Apple Mac Mini: The affordable entry into the M1 world

[Redaktion]

The base version of the Mac Mini with the M1 chip is available for a maximum of 800 Euros (~$938), making it considerably cheaper than comparable iMacs or MacBooks. Nevertheless, performance is on par with the MacBook Pro.

https://www.notebookcheck.net/Apple-Mac-Mini-The-affordable-entry-into-the-M1-world.562453.0.html

[Ish]

The fact that it is just as powerful as the MBP is part of the problem with Mac Mini: it isn't as practical as a laptop and isn't powerful enough to be a desktop or workstation device. Hopefully Apple will start to release Apple Silicon that makes something like the Mini a step up in performance given better cooling such that it can be used as a desktop/workstation for those who don't want or need the display of an iMac. The current iteration of the M1 iMac makes no sense... other than for Luddites that can't hook up an external monitor to a MBA, MBP, or MM.

[Gressy1971]

Gee, thanks for calling me a Luddite - what business is it of yours what I hook up to my MacMini, which I'm delighhted with and have been for many months now.

[Mate]

@Ish

Obviously its not a laptop , but on other hand is significantly cheaper and you cant find better all-round work PC in that price segment.
Indeed, its not workstation, but it was never intended to be one.  its just entry-level mini pc. M1X is coming soon. Anyway even mac mini in many cases is outperforming workstations few times more expensive.  Only downside of current mac mini is lack of full windows support.

[SpenceM1Mini]

The M1 Mac Mini isn't powerful enough to be a desktop or workstation are you kidding? The comment about cooling, why would it need better cooling when it rarely gets used even when it's being push to the max?

[_MT_]

but on other hand is significantly cheaper and you cant find better all-round work PC in that price segment.
Indeed, its not workstation, but it was never intended to be one.  its just entry-level mini pc. M1X is coming soon.

Of course you can. It always depends on what you're doing. Mini PCs with 8-core Zens are in that price segment and you can get top notch RAM/ SSDs for a fraction of what Apple is asking. Because of those overpriced options, the higher specification you choose, the lower value you're getting. Sure, M1 has a PCIe 4.0 SSD but at that premium, I would gladly forgo it. And the platform doesn't even support more than 16 GB of RAM. I can buy a 32 GB kit from HyperX for less than the price of just upgrading from 8 to 16 on a Mac. And a 64 GB kit isn't that far off (I think the difference is about €40).

I doubt M1X is coming. That would signify a first generation product (Firestorm/ Icestorm cores) and since we're practically one year down the line from their debut, I very much doubt it. I'm expecting new Mac silicon to use current cores (Avalanche/ Blizzard) and therefore be designated as second generation.

[Mate]

@_MT_
'all-round' is key there. Yea, you can get better gaming rig for this price,  but overall  mac mini is complete package unless memory is really limiting factor for you. 

[Josh]

Hmm. M1 Mac mini blows away most the competition and is a phenomenal machine.  M1X or M2 whatever they're going to call it..is indeed coming.  This article is a touch too misinforming for my taste.   I have an i7 4.6 turbo boosted Mac mini with 64 gb or ram. The M1 I have with only 16 gb or ram blows it out of the water on every task.  And unlike the intel mini, the M1 is as cool as a cucumber. Whereas the i7 could heat up a small room 

[_MT_]

@_MT_
'all-round' is key there. Yea, you can get better gaming rig for this price,  but overall  mac mini is complete package unless memory is really limiting factor for you. 

As I wrote, it depends on what you're doing. My work can easily use 8 full-fat cores, meaning M1 is slower for me, and I can definitely use more than 16 GB of RAM. My web browser alone consumes about 18 GB right now. And that's just a browser. Mac mini is a nice mini PC, but it's not exactly great value, especially the higher configurations, and it's not a great platform for everything - for example, x86 development (especially for Windows) is not a natural fit for it. Good for browsing, a bit of spreadsheets and such, but proper work? MacOS was never that well supported by applications for professionals and M1 just complicates it further. Apple has a very narrow focus in the professional world. So, for me, it's actually not that great all-around work PC.

For me, there are only two reasons to buy a mini. You either want to do just the basic stuff I just mentioned. Or you want to develop for Apple. With MBA, I consider passive cooling a big feature for an ultrabook. And the performance is not badly hit. Great. But other than that... I always thought the Pro marketing is a bit of a stretch. It might be "Pro" if you're a lawyer. Not so much when you're an engineer and actually use computers for computations.

[YUKI93]

Since I don't do gaming with macOS and I'm not too keen to replace the still-popular x86-x64 CPU with an ARM CPU, this Mac Mini is a sensible buy. With the existence of lapdocks like NexDock 360 and UPERFECT X or X Pro, it's a perfect companion for multiple OS usage.