Mini or Pro?

I'm looking to upgrade from my PPC FW800, but I can't decide between the Mac Mini or Mac Pro.
I am planning on running:
Photoshop
ZBrush
Poser
Blender
as my main applications.
Can anyone advise whether the Mini can cope or whether the Pro is over the top.
I would be grateful for any advice as the cost between the two is a significant factor.
Thanks in advance

The answer to both of these questions is "Yes, they will run" with a "but..."
And the "but" is that although they will run, any 3d/graphic/video rendering process likes a lot of memory and a grunty processor.
So while the mini will actually run the software, whether it will run it at an acceptable speed, especially whilst rendering, is open to debate.
To give you some sort of baseline, I support a bunch of Mac pros that are used for 3d rendering and After Effects, and Ive just upgraded some of the heavier used machines to 16GB of RAM in order to make AE work to its limits...
Like so many things in life, you get what you pay for... If you want a machine that will render fast, then buy a pro. But like the previous comentor said, a good compromise may be an iMac.

Similar Messages

Have 21" mac display,should I buy mini or pro mac?

I have a 21" mac display but my pro mac was destroyed, should I buy new pro or mini mac?

If your Pro was pretty old and only a 4 core version,
circa 2008 or before, then the current crop of Minis
will probably not be that much of a difference, depending
on the graphics card you had in the Pro.
The Minis with the HD3000 integrated graphics are okay
for most general purpose uses and apps that are not
very graphics intensive. The model with the Radeon
chip is an improvement, but only has 256k dedicated
VRAM.
If the Pro was newer or was an 8 core or more, you will
be very disappointed in performance.
Perhaps your best bet since moving from a Pro, is to
sell your display and get yourself an i7 equipped iMac.
Only 8 core Pros outperform them. The new topend
Macbook Pros are real screamers as well.
See Geekbench comparisons:
http://browser.primatelabs.com/mac-benchmarks

Macbook, mac mini, and pro tools

Can anyone tell me if it can be done and how to setup a macbook to view and control a mac mini and then use the two computers processors to beef up the processing power to run a pro tools digi 002 rack for recording? I think the digi 002 wants to only see one operating system, but can one computer "borrow" some ram and processor power to help with the pro tools recording needs? Thank you so much for your time.

thinking about maybe switching to a mini later this year depending on what the new ones offer when they're announced.....
If that's what you are planning, wait till they are announced to be in the channel to find out what the mileage is like. You never know what new compatibility issues might arise. Remember with each new release, no Mac can run an older Mac operating system than shipped with it. So any experience we give here today may be vastly different from what you might run into in the future.
Then if people's mileage is not what you want, and it is better on the old, get a refurbished model*:
http://www.macmaps.com/usedrefurbished.html
Note, most Mac Mini users are not running Pro Tools. If you want Pro Tools experience of today, it is better to ask in the Mac Mini forum. If you like, I can ask a moderator to move this thread.

Mac Mini & MacBook Pro with Identical Libraries - Will Match work?

Hi Guys,
This is the scenario:-
I have a Mac Mini & a MacBook Pro, both machines have identical Music libraries kept in sync using the automatic downloads function within iTunes (I only buy music from iTunes) This is great as I can ensure that anything I download to my Mini is also available on the MBP. However it does not keep the Play Count in sync which would be fantastic if it could also I would like a little more piece of mind when it comes to backing up my library so I am considering iTunes Match.
Question:-
If I enable iTunes match on my MBP and let it do its thing, when I enable it on the Mini will there be any issues I should be concerned about and will it keep both libraries intact and keep the play count in sync accross both machines?
Thanks in advance!

Congratulations, because if you do, indeed purchase only from iTunes and haven't added anything from CD, you are the ideal customer for Match. Your music should all be in the "purchased" category. This is good for you in several ways:
(1) your first Match session should go pretty quickly. What bogs things down are numerous tracks that are neither purchased nor matched, thus need to upload.
(2) the number of tracks you have that might get tagged as "ineligible" is probably going to be very low. There is a fix for most ineligible tracks (making an AAC version in iTunes), but it's a hassle you might be able to avoid.
(3) the 25,000 limit applies to everything - except purchased tracks. So if you had 24,999 purchased tracks and one "match" you could still add 24,999 from CDs if you wanted to in the future. You'd also have access to those purchased tracks in a matter of minutes. Uploading the same number, well, people are reporting days . . .
Not certain what might happen to your play counts. I understand some of that gets nulled out for some people, but perhaps in your case it won't be an issue.
Finally, I echo Michael when he suggests you not look at the cloud as a reliable backup. Even if you were willing to trust that it would always be there for you, there are enough reports of songs being mis-matched that it would be foolish to assume what's in the cloud is really identical to what you have on your Mini and MacBook Pro.

