Mac mini (2013?) vs rMBP 15 inch

[Geminist]

Hi All

I am currently using a MBA 2012 (128 GB & 8 GB RAM) which is doing it's job well for casual use, but when it comes to my work + studies, I am running:

Work processor
Matlab
Fortran
Web browsing
VirtualBox: Linux or Windows 7
Spotify
Preview (PDF)
(I am an engineer doing modelling + computation)

And I find that the RAM and disk size are getting very tight for the machine to do its job properly (around 25 GB spare, and I don't keep media files on it). I connect my MBA to an 24" external monitor.

So I have been thinking of either getting a Mac Mini (i7 + Apple 256 SSD + bring my own 16 GB RAM) or sell my MBA and get the entry level 2013 15 inch rMBP with 16 GB RAM.

I have more or less decided that I will go down the Mini option as it means I'll get to keep my MBA whilst having a desktop solution at home. I don't need to have this kind of processing power on the go, so a Mac Mini works fine. Plus the Mac Mini works out cheaper overall compared to the rMBP.

The only uncertainty with this is that the Mac Mini has yet to be refreshed, so nobody knows whether it will match the rMBP on the graphics department and the PCI-E SSD.

The retina is a nice but not essential to have as I work on an external monitor most of the time. Money-wise I have the budget for either option, but obviously I don't want to spend money I don't have to spend.

So, has anyone got any ideas on this?

Many thanks!

 

[maflynn]

My opinion, get the rMBP, its just been refreshed and you said it yourself. you don't know when the mini will see an update. I can guess that it won't be in 2013, so you'll need to be content waiting until 2014 if you opt for the mini.

 

[Geminist]

My opinion, get the rMBP, its just been refreshed and you said it yourself. you don't know when the mini will see an update. I can guess that it won't be in 2013, so you'll need to be content waiting until 2014 if you opt for the mini.

Many thanks.

Every now and again, I need to lug my laptop around, otherwise, my iPad works well as a portable most of the time. Have you or anyone got a 15 inch rMBP / 13 inch MBA? I tried it at an Apple Store and the weight feels OK, but clearly I can't test carry it for an extended period.

One other thing I'm unsure is whether the Mini will get a 32 gb RAM option.