Mac mini with a good monitor?

<p>Hello all,<br>

The last couple of weeks there have been a couple of discussions on monitors. I've never heard anyone say that Apple monitors were bad but I have heard many people (on Photo.net and elsewhere) say you can get better. I was thinking of getting a 21.5 inch iMac but if there's a better monitor out there, that kind of defeats the purpose of getting a built-in monitor. Half the price of the iMac is probably the display. So if I want a Mac with a better monitor then the one they offer which way do I go? I currently run CS5 on Windows 7 with no problems, both video editing and (mainly) photo editing - sometimes simultaneously. My current Windows 7 setup has:<br>

Processor: Intel® Core i5 CPU M480 @ 2.67GHz 2.67GHz<br>

Installed memory (RAM): 6.00 GB (5.68 GB usable)<br>

System type: 64-bit Operating System</p>

<p>Which is less than the Mac mini, which makes me seriously consider the Mac mini. It does more than what I currently own and I can add my own monitor. My current set up will probably last me right through CS6 (if I ever decide to get it) and maybe even CS7 and beyond..., so I would expect even more performance from a Mac mini. BTW, the Mac mini I was looking at had:</p>

<ul>

<li id="coherent_id_199" >2.6GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7</li>

<li id="coherent_id_200" >16GB 1600MHz DDR3 SDRAM - 2x8GB</li>

<li id="coherent_id_201">1TB Serial ATA Drive @ 5400 rpm</li>

<li id="coherent_id_204" >Apple Keyboard with Numeric Keypad</li>

<li id="coherent_id_206">User's Guide (English)</li>

<li id="coherent_id_212" >AppleCare Protection Plan for Mac mini - Auto-enroll</li>

</ul>

<p>Wondering if that's the way to go. Thanks everyone.</p>

<p>Specs look good to me, but don't buy it with 16GB from Apple. Buy it with the minimal memory and install it yourself. Apple charges 2x any other vendor for the additional memory and it's easy to install yourself.</p>

<p>The perfect is the enemy of the good.<br /> The iMac is a terrific bargain for the quality. While there are certainly better monitors than the Apple monitors, they are much more expensive, as a general rule.<br /> You're over analyzing this.</p>

<p>I have a desktop Mac, a Mac mini, and an iMac. They all work fine, but the iMac is by far the most convenient if you don't already have an equivalent monitor of a modern generation.</p>

<p>Even another, suitably up-dated Windows machine with memory, processor, etc. of the same sort, will do just fine. I personally find Macs much more elegant and "comfortable", but plenty of people seem to do all right even with Windows.</p>

<p>Jeff is absolutely right about putting in your own memory, even if it means throwing away the memory the machines come with.<br>

Just be absolutely sure you've got the right memory, lot of the codes are similar these days.</p>

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<p>even if it means throwing away the memory</p>

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<p><br />Craigslist. Memory is easy to sell if it fits current machines.<br>

</p>

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<p>Just be absolutely sure you've got the right memory</p>

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<p> <br>

If you buy from crucial.com, it will automatically figure it out for you if you use their scanner. And give you 16GB for $130, you can probably sell the memory that comes with the computer for $20, net cost $110. Apple wants $300.</p>

<p>Yes, Mac mini and a decent Dell monitor or NEC. Is there anyway to order with a faster hard drive other than that 5400rpm drive? I couldn't own a machine with that. The older mac mini's you could remove the optical disc drive and get a shuttle that allowed you to adapt a second hard drive. Perhaps look for a used one on Craigslist and run it with a ssd for OS and apps and a 2TB WD Black drive for storage?</p>

<p>The DIY Hackintosh community is another option as there is such a huge void that Mac doesn't fill in their own market</p>

