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Mac-Mini server 2011 [Graphics card questions]
- Thread starter Jabman
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Oh yes, I'm loving it. Certainly a massive improvement over my macbook air. Watching 1080p movies and shows without worrying if they'll run smoothly feels so good and oddly empowering haha
I did however want to test it's limit so I downloaded Bioshock from the App store and tried to play it at the highest settings. It wasn't very smooth but very playable to my surprise. Only thing I find troubling is that I have a fair amount of firepower in my mini but the graphics is so not on par with the rest of the specs. Would it have killed apple to put an AMD graphics card on the server mini as well
Either way I don't need it. I'm much more of a console gamer myself and my mini has been a delight from the start.Oh yes, I'm loving it. Certainly a massive improvement over my macbook air. Watching 1080p movies and shows without worrying if they'll run smoothly feels so good and oddly empowering haha
I did however want to test it's limit so I downloaded Bioshock from the App store and tried to play it at the highest settings. It wasn't very smooth but very playable to my surprise. Only thing I find troubling is that I have a fair amount of firepower in my mini but the graphics is so not on par with the rest of the specs. Would it have killed apple to put an AMD graphics card on the server mini as well
Try bumping the RAM up to 1866MHz Kingston Hyper X PnP modules. This will increase the video game performance between 5% - 20% depending on the game.
Is that verified compatible with the Mini?
Is this the correct kit for the Mini?
http://www.amazon.com/Kingston-Modules-Notebook-KHX1866C11S3P1K2-8G/dp/B004XZ8ZQE/ref=lh_ni_t
Hi there, I recently ordered a customized mac mini lion server (with 8GB ram instead of 4GB) from the online apple store. At the time I had thought I've researched it enough to know that it would suit me. However after reading a few threads here on this forum a question presented itself to me.
Apparently the Mac mini server does not sport an AMD 6630m graphics card and instead uses an Intel HD Graphics 3000 processor with 384MB of DDR3 SDRAM shared with main memory.
My question is, what does that mean basically?
I'm mainly planning on using it for watching 1080p movies and tv shows I download, I also do some video editing on the new final cut pro X and I use photoshop frequently and have a browser with a crap-load of tabs always open. I know the mac mini server has more than enough power to support all of this but does the fact that it does not have an AMD 6630m graphics card mean anything in particular? I've already set up the HDTV that I will hook it up to in my room on my desk and have it hooked up to my macbook air currently.
Any help and reassurance (hopefully) would be greatly appreciated
-----Other questions:
I like keeping my Macbook air (which is my main computer at the moment) on all the time, I restart it weekly but I rarely shut it down. Will I be able to do the same for my mac mini once I start using it?
For what you wand to do the HD 3000 is fine. All Macs run OS X so it will be the same as the Air.
This is the correct kit.
I currently run this memory in my 2011 Mac Mini Server. The memory has been tested with Rember and Geekbench stress test. I also ran this in 2011 mid-range Mac Mini i7 2.7GHz. It passed all the tests as well. In full disclosure, I removed the memory due to additional heat concerns, but it turns out the memory was not the contributor. I had the exact same system temperatures after with low voltage Samsung 1333MHz.
Here is review that covers the performance gain:
http://www.legitreviews.com/article/1599/1/
if your primary use for the mini is watching 1080p videos and some fcpx usage, you don't really need the mini server for that. you could've just gotten the dual-core i5 with amd and upgrade ram to 8gb yourself (fcpx can be a bit of a ram hog). and it sounds like you do some gaming, so the amd would've helped you there as well. but the HD 3000 can handle most games if you don't mind lower res and lower graphics quality settings.
also want to add that i leave my mini server on 24/7. never sleep (wouldn't save much in electricty cost by sleeping anyway). i can count on one hand how many times i rebooted my 2010 mini in the past year.
also want to add that i leave my mini server on 24/7. never sleep (wouldn't save much in electricty cost by sleeping anyway). i can count on one hand how many times i rebooted my 2010 mini in the past year.
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MacMini Server on Graphic programs
Hey Jabman, what to ask you about your experience with this MacMini Server
You say you are pretty happy with video playback, but what about editing videos on final cut pro X or using Photoshop?
I'm a graphic designer, and frankly I'm not going to play any 3D games, but I'm using Photoshop / Illustrator a lot and sometimes do video editing and 3D with Cinema 4D. Have you tried some of these programs?
