Use older Mac Mini M2 Pro instead of MacBook M4 Max

[Mac_Professor]

I purchased a MacBook M4 Max for my business as a consultant even though I had a Mac mini m2 pro which work fine and was only barely 2yrs old. I love the MacBook max with nano texture, easy to look at and read for long periods and less strain on eyes. I was going to get rid of the Mac mini, but I find for 90% of my tasks there is no really big difference in speed, unless I'm doing serious video editing or large coding. Do any of you find that you are still using your older Mac more often than your newer technology or should I just get rid of the Mac mini and stop holding on the older as no reason to?

 

[Fishrrman]

I'd keep the Mini around as a spare.

Nothing beats having a good desktop for "desktop things"...
AND
A good laptop, for "laptop things"...

 

[Mac_Professor]

Your right! I have the MacBook Max M4 hooked up and it’s a beast but to be honest i do not use 20% of its power as i primarily do no code app development which is primarily web based etc. I like the idea of having a good desktop as the unit sits connected all the time. I’m not complaining it’s just an observation, I will probably find a way to swap back and forth between both as needed. But you’re right nothing beats having a good desktop for desktop things and a good laptop for laptop things. I may sell the Max and get a Mac mini M4 pro which will probably still give me a $1500 credit back. I just replaced my 2020 IPad Pro 12.9 with the M5 IPad Pro with nano texture and i love using this as my daily driver. It replaces my laptop for 85% of what i need with a keyboard case and the improvement in iPadOS multitasking is great!! But I still agree nothing beats having a a good desktop, I got OCD issues bro that’s the real problem LOL

 

[JamesMay82]

Your right! I have the MacBook Max M4 hooked up and it’s a beast but to be honest i do not use 20% of its power as i primarily do no code app development which is primarily web based etc. I like the idea of having a good desktop as the unit sits connected all the time. I’m not complaining it’s just an observation, I will probably find a way to swap back and forth between both as needed. But you’re right nothing beats having a good desktop for desktop things and a good laptop for laptop things. I may sell the Max and get a Mac mini M4 pro which will probably still give me a $1500 credit back. I just replaced my 2020 IPad Pro 12.9 with the M5 IPad Pro with nano texture and i love using this as my daily driver. It replaces my laptop for 85% of what i need with a keyboard case and the improvement in iPadOS multitasking is great!! But I still agree nothing beats having a a good desktop, I got OCD issues bro that’s the real problem LOL

Ha I could of written this post.

I’ve ended up with overlapping machines and my desktop a m2 studio barely gets used now.. especially now I don’t work at home anymore..

I can never be bothered with the hassle of eBay and worry about getting ripped off so if would do a Apple trade in but prices aren’t great sometimes so I usally just end up keeping all mine…

 

[throAU]

I purchased a MacBook M4 Max for my business as a consultant even though I had a Mac mini m2 pro which work fine and was only barely 2yrs old. I love the MacBook max with nano texture, easy to look at and read for long periods and less strain on eyes. I was going to get rid of the Mac mini, but I find for 90% of my tasks there is no really big difference in speed, unless I'm doing serious video editing or large coding. Do any of you find that you are still using your older Mac more often than your newer technology or should I just get rid of the Mac mini and stop holding on the older as no reason to?

I hand off my old machines to the GF for years 4-6 before they're retired (her needs are much lower than mine, she just uses them for home use, I use mine for work).

My M1 Pro in her possession is still going great. It just doesn't have enough RAM or storage for what I do these days on my M4 Max.

 

[Basic75]

Do any of you find that you are still using your older Mac more often than your newer technology or should I just get rid of the Mac mini and stop holding on the older as no reason to?

I'm decked out in M1 generation hardware which still works well for my requirements meaning I don't have anything newer yet because I rarely buy new hardware that I don't need.

 

[benwiggy]

I'm still using an M2 Pro Mini, and an M1 Pro MBP, and both are still more than capable of the tasks I need to do -- which includes Xcode compiles, audio rendering, and fairly serious vector graphics.

Having a desktop that can act as a Time Machine server over wireless for the MBP is invaluable (saving faff with NASes, etc); as well as a server of music and vids to an AppleTV box, etc.