i currently have a 2011 27" iMac – i7, 3.1ghz with 20gb RAM with a gig of vRAM on a standard AMD Radeon 6970M video card. It's connected to 2 24" Dell U2415 monitors running at 1920×1200. i use it for web development (VS Code, various node servers and processes, databases, source control clients, dozens of browser tabs etc) and design, which means heavy use of Photoshop & Illustrator at the same with multiple files, layers and artboards – files are typically for screen (not print) so it's not like I'm editing ginormous RAW photos, but there are a lot of filters and smart objects at times. Occasionally, I'll dip into AfterEffects and inDesign, and then there's other apps like XD, Figma, etc.
This system handles all this surprisingly well, but one of the drives is getting to be on the older side and is making me nervous. Not wanting to put a dime into this dinosaur and already having gotten more life out of it than I expected, I'm ready to upgrade. I found a great deal on a 2018 Mac Mini i7 6-core, 3.2ghz, 16gb RAM and 256GB SSD.
I know I'd have to get a TB3 -> TB2 adapter (to use my current iMac as a display only) and 2 TB3 -> HDMI cables – no big del there. Eventually I'll upgrade to bigger 5K monitors and at that know I'll surely need to get an eGPU in the process – I'll be willing to bite the bullet when that time comes. But for now based on the kind of work I do and my monitor setup (the 2 Dells and the iMac), I'm wondering if the Mini's onboard graphics can handle it alone.
If anyone has any insight or personal opinion they'd care to share, I'd love to hear it. Also, if there are any other potential issues beyond having to get adapters for TB2 and HDMI that I've missed, please feel free to point them out. Thanks!
PS – forgot to add that I've read about Bluetooth issues with the Mini as well. My desk is wood (not metal) and I use a 2nd Gen Magic Mouse & Keyboard as well as a FitBit (and I don't NEED to connect the fitbit. i can do that on my MBP if necessary) – will I encounter any issues with the connection to keyboard and mouse randomly dropping?
Best Answer
I have the middle i5 6-core Mini, and using InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, Logic, Dorico and other 'pro' apps, I haven't even comes close to maxing it out. I've even had Handbrake running in the background comfortably.
The on-board SSD is crazy fast. I'd get more RAM for it, though. I have 32GB, which again never gets entirely used, even with loads of caching.
Yes, the Intel graphics units may not be as good as dedicated cards, but they're good enough for most uses, unless you're doing 3D rendering or high-end gaming. Multiple Photoshop effects layers are not a problem.