Mac mini w/ ssd or iMac w/ fusion be a better choice?

For editing, processing, & previewing tracks in Ableton and Serato Scratch Live when at home and general entertainment use (watching movies, iTunes, streaming, etc.).

I would pick the iMac because it will have a faster processor.  Plus with fusion drive you can really get a lot more space with some of the benefits of an SSD.

Similar Messages

  • What is the biggest bottleneck on this machine - CPU, GPU, RAM (now at 8GB), or the HD, and would I be better getting a current 27" iMac, a 2012 Mac Mini, or SSDs for my current Mini?

    I currently have a 2011 Mac Mini Server. When using FCP X, what is the biggest bottleneck on this machine - CPU, GPU, RAM (now at 8GB), or the HD, and would I be better getting a current 27" iMac, a 2012 Mac Mini, or SSDs for my current Mini?
    Thanks people,
    TZ

    Hi Tom,
    I just wanted to ask you about what you said about the color correction. To be quite honest I'm not sure what the best workflow is, and I haven't gotten my feet wet in multi-cam editing. Basically my work-flow has been.
    1) Import from the camera as optimized media - I found that adding color-correction at the import stage cause a severe hang with my tape-based Canon unit.
    2) Color-correct the imported files before loading any files into a project
    3) Drag files onto the timeline
    4) Click on the color-correction box
    5) Start editing - Usually I have one camera zoomed a little tighter on the singer, one on the whole band, and my iPad or iPhone camera at different angles so I start cutting things according to who is the focus of the moment, add a Ken Burns effect every here and there, Titles, an occassional transition effect.
    6) Add music effects after the looks are taken care of
    7) Export
    Are you recommending clicking on the color-correction box after everything is done?
    Thanks - TZ

  • Can I hook up New Mac Mini to my old imac?

    Can I hook up New Mac Mini to my old imac to share the display? I want to upgrade my iMac since I can not add more memories... but thought may be I can add New Mac Mini and use that along with my old iMac.. Will this work?

    If your configuration supports Target Display mode, use that. If not, not without a standalone monitor and a product such as ScreenRecycler.
    (82038)

  • Can mac mini work connected to imac desktop

    can mac mini work connected to imac desktop. I know its silly question but can i make the mac mini main operating system on my imac after transferring all of my itunes etc?

    What is Target Display mode?
    But only 27" iMac (Late 2009 or Mid 2010) can do this.
    Since you mentioned an Early 2009 iMac I assume that it is a 24" iMac which sadly has not this capability.
    If I am correct, you might wanna have a look at ScreenRecycler http://www.screenrecycler.com/ScreenRecycler.html
    Stefan

  • Mac mini late 2012 or imac late 2012?

    Hello
    i want to buy a new mac for my home studio and i am between
    the new mac mini :
    2.3 GHz Quad-core Intel Core i7
    4gb ram ...later i will upgrade to 8gb
    1TB Serial ATA hard drive or Fusion Drive( what is better?)
    or the new Imac:
    Intel Quad Core i5 2.7 GHz
    8gb ram
    etc
    witch of these two machines are better for a home studio?im looking mostly for better performance
    im using mostly: logic, pro tools, many samples and virtual instruments simultaneously
    my budjet is maximum 1500 euro
    thank you

    Always keep an eye on 'More like this', the column adjacent to your initial post.  You'll often find answers and positive leads to your questions there.
    Otherwise, as few people have had the opportunity to really test the new iMac it becomes a question of looking at where the improvements are ... or conversely what facilities have been lost.   In fact this latter point will be of greatest help to you; things like the missing CD/DVD slot and some ports.
    I shall go for the mini next time; far more flexible in terms of upgrading.
    Lot of reading for you to do. 

  • Late 2012 Mac mini upgrade ssd - also install parallels 8 and windows 7

    Late 2012 Mac mini (16gb memory) SSD install - samsung 840 pro 512 gb.  I am looking to install this new SSD as possibly a dual drive setup almong with the stock HDD 500gb in order to: make the system faster (with more storage etc.), possibly use the stock drive as a backup drive and I also want to run parallels 8 with windows 7.
    I have ordered the data doubler kit from Owc and am wondering exactly how to setup properly.  Can I simply install new drive in the upper bay (and move stock drive to lower bay)? Then migrate the data from the stock drive then after that's complete run the setup for parallels?  I am also confused as far as using trim enabler or not?  I was also wondering how much space/memory is recommended for windows 7 partition?
    -Thanks in advance for your suggestions

