Mac Operating System World - 2018 Mac Mini

[bunnspecial]

A couple of thoughts:

1. OS X is smart enough to offload a lot of desktop rendering and such to the GPU, so a better GPU can help the overall responsiveness of the system. With that said, the Intel integrated graphics these days are no slouch

2. If you want more GPU power down the line, you do have the option with the Mini of using an external GPU(eGPU). It will cost you a few hundred(minimum) by the time you buy the enclosure and then a card to go in it, but it can also keep the computer current for a whole lot longer.

3. Don't hold me to this, but I'm pretty sure the iMac Fusion drive is SATA while the Mini drive is PCIe. That will make a BIG difference in speed.

4. Thunderbolt opens up a lot of options for external peripherals even in a small form factor box like the Mini. TB gives you direct access to the PCIe bus. Get the best processor you can now, but pretty much everything else can be done externally as needed/money allows(and at least on the better Minis you can add RAM).

 

[Skippy722]

Originally Posted by bunnspecial
A couple of thoughts:

1. OS X is smart enough to offload a lot of desktop rendering and such to the GPU, so a better GPU can help the overall responsiveness of the system. With that said, the Intel integrated graphics these days are no slouch



I was incredibly surprised by Intel's graphics in my MacBook Pro. Granted, they do their weird display scaling thing so it's not running at full native resolution, but I had it running Portal 2 and Left 4 Dead 2 with the settings maxed out just fine, dropping the AA down a little makes it buttery smooth.

 

[alarmguy]

Well, thanks everyone for your input.
I was always curious about a Mac, and I love my 2017 HP A-12 computer but this Windows 10 thing drives me nuts at times, timing was perfect as this is the new mini and my wifes desktop is getting older and she is looking forward to my HP.
Again, Im doing this to have a Mac, My HP computer is working fine right now and I am hoping I dont miss the what I think the speed I have with the HP is fast, I am expecting the Mac Mini to knock my socks off since it is a SSD

I could not turn down the price and I know will be perfect for my needs. $929. delivered to my house from B&H. The price was the deciding factor for me, though expensive its an APPLE and no one else comes close on the price.

I did it, arrives Thursday =

Apple Mac mini Late 2018
Operating System macOS
Performance
CPU 3 GHz Intel Core i5 6-Core
Maximum Boost Speed 4.1 GHz
L3 Cache 9 MB
Memory Type 2666 MHz DDR4
Total Installed Memory 8 GB
Maximum Memory Capacity 64 GB
Memory Slot Type 260-Pin SO-DIMM
Graphics Type Integrated
GPU Intel UHD Graphics 630

Storage and Expansion
Total Drive Bays None
Solid State Storage 1 x 256 GB M.2 PCIe
PCI Expansion None
Optical Drive None

I/O
Ports 2 x USB Type-A (USB 3.1 Gen 1)
USB Type-C Ports 4 x Thunderbolt 3 (Supports DisplayPort)
Display 1 x HDMI 2.0
Audio 1 x 1/8" / 3.5 mm Headphone Output
Media Card Slots None

Communications
Ethernet 1 x RJ45 (Gigabit)
Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac); Dual-Band (2.4 & 5 GHz)
Bluetooth 5.0

General
Power Supply 150 W
Dimensions 7.7 x 1.4 x 7.7" / 19.6 x 3.6 x 19.6 cm
Weight 2.9 lb / 1.3 kg

 

[KrisZ]

Congrats! 6 core CPU, 8GB ram that can be upgraded later on and 256SSD will serve you well for years to come. The on board graphics should not have any effect on the longevity of the whole system.

 

[bunnspecial]

Sounds like a great computer that should serve you well!

I'll be interested to hear your impressions of it when it arrives.

 

[alarmguy]

Originally Posted by KrisZ
Congrats! 6 core CPU, 8GB ram that can be upgraded later on and 256SSD will serve you well for years to come. The on board graphics should not have any effect on the longevity of the whole system.


Thanks Kris,
Time will tell, been on the internet for roughly 25 years now, I know Windows and PC's pretty well but have ALWAYS been curious about Apple.
Most of all, to me, Windows 10 as good as it is, is the most pain in the [censored] Windows Verision I have ever used as far as constant updates AND garbage "apps" that I have no use or want for but are ingrained in the OS.
Add to that, I am on a privacy kick so Apple is a part of the picture. Sick of companies using my information.Tim Cooks speech sealed the deal in a way.