<p>I found it was the best way for me to go with a NEC MultiSync P221W - Wide Gamut LCD Monitor and spectraview II for color calibration. I bought my RAM through OWC - much cheaper than Apple and very easy to instal. My monitor and Spectraview was only about $550.00. I found it to be significantly more accurate for printing than my 24in 2007 imac. With the new mac mini even 1GB + files from my view camera open pretty quickly. I purchased mine with the solid state drive which makes a huge difference. All my images are on an external with firewire 800 connection. Not perfect but much quicker than what I used to use.</p>

<p>You could try a refurbished iMac if you don't need portability. The iMacs have great monitors.</p>

<p>Eric,<br>

The hard drive options were: <br>

1TB Serial ATA Drive @ 5400 rpm<br />1TB Fusion Drive [Add $250.00]<br />256GB Solid State Drive [Add $300.00]</p>

<p>That's a tough call. I'd go 256 ssd and use external drive through the thunderbolt connection. But research and verify as I have zero experience doing this. I keep looking at used mac mini's on CL and might snap up a mid 2011 quad-core i7 model as it has thunderbolt and the ability to remove the optical dvd drive and add a second hdd. This, with 16 gb of ram from OWC, would be a nice little work station</p>

<p>Are you actually sure you like MacOS X? As JDM mentioned, some of us get by on Windows just fine... and in my case, I've had an iBook which hardware I liked a lot, and which software (MacOS X 10.3 at the time) drove me up the wall - it's the "UI paradigm" with the way it handles a menu bar that just completely does not work for me. So, I fear I am thoroughly a windows-guy...but I'll survive....<br>

Point is: I've had many people tell me that MacOS is better, as a matter of fact. But it isn't a fact. It is only better when it fits your way of working, and that is largely a personal preference, not some universal truth.<br>

Just saying because for the amount of money you're talking, a Windows-based desktop with a larger drives, full SSD, faster CPUs etc. can be found. Macs are without any doubt great quality and priced reasonable for what you get, but if the OS isn't a "must have" for you, there can be better deals.</p>

<p>I have a Mac mini with quad core i7, 16 Gb Ram and fusion drive 128Gb SSD+ 1TB HDD. I could not be happier with this setup which I use at home with 27" Thunderbolt display and in the office with Dell U2410 IPS. The convenience of having a small high performance computer which I can easily carry between home an office; outweighs any theoretical disadvantage over the new iMac.<br /> I have used the MAc mini for intensive editing of Image files and for video as well. It has no performance shortcomings that I am aware of. Having 4 USB 3 ports + Firewire (FW) works well with 10 TB of external data storage using 4 FW drives + 2 SATA drives in USB3 cases. I work directly from the 2 SATA External USB3 drives for current images and Have a dedicated Firewire drive for Video.<br /> As for monitors I prefer the clarity and screen size of the Mac display which starts up immediately. I have to wait a while for the Dell to warm up. Due to the nature of the anti glare coating the Dell always looks unsharp by comparison. There may be more color gamut with the Dell compared to the Mac display; but I've never found any practical disadvantage of the Mac compared with the Dell display, which I prefer to use.<br>

I would advise against the 5400 rpm drive; so ideally have a larger capacity SSD (500GB) if you can afford it or the cheaper fusion drive option. The Dell is a good value monitor, so If you are on a tight budget and like the look of the display It s worth getting. </p>

<p>For the record, but why should I have to?<br>

$20 for the memory is throwing it away, for all practical purposes, if you count your own time as worth anything at all.<br>

I buy memory from Crucial and while it is helpful, you have to ask the right question to get the right answer, as is obvious, I should have thought.</p>

<p> </p>

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<p>$20 for the memory is throwing it away, for all practical purposes, if you count your own time as worth anything at all.</p>

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<p> <br>

if someone wants to meet me at my local coffee shop, where I'm going to be anyways, and exchange their $20 for a stick of my ram, and keep it out of the e-waste center, i'm all in favor of taking two minutes to make a craigslist advert to make it happen</p>

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<p><br />if someone wants to meet me at my local coffee shop, where I'm going to be anyways, and exchange their $20 for a stick of my ram, and keep it out of the e-waste center, i'm all in favor of taking two minutes to make a craigslist advert to make it happen</p>

