Apple Mac Mini with M1 Chip

08.04.2021, 13:40 #1

Hobbyfotograf

Purchase Recommendation - Yes or No!! 8 or 16 GB of Storage

Hello everyone,
I'm considering whether I should take the plunge and switch from my Windows PC to Apple.
The reason is the new Mac Mini, which is already available for under 800 euros.
This version comes with just a 256 GB SSD and 8 GB of RAM, but from what I've heard, it outperforms any Windows machine in terms of speed!!
Maybe one of you already has one of these and can offer me some advice.
Thanks in advance, Michael

25.04.2021, 11:03 #2

Josef Prinz

Hobbyfotograf

Hi Michael,
Better question: how far along is your editing software from the manufacturer in supporting the M1 chip?

A friend has already tested Capture One 21 on a 13" MacBook Pro with M1 and reported good performance.
I’m personally waiting for the M1 in the 15 or 16" MacBook Pro.

Best, Joe

27.12.2021, 16:54 #3

Andreas Schäfer

Experte

A few months ago, I bought a MacBook Air M1 and, as someone who grew up with Windows, I’ve now officially said goodbye to Windows. It was a purely practical purchase since I couldn’t find a Windows workstation at that price with comparable performance. I sold two PCs and a Microsoft Surface Pro 4, which easily covered the cost of the Air M1 (16GB RAM, 256GB SSD – I use external SSDs because they’re cheaper). I have one PC for photo and video editing, another for music production, and now I can finally edit photos and videos on the go, which wasn’t possible with the Surface (i5, 8GB RAM).
You get used to the Mac quickly, and the M1 is truly fantastic. It doesn’t outperform every Windows machine (those would cost around €4000-5000), unless you’re waiting for the new M1 Pro or Max — right now, nothing beats those.
At the moment, I don’t see any reason to upgrade from the Air M1 to the new Pro or Max, especially since those come with Apple’s usual price tag (a 14" MacBook Pro runs about €3500-4000). The Air does everything I need smoothly and quickly, and whether video rendering takes 10 minutes longer or not doesn’t really matter to me! I’d recommend the M1 if price is a factor for you.
If money is no object, I’d go for the M1 Max, 14", 32GB RAM, but that costs around €5000—and it’s so fast that it’ll easily last me the next 15 years. There are hardly any applications that can fully take advantage of that power anyway.

27.12.2021, 17:05 #4

Josef Prinz

Hobbyfotograf

@Andreas Schäfer
I'm not switched over yet!
I'm waiting for the Spring 2022 series!
I usually switch starting with the 2nd or 3rd generation.

Thanks for your continued recommendation.

27.12.2021, 17:54 #5

Andreas Schäfer

Experte

@Josef Prinz
The response was actually meant for Michael—I hadn’t realized how old the thread was, otherwise I wouldn’t have replied.

I found the first-generation MacBook M1 really impressive, especially considering the price! I would definitely choose a laptop again. I checked current prices, though, and honestly, that’s way too much money for me (and it’s not just about the cost—I also own a pretty pricey Sony A1). Plus, I don’t really need it since my Air M1 handles everything to my satisfaction, which my PC couldn’t do before. But maybe I’ll keep the Air and add a desktop M1 Pro or Max if the price drops to a level that makes sense for me.
In any case, the M1 is a genuine innovation and a solid choice, whether it’s the original or the newer generation. The only thing that really gets on my nerves are some of the Mac’s security features and the Finder—I never appreciated the value of Windows Explorer until I had to work with Finder for a while!

27.12.2021, 17:57 #6

Markus Schmitz

Hobbyfotograf

That's a great question, one I've been wondering about for quite some time myself.
Right now, I'm still using my MacBook Pro (2010) with 8GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. However, I'm starting to notice that the laptop is reaching its limits, especially since Photoshop won’t load properly and keeps throwing error messages.
When I visited an electronics store, they recommended the latest MacBook Air with 16GB of RAM. Their reasoning was that when working with photo editing, you can never have too much memory.
For now, it’s all about saving up for a new machine... and then we’ll see what I end up going with

27.12.2021, 18:28 #7

Klaus Betke

Hobbyfotograf

It's like with cars
Engine displacement can't be replaced by anything except more engine displacement

16GB is the bare minimum for Photoshop and other programs as well.

28.12.2021, 09:28 #8

Walter Hahn7

Hobbyfotograf

@Michael Goerigk Hi Michael, In October, I bought the Nipodi Mini PC on Amazon for €256.00, with 8 GB of RAM and a 256 GB SSD, in addition to my other computers, and I’m really happy with it.
Best regards, Walter

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Apple Mac Mini with M1 Chip