Don't bother with the M2 Pro Mac Mini!
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The M2 Mac Mini is out, this time with a Pro version, the M2 Pro Mac Mini. But who needs the M2 Pro Mac Mini and why did I chose the base model , with the "doomed" 256GB SSD and only 8GB RAM?
Having used the M1 Mac Mini for over a year, I am using my experience to know that for the workflow I will need, the base model will be more than sufficient. I have included realistic tests (this is not just an unboxing video) using Software developer example with IntelliJ, as well as a home worker scenario, gaming and video editing (because it wouldn't be TH-cam without it 🤣)
Let me know if you are a Base Model gang, leaving a comment down below!👇🏼
#M2MacMini #MacMini #Apple #MacMiniM2 #M2ProMacMini
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Really great video Alex. I quite enjoy your straightforward and down-to-earth style of reviews. You keep it real and talk from the hip. I appreciate that. Subbed and notifications are turned on!
I appreciate that Carl! And thanks so much for not just subbing but coming back for this one, this is what will get this channel to grow 👊🏼 And hopefully, with this support I can continue to create these videos more often 🙏🏼
I bothered, but I understand your rationale perfectly well. Mine was that I am still using a 2017 MacBook Pro but the battery is the weakest link. A Mac Mini doesn't degrade that way. So I am expecting to be using the M2 Pro Mac Mini for at least 5-8 years to come. In that timeframe the upgrade from base model to base M2 Pro seems maybe a bit more reasonable:) It's about future-proofing.
No sugar coating, just a fabulous show-don't-tell! That's what I'm here for. Not many other people showed it in action like you did. Very pactical narrative man. Hope to hear more like it. Subbed!
Thank you so much!! I’m glad this worked, I’m not the fastest to get reviews out but I like taking my time to actually use it 😊 welcome to the channel 🙏🏼
The issue is the more SWAP used, the more it'll kill the onboard drive faster, the lower the onboard drive quantity is (Smaller it is) the fewer reads and writes it can do before it dies.
That's true, for the odd spike in usage it's fine but running constantly on the edge is not going to be good in the long run
At last..someone who tells you what the base model is capable of doing and if it’s worth buying. I’ve always used an iPhone,iPad and found those easy to use and wanted to add a MacBook or Mac mini to my setup as everything works and syncs flawlessly together . But only ever using a windows machine I didn’t know how much of a transition it would be. Great video,keep up the good work and glad I found your channel 👍. YNWA
You my friend, have found another subscriber. It's so difficult to find good reviews that focus more on everyday use instead of pointless benchmark scores - as if all I'm doing with my computer is run Geekbench and Blender benchmarks all day long till the next version comes out 🤦🏻♂
Watching those videos where they say like "the M2 with 8Gb took 1 minute 7 seconds to render while the M2 with 16Gb took 1 minutes and 5 seconds to render... clearly if you're serious about your render times you must get the 16Gb"
I use an M1 Macbook Air with 8gb/256 and have done for the last 2 years... i'll be upgrading soon, because why not... but so far having to wait an extra minute for something to render... what kind of crazy deadlines are people on that they need that extra minute of time saved!
agree - for serious work and rendering times people will go for the MacBook Pros or Studios to be honest...
Absolutely correct! we don't need anything but the Mini M2 stock: 8Gb and 256 Gb SSD; here's why:
-I am currently using a Mac Book Pro from 2013, with 8Gb memory and 256 Gb of SSD. I do amateur photography and video, use Affinity Photo and iMovie. Of course, the productivity is not stellar, but as I am not a professional, my 10 years old Mac Book Pro still cover all my needs.
-Do not succumb to Apple's obvious marketing tricks! what they want, is to create anxiety since they know that you know that you are going to be stuck with your computer without any way to upgrade it. The 8Gb memory is adequate, especially is your 256Gb SSD is used as a memory swap. You can easily add 1 Terabyte of external drive as your storage. All the Mac Mini M2 ladder is conceived to make you want to get the next model.
-I use a NAS system. Network Acess Storage. It means that I have a 2 Terabytes central storage connected to my modem router and accessible from WiFi. This is slower than a drive attached to your computer, but with the new WiFi standard, it can only get better. Any computer in my house can store files on this NAS Cloud.
