MacBook Pro mid 2014 to Mac Mini 2018 - It is worth the upgrade?

[Do365]

Hi there, i'm a MacBook Pro mid 2014 owner (i7, 16 GB RAM, Intel Iris Pro Graphics) and I'm really thinking to switch to a Mac Mini 2018 since all my work I do is on the desktop.

I'm a developer and I use my MBP mainly for Xcode and some videotutorials using ScreenFlow and Final Cut Pro.

My Mac Mini configuration will be:

i7, 64 GB RAM

and I'm thinking to add an eGPU for Final Cut Pro.

Do you think it is worth the upgrade?

Many thanks!

 

[seble]

I am in the exact same boat as you. Coming from a 15 inch 2014 MBP. In my head, two things should help:
- noticeably faster SSD performance compared to MBP
- 64 gigs of ram compared to max 16 in the MBP.

Graphics performance as far as I can tell will actually be worse... My plan is to get the mini first (stick with my ultra wide LG monitor and apple keyboard and mouse peripherals) then upgrade to an eGPU (one with an upgradeable enclosure). With one of those it should make it a screamer compared to the MBP.

In the UK, a MBP 15 inch with decent graphics (not that my original had them let’s be honest - iris pro isn’t that great) is £1.5k more than what I paid 4 years ago. Apple can do one at those prices. The mini to me is a much better proposition, especially as I slowly transition to using my iPad more and more for ‘on-the-go’ work

 

[seble]

Don’t know what you went for in the end but here’s my update for anyone thinking similar:

Performance wise so far I’ve not found much in it, day to day. My mini actually locks up far more than my MBP but that’s because I’m utilising 8GB of RAM vs. 16. I’m going to upgrade the mini to 32 and hope that solves my woes.

Still glad I purchased the machine as TB3 drives are a beauty.

 

[pst23]

Don’t know what you went for in the end but here’s my update for anyone thinking similar:

Performance wise so far I’ve not found much in it, day to day. My mini actually locks up far more than my MBP but that’s because I’m utilising 8GB of RAM vs. 16. I’m going to upgrade the mini to 32 and hope that solves my woes.

Still glad I purchased the machine as TB3 drives are a beauty.

I have 8gb of ram and I am not experiencing any lock ups.

 

[seble]

I have 8gb of ram and I am not experiencing any lock ups.

Do you often have two browsers open with 20+ tabs each alongside word processing, Spotify, media hosting and spreadsheets?

Either my machine is dodgy, or I'm out of RAM - I think it's the RAM.

 

[Fishrrman]

Get the new Mini AND keep the MBP around.

There's nothing like having a good desktop AND a good laptop, to boot !!

 

[Sun Baked]

I picked up the 2018 Mac Mini simply due to the fact that the eGPU wasn't a fit with the base 15" 2015 MacBook Pro.

I dropped the Ram to 16GB and bumped up the SSD to the 512 with the i7.

Then waited for the eGPU I wanted with the Vega 56.

Now all I am waiting for is a 1TB TB3 SSD to get around $250, and I see those at $279 right now.

And yes I kept the MBP, because I was replacing a 2014 Mac Mini even though I had the MBP just because the 32" monitor didn't really ever like the MBP.

Still waiting to see what the Mac Pro ends up being (most likely out of my price range if they kill the 3k entry level and 2.5k refurbs.)