Apple Silicon M1 Mac mini review - speed today and a promise of more later

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Comments

  • Reply 41 of 53
    wizard69wizard69 Posts: 13,377member
    GG1 said:
    'One of the big problem areas for the Mac mini is that it is not possible to upgrade the components inside it at all.'

    Indeed a deal breaker for me too. 32GB is my minimum and expected to increase over time. 2011 mini still gets my vote for the most versatile mini ever offered, and still using it to this day. Hmmm 2011. Again.

    I can't understand the mac customer downsides to slotted ram and at least one extra internal storage slot, especially considering Apple's supposed environmental zeitgeist? I understand there might be a slight penalty in ram tuning speed and a few extra dollars for slots vs future expansion and upgrades ? I'd ask if a BTO option for an internal Time Machine backup drive might be compelling for even the most retail users, and in keeping with both performance and a minimalist design aesthetic ?

    Let the flames begin! :)

    ps. I applaud the return to clear anodized (more aesthetically consistent, durable and biodegradable/recyclable) for what that may be worth...
    pps. I'd appreciate too with the extra rear port space a Kensington lock slot - a true case of less being more...?
    I'm still using a 2012 Mini with 32GB RAM and was about to get a 2018 Mini, but I held off after seeing the initial M1 reviews. But I think this new Mx family will make us rethink RAM. Perhaps 16GB in Mx is roughly the same as 32GB DDR4, as someone said above.

    I'm no chip designer, but I wonder if the industry is moving to the same unified memory or at least memory-on-chip for vastly better performance (like High Bandwidth Memory technology), thus making "external" DDR4 or DDR5 the future dinosaur. The downside is HBM is not upgradable, as far as I understand (I've only seen HBM for GPUs; the Mx may be the first to use HBM for both CPU and GPU).

    I hope someone can chime in and add to this or correct me.

    First lets clear up one thing 16 GB of RAM is no equivalent to 32 GB.   If you REALLY need that much RAM then you would wait.   However the new Macs do perform much better with limited memory, so 8 GB looks a acceptable to many people.    However if the application really needs more than 8GB of RAM having 16 GB or more does improve things.    The uses cases where this shows up though are with extremely demanding work loads.   It would pay to look at some of the more in depth reviews on line that really stress the machines with heavy video processing chores, the 16 GB machines show much better performance.
    williamlondonGG1
  • Reply 42 of 53
    postulant said:
    Any word on its battery life?
    The Mac Mini does not have a battery or do you mean power consumption?
    The efficiency (performance/power consumption) is probably the hallmark feature of the M1.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 43 of 53
    Mike WuertheleMike Wuerthele Posts: 6,858administrator
    No mention in the review on how many displays the new M1 Mac Mini can drive. 

    I have a 2012 Mac Mini which I’m ready to upgrade from, but it’s currently driving 2 Apple Thunderbolt displays via the single TB2 connector on that model. Works great and I’d like to retain the displays but understand the new model could only handle one of these which is a dealbreaker for me. 

    Unless I’m wrong...?
    ?

    FTA: "While faster, the GPU cannot handle as many monitors as its predecessor. The previous three-monitor capability has been limited down to two. Without external hardware solutions using the historically fragile DisplayMate drivers, you can connect up to a 6K screen using Thunderbolt and a single 4K screen via HDMI 2.0. "
    williamlondonmuthuk_vanalingamFidonet127watto_cobra
  • Reply 44 of 53
    thttht Posts: 5,421member
    FTA: "While faster, the GPU cannot handle as many monitors as its predecessor. The previous three-monitor capability has been limited down to two. Without external hardware solutions using the historically fragile DisplayMate drivers, you can connect up to a 6K screen using Thunderbolt and a single 4K screen via HDMI 2.0. "
    My biggest worry is the support for the various ultra wide screen monitors on the market. The LG 5K2K looks like it is supported, but I've read it can be flaky. The monitors that are even wider than that. Does Apple provide the drivers for these monitors? The display vendor?

    Not a good selection for monitors with built-in docks, including front cameras, speakers, and a good assortment of ports.

    Will wait on a Mac mini, or wishfully thinking for a Mac Pro at $2k base, with 4 to 8 TB storage options. Combined with a good 21:9 monitor with built-in dock, camera and speakers, it would make for great machine for the family computer room.
  • Reply 45 of 53
    The 16GB of RAM is a deal breaker for me.
    My 2020 iMac has 64GB of RAM which I figure will last for 5+ years.
    As an owner of a 16gb T1 mini I can tell you it doesn’t matter. It’s hard to explain but whatever I throw at it, the Mini handles it just fine. I can’t really compare it to Intel - it’s truly magical.
    williamlondonFidonet127watto_cobra
  • Reply 46 of 53
    and you get everything you got from that Mac mini purchase in November of 2018 in the November 2020 revamp
    Except for.... DRAM upgrades up to 64GB, 4 Thunderbolt 3 ports, eGPU compatibility, boot camp, x86 virtualization support, and dual monitor capability out of the box.
    edited November 2020
  • Reply 47 of 53
    corp1 said:
    and you get everything you got from that Mac mini purchase in November of 2018 in the November 2020 revamp
    Except for.... DRAM upgrades up to 64GB, 4 Thunderbolt 3 ports, eGPU compatibility, boot camp, x86 virtualization support, and dual monitor capability out of the box.
    The M1 Mac mini does support dual monitors. One through the HMDI and one through Thunderbolt/USB C ports. If need the rest of the differences, buy Intel  Macs or wait. 

