Mac Mini - Better than MacBook Air?

magicroundabout

magicroundabout

magicroundabout

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So I'm looking at a xmas present for my daughter who has recently started secondary school. She has a crap google chrome laptop which is only really good for a paper weight.

Looking at the two options above which do the apple experts think would be more suitable.

Both are portable in their own right and would last at least for the next 6/7 years before needing something new for UNI etc.
I'm not sure which would be the better option tbh.

Any advice would be appreciated
 
Did you mean the 24” iMac? Otherwise the Mac mini will require a bit more effort in terms of peripherals.

Laptop form factor may be more appealing as it’s just pickup and go, and doubles as an oversized tablet to some degree. Really depends on usage patterns because performance won’t differ much.
 
Mesai said:
Did you mean the 24” iMac? Otherwise the Mac mini will require a bit more effort in terms of peripherals.

Laptop form factor may be more appealing as it’s just pickup and go, and doubles as an oversized tablet to some degree. Really depends on usage patterns because performance won’t differ much.
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No I was meaning Mac mini.
Portability with the air I get but I know my daughter would connect the mini to her TV/Monitor.
Just wondering if the extra £300 is worth it
 
Whilst the Mini is small, I'd never class a desktop as a portable. As with everyone, the better machine depends on the usage case.

If she will never use the computer away from the desk, then the Mini will definitely be worth the saving. If you think she will want to use it 'docked' on the monitor at home and use it as a desktop, but also take it out to school, to a friends house or to college, then the Air is the machine to go for.

My air is by far the best laptop that I've ever used. And stuff like trackpad gestures in Mac OS will soon become second nature, which helps productivity no end.
 
Ryan-3 said:
Whilst the Mini is small, I'd never class a desktop as a portable. As with everyone, the better machine depends on the usage case.

If she will never use the computer away from the desk, then the Mini will definitely be worth the saving. If you think she will want to use it 'docked' on the monitor at home and use it as a desktop, but also take it out to school, to a friends house or to college, then the Air is the machine to go for.
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That's a good way to look at it. Hadn't thought of it like that.
I was more thinking the portability between mine and her moms.

I suppose the more schools adopt laptops etc the portability of the Air would be the machine to go for.
I think I need to do a few more Thornbury shifts to pay for it :cry:
 
magicroundabout said:
That's a good way to look at it. Hadn't thought of it like that.
I was more thinking the portability between mine and her moms.

I suppose the more schools adopt laptops etc the portability of the Air would be the machine to go for.
I think I need to do a few more Thornbury shifts to pay for it :cry:
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Even just taking it to another room to do homework/watch a video, or maybe a friends place for a group project, would make the Air worthwhile. And you can still connect it to a bigger screen.

Amazon usually has them at a discount and on those 0% payment plans. It’s an incredibly powerful machine so hopefully lasts a good while.
 
Mesai said:
Even just taking it to another room to do homework/watch a video, or maybe a friends place for a group project, would make the Air worthwhile. And you can still connect it to a bigger screen.

Amazon usually has them at a discount and on those 0% payment plans. It’s an incredibly powerful machine so hopefully lasts a good while.
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I can do the Fleet Home Electronic through NHS to get a very good deal. Works out to £819 over 12 months for the Air.
Gutted to know she'll have a more powerful machine than my 2020 Intel Pro :D
 
My daughter is doing a law degree and is utterly inseparable from her M1 Air. It's a fantastic machine. Also plugs it in to her TV (completely ignoring the fact she also has an AppleTV plugged in... go figure).
 
Air all the way: you have everything in one package and if she wants to use it like a Mini with a bigger display she can do that as well (can connect up to two external 4K displays IIRC).
 
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