Mac Mini energy efficient and powerful?

MagicBoy · 24 Jan 2010 at 14:28

Superewza said:
What if you don't want to spend three times than is necessary? Anyone with half a brain would just build a PC and stick Linux on it

Final Cut anyone? ;-)

JGBR · 24 Jan 2010 at 14:34

For OSX id recommend 4GB, Windows XP 2 is fine, 7 Obviously 4,, are you going to VM windows or bootcamp?

Hard drive upgrade is a must really.

It would be very capable.

JGBR · 24 Jan 2010 at 14:35

MagicBoy said:
Final Cut anyone?

LOL... or in my case a render with 8 cores and 16 threads and it still takes forever!

Oh didnt apple admit FCS has issues lol

bigredshark · 24 Jan 2010 at 14:43

JGBR said:
For OSX id recommend 4GB, Windows XP 2 is fine, 7 Obviously 4,, are you going to VM windows or bootcamp?

Hard drive upgrade is a must really.

It would be very capable.

That's over the top, even 7 runs pretty flawlessly on 2GB. 10.6 runs fine on 2GB too for everyday tasks.

v0n · 24 Jan 2010 at 14:49

The weakest link in mac mini is and always was the laptop drive. You can improve it with third party stuff, but having used mac mini as work machine for 7 months there were moments when with all the stuff open and disk access almost grinding to a halt I was close to screaming. Let me put it this way - there is definitely space on the market for mac midi - same components but slightly taller and with at least two "grown up" SATA drives...

JGBR · 24 Jan 2010 at 15:10

Youll find consensus on the net/Mags that the HD of the mini needs sorting out!

I've seen quite big performance gains moving from 2GB or 4GB weither multitasking or not.

But if you have a choice Hard drive upgrade before Ram. Unless you VM then you need to move to 4gb or even the unofficial 8

PermaBanned · 24 Jan 2010 at 15:11

MagicBoy said:
Final Cut anyone?

Cinelerra? Avidemux? Kino? VirtualDub?

MacRS4 · 24 Jan 2010 at 15:15

v0n said:
The weakest link in mac mini is and always was the laptop drive. You can improve it with third party stuff, but having used mac mini as work machine for 7 months there were moments when with all the stuff open and disk access almost grinding to a halt I was close to screaming. Let me put it this way - there is definitely space on the market for mac midi - same components but slightly taller and with at least two "grown up" SATA drives...

Have an SSD in mine & 4Gb. It flies.

NickK · 24 Jan 2010 at 15:17

JGBR said:
4gb or even the unofficial 8

From my understanding the attempts to run with 8GB have all ended up in failure previously when it was initially released.

However according to MacRumors.com thread the MacMini works with 2x4GB but runs hot (not surprising as it's drawing more power to the RAM).

It looks like the EFI 2,1 update for the MacMini enables 8GB..

JGBR · 24 Jan 2010 at 15:33

The 8GB "final soultion" has been around for years, it was unlocked for the equivlant MBP's at the time but i also heard the mini was getting hot or simply not playing.

People have got it to work but with some tinkering i think.

Also its really expensive. So 4gb is the sweet point for most macs.

4GB/SSD is prob as far as you can push it.

Their used to be overclock tool but i think it went with the loss of powerpc mac mini

Fillado · 24 Jan 2010 at 15:44

If you want to improve the HDD in the Mac mini without opening it up: just install Mac OS X on an external drive! You could then use the internal disk for Time Machine/storage/etc.

JGBR · 24 Jan 2010 at 15:47

Over firewire or USB 2? Dont be silly, nothing beats a SSD on a Sata 2!

Meaning i think the gain of 7200 rpm/SSD externally would be debatle, either worst or very slighty better

JKD · 24 Jan 2010 at 15:50

I'm seriously considering swapping my late 2009 Macbook with 4GB for a new mini (the one with 4GB RAM). I'm running it with my 24" Dell monitor, wired apple keyboard and magic mouse. Since setting it up like this, I haven't moved the laptop.

Good idea you think? I know the performance will be exactly the same.

JGBR · 24 Jan 2010 at 15:52

I just sold a 2.5ghz 4gb MBP and that was pluged into a 24inch dell monitor, i never moved mine! lol

I actually felt the mac mini was slightly faster as it wasnt doing half the rubbish the MBP had to (IE, battery management etc)

Think its a good idea. Get the top spec one tho. You should be able to sell on your MBP for more then a new Mac Mini. Mine went for 950.

cavonia · 24 Jan 2010 at 15:58

I would definitely put 4gig of ram in it and change the Hard Drive! Maybe not SSD at the moment but definitely a fast 7200.

Does one have to go for a 2.53Ghz model or would the 2.26Ghz suffice? Can it be clocked up to 2.53Ghz?

TheVoice · 24 Jan 2010 at 16:01

JGBR said:
I actually felt the mac mini was slightly faster as it wasnt doing half the rubbish the MBP had to (IE, battery management etc)

I can't imagine any of that has a tangible effect on performance at all.

JKD · 24 Jan 2010 at 16:32

TheVoice said:
I can't imagine any of that has a tangible effect on performance at all.

Would it have been because the Macbook is 2.26 and the Mac Mini is 2.53? Would there be much of a difference?

JGBR · 24 Jan 2010 at 16:39

Personally - just personally - i felt the mac mini with 4gb ram and a SSD was faster then the MBP certainly the 2.26 against 2.5

Fillado · 24 Jan 2010 at 19:31

JGBR said:
Over firewire or USB 2? Dont be silly, nothing beats a SSD on a Sata 2!

Meaning i think the gain of 7200 rpm/SSD externally would be debatle, either worst or very slighty better

Oh of course not. I was meaning that plugging in an external 7200RPM Firewire or USB 2.0 drive gives a noticeable improvement in performance over the standard internal drive.

MacRS4 · 24 Jan 2010 at 19:42

Fillado said:
Oh of course not. I was meaning that plugging in an external 7200RPM Firewire or USB 2.0 drive gives a noticeable improvement in performance over the standard internal drive.

I'd agree with this. While testing some stuff I had a fast FW 800 connected drive - it was a lot faster than the internal. I haven't tried it over USB however, can't imagine that would be faster would it??