Looking for thoughts/suggestions on an Apple hardware purchase

[patchboy]

Hey guys!

 

New to the forum, but currently deliberating something. I'm an audio engineer in Los Angeles, where I currently work in a few private studios, and do recording and production on the side. I have a base model 2017 13" MacBook Pro, and the machine isn't keeping up on sessions anymore (I use Pro Tools Native, Logic Pro X, and Final Cut Pro X primarily). I've seen a couple options for used Mac minis, but am also looking at the new 16" MacBook Pro. These are the two options I'm considering:

 

Option 1:

Mac mini (used, ~$750 after 32gb RAM upgrade) 6-core i5 3.0ghz, 8gb RAM (upgradable), 256gb SSD, iGPU
MacBook Pro 13” (already own) Dual-core i5, 8gb RAM, 128gb SSD

Thunderbolt enclosure: ~$200

5600XT (because Apple and Nvidia are still playing the blame game about some laptops from like 2011): $200

Overall Price: $1150

Option 2:

MacBook Pro 16” 2019-2020: ($2300) 6-Core i7 2.6ghz, 16gb RAM (soldered), 512gb SSD, Radeon Pro 5300M
MacBook Pro 13” (seems to sell for around $600-700, mine's in good shape and is still covered for keyboard repairs)

Overall Price: $1600-1700

 

The base model 16" MacBook Pro provides enough power for what I am currently working on, and will be able to do so for a while. 16gb of RAM is probably plenty, and is a pretty big upgrade from what I have now, but I wonder if 32gb would be noticeably beneficial for 24/96 Logic and Pro Tools sessions (better caching of library samples in Komplete Kontrol or Alchemy, for example). The eGPU seems like a solid way to flesh out the Mac mini into a great video editing rig, and I'd have lots of external and network storage regardless of which one I go for, I just wonder which is going to age better in the long-term.

 

Thoughts? Also, I can't go Windows due to FCPX and Logic. I'll keep it with Mint on a Boot Camp drive, though

[SenKa]

PERSONALLY, I would go for an 8 core MBP 16". The extra 2 cores cant hurt. Sign up for a .edu email for the purchase for an additional $100 off.

 

Because at that point not only do you have a more capable FCPX/Logic rig, you have a VERY good daily driver laptop.

[patchboy]

That's what I'm leaning towards, I just wonder about price. Might also look at the 15" 2019 model... cruddy keyboard but almost half the cost on used ones with the same CPU.

 

Thanks!

[seanondemand]

I concur with SenKa - a lot of power for the dollar if you're going to hang onto it for a while. The 16" has some subtle upgrades too from the 15 - better graphics performance and memory speeds are nice. And getting a full warranty is nice too.

[patchboy]

4 minutes ago, seanondemand said:

I concur with SenKa - a lot of power for the dollar if you're going to hang onto it for a while. The 16" has some subtle upgrades too from the 15 - better graphics performance and memory speeds are nice. And getting a full warranty is nice too.

That's true, if only the Mac mini was actually upgradable beyond RAM

[seanondemand]

Just now, patchboy said:

That's true, if only the Mac mini was actually upgradable beyond RAM

The price we pay for these sleek form factors