    NOTE: A small number of 2012 units were shipped with the drive mounted in the upper drive bay rather than the more typical lower bay shown in this video. If you have a 2012 or later model, you will want to determine the configuration of your Mac mini's drives prior to ordering. To do this, open Applications/Utilities/Disk Utility.app and click on the grey drive icon at the left-edge of the window. If you see "Lower" after the "Connection ID" at the bottom-left corner of the window, you may proceed using the standard installation instructions. If you see "Upper" then you have a special configuration which will need additional components, and you will need to also refer to the Addendum video.
    http://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/DIYIMM11D2/
    Some users have reported problems with an SSD being the boot drive in the upper bay. They have not reported problems with a HD boot from either bay To avoid the problem I would move the HD (if it is in the lower bay) to the upper bay and install the SSD in the lower bay.
    I allocated 64 GB for Win 7 in Parallels abd 4 GB Of 16 installed). You can change them later after you install so it is not that importent what you specify initially.
    For TRIM see:
    https://discussions.apple.com/message/23819753#23819753
    http://www.mactrast.com/2013/11/enable-trim-ssds-os-x-mavericks/

  • Mac Mini (late 2012) vs. iMac (mid 2007)

    I use my computer primarily for video conversion, internet, iTunes, iPhoto, iMovie (occassionaly...too slow), iWork, Office, various other things but NO Final Cut video editing and intense graphics work.
    I've wanted to get a new Mac for quite sometime.  I have an abundance of monitors, mainly HD, just laying around collecting dust, one on a Windows () 8 computer, figured I might just get a Mini.
    I have an opportunity to upgrade from a:
    24" iMac 7,1 (mid 2007)
    2.4 GHz Intel 2 Core Duo
    4 GB Memory
    ATI Radeon HD 2600
    to a:
    Mac Mini MD387LL/A (late 2012)
    2.5 GHz Intel Core i5
    8 GB Memory
    Intel HD Graphics 4000
    Questions:
    1. % wise, how much faster would it take to convert a video of the same format and length? Significantly?
    2. I use AirParrot to send internet video to my Apple TV, tried looking for it (remember seeing it somewhere), can I see my screen or AirPlay it to AppleTV without having to use a HDMI or AirParrot application.
    3. Will I really see a TREMENDOUS amount of performance from the newer Mini in comparision to my old iMac?
    I've read reviews online and have amazing read arguments for and against to the point that my gut is going crazy. Are the benchmarks between the i5 and Core Duo significantly going to reduce my work load.
    Please provide some feedback as I truly appreciate it.
    THANKS!

    For a rough guage...
    iMac "Core 2 Duo" 2.4 24-Inch (Mid 2007)... Geekbench:3216/3595
    Mac mini "Core i5" 2.5 (Late 2012)... Geekbench: 6643/7469
    http://www.everymac.com/systems/by_capability/mac-specs-by-machine-model-machine -id.html

  • Problems trans files from Mac Mini to a new iMac

    I'm trying to help a friend of mine, who is a senior citizen.  He's had a Mac Mini for a couple of years now but recently purchased the 27" iMac due to being technically blind.  The iMac provides a way to use speech and other accessibility features that will help him.  He had another senior friend of his come over and he went through the steps to setup the New iMac but he skipped the step for transferring files.  When I first examined the Mac Mini, I noticed that a program called "MacKeeper" keeps popping up, stating that there are 314 problems found.  I didn't know much about this program until I looked it up online and found out that it carries Malware.  I have no idea what else he may have done with the Mini because I'm trying to put the pieces together for this puzzle.
    Here are my questions:
    1. I researched MacKeeper and it states that "if MacKeeper's encryption feature was used, be sure to unencrypt before you uninstall MacKeeper.  Is there a way to tell if anything was encrypted?  The info on MacKeeper said that if you don't unencrypt those files first, you will not be able to access them later.  I want to get MacKeeper uninstalled and then make sure that his Mini Mac is clean before I begin transferring files.  I know that Mac has security features built in but I really don't want to take a risk of transferring Malware, Trojans, etc.. over to the new iMac.  What should I use to clean the Mini Mac?
    2. When I tried connecting the two Macs together via Ethernet, the iMac could not find the Mini Mac.  Do I need to restart the Mini Mac by holding down the "T" key or is that only for Firewire?  I can't use a Firewire cable because the iMac doesn't have a Firewire port.  Is there something else that I need to do to make the Ethernet connection work?
    3. When Migration Assistant runs, will it pull over any new Apps that were added to the Mini Mac? He has an 1Password App that he already has setup and needs.
    4. Finally, if the above items are not recommended, would it be better to restore the iMac back to factory and start over, so that I can use the transfer files option during the setup?
    I'm sorry that I've asked so much but I really don't know where to begin with this mess.  Any help would be much appreciated.
    Thanks,
    Palarin