Mac mini to pro equivalent?

sorry not sure if to put thin here or the mac pro section
i have a i5 2.3 2011 mac mini. its working fine and has been, but now im running out of space and ram for my projects.
my main uses are producing music and hi-res/hd movie editing, green screen stuff.
ive got an extra 750GB HD in it, 2 external 1TB drives, 16GB ram
i want to consolidate my existing wires, cables,docks, mini drives into 1, neat, machine
i know that next year a new mac pro is coming out and i'd like to get one but for now, i need more.
its not worth me spending £1900+ right now for a machine i dont plan to keep.
anyway, i need a mac pro and ive looked at bench marks and all that jazz and its giving me a headache
i just want to know, what pro i should aim for?
eg. a mac pro from 2008 quad? is a 2009 2.66 quad for £900 daylight robbery?
im not worried about it being lightning fast and cooking me breakfast just basic equivalent or better, that wont cost a bomb.
thanks

To give you a rough idea, since it depends on what the SW can take advantage of, but potential...
(And since i5 Minis were 2011 or later, I'll include that)
Mac mini "Core 2 Duo" 2.4 (Mid-2010)... Geekbench: 3307/3635
Mac mini "Core i5" 2.5 (Mid-2011)... Geekbench:
6472/7224
Mac Pro "Quad Core" 3.2 (2010/Nehalem).. Geekbench: 9850/10440
Mac Pro "Eight Core" 2.26 (2009/Nehalem)... Geekbench: 11864/13363
Mac Pro "Eight Core" 2.66 (2009/Nehalem)... Geekbench: 14317/16093
Mac Pro "Eight Core" 2.93 (2009/Nehalem)... Geekbench: 15572/17619

Mini + Logic Pro Possibilities

Hello.
I am new to Logic and Macs, and am wondering if anyone runs Logic Pro 7 on a Mac Mini. Now, I've done some research and am aware that the Mini is not the optimal choice for recording. However, given my financial situation, I am considering it as an option and would like to know if anyone has had success with the Mini and Logic Pro.
Here is my situation and reasoning:
1. I am a student with limited finances. I also have limited time to devote to recording while I am in school.
2. I am primarily a musician (as opposed to a recording engineer) and I like Logic Pro for the entire package of Soft Instruments and the vast array of plugs. I see LP7 as an all-in-one package that covers all the bases I could reasonable use. I don't plan on recording more than 2 tracks at a time, and don't foresee any projects climbing over 22 tracks. However, the instruments included in Pro have been the selling point over Express
3. I am currently recording on a Dell Inspiron notebook using Cubase LE (on the internal HD), with the Motu Traveller as my interface. I also have a Dell 19" Monitor
4. My goal is to eventually save money for a PM, but realistically, by that time, the Intel desktops should be near, if not in existence. So, that leaves the iMac and the mini.
5. The iMac seems great, but I really only want the mac so I can run Logic for right now. (Eventually I can see myself making the complete conversion to MacOS, but given that my school's network makes it difficult for anything but Windows, I will wait it out). Also, the Mini is significantly less than the iMac since I do not need a monitor, keyboard or mouse.
6. I do, however, need an external HD. Has anyone had success daisy chaining a FW HD with a FW interface such as the Traveller? Is USB 2.0 a better option than a FW chain?
So, that is my situation. Thanks to anyone who took the time to read this, and extra thanks to those who respond. If I go with the Mini, I am aware of the need to max out the RAM and go with the higher processor speed, as well as a 7200 rpm HD.
Thanks again.

Steve:
I don't plan on recording more than 2 tracks at a time, and don't foresee any projects climbing over 22 tracks. However, the instruments included in Pro have been the selling point over Express
You might be freezing tracks more than you'd like with a mini, but it's workable.
Has anyone had success daisy chaining a FW HD with a FW interface such as the Traveller?
Yes, generally they work fine, but you might have to juggle the order of the devices on the chain. I don't know about the Traveller specifically, but other FW audio interfaces I've tried all work OK sharing the bus.
Is USB 2.0 a better option than a FW chain?
No, IMO. Although the theoretical max is slightly higher with USB 2.0, actual real-world instances of moving audio show that FW 400 has greater bandwidth and will be 20% or so faster than USB 2.0. It's really not a dealbreaker in your case, as it seems you're not going to be moving 48 tracks of audio at 96kHz + so don't worry about it.
As others have suggested, I'd explore the used market. I've seen fast dual processor MDD PMs go on eBay for around $1,000 - these are good machines which will work with non-Apple keyboards, mice and monitors, are easily expandable for drives and RAM. The mac mini is a cool little device, but the lack of expandability to me would be the killer.