That's incredible! What a great statement of durability there. And couldn't agree more, Apple will always try to make us believe we have the most obsolete computer, even if it's a year old! NAS is such a great move, that is what I use too, as well as my M.2 enclosures for mobility.
I’m not a desktop guy, but that M2 Mac mini is perfect. The Max Tech video on the Mac mini doesn’t really make me mad, they lowered the price so I don’t care. The M2 MacBook Pros are another story, but the Mac mini price is a steal.
Hi Joe! same here, I think if we are talking to tech geeks then I see the point but for a lot of people, this machine is more than capable
@@AlexGTech I make the same mistake when talking to regular people. They were looking at me weirdly when I was talking about Apple because they had no idea what the heck I’m talking about. They also were staring at me with a blank expression. I think we need to tone it down a bit. Feels like we are just making it a bigger deal than what it needs to be. The Mac mini is still a very capable machine for the low price!
Absolutely!
I’ve been yo-yoing between upgrading to this or a prebuilt PC. I usually run a machine into the ground after about 10yrs, so wondering which will be best bang-for-the-buck
THANK YOU. Exactly just use the thing! I replaced my Mac mini 2014. LOL Blows it out of the water the base model.
Thank you! Which one are you considering for your work?
This is what I wanted to know, whether it's just good enough to do the jobs I'm doing and a little bit more. Thanks for saying how it is for people who don't care about bench marks and just want to know how it works.
Wow! What a truly unique and advanced perspective in this review. I was sitting on the fence about this, worried about the base model M2, considering the fact that I do video editing and heavy duty music production. You are absolutely right about the SSD, and worrying too much about transfer speeds, export times, etc. Subscribed!
Finally. I watched so much recent videos and all of them after paper unpacking are mainly bullshit benchmarks with some trying to measure export times. Nobody talks really about the usability and flow during the real use. Thanks god I stumbled on this video (YT recommended). Real life use talk!
Thank you! (And thanks YT algorithm 😂) I think you’re gonna like todays video too!
The only problem with TH-camrs doing reviews is that what they do routinely is process large video files. Most of the rest of the world doesn't process large video files, and is not too concerned with multiple video decoder hardware or copying 40 Gigabyte files back and forth, or trying to edit videos and keep them fitting into DRAM memory. The more mundane stuff fits into 8 Gig main memory with only occasional swapping onto the SSD when a large number of Safari tabs or several other programs are all running at the same time. Need a Pro chip? Hardly. If so, get a Studio instead, where the base configuration is sized for more Pro needs, including the cooling solution.
I think the best argument against buying this machine is that the SSD is going to get thrashed resulting in it dying before you would like. SSD's have a finite number of read and writes, you pointed out that the Mini and OSX is doing a great job of managing the memory, this means lots of swap file usage resulting in multiple read and writes to the realatively small SSD, both a larger memory pool and a larger SSD will reduce the number of read/writes and result in a longer lifespan for the SOC memory
No computer should have just one boot disk. Making a second boot disk is easy in MacOS. Just buy a Thunderbolt external enclosure for SSDs, get a good 1TB SSD, and use that. I priced these at a total of $160 just recently. A Thunderbolt 4 external SSD will be faster than the internal SSD anyway.
New subscriber as of today. It’s great to see this kind of review. I’ve been hovering over the “Buy” button for an M2 Mini for weeks now. I have a low-end Windows 11 machine for backing up my iPhone/iPad and storing my ripped CDs in iTunes, but the cheaper machine wasn’t a good buy, and it takes so long to start up iTunes that I usually give up. As a result, I’m looking for a more logical computer to back up my Apple devices and use iTunes, so the M2 Mini is an obvious choice. Do you think 8GB will suffice for iTunes/MS Office? Great channel - so pleased I found you! Rob
I purchased the $799 to replace a 2009 Mac Pro that I used as my backup computer to my main Mac Studio M1 Ultra. I’m very happy with decision. In fact I got to test it out in a real world setting.
While working the other day, I accidentally deleted some important OS filed on my Mac Studio Ultra. So while I reformatted and freshly installed Ventura, I used my new Mac mini m2, 512GB and 8GB ram to finish editing photos for a client.
I was a bit nervous but to be quiet honest I was blown away. The M2 mini felt just as fast. I’m sure technically it was slower, but it wasn’t noticeable.
