Actually, with the Apple TV 4K launch MacMinis are totally useless connected to a TV.
I think that anyone in Apple should have asked: "Why an HDMI port?"
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Would you buy a Mac mini if you had to do it all over again?
- Thread starter satchmo
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Actually, with the Apple TV 4K launch MacMinis are totally useless connected to a TV.
I think that anyone in Apple should have asked: "Why an HDMI port?"
WHAT??? I’m not sure I’m following that statement.
I’ve had my M1 Mac Mini attached to an LG CX OLED tv since day 1 - it’s fantastic. I’m also using a cheap Jelly Comb Bluetooth keyboard and old Apple Magic Mouse without issues.
The Apple TV runs a locked down OS with Apps that have to be approved by Apple.
A Mac Mini is a fully functioning computer that you can install whatever apps you like. There's even third party preliminary support for booting Linux on the M1 in the upcoming 5.13 kernel. You can run Windows for ARM in a Parallels VM on the M1.
You can't run Windows or Linux on the Apple TV.
The Apple TV is a great product but it's not a replacement for having a computer you can run whatever you want on.
Started with a 2012 base mini, gave to my daughter and replaced it with a 2012 quad-core Mini Server which is still used as a file server. Got a 2014 base mini as a media server, upgraded to a higher-spec 2014 Mini in 2019 when B&H Photo was blowing them out for cheap. 2018 top-spec Mini is my primary computer now, it has replaced my Windows PC with Parallels and also my other old Macs with virtual machines.
So, yes, have bought a number of Mini's and will probably buy another someday. Right now, the M1 Mini just won't do what I need (run MacOS and Windows virtual machines) however.
So, yes, have bought a number of Mini's and will probably buy another someday. Right now, the M1 Mini just won't do what I need (run MacOS and Windows virtual machines) however.
I have a late 2012 Mac Mini, out of the box it was ok, but it ran better after I made the boot drive a SSD. I also maxed out the RAM and then one day when I moved and put it in the same room with a stove ( that's about 25 feet away 5 years ago) I noticed the Bluetooth shielding issue. Every time someone would try to light a burner TICK TICK TICK FLICK FLICK FLICK went the screen. So I bought a shielding kit, when that didn't work I made my own from Kapton tape. That still didn't do much. But sadly one day I upgraded the OS to Catalina and something happened. It ran like it was full of Tar, anyhow it was because it was running a 32 Bit OS and now it was running a 64 bit, and regardless of what Apple says it can't handle a 64 bit OS like Catalina.
Now I took a good clone of Sierra and thought that would fix the problem, but now it did something new. The keyboard would stop responding USB, and the mouse would jitter when moved smoothly. Mind you even with the ESD from the stove igniter it never did this until after I upgraded to Catalina, so after some frustration I bought a new WD SSD internal drive, and installed a fresh copy of Sierra 32 bit, but... You have to love Apple for this I couldn't sign into my Apple Account in iTunes.
I could if I was running something more current....and then the keyboard again.....and I said a bunch of bad words, and tried several different keyboards and frowned in disappointment.My once amazing Intel Core i7 Mac mini has a USB bus issue that somehow wasn't there before I tried to run Catalina, and I zapped the PRAM, and reset the SMC, and pulled out 1 RAM chip, and then the other, and then the other Hard drive.
So I frowned again and said more bad words and said something like this would never have happened if Steve Jobs was still alive and....... Then I said more bad words and ended it with time for a new computer. So my Mac mini still runs and if I use a Bluetooth keyboard it wont freeze, but it still won't let me sign into iTunes (usually because Apple stops supporting older OS's to make you buy a new machine).
So it has been a long frustrating journey since Catalina, and I decided to build a gaming PC instead of buying a new Mac, ( because Macs don't game well at all) and I have never been happier in a long time. Although I think about buying a Mac again, however it seems they went back to being Iron fisted dictators (AGAIN), making their newer machines upgradeable only at time of purchase ( another way to ensure you buy a new machine in 3-5 years).
The nightmare for me is I used to love Apple products when you could modify them afterwards and have them longer ( without buying a Mac Pro) using aftermarket parts and install them yourself. Maybe when Apple considers that I might not think that I'm being restricted and buying something that has a really nice case but lacks in hardware. The iPads are still nice, and the iPhones are too.
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do you feel the 8gb of ram is enough for basic of basic tasks? I need a backup computer really only for web browsing-email-paying online bills etc....I may rarely do some photo editing but I already have a dedicated gaming pc for that so I dont need a powerhouse mac
I've had zero problems using it with 8GB of RAM for basic tasks and I'm fairly confident it could handle some "not so basic" tasks as well.