New mac mini, logic pro x...best way to set up?

Hi folks. Ive a new mac mini i5 and i want to download logic pro x. Id love any advice. For example, i presume that loading the program onto the main hardrive and content for samples onto another is the ususal way to increase speed and cpu but how do i go about this with the mini? anyway, any advice from mini owners with lpx would be appreciated. Cheers.

johnwaxie wrote:
Hi folks. Ive a new mac mini i5 and i want to download logic pro x. Id love any advice. For example, i presume that loading the program onto the main hardrive
I presume you are downloading Logic Pro X from the App Store in which case there is no option of where to install the application. It will be installed in the /Applications folder on the boot drive.
johnwaxie wrote:
and content for samples onto another is the ususal way to increase speed and cpu
Assuming you have an external hard drive with a high speed (Firewire 800, USB 3SS, or Thunderbolt) interface and a 7200 rpm HD, you might see some I/O speed improvement due to a lack of conflict on the bus, but if you new Mac mini has a Fusion drive, which ends up being almost as fast as an SSD (Solid State Drive), and any speed improvement from moving the data to an external drive would be probably be marginal at best. If you want to increase CPU speed then get the upgrade Mac mini with the 2.6GHz quad core i7 processor and no matter what processor you get, max out the RAM memory at 16GB. Apple is awfully proud of its RAM so you might consider getting the additional RAM from Other World Computing or Crucial and save $100 or so.

Sync Ical. Mac mini+Macbook pro

I am looking for a simple efficient way to constantly/automatically sync data from my mac mini to my macbook pro.
Thanks.

Since all the heavy lifting has been completed with the
file transfers, I would consider doing all the syncing
via wireless network if you have one. If not, you can
set up the Mini to create a wireless network and just
connect the MBPR to it (the reverse would work as
well).
If for some reason you really want to do a wired connection,
then you would have to boot one or the other into target disk
mode and then connect them via TB or FW.
For file syncing, there are a variety of apps out there to
accomplish that. You just need to set up file sharing
on both Macs and select the folders to share.

I am trying to sync my iPad mini, Macbook Pro and iPhone through iCloud

Nothing is pushing through to the other devices. Not contacts or calendars or anything. All this is set up. Each device is linked to my Apple ID.
So what's the issue? It's not even sending the information to the main icloud server because I've checked this too!

Thanks! Where do I check that specifically?
Also - after playing around some more realised that my iPad mini pushes out to my iphone and macbook. So when I update contacts on my iPad it updates everywhere else.

Considering Mac Mini for Pro use

Hi.
I'm considering to buy a Mini for replacing my 400Mhz G4.
I mainly use Photoshop and Illustrator for drawing/coloring (large files, hi resolution and so).
I wanted to know if anyone uses a Mini for similar purposes and how well does the machine do. I'm pretty sure I'd definetly do better than my current G4, but anyway, I want to hear any comments about that.
If you wonder why I don't consider a MacPro, cost is the main reason, although I know it would be the best choice in the long term. But since I don't work with video or 3d apps, I guess a Mini would do well.
Thanks in advance!