At one time I even subconsciously opened 14 or so photos in Photoshop from Lightroom and edited them as well. Exporting felt just as fast. In other words, this machine is a steal and like many people have said, apple def tries to give you FOMO with their upgrade ladder.
I think tomorrow I’m going to edit a clients video on it for the fun of it. Again I mainly bought this as a backup computer and it’s blown my expectations
Great video Alex. Could you tell me please which monitor do you use? I'm looking to buy mac mini m2 and looking for a monitor too
Thanks
Thank you! That's the Alienware 34": geni.us/9eOsAs
Thank you for this assessment. It is exactly what I was looking for. So many other reviewers “you need to increase memory to 16gb and SSD to 512, but for a mere $300 more you could have the M2 Pro”. That’s ridiculous because in order to arrive at the “mere” $300 difference you have had to spec up by $300. In any case, I am only looking to run Lightroom, some Photoshop, and Topaz Labs plugins. I will likely end up with the M2/16GB/512SSD.
My pleasure! And I 100% agree with you, memory to 16GB I can see for some use cases, even for myself if I didn’t have a MacBook Pro. But upgrading the SSD on a desktop feels like a bit of a waste for that much money
was surfing a lot before purchasing the new macmini m2 but after i came across your video felt like meeting the right specialist doctor with proper diagnosis, thanks for ur positiveness as other reviews are more suspense rather than a conclusion
Just from the title I'm going to say, ignore this video. The M2 Pro Mac mini is FANTASTIC and an excellent machine. Been loving it since release.
Cool story
I appreciate the perspective, I just got the base model, M2 Mac mini today, I don't create content, but consume it and this should be more than enough.
Thank you, I am glad you found it useful! It's a super powerful Mac, it will cope with the majority of use cases, I feel. I did try to break it in today's video 🤣
Everything you say makes perfect sense for the vast majority of users. The kind of users who really *need* a lot more power and speed already know they need more and won't even be looking at the basic stuff.
Thanks for this video. May I ask which monitor that is?
Hi there! It’s a 34” gaming monitor by 👽 Alienware: geni.us/9eOsAs
@@AlexGTech thank you 🙏🏻
I did order the Pro to replace my 2018 i5 mini (which also is still going great but I'm going to relegate that to a secondary machine), but I also know it's probably overkill for me. I agree 100% that the base mini is great for most people. Thanks for this very balanced, thoughtful review. Nice Monza poster, too!
Good choice though, if you can afford it and you’re not looking to upgrade again for a while, this makes perfect sense!
And yes, these are the tracks I’ve been to, one day I will do a tour of the studio 😊 lots of F1 stuff
@@AlexGTech Would love to see that. I’ve only “visited” Monza in iRacing.
@@AlexGTech Yep, I tend to keep things for a long time.
Can I ask what monitor you’re using please?
I run Chrome all day along with a TV steaming app and some day trading software. This consumed about 7GBs worth of memory on my previous M1 Air. I thought about getting the base Mac mini but I chose the Pro version that comes with 16/512. I'm glad I did because this thing is a beast. It has yet to use any swap memory. I know it's too much computer for what I do or need. But I don't plan on buying another machine for at least five years so I know my M2 Pro Mini will definitely have enough horsepower until then.
Hello!
Would M2 / 8GB RAM/ 256 GB be enough for office and browsing?
Hey Alex I'm on budget right now hmm 24gb unified memory and 256gb ssd is enough? and I should buy a 1TB external SSD?
Hi there! Really depends on what you will use it for. In my experience with the M2 MacBook Air (which has 16GB RAM and no fans!) that was more than enough for me. I’ve done a few videos about that machine so you can have an idea of what I was able to run with 16GB and 256GB SSD. Because the Mini has cooling I’d imagine the performance will be even better! So 24GB RAM should be plenty, and maybe even too much depending on your workflow
I have been using a MacBook Pro mid 2015 intel i7 for creating and editing 2x 1080p video layers interlaced with titles and music jingles. It has worked fairly ok for the past 3 years but the Mac is on its limits and when using Final cut, as I have to constantly let it catch up and the noisy fan seems to be on most of the time. I am in the market for a new Mac mini M2 and hopefully by adding 16Gb Ram there should be an improvement. I plan to keep it for 3 years and then trade it for the M4/5 ?? or whatever is out by then. Your thoughts please........