Yes, in a perfect world, if I was sure that Apple was "the one" I might have added another 8GB of Memory and a 500 SSD. But honestly, as past posts have said, been running 8 on my HP windows machine and no issues at all, fastest computer I ever owned so sure the Mac will be fine with 8.

I was more reserved about the 256SSD but after checking out all my external back up drives, I dont need more and ...

I currently have a 1TB platter on my HP and yet, 19 months later I am only using 132GB of the 1000GB drive, so I know I will be good, on that drive I also moved photo files from past machines.
The plan with the 256SSD is to finally organize about 15 years of digital photos and store them on 2 back up hard drives that I have. More or less, my photos are backed up but just not organized well.
The 256 will be more then fine, as I think about it, its simply silly to even have that much information at risk without back up.

Anyway, I am hoping I like the mini and it exceeds my expectations, if not, EBAY *L*
IM at a point in my life, I want all my photos organized and wipe the drives on the other desktops I have laying around and get rid of them. One of them I will select to try out Linux .. but when I have time for that, who knows ...
Also I hope moving into the future that Apple doesnt give up on desk tops?

 

[alarmguy]

Originally Posted by bunnspecial
Sounds like a great computer that should serve you well!

I'll be interested to hear your impressions of it when it arrives.


Ill update you with my impressions. Family stuff this weekend but might get a lot of time in with it before that.

Believe it or not, my biggest concern is if my 10+ year old Track Ball Microsoft Mouse will work with the Mac.
I love this track ball so much, I even have a used back up someplace in my closet. Got to be the best thing ever and have been using one since around the year 2000.
If it doesnt, but have no reason to believe it wont, I will have to choose from the limited selection of about less then a dozen available online.
Do you know that Amazon has this mouse for sale at over $500.00 private seller and Amazon fulfills. Been out of production for well over a decade but loyal following I guess.

This is the one I own, when they were in production it was around $60. - Click

Iif it doesnt work, will have to get something else like it, very limited choices.
The MS trackball was a great product, I guess didnt sell well, maybe because it was a tough thing to master quickly, in a time when mouses where plain old mouses.

 

[bunnspecial]

I've never see a USB pointing device that didn't plug in and work right along with OS X/macOS.

When you first plug it in, most likely only the ball and the left button will work. Go to Settings->Mouse and you can customize all the buttons on it to do what you want.

 

[PimTac]

Do you have a Apple Store nearby? You can get a lot of answers there as well as test drive the various systems.

Personally, I like the portability of a MacBook or MB Pro. Even the new iPad Pro is nice. Easy to grab in case you need to go in a hurry.

 

[alarmguy]

Originally Posted by bunnspecial
I've never see a USB pointing device that didn't plug in and work right along with OS X/macOS.

When you first plug it in, most likely only the ball and the left button will work. Go to Settings->Mouse and you can customize all the buttons on it to do what you want.


Thank you

 

[alarmguy]

Originally Posted by PimTac
Do you have a Apple Store nearby? You can get a lot of answers there as well as test drive the various systems.

Personally, I like the portability of a MacBook or MB Pro. Even the new iPad Pro is nice. Easy to grab in case you need to go in a hurry.



Mac mini arrives Thurs.
We like using desktops around the house for the most part, we also have 2 laptops when not at our desks, like right now. )
Checked out the Macs in two Best Buys, this was all about replacing my Windows desktop with the Mac Experience for a change at the mostly best price I could find with still good specs.
Looking forward to it!

 

[alarmguy]

Originally Posted by bunnspecial
Sounds like a great computer that should serve you well!

I'll be interested to hear your impressions of it when it arrives.


Well it arrived and my impression!?!?

WOW!
I got a feeling this is going to be a great experience/move from Windows to Apple OS.

Freaking thing is blazing fast, dead quiet, I mean not a sound coming from the computer case, even with my ear against it. Im sure with more heavy duty use the fan would come on.
Set up was a no brainer. existing keyboard, existing MS Explorer Track Ball and a Viewsonic monitor that I had laying around from my wife office worked perfect, didn't have to set anything up, plug and play to an extreme, perfect.
Lucky I had that monitor laying around, my flat screen 23" AOC only had VGA connectors, I had no idea and you need at least an HDMI with the Apple or most likely any new computer now.

Will update as time goes on, ...
Thanks all for your help .. very exciting.

 

[DuckRyder]

I sorta thought you might feel that way

 

[alarmguy]

Will need to learn the commands and folders of course. Very fun, nice change, about time .. )
Wow, what a pleasure to use and everything is pretty much as fast as you can click your mouse, "no lines/no waiting"
Precision feel for lack of a better word.