Some people claims Intel processors are way better than G5. Do you guys agree?
As an example, my G5 dual processor G5 powermac has a broadly similar overall performance to a 1.83 Core 2 Duo mini. The G5 gains in hard drive speed (because it has a 7200rpm unit over the mini's 5400rpm device) but the mini holds it's own, and in fact slightly betters, the DP G5 for CPU performance.
Going a bit further, my 2.4GHz C2D iMac is roughly twice the overall performance of the G5 DP Mac.
It woul;d be hard to draw any conclusion but that the Intel C2D processors are very fast, and certainly have more overall potential than the G5 CPUs - particularly when you consider heat. G5 systems run very hot indeed, and the G5 powermacs for example have very complex cooling systems to help handle that. Intel C2D processors run much cooler by comparison, meaning that they can be put into smaller enclosures with less cooling - or be driven much harder.
I've been searching for G5 Power macs for sale, as well, but I would like to make the best choice in terms of performance and also, thinking of future software, OS, and so.
My take on this is very simple really - that as much as the G5 systems are incredibly powerful in their own right, they're a computing dead-end now. As macOS and software develops, there isn't going to be any appreciable effort to produce software that is optimized for these processors. Indeed, increasingly a likelihood that software will not be written to run on them at all. That doesn't mean these systems are fit for nothing - on the contrary. What it means is that if you have needs that are met by current software that runs on a G5 system, the G5 is very capable and has the advantage of being expandable. However, if you are looking ahead at possible uses into the future, you really couldn't consider a G5 to be a good investment for the future in comparison to an Intel-based Mac. Bear in mind too that future MacOS releases are almost certainly to be heavily biased towards Intel hardware.
Since I own both PPC (G4 and G5) and Intel Macs, I can tell you that in practice my Intel systems get far more use for far more intensive applications. That's the platform I would suggest makes the most sense, unless you can get hold of a DP G5 for very little money, and not only have the software you need for it already, but also know that over time, you are not likely to branch into other uses where software choices may be constrained.
The very fact an Intel mini can run Windows if needed (either via Boot Camp or virtualization) makes this platform a more attractive proposition to many.

Mac Mini - MacBook Pro Retina Correct Set Up and Sync

Hi - I am looking for some advice. I have a MBPR which is connected to a Thunderbolt display and an external HD. The MBPR has been my primary hard disk until now with a frequent back up to a Time Machine (and external disk for a large media file collection). I just purchased a Mac Mini with the view to making this the primary hard disk and using the MBPR for increasing mobile activity. I have two questions:
1. What is the correct wiring configuration between the Mac Mini, MBPR, Thunderbolt display and external hard disk (using Lightning/Lightning to USB cables) to allow me to transfer data/use all devices?
2. I have migrated all required data from the MBPR to the Mac Mini but how do I maintain a sync going forward? I only want to sync changes made to files/content on either the MBPR or the Mac Mini.
Many thanks

Since all the heavy lifting has been completed with the
file transfers, I would consider doing all the syncing
via wireless network if you have one. If not, you can
set up the Mini to create a wireless network and just
connect the MBPR to it (the reverse would work as
well).
If for some reason you really want to do a wired connection,
then you would have to boot one or the other into target disk
mode and then connect them via TB or FW.
For file syncing, there are a variety of apps out there to
accomplish that. You just need to set up file sharing
on both Macs and select the folders to share.

How to backup 2 macs (mac mini, macbook pro)

Hello, I was wondering if anyone can help me find a way to backup both of my Mac (Mac Mni and Macbook pro) using only one external drive (via time machine if possible).
Thanks in advance.
BMB

Just back them up to the same drive. Configure Time Machine on each computer to use the same backup drive. Time Machine will create separate backups for each computer.
Be sure the backup drive is at least two times the capacity of the sum of the the two internal drives capacities.

How to use Mac Mini & Mac Pro on same Cinema Displays?

Does it have a tool?

Hi,
you can use the display with both of the machines, however you require a Display Switch,

Mac Book Pro - Mac Mini; sharing stopped working after IP/Net change

I apologize in advance for the length of this, I've got a complex issue that I've been unable to diagnose with the usual published notes...
I have a Mac Book Pro and Mac Mini. I previously had sharing and screen sharing working between both systems.
About a month ago I switched internet providers (to AT&T U-verse) and their router required me to make major changes to my internal network as listed below.
Since those changes the Mac Book Pro can not access the Mac Mini in any way via Finder options, but still shows it in Finder->Sharing. I can access the Mini via shell access (telnet/ssh, ftp, www) but nothing via the normal automatic Bonjour type accesses (file sharing, screen sharing).
Conversely, the Mac Mini has no difficulty accessing the Mac Book Pro in any way.
List of the significant changes that were made:
1) My main router was replaced by the AT&T router.
2) The AT&T router does not allow any fixed IP addresses within the network, requiring all of my network shemes to get re-done (I used a mix of fixed and DHCP previously).
3) The IP range changed for all computers due to the router.
4) Both Mac Mini and Mac Book Pro were and still are on DHCP.
5) The Mac Mini's wireless was disabled and it was plugged directly in to the Ethernet port on the main router.
The behavior of the system is as if the Mac Book Pro is locked on the old IP address (but only in the context of the Bonjour services). Although I can't prove this, there was a brief period where both the old and new router and ethernet and plugged connections were all active on the same network and during this period the Mac Book Pro accessed the Mini without difficulty (the old IP was bound to the wireless port on the Mini).
Unfortunately it wasn't until after I had exchanged this other router that I realized that things were not working correctly.
Another unusual clue, the Sharing used to say use afp://<mininame> to access from Windows and now it says afp://QVT_529. I have to assume this is something to do with the DHCP from the AT&T router but all of the AT&T system screens show the <mininame> properly bound to the active DHCP port and nothing hinting at what the QVT_529 references. Going to this address fails and I can't ping it from terminal.
I've been scouring the net for the last month trying different things with absolutely zero results on any front. All settings check out perfectly. No firewall changes were made. No evidence that anything is out of place.
However, I can still only connect in one direction. It just doesn't make sense.
Some things I don't know that I think might help me resolve the issue:
1) Any recommendations with how I might be able to get a better view of what Mac Book Pro might be trying to connect to via the Finder->Sharing link to the computer?
2) Any way to probe the Mac Mini's file or screen sharing features from the terminal (going around the Finder link)?
3) Any possible issues with local networks that might interfere with these services? (there are several switches/hubs between and other devices on the network, but everything checks out at the IP flow level)
Thanks in advance,
Barney

