Which Mac Mini to Buy
Which Mac Mini to Buy
We aim to purchase a Mac Mini for our son to develop iPhone apps. He currently uses an older MacBook Pro, which won't suffice. Should we opt for the newest Mini with the M4 chip or is an earlier model acceptable? Would 16GB memory and a 256GB hard drive version be sufficient? Where can we find these products? Thank you for your assistance!
Which developer tools or apps will he employ for the target system?
Is your son currently a student?
He isn’t a student, but he works as a software developer—something he studied in college. I’m not familiar with the apps, but I messaged him through text. We purchased a 16GB Mac Mini with 256GB storage for $450, though we’re open to returning it if it doesn’t meet expectations. He mentioned that 16GB is sufficient and believes external storage is fine. Does that make sense? We’re not very knowledgeable about these devices and really value your assistance!
Yes, that works. It should serve him well.
External storage will be very useful. 256GB isn't much for developer needs.
We are willing to spend up to around $900, though our son believes 16gg is acceptable.
We purchased a 16gb / 256gb M4 model but can return it if needed. It was bought from Bestbuy and matched with another supplier.
I’ll forward your notes and seek further advice.
Thank you very much!
As @LordVile mentioned, having additional memory would be advantageous. This idea is similar to increasing the limited 256GB onboard storage through external options. Although it's been a while since I opened a Mini, you can upgrade the SSD storage, but you cannot boost system memory with the M4s. When my filmmaker daughter was in college, she began using a Mini. After graduating and completing her graduate studies, she moved to a Mac Pro, which is a much more powerful system.
You can't change the storage without paying a huge amount. You need to purchase apple modules individually, each costing around £500 for 1TB. It’s more practical to buy external TB/USB4 drives and rely on the cloud for data that doesn’t require fast transfers.
You can now get Mac minis with a Pro chip. Unless you’re after the ultimate, it’s not worth investing in the studio or Pro version—the Pro is becoming outdated compared to the Studio. Plus, you can only really use I/O or networking cards these days.