Mac Mini vs. Macbook

[SilentWishbone]

LTT Fam,

 

Moving over to Apple eco system - now the question(s) is:

1. Is it better to buy a M1 Macbook Air and then doc it to my desktop setup OR buy a M1 Mac Mini dedictaed to desktop and have a lower spec laptop for travel (limited these days due to pandemic)?
   • I thought maybe I could save money by buying the laptop and a good docking station or usb-c hub
2. Is there a user experience difference in using an Apple laptop vs. desktop?
3. Any issues connecting to dual monitors?

 

Context: 

I have an asus RogSTRIX G550 - its huge (pictured on the left under my desk), i'm docking it now to my desktop setup with dual monitors and I have a Macbook Air 2016 I use for travel (it's slow but good enough). Sometimes when I really need to do work on the go, I'll take the Asus - its bloody heavy and barely fits in my laptop bag. And it's absolutly brutal to reconnect all the usb c's etc. It's not elegant and i'm ready to be a grown ass person and have a proper work setup. 

 

 

 

[Electronics Wizardy]

1. Do you plan on using it on the go ever? I find its nice to have a docked laptop so you can grab and go with it if you need to.

 

2. Nope, same experience on both.

 

3. All the m1 systems are limited to 2 displays, or one external diskplay on laptops, you need a m1 pro or above to drive dual external monitors.

[SilentWishbone]

1 hour ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

1. Do you plan on using it on the go ever? I find its nice to have a docked laptop so you can grab and go with it if you need to.

 

2. Nope, same experience on both.

 

3. All the m1 systems are limited to 2 displays, or one external diskplay on laptops, you need a m1 pro or above to drive dual external monitors.

Thanks @Electronics Wizardy! 

I like the grab and go scenario as well. From the reco's from the LTT forum - 2020 M1 Macbook Air 16GB Ram with 256GB would be good enough. Any recos on config?

Use case: My work is all based on web apps - I do a lot of cutting and pasting and some design work in Canva. I usually have a few dozen tabs open on multiple desktops as part of my workflow. 

 

[Darkseth]

Like mentioned, keep in Mind: With a Macbook Air M1, you can connect 1 Monitor.

 

If you need both Desktop Monitors connected, you either need a M1 mac Mini, any "M1 pro" Device (MBP 14" or 16"), or you use Display Link.

You could replace your Monitors with 1 bigger one too.

But in the End, i'd decide like this: Do you need a portable Computer? Macbook, as you can't just take the Mac Mini with you to work anywhere.

[SilentWishbone]

1 hour ago, Darkseth said:

Like mentioned, keep in Mind: With a Macbook Air M1, you can connect 1 Monitor.

 

If you need both Desktop Monitors connected, you either need a M1 mac Mini, any "M1 pro" Device (MBP 14" or 16"), or you use Display Link.

You could replace your Monitors with 1 bigger one too.

But in the End, i'd decide like this: Do you need a portable Computer? Macbook, as you can't just take the Mac Mini with you to work anywhere.

That's helpful @Darkseth - I love the lightness of the "Air" but i guess its going to be M1 Pro. Thank you!