Apple Mac Mini: The Mac Experience

[Pooherino ツ]

Let me preface this review by saying, I have nothing against Apple, I'm not really a hater, I do own an iPhone 6 plus for the pass year. This is just my personal experience with the mac mini.

 

So I recently sold my setup to my brother to upgrade to a new rig. I'm ordering the parts from newegg and its the weekends, so I have to wait until Monday or Tuesday for it to get here. I do have most of the parts here

 

But I still need PSU, mobo and case.

I sold my system because I wanna do ITX build, and my brother needed a good processor for his gf's 3D stuffs. So I was like why not upgrade to skylake.

 

But anyways, so now I dont have a computer, and I was like why not give try out a Mac. Apple has great return policy, so I went out to buy a Mac to use for the weekends. I know that that is wrong, I don't really care.

 

So here it is

 

Packaging is great as you would come to expect from Apple. Very minimalist, very clean, and beautiful, just like the Mac Mini which is also clean and beautiful.

So I hook it up with my monitors and peripherals. I have to buy 2 extra cable btw, a mini dp to female dvi dongle adapter and a mini dp to dp cable.

 

So if you're never used mac os before, or haven't use it for a long time, you will find it really weird to even browsing webs or watching youtube, or at least for me it was weid. I think the last time I use mac os is 3 years ago.

 

I didn't like mac os at all when I booted the mac mini up, but it really got on my nerve when I install cs go and launch the gaming and can even move the mouse in the main menu. I was like "I give up!" and install windows on it. The installation process is actually pretty easy, all you need is an iso file of window, and boot camp was preinstall and very easy to use. But it took forever to do, it took around 1hr for it just to load, make sense because of the 5400rpm hdd.

 

So I after I got windows installed. I install cs go again and start playing, gaming experience is horrible, which also make sense because its an i5 with intel iris graphics, so nothing speacial.

 

Then I install dota 2, and watching a youtube video while doing it. I start noticing the mac is very choppy, I opened the task manager and the cpu is sitting at 100%.and I also noticed it only has 2 cores instead of 4, Its a mobile cpu, which is kinda stupid since the mac mini is a "desktop", but you know, its apple and they always like to sacrify performance for thinness and beauty. I'm also wondering if you put a 4 core i7 in there, would it thermal throttle.

 

So in conclusion, It was not a great experience for the C$900 that I paid for it. For C$900, this product is only good for web broswing and media consumption in my opinion, because to do some serious work, or gaming, you would need to get the i7 model which is like $300 more or build a PC lol. Thank you for reading.

 

Edit: sorry for the horrible writings, I'm not a writer, I'm a mechanic

[Swndlr]

I like the idea of the Mac Mini, but I dont think Apple is carrying it out the right way.

[Notree]

At leeast you made a good choice of speakers

[Pooherino ツ]

At leeast you made a good choice of speakers

lol thanks

[TacticlTwinkie]

The Mac mini is the sort of computer I would buy for my mom, where no intensive tasks, like gaming, will be performed. I see these as no more than a nuc or gigabyte brix, but in a very attractive and elegant case.

[Pooherino ツ]

thats a pretty bold thing to do. dropping 900$ on something that you are hoping they will let you return. 

they will, I just have to not drop it, or sink it in water. they have good 14 days return.

[79wjd]

but it really got on my nerve when I install cs go and launch the gaming and can even move the mouse in the main menu. I was like "I give up!" and install windows on it.

 

So I after I got windows installed. I install cs go again and start playing, gaming experience is horrible, which also make sense because its an i5 with intel iris graphics, so nothing speacial.

 

Then I install dota 2, and watching a youtube video while doing it. I start noticing the mac is very choppy, I opened the task manager and the cpu is sitting at 100%.and I also noticed it only has 2 cores instead of 4, Its a mobile cpu, which is kinda stupid since the mac mini is a "desktop", but you know, its apple and they always like to sacrify performance for thinness and beauty. I'm also wondering if you put a 4 core i7 in there, would it thermal throttle.

 

So in conclusion, It was not a great experience for the C$900 that I paid for it. For C$900, this product is only good for web broswing and media consumption in my opinion, because to do some serious work, or gaming, you would need to get the i7 model which is like $300 more or build a PC lol. Thank you for reading.

You're doing something very wrong if you have an issue with that....CSGO works fine (mechanically) on a mac, and while you definitely can't play it at high settings (considering you're running iris graphics) it is certainly playable at 1080p if you turn the settings down. 

 

Yes, a desktop i7 would definitely throttle, and there is no reason to put something more powerful in it since it's not designed to be a power user device...it's aimed and marketed at the average user who is going to use the internet/email/other -- which it handles just fine. 

 

Also, talk about overpriced where you live...it's $700 in the US (there is also a 1.4ghz base version, which is the one that actually makes sense for the target audience imo).

[Pooherino ツ]

The Mac mini is the sort of computer I would buy for my mom, where no intensive tasks, like gaming, will be performed. I see these as no more than a nuc or gigabyte brix, but in a very attractive and elegant case.

it is actually bigger than mose nuc

[Pooherino ツ]

You're doing something very wrong if you have an issue with that....CSGO works fine (mechanically) on a mac, and while you definitely can't play it at high settings (considering you're running iris graphics) it is certainly playable at 1080p if you turn the settings down. 

 

Yes, a desktop i7 would definitely throttle, and there is no reason to put something more powerful in it since it's not designed to be a power user device...it's aimed and marketed at the average user who is going to use the internet/email/other -- which it handles just fine. 

but the $900 price tag....

[79wjd]

but the $900 price tag....

Welcome to Canada where everything is overpriced? 