For those debating 8 gigs vs 16 gigs, I'm rendering a project in FCP that is 30 minutes long, in 4k, with 3 angles. I'm doing some color correcting and optical flow analysis. Memory used is over 8 gigs. I assume this task would take longer if I only had 8 gigs of memory.
At the moment it seems 8gb of RAM is sufficient for most users, albeit with a bit of disk swapping for heavier tasks. Personally though I went for 16GB, as this should give it a bit mnore leg room, should apps and/or future OS updates take up more resources, as I plan keeping it for a few years.
I took a chance on a minimal configuration when I bought my 2018 i3 8gb 128gb ssd mini. I am not an intense user by any means. It as been a solid little box for me, except for the undersized SSD. But I have learned to keep it clean, offloading primarily to iCloud or an external SSD. My previous unit was an iMac mid 2010 i7 16gb 1tb 27”. The only thing I miss is the display, but not a deal breaker by any stretch. The hdmi video output was temporarily broken, but the thunderbolt display output still worked.HDMI is now working just fine. I have dual monitors, no problem. When required I run Windows 10 and more often Windows XPSP3 in Parallels with no issues, but these are not everyday or even every month activities.
Everyone has their own requirements and expectations, I have been very happy wth my purchase. While I was disappointed I didn’t see the M1 coming, I am glad I have the Intel unit. I still need Parallels for a bit longer, so when it is time, I will have 2 minis.
Everyone has their own requirements and expectations, I have been very happy wth my purchase. While I was disappointed I didn’t see the M1 coming, I am glad I have the Intel unit. I still need Parallels for a bit longer, so when it is time, I will have 2 minis.
I love my M1 Mac mini so much. It finally made me to ditch my Windows PC and I'm now fully Apple only user. Maybe I'm lucky but I have no major issues with it. Everything works great for 99% of time. Once or twice a month I have sleep/wake problem or laggy cursor with my Magic Mouse but it's hardly something that would make my experience bad. I'm using it with 4K HDR monitor LG 27UL850-W connected via HDMI cable.
Pretty chuffed with my new 16/512 Mini that arrived today. Aside from a bit of hassle setting up email accounts (I have this with all Apple devices, so not Mini related), everything has been hassle free. Migration from my existing MBP 16” went without a hitch, monitor connected, Magic Mouse works perfectly....
So far so good, and for just over a grand it looks like I’ve got a powerful Apple desktop for a few years.
Apart from the joy of encountering problems is the ability to solve them. Up until now, the bluetooth issues have been solved. The monitor issue, well im using an old Samsung 27inch 250x1440 through HDMI without any issues Apple superdrive working through the USB port on the back of my Mac mini, mechanical keyboard connected on the other USB port. Through one of the usb c ports, I have a usb 3 hub to which I connect two HDD ( one for backup with time machine, and the other for general usage). the webcam Logitech c920 Also through the USB Hub. Music output through the 3.5 connector on the back. I guess I will have to get me a usb c or thunderbolt hub and a 4k monitor. Definitely do it all again. I am coming from a 2013 iMac 27. The difference is simply night and day.
My current Mac mini is the 16G ram and 1 Tera SSD.
My current Mac mini is the 16G ram and 1 Tera SSD.
I have a M1 Mac Mini, and my wife uses a 2018 Mini. I would purchase them all over again. My only problems have been with the firewire dongle I use for some of my drives on the M1, but that worked itself out with the latest version of the OS.
I do have a delay in connecting for the bluetooth keyboard when starting from sleep, but it's just three or four seconds. I'm using a JellyComb keyboard, so it isn't an expensive model, but I wouldn't even complain about this with an Apple keyboard because I only have to deal with that once or twice a day. There's no connectivity issues once the computer is out of sleep. The other issue with bluetooth is with one of my headsets, but I just turn it off and on a couple times and then it pairs flawlessly.
I'm using a 4k Lenovo monitor and a 40 inch tv without any video issues.
I do have a delay in connecting for the bluetooth keyboard when starting from sleep, but it's just three or four seconds. I'm using a JellyComb keyboard, so it isn't an expensive model, but I wouldn't even complain about this with an Apple keyboard because I only have to deal with that once or twice a day. There's no connectivity issues once the computer is out of sleep. The other issue with bluetooth is with one of my headsets, but I just turn it off and on a couple times and then it pairs flawlessly.
I'm using a 4k Lenovo monitor and a 40 inch tv without any video issues.
I would buy another Mac mini, without question. My first Mac mini was the 2012 model, which I loved. My next was 2018 alongside an eGPU and now the M1.
Absolutely I would buy it again. I traded in my older one for the m1 and it was very inexpensive and works perfect. I spilled coffee on my keyboard and was glad I wasn’t using a MacBook where I would have ruined the whole computer. The 4K lg ultra fine is the right size for me and is connected via thunderbolt.