I just ordered this. I have a couple of the M1 ones and I was worried after all the reviews but this put my mind at ease.
Glad this helped! It’s certainly a highly performing machine, early days but I’m really impressed!
@@AlexGTech Thank you. Not so worried anymore. 🙏😊
I think this is a compelling offer. I am not at all an apple nerd and I write that on a PC. A year ago, I bought an mac for my wife. I decided for a macbook air instead of a mac mini because the price difference was minimal. Now, the mac mini has become cheaper while the macbook air is more expensive. That makes the Mac Mini compelling. An even in absolute terms. If I configure a similar PC, I end up with a higher price. Now, the upgradeability still speaks for PCs but I tend to agree to you. For a stationary machine, you can add an external ssd and then you have a very capable machine for a decent price.
That is the first mac for a while which I would consider buying for me.
Genuinely the most helpful review I've seen so far. I'm having some issues with my base m1 MacBook air slowing down when browing or heavy research for school. Thinking I'll switch to the m2 mini with a 16gb upgrade. Student price should make a it a good deal at $680!
Thank you so much Jacob, glad it was helpful! Uploading another video today as I tried to push the M2 a bit harder. Still amazed at how much it can cope with. 16GB will be even greater for multitasking
It would be great if you would do a video focusing on how you run Windows 11 and how to set it up. Thanks. Great videos!
Nice video and presentation.
Which Alienware monitor are you using ? Thanks.
Thanks Pedro, it’s this one, 34 inch:
amzn.to/3wxOuld
Great master! Which kind of Mac Mini are good for Musikproduktion? And what kind of monitor do you use?
I'd say for music production you may want to consider a bit more memory or even the M2 Pro (I am reviewing that soon!). My monitor is an Alienware gaming monitor, this one here: geni.us/9eOsAs
Great video. My M2 Mini arrived today. I went for the 16GB, 1TB model. Got the educational discount, so it was £1099. If I was to spend any more than that on it, I would jump to the Pro chip…
I'm continuously impressed by the content of your videos and thank you for making this as it answers questions that I had from a "normal user" and non-content creator perspective. I'm thinking about getting the new Mac mini as I previously had the Intel i5 and liked it very much but it became slow. I'm a "gamer" on a Mac (I know, shocker) and run a high end flight simulator program so the graphics capabilities are important to me as is the RAM and higher storage SSD. Keep up the great work.
You're very welcome Rob! I think 16GB for that sort of gaming is probably better but for clouda gaming like XBox/GeForceNOW this base model isnt't really breaking a sweat. I haven't tried installing a full game on my Windows virtual machine, but that would be quite silly with only 256GB 🤣 Thanks so much for the kind words and hope to see you here agan soon 👊🏼
Even content creators will have a hard time to utilize Pro. For Photoshop and other 2D work, web development you really don’t need 20 cores, powerful GPU and other things.
What has changed in 10 years in this area when even base Mac mini beats Mac Pro from a few years ago? Nothing. Really, absolutely nothing. But suddenly, it’s “not enough”. Nonsense.
Hi Alex, thx for the Video. My Mac Mini M2 Pro arrived and also my Alienware Monitor. Both are still not opened because I don't have time. My question is, how did you connect the monitor to the mac mini, what cable and settings did you use on the mac mini? I would appreciate any info and advice on what works best. Maybe it’s worth a video, but I‘m thankful for any help. ✌
Hi there! I’ve used the HDMI cable. I think I the display port cable might be better but you need a hub or adapter for that. Honestly not sure this monitor is the best for Macs but I quite like it!
I’m working on a desk setup video as we speak 😉
@@AlexGTech I watched a few videos and settled on this one. The tests were good and optically the monitor is an absolute killer. Let's see, I hope that I finally have time next week and can unpack and connect everything. Let's see what option to use to connect the monitor. I'll let you know if it's different than what you use...if you're interested.
@@AlexGTech Nice, I'm looking forward to it 👍
Thanks a lot for this video without stupid benchmarks or reading the specs etc. I prefer real world experiences. Watching your clip was the last step to my the base model as an addition to my Windows PC and the 2017 MacBook Air I own since September (my first Apple computer).