Seams to me that the i7 quad core is an excellent choose for these processor intensive applications, and I have the impression that they can work fine on the Intel graphic processor (but not so sure)
Thanks!!
Kardo
Hey Jabman, what to ask you about your experience with this MacMini Server
You say you are pretty happy with video playback, but what about editing videos on final cut pro X or using Photoshop?
I'm a graphic designer, and frankly I'm not going to play any 3D games, but I'm using Photoshop / Illustrator a lot and sometimes do video editing and 3D with Cinema 4D. Have you tried some of these programs?
Seams to me that the i7 quad core is an excellent choose for these processor intensive applications, and I have the impression that they can work fine on the Intel graphic processor (but not so sure)
Thanks!!
Kardo
It's great, I'm a frequent photoshop user and it can't get any faster and smoother. I also downloaded bioshock just to tests its limits and it had no problem playing it like a console. So I think the server would suit you.
I had problems using Photoshop with the mini Server, and exchanged it for a 2.7 i7 mini.
The problem was with using very large brushes (>1500px). Sometimes the brush cursor would disappear and get replaced by a pointer cursor.
Also the mini Server is the only mini which does not offer Photoshop's advanced OpenGL settings.
The problem was with using very large brushes (>1500px). Sometimes the brush cursor would disappear and get replaced by a pointer cursor.
Also the mini Server is the only mini which does not offer Photoshop's advanced OpenGL settings.
Mini Server + Photoshop brushes
The big brush thing is a PS bug as it happens on my Win7 i7 machine as well as my mini server
The big brush thing is a PS bug as it happens on my Win7 i7 machine as well as my mini server
Compact and beautifully design....
I am using a Mac Mini Server too.
I manage to hook up on my 55inch Samsung LED and as well on my DELL 30 inch. Both came up tops with not a single problem.
Watching 1080p movies was nice too!
Usually when you have a mini server, it's best to leave it on 24/7 as it does not consume so much power anyway. Lion OSX was design specifically not to be turn off at all. That's why on their OSX Lion Server states it does not fully support some of functions if you decide to install it on a laptop (turn on and off).
Intell 3000 GPU is embedded directly to the board itself. S you cannot change the card. You can however change your HDD (at your own risk). It takes about 30-45mins depending how good your are with it.
OWC sells RAM and HDD for Mac mini. You can actually upgrade all the way to 16 GB without any problem plus they provide lifetime warranty for the RAMs which cost about 190.00
As for the HDD, depends what your needs are but to boost up your speed, you can change to SSD but it's hell of an expensive option for now. A 240GB sets you at 400plus. You can wait for the price to drop. Although there is a dual HDD slot, you can just buy a lower GB SSD as your scratch disk for your PS.
It will fly.....after all this upgrades.......but a big hole in your wallet!
I am using a Mac Mini Server too.
I manage to hook up on my 55inch Samsung LED and as well on my DELL 30 inch. Both came up tops with not a single problem.
Watching 1080p movies was nice too!
Usually when you have a mini server, it's best to leave it on 24/7 as it does not consume so much power anyway. Lion OSX was design specifically not to be turn off at all. That's why on their OSX Lion Server states it does not fully support some of functions if you decide to install it on a laptop (turn on and off).
Intell 3000 GPU is embedded directly to the board itself. S you cannot change the card. You can however change your HDD (at your own risk). It takes about 30-45mins depending how good your are with it.
OWC sells RAM and HDD for Mac mini. You can actually upgrade all the way to 16 GB without any problem plus they provide lifetime warranty for the RAMs which cost about 190.00
As for the HDD, depends what your needs are but to boost up your speed, you can change to SSD but it's hell of an expensive option for now. A 240GB sets you at 400plus. You can wait for the price to drop. Although there is a dual HDD slot, you can just buy a lower GB SSD as your scratch disk for your PS.
It will fly.....after all this upgrades.......but a big hole in your wallet!
What are you doing that is causing you to be limited by the graphics card? Gaming?
It's not upgradeable, period. Your best bet would be to wait for the next generation to come out and sell your current one. Then it would just be a couple hundred bucks to trade up for the new model.
The HD3000 performs great for normal UI tasks, and plays 1080p HD video without skipping a beat.
The HD4000 in the Ivy Bridge would make dedicated graphics a moot point except for those who want to play the latest games in high graphics settings.