunderbolt 3 also lets the Mac mini connect to two 4K displays at 60Hz or one 5K display at 60Hz.

8GB of RAM comes standard in the Mac mini, but it can handle up to 64GB, with Apple offering an option to customize the machine with additional RAM when placing an order.

Likewise, the base machine also ships with a 128GB SSD, but it can be upgraded to 2TB of storage in total.

None of these new features in the Mac mini come cheap, and the base level model now starts at $799, up from the $499 starting price of the 2014 model.

Apple sells the Mac mini in two configurations: $799 for 3.6GHz quad-core 8th-generation Intel Core i3 chip, 8GB RAM, Intel UHD Graphics 630, and a 128GB SSD, and $1,099 for a 3.0GHz 6-core 8th-generation Intel core i5 chip, 8GB RAM, Intel UHD Graphics 630, and a 256GB SSD.

Unfortunately, as with many Apple products, the Mac mini is not really user upgradeable. You can upgrade the RAM, but you need to take the entire machine apart, which is tricky. The CPU and SSD, meanwhile, are soldered in place and can't be upgraded after purchase.

What do you think of Apple's new 2018 Mac mini? Was it worth the four-year wait? Let us know in the comments.

Article Link: Hands-On With Apple's New 2018 Mac Mini

 

[Seena]

Was working great even with 8gn if RAM (have a 64gb module on the way) but it totally stopped working with my LG monitor. Seems like others are having the same issue with diff monitors.

So terrible. Considering returning it and trying to figure out some other solution

 

[Gs314]

I’m thinking of the Mac mini as my Adobe Lightroom/Photoshop engine because I can install 32 gb of RAM. Any thoughts about how it will perform? Which configuration would you recommend?

 

[Zdigital2015]

If there is a lack of demand people won't buy the Mac mini. However seeing that so many are upset that Apple isn't begging people to purchase them with commodity pricing it seems there may be a demand.

There is no machine that competes directly with the Mac mini. The closest is the Intel NUC family which include TB3. Only two models offer more than 1 TB3 port. Both of those offer the Vega M video coupled with a mobile processor. However, spec one out with memory and SSD, and the prices approach Mac mini prices quickly.

What other machine offers the clustering capacity the Mac mini offers with desktop grade internals? I haven't found it.

The Mac mini is in a class of it's own. As such, Apple can price it how it sees fit. The Mac mini isn't the gateway into the Apple ecosystem anymore. That job is handled by millions of iPads and iPhones.

A Z440 is a workstation, which doesn't seem like a decent comparison to a Mac mini.

People seem to forget that the Mac mini comes with MacOS included. It also comes with a functional office suite of software. Adding those to any commodity PC or one from another vendor adds cost which many disregard.

We won't know the number of Mac minis sold now due to Apple no longer disclosing unit sales. That change isn't surprising given that consumer computing is a very saturated market. In that market, Apple is adjusting by charging a premium for upgrades.
[doublepost=1542213948][/doublepost]

I get it, you're unhappy about the prices. However that does not mean that there is a lack of innovation. The innovation is there and you seem unwilling to pay for it.

This is not directed at you...please forgive my rant.

Reading this and many other threads, I have concluded through anecdotal research, that the most unhappy and most vocal detractors of the mini, of Apple, of the pricing, of pretty much EVERY computer they are selling want what Apple will not give them - the same old, tired PC Tower/Mini-tower form factor with removable/upgradeable CPU, GPU, DRAM and Storage, sell a bare bones version at some ethereal "reasonable" price that they can then upgrade with NVIDIA GPUs, bargain basement m.2 SATA SSDs because they are "fast enough", pitch the "weak sauce" Core i3 for a Core i7-8700K and overclock it, but when it does not work with macOS, then proceed to call tech support and complain and demand Apple make it all work for them.

Guess what, people?!? Apple is NEVER going to build that computer for any of us. This should not be a revelation to anyone who has owned a Mac, Intel or PowerPC. If it is, then you have been ignoring reality and what Apple has been engineering and selling for the last 12 years, or at least the last 6 years, since the introduction of the Retina 15" MacBook Pro which did away with major features and was reviled for doing so when it was released.

My advice for all of those users is to either build a Hackintosh and accept the pitfalls of doing so or build a Windows PC and live with all of its virtues and vices, of which there are many of each. You spend so much time nit-picking and Monday morning quarterbacking Apple's decisions, that you fail to realize that it is Apple's ball, not YOURS.

Thank you for allowing me this short PSA. Have a great day!

 

[panjandrum]

I don't know if it was worth the wait or not, but I do find it darkly humorous they they are leaving in the ports that would be really, really useful to still have on their portable devices of all kinds, but which aren't nearly so important on desktop computers. It's a pain to have to lug around dongles for your drives or headphones for your portable devices, but needing a dongle for a stationary computer isn't any where near as annoying. Score another one for Apple's new design-paradigm, best illuminated in their newest marketing campaign: "Apple - Making Everything Worse Because We Just Don't Care!"

 

[brofkand]

I have to say that Apple has lost its touch when it comes to esthetics. Why can't they develop an Apple branded display that would complement the Mini and Mac Pro?

It really would not be difficult for them to do. At all. Literally one person could get it done.

I am fairly certain that Apple said they were announcing a new display alongside the new Mac Pro. I would expect it to be announced at WWDC.