Oh thank you so much! YEs, I do like to include some tests in my video but I think it's best to actually use it! I think you're gonna enjoy today's video too: th-cam.com/video/1ezNpy1vBqQ/w-d-xo.html 🙏🏼 have a good one!
A question -> what would you go for if you would need to use (pretty intensely for work) mainly office365 directly on Mac BUT also Parallels with Win on VM (with office 365 - mainly excel) - mini m2 with 24gb ram or m2 pro with 16gb ram (both would have 512 ssd inside - of course attaching external ssd for anything else) as this would be my struggle now what to order ? Thank you in advance for answer !
😁
Oh my God!!! I literally just uploaded that very video!! 👊🏼
th-cam.com/video/1ezNpy1vBqQ/w-d-xo.html
The base model of the M2 mini makes no sense to me. A refurbished M1 Mac mini with 512/16 would be far more capable. It would also run colder and most likely throttle less, and/or make less noise. No point having the M2, if the slow ssd and thermals lets it down.
Love the review! Thank you 🙏🏼 also I really like your desk and want to buy one for my studio, what desk is that you use for your setup?
Hey Chandler, thank you so much!! The desk is from Aktiv Desk (Swedish brand) this one here: th-cam.com/video/ejGjL9F4dQI/w-d-xo.html
Is the Mac mini base edition with 8gb ram good enough for Adobe apps like illustrator, indesign photoshop etc? Thanks
Yes. The older Intel based models could handle it and the M-Series beat most of those to a bloody shame. Its really the GPU dependent applications that really put up a challenge for the M-Series in which most do not need that performance scale. GPU dependent scales like 3D rendering, +4K resolution video editing and gaming. Illustrator, Photoshop or any other image/vector editing software is mostly CPU dependent so you very much covered there. You need nothing more than the older M1 Mac Mini and 8GB of memory and although having the 16GB model is nice its not worth it unless the price different justifies it.
Hello Alex, Please say honestly if i am wrong or right here.
I ordered the regular M2 mac Mini with specs - 24GB RAM , 512 GB SSD storage.
Didnt go for the Pro M2 mac mini as i never use the extra ports for more than 1 monitor. I am more in to a programmer studying Engineering and occasional video editing in FCP , Guitar recording projects in logic proX.
Please let me know if the above specs will be enough for my works for long term use . Thanks !
More than enough! By my tests eve the 16GB would have been ok, think you’re safe there!
@@AlexGTech Thanks a lot Alex 😊. I feel relieved i am safe & okay with my specs😊. Have a good day !
Good day... Can the M2 Mac Mini base model be set to Ultrawide\21:9 refresh rates of 120Hz(2560x1080p 120Hz for example)in the Mac's Display settings? Thanks...
what be be supercool, is to see a video review of a totally maxed out mini Pro M2.... and do resource heavy FCPX renderings.... to see if it chokes ...or so
I really enjoyed your video and have subscribed. I am new to Mac (from windows pc) and have some concerns. I have heard Mac mini can have issues with ultra wide resolution. I have a dell 3421WE. I also read that I you can’t control monitor speaker volume with keyboard function keys? Is this true. I use logi MX keys. A gain thanks for a great video. I am going to get a Mac mini and dive into the Mac world.
So maybe 16gb - 256gb for a start, maybe add external in the future would be the best path?
Yes, I'd always recommend prioritising RAM these days as you can always add fast storage later.
Hi any thoughts on music production and the base M1. Does the logic in this video apply. Thanks.
Finally someone that stopped the cap. Ppl grabbing this won't care about SSD speeds
Thanks man! Right?! This is a great machine for a heck of a lot of people, I’m amazed at how much I was able to throw at it.
what monitor are you using?
Hi there, it’s an Alienware 👽
Here it is: geni.us/9eOsAs
Hey Alex. Thanks for sharing your experience which is very informative and good editing too. I might go with the m2 pro mac mini with the 16gb and 512 base model just cause im going back to study at the uni and the machine will be used for a lot of stuff (coding included).
Id like to say that the base m2 mac mini model is sufficient enough compared to say my 10th gen gaming laptop. Which is like a vacuum cleaner when on performance mode.