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<p>Exactly. It really doesn't take much time and I find it's usually some kid who can't afford it new, so everyone gets something.</p>

<p>I think crucial has a "memory finder" on their website. Its scans your computer and then shows you what memory is available for it. Or if you don't want to download the little free app, they have a hand-holding walk you through what model you have. OWC does the same. Its not hard at all to find the right ram for your system.</p>

<p>Is there an Apple Store that you can visit and see the Apple products? </p>

 

<p>I can't add much to answer your question. However, earlier in the year I did get the base model iMac and could not be happier with it. I use it with Lightroom, so not necessary for it to have extra ram and it is plenty fast and has a sharp screen. Can't tell you how the monitor compares to other monitors but your method sounds practical and I too considered that. The iMac runs very cool. Walk away from it and you can't well if it is on or not. If i had to find fault with it, it would be the USBs connections being on the back...an easy fix by connecting a USB hub if it proves bothersome.</p>

 

<p>The iMac did spoil me as I now intensely dislike this Dell laptop even more than I used to. Fan noise is annoying, starting, well you start it and go find something else to do, and Dell never got it right with the track pad. This was not a cheap one either. But, not meaning to start a Mac vs. PC war. Newer PCs take less power and surely start up quicker. </p>

 

<p>Another way to go would be to buy something like a Macbook Air and use it with a larger monitor. Macs are generally fully equipped and capable to power larger monitors.

<p>I have the previous generation 27 inch iMac in my office with 16 GB of RAM -- a true full house iMac and it is terrific. At home in my studio I have a current generation 21 inch i5 core iMac with 8 GB of RAM and it is no where near the machine the one in the office is. However the newer monitor may be slightly better. Both monitors are fine. I have a 24 inch cinema display with the 27 inch at work and an ACE 21 inch display that I just use for sorting images and text, etc. at home. I also have a Mac Mini and 17 inch Macbook Pro on the network. <br>

My only observation is that you can't have too much RAM or too fast a processor. Images are only going to get larger and processing software more powerful and RAM hungry.</p>

<p>Eric, the only thing "wrong" with the iMac screens is that they're using LED backlighting that limits their available display color space to sRGB. Other than that they're fine. Buying a Mac mini and your own external monitor gives you the option of buying a more expensive monitor that can display the Adobe RGB color space. The question is, is that important to you? If not, the iMac should work fine.</p>

<p><strong><em>Give</em></strong> the memory away, if there really is someone who can use it.</p>

I'd prefer the equivalent hardware in a mbp and use an external monitor.

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<p><strong><em>Give</em></strong> the memory away, if there really is someone who can use it.</p>

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<p> <br>

Why not just give your Mac away?</p>

<p>I am astonished at how much $20 is worth to you.<br>

And I have, in fact, given older Macs away to places where kids could use them. </p>

<p>This is getting to be even more ridiculous than it already was. </p>

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<p>I'd prefer the equivalent hardware in a mbp and use an external monitor.</p>

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<p>The problem with a MB Pro is connectivity. With only Firewire or 2 USB ports is inconvenient unless you have a monitor with USB ports. The Dell U2410 has 4 and the Mac has 3 + FW. <br>

I used my 2011 MB Pro as a desktop with Dell and Mac Monitors. latest macs have USB3 which is a big plus and marginally faster than FW drives which cost a lot more than USB3 ones.</p>

<p>This is why I hate digital....One has to be an IT guru as well as a photographer. And the IT investment is substantial, hardware and software wise. Still, it is easier to a large degree.</p>

I use a Mac Mini. Got a good deal on it from amazon. My friend suggest me that this BenQ monitor is good. BenQ monitor best use for the Video and Photo Editing for Mac Mini very high resolution upto 2560×1440 display and Excellent Adobe color management. So this is completely convenient for the professional photography. one of the great one display out of the all Best Monitors for Mac Mini. and other best monitor collection here.