So Mac mini with M2 Pro vs Max studio with m1 max

[nutmac]

When Apple updates Mac Studio with M2 processor family, it will no doubt be a superior buy. But for now, it sits in an awkward place where most benchmarks show Mac mini with M2 Pro outperforming Mac Studio with M1 Max (only by upgrading to 32-core GPU or M1 Ultra, Mac Studio starts to outperform Mac mini with M2 Pro).

With Mac mini, you also save a bit of money, latest Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and IMO more pleasing design.

So unless you need 4 or more displays and/or more than 32GB RAM, you should get Mac mini with M2 Pro.

 

[now i see it]

But for now, it sits in an awkward place

This is very common with new Mac products. A lower tier product gets released with a brand new chip that outperforms an older top tier product that has older tech.

It sometimes happens with a new MacBook pro outperforming a Mac Pro that costs 3X more…. until the top tier product gets upgraded- then everything is in order — for a while

 

[Pressure]

I've been looking at the GPU differences between the pro M2 and Max M1 and the 16gb 19 core Pro looks to be similar in a metal score in geekbench of around 52000 as the 24 core Max.

The M1 Max with 24-core GPU gets 60,000 in Geekbench 5 Compute (Metal).

 

[philipma1957]

Been waiting and lurking to decide.
The new mini with the m2 pro gives me 4TB ports.
That is more like what I need.
It gives 16gb ram that is enough for me.
I upgrade to 1tb ssd that is enough.

With veteran/military cost is 1349.

My internet is .2gb at the moment and next upgrade is .5gb highest I can get is 1.0gb

and they just finish a complete rewiring of my area so 1gb is okay as top speed in this model.

I almost never tap the full 16gb my page swaps are 0 or next to zero.
I am on a 16gb machine. an older 2018 Mac mini.

If I get a studio m 1 max with 1 tb it is 1979 it would be 32gb ram

so

studio 1tb ssd 1979 at 32gb
m2pro mini 1tb 1709 at 32gb


m2Pro mini 1tb for $1349 at 16gb-------this would be an easy choice if I were sure about ram usage


I am going to wait a bit to decide

 

[coolerkid]

I'd get a Mini Apple M2 Pro or wait for the next Studio to come out. You could also go down on the specs of the M2Pro mini to 16gb, 512 ssd so it's much bigger difference in price. Apple absolutely gouges on SSD and RAM prices so I usually get the bare minimum I need for the OS and run everything off external, which run just as fast over Thunderbolt.

 

[IngerMan]

I am on a 16gb machine. an older 2018 Mac mini.

I have the 2018 i7 32GB Ram 512SSD. What model 2018 do you have?

I have a XT5500 eGPU and it still sings fast enough for me.

 

[carl varley]

The M1 Max with 24-core GPU gets 60,000 in Geekbench 5 Compute (Metal).

Thanks for the clarification!

 

[philipma1957]

I have the 2018 i5 it has 1tb ssd and 16gb ram
I also have an m1 barebones mini
I also have a 2012 mini this is long in the tooth and is what I will replace.

I like the 2018 I like the 4 usb-c/TB ports.

So I know I would get the new mini with the 4 usb/tb ports.
I get 10% off for being a vet.
I use samsung t-7 as cloned booters on the two newer minis. 2018 and 2021 models

So I could save on the m2 pro getting the 512gb ssd with 16gb ram

that has the 512gb with 16gb ram cost is 1169

 

[IngerMan]

I was eyeballing the M2 Pro, 16 GB Ram, 1 TB SSD. I just do not need it. My 2018 i7 with the sonnet Puck XT5500 eGPU makes a world of difference. My single core and multi core GB scores are nothing to write home about but they are decent 1200,6000. My compute score is impressive for such a little eGPU, metal 40,000.

I should wait for the next update which will probably be a few years. It is not long it the tooth yet lol....