 

[camomac]

I got a 2018 Mac mini, i3, 8GB, 128SSD for work.
It replaced a 2011 i5 2.3, 16GB. 500GB HDD.
Here are there Geek Bench marks:

2018 i3 (single) 4734 (multi) 14471
2011 i5 (single) 2585 (multi) 4751

The new i3 is much snappier.

 

[pl1984]

If there is a lack of demand people won't buy the Mac mini. However seeing that so many are upset that Apple isn't begging people to purchase them with commodity pricing it seems there may be a demand.

The demand I was referring to was the lack of alternative SFF computers with four Thunderbolt ports.

There is no machine that competes directly with the Mac mini. The closest is the Intel NUC family which include TB3. Only two models offer more than 1 TB3 port. Both of those offer the Vega M video coupled with a mobile processor. However, spec one out with memory and SSD, and the prices approach Mac mini prices quickly.

What other machine offers the clustering capacity the Mac mini offers with desktop grade internals? I haven't found it.

The Mac mini is in a class of it's own. As such, Apple can price it how it sees fit. The Mac mini isn't the gateway into the Apple ecosystem anymore. That job is handled by millions of iPads and iPhones.

Perhaps I'm not making my point very well. The Mini is unique in that Apple has decided external expansion is the only means by which their systems should be upgraded. Contrast this to other SFF computers where such a limitation does not exist. If one needs the ability to expand a system they don't buy a SFF computer and plug in a bunch of external devices (storage, GPUs, etc). Instead they buy a system appropriately sized to accommodate those upgrades.

A Z440 is a workstation, which doesn't seem like a decent comparison to a Mac mini.

It's not. It's an alternative to SFF computers which negates the need to buy a SFF with four Thunderbolt ports because it provides PCIe slots which provide the ability to utilize GPUs internally. Or additional storage. Or even Thunderbolt itself.
[doublepost=1542218531][/doublepost]

You said, "My Z440 system easily handles additional storage, GPUs, and networking without the need for Thunderbolt. Thunderbolt appears to be a solution to limitations of Apple's own making." and I do not see a signature, so I am asking if you are comparing an HP Z440 to the Mac mini? No gotchas, just asking for clarification that I am reading it correctly and so everyone who does not know what a Z440 actually is.

No, I am not. What I am saying is systems like my Z440 reduce (eliminate?) the need for a SFF system with significant amounts of external expansion capabilities.

 

[lshaner]

What do you think of Apple's new 2018 Mac mini? Was it worth the four-year wait? Let us know in the comments.

Article Link: Hands-On With Apple's New 2018 Mac Mini

For sure! I moved a VM which hosts my mail domain, plus my home automation Indigo server, WeatherTracker, DNS, and VPN services over from my 12-core Mac Pro 2010 to a new 6-Core i7 Mac Mini and my DTE Insight Energy Bridge told me the next day that I will save an estimated $400+ a year on power! Couldn’t be happier! =D

 

[Dorje Sylas]

Someone on the iFixit mac mini teardown site claimed you might not be able to boot the machine in the event the flash drive failed. Could you still cmd R into the recovery screen if that happened to change the security settings to allow external boot? He claims you couldn't, that it would require a logic board replacement at that point. The procedure in the imore article assumes the flash is still working, right. Hard to believe Apple would allow the failed flash drive scenario to disable the machine, though. Would like to put that to rest before I bought the mini.

Presumably yes, from a MacOS version on external media that the T2 finds acceptable/secure. The main issue with the T2 chip's default high security mode is it needs to verify the OS as "official" and "safe".

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208330

However if the SSD fails in the 2018 Mini it becomes soggy toast. Edible, yes, but disgusting.

At some point I will need to buy a Mini for work/development reasons (can't make legal AppStore Mac/iOS Ports) without one. And I intend to drive it from an external drive, and leave the internal mostly alone. If I can boot from the External in "High Security" mode, then presumably I can still boot from it and its recover partition if the internal fails.

Should still be able to boot to a Recovery Partition with Option key and selecting it.

 

[riclf]

I am AMAZED that no one seems to have noticed the missing SD Card Reader, present in the 2012 and 2014 models. What am I to do to backup my Raspberry Pi Debian OS if I can't push the SD Card into my mini for a backup? Oh.... ok, there's a $300 after-market dock for that!

 

[theluggage]

The great thing about those Thunderbolt 3 ports is that you can mix and match them to be any combination of TB3 or USB-C that you want, depending on your needs.

I don't think the Mac Mini's ports are a problem - thanks to the retention of a couple of USB-A, HDMI and Ethernet ports. That discussion is for the MacBook/Air/Pro range.

Where it comes in to the Mini argument is when "4 TB3 Ports!!!" gets cited as end-of-argument when comparing the Mini to other systems in the PC world where, indeed, you'll rarely find more than 1 or 2 Thunderbolt ports (if any) but they may make up for that in other ways. Case in point would be the Intel Hades Canyon NUC which only has 2 TB3 ports but has oodles of other ports to make up for it and a semi-discrete GPU and a pair of M.2 slots for internal SSD expansion - so many people won't need to connect displays, high-speed external SSDs, eGPUs, extra Ethernet, etc. or legacy USB2/3 stuff via the TB3 ports. I'm sure that having more that 2 TB3 devices connected to a Mini will be rare c.f. having one port driving a second display and another one or two with USB3.1g1 or lower devices.

 

[riclf]

What's the sweetspot for hard drive size? My 2012 mini has a 1TB of rotating disk. I am using about 850GB of that space... am I doomed to pay +$600 for 1TB of SSD? GAWD!