Is the 2014 Mac Mini a no go for DP?

[wdegillio]

Just when I was ready to grab a Mac Mini to serve as my new machine, out come the new Mac Minis without the quad core processor option! I haven't seen any benchmarks on the 2014 models, but I'm sure someone out there will know if the lack of 4 cores disqualify them for serious work (i.e., more than a few V.I.'s at a time or many audio tracks). Thanks to the responses on this board, I learned that several members were quite happy with the performance of their 2012 Minis. I know that DP will certainly RUN on the new models, I'm just wondering if I should hunt down a 2012 model as opposed to getting the top-of-the-line 2014 Mini with the faster, albeit dual processor. I will not rule out a MacBook Pro with a docking station if push comes to shove, or bite the bullet and get a (gulp) Mac Pro if I must, but it seems the Mac desktop line is missing a mid-price option now, and I kinda like my 2 Samsung monitors. I'm just exploring all my options here. Opinions?

[FMiguelez]

Wow!
You're right! These machines seem to have taken 2 steps backwards from the previous generation

What happened to the intel i7 processors? And they are not quad, but dual only? What's going on in Apple's mind? Hmmmm... That's quite strange, indeed!

I'm so glad I grabbed a couple of them (previous generation) early this year. As far as I've seen, they REALLY rock!
I haven't maxed out my master computer yet. I'm nowhere near doing it, and I've been doing some heavy duty projects. I use one with DP (the master) and the other one as one of my slaves with VE Pro. I think they're wonderful little machines.

With the specs shown in Apple's website, I'm not sure you'll get good performance for huge projects with those new machines.
Do you use very big templates with lots and lots of tracks and VIs? If so, you might be better off hunting down one of the previous top-of-the-line models, like mine.

About the monitors, I had to buy two 27" Samsung monitors (I couldn't find a way to use my ancient and beloved 23" Apple Cinema displays with it. Now they're door stops). I also got an adaptor and they work mostly fine. The one and only -but big BUT- is that with these adapters you can't see windows across both monitors. They must either be in one or the other, not half and half. This sucks for the mixer because I was used to extending it across both monitors
The resolution isn't as good as my Apple displays at all, but it's good enough for working with DP. Man, I really miss my old displays. I tried everything I could, including converter over converter, but it just didn't work. And they cost a freaking fortune...

[FMiguelez]

Oh, wait!

I just saw that you can configure them with 3.0GHz Dual-Core Intel Core i7, but they are still dual.
http://www.apple.com/mac-mini/specs/

I don't know how they'd compare to the previous top-of-the-line Quad-Core Intel Core i7 models, but with this configuration they certainly seem much better than I originally thought in my previous post.
Hopefully Mike Halloran will chime in.

[bayswater]

Yes you can put a i7 in them. Might be best to visit Geekbench and see if they have any performance ratings on them yet.

[mikehalloran]

Unless there is a serious speed bump that isn't evident in the specs, you are probably better off hunting down a 2013 quad core. VI performance should be better on a quad i7 than a dual.

As most know, I think that DP performs many tasks better on an i7 than an i5 due to the built-in FPU processor (it seems to make no difference with disk intensive processes, however). I have two nearly identical iMacs: one is a quad i7; the other is a quad i5.

It's the Mini Server models that are gone. These had the quad core i7s and dual drives. None of them matched the performance of the better iMacs but they came within the same ballpark and, by adding your own monitor, you could definitely save some money. You gave up a bit of CPU speed (18%) but that's all.

Some resellers still have last years version.
http://www.amazon.com/Apple-Mini-MD389L ... B007477V0Y

I would also check the Apple Refurb store. There are none today but that changes.

[Shooshie]

Is Apple determined to design and sell hardware for/to housewives and executives? Seems like Apple is always finding ways to disappoint us folk who do the work that computers are famous for.

They probably go by sales, and yes, I'm sure more lower-income people living in trailer parks bought the Mac Mini than did people running big studios with lots of tracks, instruments, and plugins. It's just a fact of life. But that doesn't mean that people in trailer parks, along with housewives, teachers, and corporate CEOs can't appreciate the speed of a 4-core Mac.

But it's been Apple's way since the beginning. You sense internal power struggles. Their engineers come up with fabulous stuff, but then someone up the ladder says "take all that stuff out; it interferes with the streamlined case."

Shades of Gil Amelio. I hope we don't start seeing musical chairs at the CEO level. That was when Apple began its fatal spiral. This time there won't be a Steve Jobs to rescue it.

Shooshie

[bayswater]

Is Apple determined to design and sell hardware for/to housewives and executives? Seems like Apple is always finding ways to disappoint us folk who do the work that computers are famous for.