    Hi,
    See this Excellent Link on Using Setup Assistant to Transfer your Information from your Old Mini to your New iMac...
    http://web.me.com/pondini/AppleTips/Setup.html
    With Regards to any Pro Apps you may have, my Previous Statement still stands...
    Many have tried in the past to Transfer Pro Apps but few... if any... have succeeded...
    So do a Fresh Instal from the Original Discs and you will save time and heartache...
    Hope this helps,
    Cheers,

  • Mac mini w/ SSD, adapter???

        If i where to replace the HDD on my mac mini w/ a solid state drive would i need to get a caddy to fit the new SSD? Or is it made for the 2.5 drives since they are so small? -Thanks

    The SSD drives I've seen fit a 2.5" format. They use a caddy to fit in a 3.5" drive space, but not for 2.5" drives space.

  • How can I transfer Elements 10 from my Mac Mini to my new iMac?

    Hi all!
    I recently purchased Elements 10 and installed it on my Mac Mini only because my old iMac was dying.  I now have a new iMac and I would like to have Elements 10 on the iMac and remove it from my Mac Mini.  I want to do this because the Mac Mini is used as a music server.  The iMac desktop is my main computer and is a much better place to have Elements 10.
    Can I do this?  What do I need to do?
    Thanks in advance!
    Dave

    On the mini, go to Editor>Help Deactivate. Then install PSE on the imac. You can actually have it on two computers, but if you don't want it on the mini anymore you might as well free up that activation for future use.
    Don't try to copy PSE to the new computer. It installs stuff in many places, not just the applications folder, unless you have the app store version, in which case you would just go to app store>purchases on the imac to add it there. The app store version can be installed on all the macs that use the same app store/itunes ID, no matter how many that may be,

  • LE 9.0 performance on Mac Mini (dual core) Vs. iMac (quad core)

    I am in the process of evaluating options to replace my 2007 MBP with a faster DAW. I am on a budget so while I am looking for performance improvements over what I have, I don't need overkill either. I am considering the 2011 Mac Mini (2.5 GHz, dual core) and the 2011 iMac (2.5 GHz quad - core). Whichever configuration I choose, I will bump up RAM to 8 GB.
    I use LE 9.0 and a Presonus Firestudio Project and would like to know whether what kind of performance improvements I will see between the two options I am considering. I use a lot of plugins, and an external Firewire 800 drive for recording. Obviously with the Mini, I will have to buy an optical drive as well. I already have two monitors, keyboard and mouse.
    The only thing that worries me about the Mac Mini is the slower 5400 rpm hard drive. While I plan on using an external drive for recording, I am concerned because of the number of plugins and sample files that need to load during recording / playback.

    I am in the process of evaluating options to replace my 2007 MBP with a faster DAW. I am on a budget so while I am looking for performance improvements over what I have, I don't need overkill either. I am considering the 2011 Mac Mini (2.5 GHz, dual core) and the 2011 iMac (2.5 GHz quad - core). Whichever configuration I choose, I will bump up RAM to 8 GB.
    I use LE 9.0 and a Presonus Firestudio Project and would like to know whether what kind of performance improvements I will see between the two options I am considering. I use a lot of plugins, and an external Firewire 800 drive for recording. Obviously with the Mini, I will have to buy an optical drive as well. I already have two monitors, keyboard and mouse.
    The only thing that worries me about the Mac Mini is the slower 5400 rpm hard drive. While I plan on using an external drive for recording, I am concerned because of the number of plugins and sample files that need to load during recording / playback.

  • MAC MINI vs. new G5 iMac

    any ideas or recommendations...??
    I trust your opnions.