 

The base model with a 1.4ghz i5 is $500 (which is the one that makes sense other than only have 4gb of RAM -- $600 w/ 8gb), and the 2.6ghz i5 is $700. 

[Pooherino ツ]

You're doing something very wrong if you have an issue with that....CSGO works fine (mechanically) on a mac, and while you definitely can't play it at high settings (considering you're running iris graphics) it is certainly playable at 1080p if you turn the settings down. 

 

Yes, a desktop i7 would definitely throttle, and there is no reason to put something more powerful in it since it's not designed to be a power user device...it's aimed and marketed at the average user who is going to use the internet/email/other -- which it handles just fine. 

 

Also, talk about overpriced where you live...it's $700 in the US (there is also a 1.4ghz base version, which is the one that actually makes sense for the target audience imo).

Im in canada, C$900 is right with the exchange rate. also I cant play cs go at anything lower than 144fps

[79wjd]

Im in canada, C$900 is right with the exchange rate. also I cant play cs go at anything lower than 144fps

Then don't buy a computer that isn't targeted towards gamers. 

 

*mind blown*

[Pooherino ツ]

Welcome to Canada where everything is overpriced? 

 

The base model with a 1.4ghz i5 is $500 (which is the one that makes sense other than only have 4gb of RAM -- $600 w/ 8gb), and the 2.6ghz i5 is $700. 

its not overpriced, its the same price, just the exchange rate from C$ to US$. u cant treat both currency the same because they have the word dollar in them

[Pooherino ツ]

Then don't buy a computer that isn't targeted towards gamers. 

 

*mind blown*

Didn't u read the post? I said im using it for the weekends and returning it when my parts arrive from newegg.

[Nup]

I like the idea of the Mac Mini, but I dont think Apple is carrying it out the right way.

 

I agree, its a great idea. I'm hoping that they change it up a bit with the due refresh. Just give me an ssd and some resonable hardware for 400 euro and i'd probably get one as a secondary machine. 

 

Nice review OP thanks for sharing! 

[79wjd]

its not overpriced, its the same price, just the exchange rate from C$ to US$. u cant treat both currency the same because they have the word dollar in them

Wow, the Canadian dollar is gotten much worse than I thought it was. 

 

Didn't u read the post? I said im using it for the weekends and returning it when my parts arrive from newegg.

I read your post, and expecting it to perform at a gaming level is moronic considering it's not aimed at gamers. So being surprised/disappointed that it can't reach 144fps is idiotic. 

[TacticlTwinkie]

On 10/31/2015 at 5:54 PM, Deleted User said:

and for only 6 times the price

That's a bit of an exaggeration, don't you think? It's closer to double the price in reality. But aesthetics have their value. The question is whether you are willing to so spend the cash for looks or not. Based on my time on this forum, many here don't care about aesthetics or can't afford them.

[Swndlr]

I agree, its a great idea. I'm hoping that they change it up a bit with the due refresh. Just give me an ssd and some resonable hardware for 400 euro and i'd probably get one as a secondary machine. 

 

Nice review OP thanks for sharing! 

Yeh, no SSD is really the killer... I mean cmon Apple, its almost 2016. A 5400RPM drive, really!?!? Im as big an Apple fan as the next guy, but cmon...

[79wjd]

That's a bit of an exaggeration, don't you think? It's closer to double the price in reality. But aesthetics have their value. The question is whether you are willing to so spend the cash for looks or not. Based on my time on this forum, many here don't care about aesthetics or can't afford them.

A similarly spec'd Gigabyte Brix would be $360 + 8gb of ram ($40) + 1tb hdd ($50) = $450. So you're paying an extra $250 for Brooadwell Iris graphics (rather than HD5500), and the design/support/OSX. So, it's not nearly that bad, but it is still a bit overpriced; and an SSD should be standard by now. 

[Pooherino ツ]

Wow, the Canadian dollar is gotten much worse than I thought it was. 

 

I read your post, and expecting it to perform at a gaming level is moronic considering it's not aimed at gamers. So being surprised/disappointed that it can't reach 144fps is idiotic. 

i wasnt surprise, i said i know intel iris is not good. what im saying is I cannot play cs go at lower than 144fps. I didnt expect it to game great, I know that it is bad. please READ THE POSTS, have once I said that I thought that it is gonna run games at 144fps? NO. I said quote "also I cant play cs go at anything lower than 144fps". I didnt say also the mac is shit and it suppose to run game at 144fps.

[Pooherino ツ]

Yeh, no SSD is really the killer... I mean cmon Apple, its almost 2016. A 5400RPM drive, really!?!? Im as big an Apple fan as the next guy, but cmon...

u can get a hybrid drive model, for of course. more money....

[Swndlr]

u can get a hybrid drive model, for of course. more money....

Not worth it imo

[Pooherino ツ]

That's a bit of an exaggeration, don't you think? It's closer to double the price in reality. But aesthetics have their value. The question is whether you are willing to so spend the cash for looks or not. Based on my time on this forum, many here don't care about aesthetics or can't afford them.

yup, looks are way overrated, just like the the camera on the iphone, and the lack of ports on the macbook

[Nup]

Yeh, no SSD is really the killer... I mean cmon Apple, its almost 2016. A 5400RPM drive, really!?!? Im as big an Apple fan as the next guy, but cmon...

 

hah yeah, it was released in oct. 2014, so its pretty sad. Even then 5400rmp drives werent the norm.  Agreed, cmon apple. 

[NumLock21]

Cheapest Mac mini is $499 but it's got crap specs.  The better ones goes up to $1K, and older model lets you upgrade ram, so you can basically get the cheapest model. Them new ones, rams are soldered so you're forced to buy the more expensive one, if you want more than 4GB.