Day three with my new M1 Mini, and loving it so far. No issues with connectivity at all, and it’s a joy to use. Will treat myself to a decent monitor soon though, as my old 24” HP is a bit fuzzy.
My 2012 Mac Mini is still working well today, although it has been relegated to just playing movies with my projector.
I upgraded to the 2018 Mac Mini months before the M1 was announced. It works fine. Probably made close to 200 videos with it.
And I've just placed an order for a refurbished M1 Mac Mini (16GB RAM + 1TB storage). Editing 4K videos on a 4K display on the Mac Mini with FCPX sometimes can result in choppy timeline playback. Hopefully the new M1 Mac Mini will solve the choppiness issue. But editing 4K videos on 1440P monitor has no problems at all.
Can't wait for my M1 Mac Mini to arrive tomorrow. Can't wait to make 1000 videos with it.
I upgraded to the 2018 Mac Mini months before the M1 was announced. It works fine. Probably made close to 200 videos with it.
And I've just placed an order for a refurbished M1 Mac Mini (16GB RAM + 1TB storage). Editing 4K videos on a 4K display on the Mac Mini with FCPX sometimes can result in choppy timeline playback. Hopefully the new M1 Mac Mini will solve the choppiness issue. But editing 4K videos on 1440P monitor has no problems at all.
Can't wait for my M1 Mac Mini to arrive tomorrow. Can't wait to make 1000 videos with it.
Probably not as I'm transitioning away from MacOS.
My full specced 2018 Mini replaced my aging 2010 12 core Mac Pro and I've come to realize that the eGPU setup is less than stellar. VRAM usage on my RX580 is constantly pinging pretty high when it used to just sit pretty comfortably low when plugged into my Pro. I suspect there is a VRAM leak somewhere buried in MacOS itself.
I haven't had any bluetooth issues but there is this random weird artifact that flies across the screen on HDMI. Also had some weird T2 chip issues until an update solved that.
Overall a pretty mediocre experience.
My full specced 2018 Mini replaced my aging 2010 12 core Mac Pro and I've come to realize that the eGPU setup is less than stellar. VRAM usage on my RX580 is constantly pinging pretty high when it used to just sit pretty comfortably low when plugged into my Pro. I suspect there is a VRAM leak somewhere buried in MacOS itself.
I haven't had any bluetooth issues but there is this random weird artifact that flies across the screen on HDMI. Also had some weird T2 chip issues until an update solved that.
Overall a pretty mediocre experience.
Yep I would and I probably will as soon as the replacement for my 2020 i7 model comes out. Was an upgrade from a 2010 Mac Pro and have no complaints at all. Logic Pro runs great, Ableton Live is Ableton Live, etc. Bluetooth hasn't bothered me at all, I use a Logitech MK Keys keyboard along with an MX Anywhere 2S mouse, no trouble at all. Theyre both setup to switch between my Mac and my Windows work laptop, flawless so far. I think my only complaint would be I should've gotten more RAM but so far 16GB has been fine. Games though.. I still keep the Mac Pro around for that. Even 2D Baldurs Gate sends the Minis fan into overdrive.
I got myself a 16/512 M1 mac mini in the office to try it out. It's a very nice machine, but it's stuck to the desk so I can't take it to a meeting room to do an online meeting. Since several people got a new M1 MBA in the meantime, I'm repurposing a 2012 12" macbook for that. Not ideal, but it'll work.
Now at home, I'm also reconsidering my options. I'm looking to set up a home office and a mac mini is one of the options. But there also, it's the lack of portability. I also have a music setup with a keyboard, audio interface and as those things go, it's likely to be expanded with more USB stuff later on. If I build this music setup on a desk on one wall, then I can't move to the other desk when I'm working for my day job. So I'm considering the new rumoured Apple Silicon 14"/16" machines with a docking monitor on both desks. I'm currently using a 16" in that way (minus the docking monitor for my music setup, but with a monitor for the day job) and it's a little bit of a hassle to lug it around and reconnect it. But at least it's just one machine to manage.
Now at home, I'm also reconsidering my options. I'm looking to set up a home office and a mac mini is one of the options. But there also, it's the lack of portability. I also have a music setup with a keyboard, audio interface and as those things go, it's likely to be expanded with more USB stuff later on. If I build this music setup on a desk on one wall, then I can't move to the other desk when I'm working for my day job. So I'm considering the new rumoured Apple Silicon 14"/16" machines with a docking monitor on both desks. I'm currently using a 16" in that way (minus the docking monitor for my music setup, but with a monitor for the day job) and it's a little bit of a hassle to lug it around and reconnect it. But at least it's just one machine to manage.