My desk is a mess right now, just put this together to get everything set up, monitor to the left is my HP PC monitor and will need to move stuff onto the Mac. Mac even offers to do it.
Once that is done, will use the monitor I now have hooked up while I research monitors for a new larger one.
That little TINY book in the photo is the set up instructions. One folded page, I needed it to find the power button, once you turn it on, that's it, the Mac walks you through everything.

 

[KrisZ]

Nice! Good to hear you like it. And just wait for the seamless updates that don't mess anything up. With Windows I constantly check what updates are being pushed and select them manually to be installed. No need for that with apple OS.

Having said that, I would watch that cooling fan. Apple is notorious for prioritizing quiet operation over cooling performance and if you get some dust in the fan, it can get hot quite a bit. I would download a temp monitoring software and see what temperatures are in there.

 

[alarmguy]

Originally Posted by DuckRyder
I sorta thought you might feel that way

Yes and I sort of figured you were right.
Amazing and a nice change from MS.
Next will be a 24 inch monitor, though the relatively new 21.5 Viewsonic from my wife office works and looks great fine, just looking to make everything a complete upgrade.

 

[alarmguy]

Originally Posted by KrisZ
Nice! Good to hear you like it. And just wait for the seamless updates that don't mess anything up. With Windows I constantly check what updates are being pushed and select them manually to be installed. No need for that with apple OS.

Having said that, I would watch that cooling fan. Apple is notorious for prioritizing quiet operation over cooling performance and if you get some dust in the fan, it can get hot quite a bit. I would download a temp monitoring software and see what temperatures are in there.


Im mindful of the fan, think that has been addressed (2018) but still even today I checked airflow, heck I guess for my use and most uses, fan feels very slight and nothing at all as far as even warm air coming out..I know on some earlier models some spoke of heat, I suspect may power users, I didn't pay much attention but read this could even be used as a server.
Anyway, thanks.. yes, the thing is dead silent, I like it.

Yup on Windows, I downloaded a program that turns off Windows update sometime ago and then I turn it on every 6 months or so to let it update, of course, last update messed up me opening photos and it wouldn't down load from my camera, few days later another update, photos and camera downloads start working again. Well, I am done with that!

 

[bunnspecial]

I'm glad it arrived and that you're enjoying your experience in the Mac ecosystem!

If you want to connect a monitor by VGA, you can actually go this route

https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-USB-C-VGA-Adapter-Thunderbolt/dp/B00ZR19CCY

Although I personally wouldn't recommend it(VGA hurts my eyes for much beyond a projector these days), you can do that.

I can't imagine your 23" monitor NOT having DVI in-as long as it does you actually have an easy and cheap path with one of these

https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-DVI-to-HDMI-Cable/dp/B014I8UQJY

(you can most likely find the second locally, and possibly the first also, but those were the first things that popped up on a Google search).

 

[Skippy722]

Originally Posted by KrisZ
Nice! Good to hear you like it. And just wait for the seamless updates that don't mess anything up. With Windows I constantly check what updates are being pushed and select them manually to be installed. No need for that with apple OS.

Having said that, I would watch that cooling fan. Apple is notorious for prioritizing quiet operation over cooling performance and if you get some dust in the fan, it can get hot quite a bit. I would download a temp monitoring software and see what temperatures are in there.


I use Monit, it sits in the little notification area. You have to pay for it, It was like $5 I think, but it's a great program.

 

[alarmguy]

Originally Posted by bunnspecial
I'm glad it arrived and that you're enjoying your experience in the Mac ecosystem!

If you want to connect a monitor by VGA, you can actually go this route

https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-USB-C-VGA-Adapter-Thunderbolt/dp/B00ZR19CCY
...


Yes, I am aware of various adapters, there is an adapter for everything in this industry. But not for me, I have an office monitor that I mentioned with HDMI and working fine.
I was just surprised/didnt realize the one I was using with my HP was a VGA connector. I had an excellent screen with that.
Anyway, this was all to get up and running right away.

I have been researching new monitors with all the latest ports and narrowing down my choices. I just wanted to use my new APPLE to do it and I am!
Heck, I used to be right on top of this stuff, I wasn't even aware of the new USB C /Thunderbolt Ports. Amazing, loving it, feel like a kid again, discovering the APPLE "playing field" heck, before you know it, one day, I might even buy an iPhone XR or 11! I never really liked iPhones, always was supplied one from work and always preferred my personal android. But, never say never... ha ha
(also have been on this privacy kick and apple is a step in the right direction)