Housewives, if there are any left, yes, and students and kids in general. Executives not so much, but they seem to be moving into medicine very well. Apple made a pretty clear strategy shift some time ago to mass market consumer, and from there to whatever extends well. The days when Apple catered to a professional market as a marketing tactic are long over.

[wvandyck]

Is Apple determined to design and sell hardware for/to housewives and executives? Seems like Apple is always finding ways to disappoint us folk who do the work that computers are famous for.

Shooshie

For those who want a Mac to surf the web, process a few photos, make noise in GB etc, the new Mini is nicely priced.

The other end of the marketing strategy is to steer pro users towards more expensive rMBPs, iMacs or Mac Pros. User customization is now in the form of paying for RAM, faster HDs and graphics cards as options at time of purchase. User RAM installation is an option only in the higher end 27" iMac and Mac Pro.

No wonder there's a thriving hackintosh community.

[mikehalloran]

Here's everything you were afraid was true with the 2014 Mini (it's worse than you thought):
http://macmini.macrumors.com/

Technically, there was no 2013 Mini. There are 2012 Minis.

B&H also has a Quad Core i7 left.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/Mac-m ... 4110474298

For that price, get it, an SSD for your primary drive, get more RAM and have yourself a little screamer. I'm pricing SSD and RAM from OWC

2013 Mini 2.3 i7 Quad $794
Data Doubler Kit $29 (needed to install 2nd drive)
1T SSD $497 (you can do better on the price at Amazon -- can be added later)
Add 8G RAM $100 (Total 12G)
AppleCare $79 (highly recommended -- can be added anytime up to one year after purchase)

So, for $1,470 plus a monitor, you have a very adequate Mac for DP. Will it do the heavy lifting that some need? Well, no but many of us don't have that requirement. You can forgo the SSD or get a smaller one. I don't think anyone would argue against adding 8G RAM.

Monitors range from $150 for 24" LED to well over a grand but if your needs are basic, the 24" will do nicely (I have a $139 24" e-Machines as my second monitor)

[FMiguelez]

For that price, get it, an SSD for your primary drive, get more RAM and have yourself a little screamer. I'm pricing SSD and RAM from OWC

It is indeed a very nice little screamer. Very "loud"

2013 Mini 2.3 i7 Quad $794
Data Doubler Kit $29 (needed to install 2nd drive)
1T SSD $497 (you can do better on the price at Amazon -- can be added later)
Add 8G RAM $100 (Total 12G)
AppleCare $79 (highly recommended -- can be added anytime up to one year after purchase)

If that model you quote there is similar to mine (MacMini server 6,2), replacing the HDs for SSDs was a bitch to do. The motherboard and everything needs to be pulled out in order to reach the HDs. It was much harder than it looked in OWC´s video tutorial. It was horrible.

I advise wdegillio to watch the videos on how to do the disk replacements and see if you're up to it. Otherwise, have someone with experience do it for you.

[mikehalloran]

I figured that one would just add an SSD at first. Is that easier?

[wdegillio]

Thanks again for your help with this, everyone.

I done it... I just found and purchased a new 2012 2.3 Quad-core Mini right here in LA (actually the Northridge Best Buy). I plan to take your suggestions, Mike, and add some RAM as well as install a SSD (or should I say, have installed- I saw the video and I will not attempt doing it myself.) My old geezer Mac Pro 2.1 is still kicking, so I'll continue using that until I get everything installed and all the kinks in the new set-up worked out. The input from my previous post concerning the Mini was quite helpful as well- I'll get my displays sorted out and be ready for Yosemite soon.

Wish me luck!

[FMiguelez]

Once you have everything set with your Mini bad boy, you can keep your current computer as a VI slave

[jlaudon]

Here's a helpful article:

http://www.primatelabs.com/blog/2014/10 ... rformance/

[willheim]

I didn't read through this thread, but I will tell you I bought a 2013 mac mini, whatever the fastest one was with a lot of RAM and ended up not using it for my studio. The video implementation didn't work for me. I could never get two video outs out of it - something about the onboard video thing is very confining and limiting, for example, it wouldn't work with my cinema display. And also, the thunderbolt thing reminded me of the old SCSI days - an inaccurate science of hit and miss. One thing didn't like to be one place in the chain, etc. It was problematic getting the UA 16 to work with it - it wanted to be first in the chain, so did the video. I tried all the permutations of HDMI out, adapters, converters - for a period of months before I gave up. My main rig was solid so I had time to leave it there and see if upgrades would fix the video problem, etc. No dice. Not ready for pro audio, though my other friends swear by them.