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Which to buy now

M

marklcfc

macrumors regular
Original poster
Sep 5, 2007
176
153
I was hoping the Mac Mini would be updated soon, since I sent the Mac Studio back as it was too loud but reports suggest not until next year.

I don't really want to buy a new M1 Mac Mini as it will at least be updated by next year, and the current ones don't give enough ram/gpu for me. So I was considering getting a used 2018 Intel just to get by until then. But as they are Intel are these loud machines? I don't really want another situation where the computers too loud.
 
I have my i7 2018 Mini's default fan set to 50% and it ramps up as things get heavier. The mini is placed behind a bunch of drives and monitor so I can't really hear it unless its pumping at 100%.
The ole' spinning drives are louder during read and write than the Mini.
 
You didn't tell us anything about your use. But it sounds like it could be demanding if you want lots of RAM and originally had a studio. If you are doing something like rendering video, the fans can be quite loud on the 2018 Mini. I have been running some demanding GIS software, exporting terabytes of raster imagery in a 32gb Windows 10 virtual machine on my top-spec 2018 Mini. Am happy with the performance, but it is hot and loud when pushed this hard. Doesn't bother me, especially since the hot weather is here now - the air conditioning drowns it out... and the loud music I have playing drowns out the air conditioning! :D

Seriously, if you are sensitive about computer noise (and heat) then the 2018 Mini might not be for you. However, I have heard the complaint that the fans on the Studio are audible even when the computer is idle. The 2018 Mini is certainly not like that, under light load it is quiet, but it can still run hot.

Also, if you don't like the M1 GPU I wouldn't expect you to be impressed with the Intel UHD 630 which uses 1.5gb of system memory. You can use a external GPU, but of course that increases the cost and could have noise issues of its own.
 
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I would wait until WWDC to see if they update the mini, and if the update may be worth it, like more ram support, more external monitors and all, or if it's just M1 with a slight bump in performance and that's all, I find base M1 plenty powerfull by itself, but if the problem is RAM and GPU then there is nothing to do about it for now except to wait for a new gen and check if those problems get sorted out. There are rumors about a 10 core GPU bump in base model instead of 8.
 
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