    I think Pos gave exactly the right advice - to first consider what you are going to use it for, to then consider what equipment you already have that you may or may not be able to use to help keep the cost of a new system down, and third to then consider your budget.
    In reality, the Mac mini and imacs are not intended to meet the same needs and suit the same users doing the same things. They are widely different systems which have the similarity of the same operating system, but where almost every other aspect of the system is different. The mini is a low cost, moderately good performance system that is designed to be 'closed' by nature (meaning that you can't open it up to upgrade components). It is intended to meet the needs of users who are not attempting professional level work but who simply want a computer to do a range of routine tasks, and who may need to also do work up to moderate level video editing or hobbyist photo collection. The mini is also intended to allow the use of previously owned peripherals such as displays, keyboards and mice.
    The iMac on the other hand is a far more powerful system intended for those with heavier demands and needs (or those who may develop heavy demands or needs). It's all-in-one design is intended to appeal to those who have limited space or want minimum fuss and setup time, and by the nature of that design it precludes the reuse of other displays etc. It's intended to meet the needs of users with semi-professional interests. The new model also comes with a few extras that other systems don't have: a built in iSight camera for video conferencing/chat, applications to mimic a photo booth and to control media, and a simple remote control.
    It's important to remember that you get what you pay for - that the mini is good, but the iMac is better. But at the same time it's also important to remember that they are not in any sense in the same price range. A system based on a mini would typically cost maybe $800-$850 allowing for the system, a reasonably good LCD display and keyboard and mouse. An iMac on the other hand will cost no less than $1300. If the budget is tight, and since both these systems do largely the same thing, a mini would make a viable system that would certainly meet most users' needs. If the budget has more room and there's a possibility you may need the greater power and speed of an iMac, then that would be the one to go for.

  • Mac Mini Intel Duo or Imac g5

    I have an imac g5 with that lovely logic board problem and a fan that is on 24/7 that sounds like a rocket. It has 1.5 gig of ram in it right now. I am thinking of getting rid of the imac and purchasing an intel mac mini duo with about 1 gig of ram. Would the mini stand up to my imac g5 as far as speed and using programs? I will only use photoshop cs 2 (which i know runs under rosetta)so I know it might be slower in that program.. how much slower are we talking about? Does it take a couple minutes to finish a task? I'm just doing web graphics so nothing major like 3d or anything like that. I am thinking of purchasing a 20" display as well. Any thoughts on if I should wait until the mini gets a speed bump or just keep what I have?
    iMac G5   Mac OS X (10.4.3)   1.5 gig RAM

    I did the same, switched from a iMac G5 20" 1.8 GHz and 1.2 GB RAM to a Mac mini Core Duo 1.66 with 2 Gig RAM witch a 23" CD.
    For me the Mac mini is quite faster then the iMac. Universal Binary Programms are as fast or faster as on the iMac. I only have a small amount of not so much used PowerPC Programms which are not available as Universal Binaries today (one of the is Photoshop Elements 4 and Office 2004). Office runs very well for me. Photoshop is slower as on the iMac. I do not make difficult stuff in Photoshop so Performance is for me still ok, but if you work the whole day with it I would wait for a UB Version.
    Something which I will change soon is the 5400rpm Harddisk, when doing a lot of Disk I/O (copying Files, backup etc.) it's slower than in the iMac. I probably will change it to a faster 7200rpm HD.
    Overall I'm impressed from the Mac mini and the change was a success because I have one Windows Programm which I need daily and that was a pain in Virtual PC. Now with Parallels Desktop it works like a charm.
    Regards,
    Stefan
    Mac mini Core Duo 1.66GHz 2 GB RAM/80GB HD/SD Mac OS X (10.4.6) Apple 23" Cinema HD Display; iPod mini 2GB; iPod Shuffle 1GB; Airport Express
    Mac mini Core Duo 1.66GHz 2 GB RAM/80GB HD/SD Mac OS X (10.4.6) Apple 23" Cinema HD Display; iPod mini 2GB; iPod Shuffle 1GB; Airport Express

  • Mac mini 256mb ram in imac?

    My dad just bought a mac mini. It came with two 256mb sticks of ram. He bought a gig or ram and installed it and now we have a 256mb stick being unused. I was at comp usa and the guy said he thinks that mini ram is the same as imac ram.
    I am buying an Imac this weekend and I was wondering if this 256mb will work with it?
    Does anybody know if I can do this?

    yes, they are both intel.
    Thanks to both of you for the quick responses.
    hopefully 768mb will be able to hold me over until I can fork up $130 bucks for another gig!

  • Mac mini and SSD

    I need to know what is best.... Do I need to shut down and reboot as needed or is it better to just let the mini sleep when not in use?

    I have a very Early 2006 Core Duo that I bought in Jan 2006. It sleeps 24-7 and almost never gets shutdown or needs to be restarted.
    I also have a Mac Mini that sleep 24-7 and the last time it restarted, was for the 10.9.4 update.

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