Why I won't get the ARM Mac Mini yet

[UBS28]

A Mac Mini doesn't need to be optimised for battery life, so I don't think the M1 is the right chip for the Mac Mini. So I will wait untill there will be a desktop level class M-chip for the Mac Mini in the future, which will be the high-end Mac Mini.

Perhaps this desktop level / high-end Mac Mini model will be released with the ARM iMac (I highly doubt Apple will stick a M1 in those computers). It will perhaps also remove the limitation of 16 GB of ram.

Seems this refresh is great for the MacBook Air I would say. Not so much for the MacBook Pro and Mac Mini as they seem to be a MacBook Air in a different package.

 

[weaztek]

Below post not directed at OP.

Everyone is like "oh goodie, Apple is making new computers for the third time this year!! 🤪" When the reality is the new OS will make the existing intel machines practically unsupported in 5 years (Apple's seemingly natural business cycle).

I 100% understand why my friends that produce pro video/photography switched to the Windows platform a few years ago. They are user upgradeable with third party parts, run legacy software, lower hardware costs, are not forced into software obsolescence, blow the doors off Macs performance (go compare them on Geekbench), are user repairable, etc.

Had I known intel Mac OS was transitioning straight into abandonware (again) I would have thought better than to stick with them in 2018. I'm going to have to take a long, hard look at what platform I want to go with moving forward since software purchases are expensive.

 

[whiteonline]

I'm going to have to take a long, hard look at what platform I want to go with moving forward since software purchases are expensive.

This is why you should base your platform decision on what applications are required for the job, not the other way around.

Apple will continue to sell Intel based Mac for the foreseeable future, meaning support is all well and good. And you’re still able to BootCamp if needed.

 

[jasnw]

I'm considering buying the least expensive M1 Mini as a test platform to help me determine whether I'm going to wait for higher-class M chips or move back to Linux. My questions aren't performance related, CPU or GPU, so I should be able to get the answers I need without having to wait and buy a more expensive machine that might not meet my needs.

 

[ivnj]

Also my 2014 mini is worth 150 at apple. 2.6ghz 8gb ram. Maybe next year it will be half that.

But then again if M2 minis arrive then M1's will be cheaper maybe.

And since its all M1 now that probably means my 2014 mini Big Sur will be the last OS probably. Even 2018's will eventually stop getting new OSes as M1 will be required.

And while I decide. I have not seen any pics of the back of the mini ports area. Would like to see what it will offer.

 

[ivnj]

In the mean time this helps.

Mac - Compare Models

See what makes each Mac laptop and desktop different. And find the one that’s perfect for your life, your work, and your budget.

www.apple.com

 

[LeeW]

I'm considering buying the least expensive M1 Mini as a test platform

Pretty much what I have done, although I did order 16GB/512GB version to really understand how well it functions. Worst case I will sell it, best case I will sell it to upgrade