Let’s handle the mini-elephant within the room first. The new Mac Mini is cute. It is as if my Mac Studio and one among my Mac Minis acquired collectively and had a child. It is simply so cute!
However I do not purchase my computer systems for his or her cute issue. I purchase computer systems for his or her correctly balanced worth/efficiency.
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Do not get me flawed. A $599 Mac Mini beginning with 16GB of RAM is a perfect Mac buy for mainstream laptop customers who have already got a keyboard, monitor, and mouse. However for me?
Effectively, it is shut. However no cigar.
My day by day driver is an M1 Max Mac Studio working 64GB RAM and 4TB of inner storage. I am at 3.46TB now, so I higher trim down what I carry on this machine. As I’ve mentioned previously, my Mac Studio has stood up nicely for the previous few years, however it’s lately began wheezing beneath a number of the CAD workloads I’ve put it by way of.
Past my day by day writing, my heaviest makes use of for my machine are CAD, 4K video modifying, and programming (together with digital machine simulation of networks for the programming).
Additionally: I bought a Mac Studio: Here are the specs I chose and why
I make my computer systems sweat.
Even so, the M4 Professional Mac Mini is shut. As a lot as I would like to regain some desk area, it is not best. So let’s take a look at the 4 the explanation why a maxed-out mini Mac Mini makes a mediocre Mac Studio mimic.
1. Lacking entrance SD card port
It might look like a small element, however I continually use the SD card port that is now iconic on the entrance of the Mac Studio. Once I heard the rumors that the Mac Mini would have front-facing ports, I used to be hopeful, however the SD card slot is lacking.
Additionally: The Mac Studio feature keeping me from buying a new M4 Mac Mini this fall
Positive, I may use an SD to USB C converter dongle, however that is not almost as elegant as having a slot within the entrance of the machine. It is also a two-handed operation, which will be inconvenient at occasions.
The brand new Mac Mini provides a headphone jack. Truthfully, I am not satisfied it is a good commerce for that SD port, particularly given the recognition of AirPods and the way good AirPods Max are for modifying video and audio over Bluetooth.
2. Not sufficient ports
On the brand new Mac Mini — in addition to my Mac Studio — these two front-facing ports are USB C. On the Mac Studio Extremely, these ports change into Thunderbolt ports. That is a win, besides the Extremely pushes the Mac Studio to nearly precisely twice the worth I paid for mine. It is a very costly improve.
The place’s the facility button on the Mac Mini?
Screenshot by David Gewirtz/ZDNET
The Mac Mini’s port choice is fairly spectacular, particularly for the M4 Professional. Whereas there are solely three Thunderbolt ports on the Mini vs 4 on the Studio, for those who pony up for the M4 Professional, these Thunderbolt ports soar from Thunderbolt 4 to the twice-as-fast Thunderbolt 5. Good.
Sadly, you lose the USB A connectors. I can see the attraction to Apple in dropping that type issue, however I take advantage of the heck out of my USB A ports.
It’s good to see an Ethernet port on the again of the machine, which will be upgraded to 10GB for $100. And the HDMI port is at all times useful.
However this is the factor. To have the ability to run all 13 units related to my Mac Studio off of an M4 Mac Mini, I would have so as to add one thing just like the CalDigit Thunderbolt 4 dock. That is an extra $379.
I additionally discover the headphone jack on the entrance of the brand new Mac Mini annoying. I would a lot want it to be on the again and never protruding into my private desk area.
3. Extra CPU cores however much less GPU cores
The M4 Professional has a complete of 12 CPU cores whereas the M1 Mac Studio I am working has solely 10. That is not as huge a bonus for the M4 in comparison with the M1 Max as you would possibly assume (apart from the processor’s native velocity, which is about twice as quick because the M1). The 2 further cores that the M4 Professional Mac Mini provides are effectivity cores, that are mainly low-power workhorses.
The M4 Professional Mac Mini does supply hardware-assisted ray-tracing, a graphics function that my Mac Studio would not have. However the ray-tracing function is closely relied upon for video games, and I’ve a dedicated PC I built for game playing. It is a function I am going to by no means actually care about.
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The gotcha is that the M1 Max in my Mac Studio has 32 GPU cores. That is twice as many as discovered within the M4 Professional Mac Mini (though for $200 you will get an additional 4 cores, bringing it as much as 20). As an energetic Ultimate Minimize person, I would discover the distinction.
4. Not as a lot bang for the buck
I paid $3,799 for my Mac Studio. That included upgrades of the chip, 64GB RAM, and 4TB storage. A equally geared up M4 Professional Mac Mini costs out to $3,499, only a $300 distinction.
Sure, the CPU is quicker and Thunderbolt 5 is sweet, however the worth distinction is just $300. For that $300 within the Mac Studio, you get an additional Thunderbolt port, two USB A ports, 12 extra GPUs, and a entrance SD card slot. Add in the price of an exterior dock and that $300 distinction is gone. You’d really pay extra for the Mac Mini.
I do love the shape issue of the brand new Mac Mini, however you simply do not get as a lot bang for the buck.
Not my new day by day driver
I am skipping changing my Mac Studio with the M4 Mac Mini, regardless of how cool it’s. It is solely doable that — as I substitute a few of my secondary machines — I am going to choose up a number of M4 Mac Minis, particularly given how enticing the entry-level worth is now that it ships with 16GB RAM.
Additionally: MacBook Pro vs. MacBook Air: How to decide which Apple laptop is best for you
What about you? Are you planning on getting one among these new little beasts? Are you at the moment working Mac Minis or Mac Studios? Tell us within the feedback beneath.
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