This is just a stab in the dark since I haven't run into this and I don't know all the steps you have taken (or researched.)
It seems to me that since it is working right from the mini->MB Pro, then the problem should reside on the mini's broadcast side or the mini's OSX firewall. If your firewall is set correctly (as you said), my guess would be that network or firewall preferences have been corrupted by combining multiple, conflicting settings for the same preference due to hardware changes. If I was experiencing this (assuming that every setting on the routers/switches and the firewalls (router/OSX) etc were 100% correct), I would create a new user account and verify that the problem is still manifesting itself. If this solves the problem, I know it is the user account that is messed up and not the OS. If this doesn't solve the problem, I turn off any sharing services, delete the resident Locations (by the drop-down menu in the Network System Preference) as well as the list of Connections (left pane of Network SP) and restart the machine. I then set-up new network, sharing services and firewall settings after the restart. This has solved all of my network sharing issues on my equipment, home and work. (Permissions not with-standing.) If this hasn't solved my problem, my next step would be to reset NVRAM, PRAM and clean system caches (using OnyX.) Reinstall of OSX commences then. I don't know enough of UNIX to be comfortable in terminal so if my steps above failed, I would be coming here to ask or, if I thought the problem resided on non-Apple hardware, the offending hardware support channels.
I don't know if this helps, but I hope so.
D.

What is better Mac Mini or Mac Pro and 4K 40" screen or iMac 5K for work with Exel

I am working on Macbook pro retina for around 16 hours a day, it is ok but the screen is to small. I am opening about 25 - 30 EXCEL windows, 20 - 25 safari windows at the same time. Excel windows are small, they only show 40 rows and S column Now I am considering buying iMac 5k ( but the screen is only 27", however a very high resolution but I think that fonts and digits displayed may be too small ). I am also considering Mac Mini or Pro with 40" 4K TV ( 4k computer monitors are 27 - 31" , so better idea would be purchasing iMac 5k ) . The problem is that 40 - 42" TV don't have Display Port ( I can't find it anywhere )
Please help me to choose what would suit my needs better. I need large screen to work comfortably with an Excel sheets. What is better? Mac Mini or Mac Pro and 4K 40" screen or iMac 5K for work with Excel ?. The other problem I have is that when I spend 16 hours at work with retina macbook , my eyes are ok. Using the 30'' Dell screen 2560/1440 my eyes are tired after 2 hours.
Thanks for your help on advance
Best regards
David

Currently you can only get 4 K at 30 Hz via HDMI. Some users have reported jerky curser movement because of the 30 Hz.
I would go for the 5K iMac. You can add a second screen at 4K.
FaceTime HD camera
Simultaneously supports full native resolution on the built-in display and up to 3840 by 2160 pixels on an external display
Support for extended desktop and video mirroring modes
The Mac Mini supports:
Support for up to two displays at 2560 by 1600 pixels, both at millions of colors
Thunderbolt digital video output
Native Mini DisplayPort output
DVI output using Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter (sold separately)
VGA output using Mini DisplayPort to VGA Adapter (sold separately)
Dual-link DVI output using Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Adapter (sold separately)
HDMI video output
Support for 1080p resolution at up to 60Hz
Support for 3840-by-2160 resolution at 30Hz
Support for 4096-by-2160 resolution at 24Hz
The 2013 Mac Pro can use three and more displays:
Mac Pro (Late 2013): Using multiple displays - Apple Support
I would go for multiple screens

Mini or Pro?

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for