I'm in the market for a new Mac Mini. I'm not waiting for the refresh but am choosing between these two models. They are new and available at these prices through my university IT store.
2012 2.5 I5 with HD 4000 graphics: $569
2011 2.5 I5 with AMD Radeon HD 6630M: $469
Both have 4GB ram, which I plan to upgrade later regardless, along with an SSD at some point. I know the 2011 has USB2 but my drives are all Firewire or Thunderbolt anyway. I know that both are powerful enough for my needs (productivity apps and media playback). I love the price of the 2011 but have some reservations about buying a 2011 computer in 2013. Are these units comparable in your experience? Does the 2011 lack anything I haven't mentioned? Any feedback would be appreciated.
2012 2.5 I5 with HD 4000 graphics: $569
2011 2.5 I5 with AMD Radeon HD 6630M: $469
Both have 4GB ram, which I plan to upgrade later regardless, along with an SSD at some point. I know the 2011 has USB2 but my drives are all Firewire or Thunderbolt anyway. I know that both are powerful enough for my needs (productivity apps and media playback). I love the price of the 2011 but have some reservations about buying a 2011 computer in 2013. Are these units comparable in your experience? Does the 2011 lack anything I haven't mentioned? Any feedback would be appreciated.
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