    Intel Macs do not have Wifi 6. 
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 48 of 53
    corp1 said:
    and you get everything you got from that Mac mini purchase in November of 2018 in the November 2020 revamp
    Except for.... DRAM upgrades up to 64GB, 4 Thunderbolt 3 ports, eGPU compatibility, boot camp, x86 virtualization support, and dual monitor capability out of the box.
    You expect that from an entry level computer, or perhaps just using this to be a fucking negative nelly?
    Fidonet127watto_cobraCheeseFreeze
  • Reply 49 of 53
    wood1208wood1208 Posts: 2,905member
    Now that M1 era is upon us, Apple will make sure to stay ahead in competition as far as MAC is concern. Apple said will take 2 years for complete transition starting with M1 based high performance/features 13" MBP/MBA, Mini behind us. So going forward 1Q2021 M1 iMAC, 2H2021 14" MBP( & possibly 14" MBA and 16" MBP), 27"(29/32" ?) iMAC and MAC Pro might migrate to future M1 based in late 2022 or early 2023. So, in next iteration of M1 in 2021, there will be addition of features, expanding memory capacity,SSD or whatever appropriate for user base to keep M1 ahead in competition. At some point, M1 in 64 or higher mutilcore configuration might address extreme performance with lower power consumption need of MAC Pro and Data center. Sky is limit for M1. And there is significant cross benefits between M1 and A series development.
    edited November 2020 williamlondonFidonet127watto_cobra
  • Reply 50 of 53
    The Mac Mini M1 is the best Mac I’ve owned since years. It’s really impressive. I might eventually go for a new iMac or laptop, but for now I’m happy with it because it exceeds my expectations in performance anyway. 

    Yes, a lot of FCP plugins aren’t ready yet and I’m struggling with Unity (due to company policies we can’t move to a newer Unity version just yet supporting M1).

    This is truly making the Mac unique again; something I felt was missing for a while. There is no other company able to pull this hardware<>software integration off.

    I think we will see much more optimization happening as well. For example FCP isn’t fully leveraging ML yet; old filters like “denoise” are not really using the M1’s capabilities, and overall FCP is overdue for an update for things like 3D tracking, object removal in video, et cetera, ML powered “jump cut fixes”, ML powered masking (like Resolve), and so forth.
    williamlondon
  • Reply 51 of 53
    The 16GB of RAM is a deal breaker for me.
    My 2020 iMac has 64GB of RAM which I figure will last for 5+ years.
    As an owner of a 16gb T1 mini I can tell you it doesn’t matter. It’s hard to explain but whatever I throw at it, the Mini handles it just fine. I can’t really compare it to Intel - it’s truly magical.
    I know it matters because Logic Pro craps the bed without that 64 GB and those 6 cores / 12 threads. Those third party plugins get hungry and when you're and mixing 50 channel strips it really matters.
  • Reply 52 of 53

    corp1 said:
    and you get everything you got from that Mac mini purchase in November of 2018 in the November 2020 revamp
    Except for.... DRAM upgrades up to 64GB, 4 Thunderbolt 3 ports, eGPU compatibility, boot camp, x86 virtualization support, and dual monitor capability out of the box.
    You expect that from an entry level computer, or perhaps just using this to be a fucking negative nelly?
    corp1 said:
    and you get everything you got from that Mac mini purchase in November of 2018 in the November 2020 revamp
    Except for.... DRAM upgrades up to 64GB, 4 Thunderbolt 3 ports, eGPU compatibility, boot camp, x86 virtualization support, and dual monitor capability out of the box.
    You expect that from an entry level computer, or perhaps just using this to be a fucking negative nelly?
    I expect it to match and expand upon the Mac mini it is replacing.
  • Reply 53 of 53
    crowleycrowley Posts: 10,453member
    corp1 said:
    and you get everything you got from that Mac mini purchase in November of 2018 in the November 2020 revamp
    Except for.... DRAM upgrades up to 64GB, 4 Thunderbolt 3 ports, eGPU compatibility, boot camp, x86 virtualization support, and dual monitor capability out of the box.
    You expect that from an entry level computer, or perhaps just using this to be a fucking negative Nelly?
    The previous Intel Mac mini was also an entry level computer and did all those things.
    williamlondon
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