I was thinking of getting the m2 macbook air so as to get the screen and keyboard but that will just tempt me to bring it everywhere and i dont like my work/study with me in bed. 😅
Love seeing your content. Definitely will turn on notif from now on.
Thank you so much!! Yes, 16GB RAM would be the minimum upgrade I'd recommend if y ou are looking to push the computer. M2 Pro of course is even better, but in today's video (uploading right now) I managed to "break" the 8GB RAM, but the processor itself was actually only 10-15% utilised. I was being very silly though, doing somethign that I wouldnt even try on my M1 Max so I am still impressed by how much it took to make it struggle.
@@AlexGTech And thats a real tech reviewer always pushing the limits of his gears.
I bought this for my daughter. It's so cheap, but also fast enough that it doesn't matter that the SSD is only 2x faster than a Sata SSD. That's already so fast.
So the base model can handle Lightroom just fine with 8gb of ram or will it struggle?
100% fine! I will play with a bit more and try exporting like 20-30 images at once, but first signs is that this will cope just fine. How busy do you get with Lightroom?
This will be our first Apple computer so I don’t know anything that you talking about regarding worried about lag and we got the 512g so hopefully it will move a bit faster then the 256g
Mahalo for your video!!
But isnt memory swapping a bad thing for the life of the SSD? Better to be safe and get the 16 ram
@@swenyb.2976 I am not familiar with prices in Europe but here in the U.S. you can get the Mac Mini M2 for $499 (education price). The Mac mini M1 (same specs 8/256) cost $599.
Price wise makes sense getting the newer model and use the $100 savings in upgrading the memory to 16 and in my case also upgrade the storage to 512. I am not transferring extreme amounts of data and waiting a minute extra won’t make a difference. I’ve read and watched information regarding memory and pretty much the common consensus is to upgrade to 16 as a recommendation.
Why nobody share info about how the games like CS GO and Diablo are running on this one?
Also why nobody gives an info does 1TB SSD is splitted to two different chipsets or not?
That's what I am looking for. Rest is in description.
I will try CS GO. Will it run on a Windows VM? I have GeForceNOW but I am guessing you want to see it on the machine itself? Never played Diablo but will give it a go!
using memory swap on SSD can very quickly kill it.
Good video, I was considering a m2 mini pro with 16gb / 1tb and running a vm for windows. Best of both worlds. I don't know if you mentioned but which VM are you using and do you recommend doing this or avoiding it?
I was using Parallels, Windows was running really well and I was able to play Forza Horizon (via XBox app) as well as run office apps all on the base model so I think the 1TB and 16GB will be more than enough - of course depending on how much you want to do on it
@@AlexGTech Great thanks, I had used parallels back in 2013 with my macbook pro. It did a decent job. Appreciate the reply and info.
What monitor are you on here?
It's the 👽 Alienware 34 inch: geni.us/9eOsAs 👊🏼
Great down to earth summary. I use an M1 16/256 configuration for graphic design (illustrator/photoshop/Lightroom) and have had no issues with the small HD space. I work off an external 1TB SSD over usb 3.1, which give me 350-400MB/s read/write. I don’t do any video editing so I don’t notice the fact that the internal ssd runs nearly 10x faster. I optimized my internal HD, by having both my photos and iTunes library running off the external storage. With that set up, oh still have 100GB of internal space. I would say however, the 16GB of ram gives me more headroom, especially with large PS files. What I find especially entertaining, is all these TH-cam video creators, editing in 4K/8K and uploading stuff that 99% of people watch on their smartphones!
That's boring entertainment, certainly. 1080p is fine for education videos on youtube.
Would the m2 mac mini w/ 16gb ram be ok for obs stream with a camera and able to show videos or webpages and also to edit some videos in a non pro way? 🤷♂️ at the very most play around with blender?
oh absolutely! I think you will enjoy today's video! I actually managed to make it sweat. But it required a lot for that to happen!
@@AlexGTech Thanks I did watch that! Also reordered the M2! Awesome videos!
I've been editing 720p with an MBA 2010 11 inch with 120gb SSD till end of 2022. I still love it. Exports slowly? Yes. But a perfect time to do a coffee break and do some squats. I finally am using an m1 MBA and can't wait to do my first videos and audios :)
Did you get a Prime sponsorship? 😮
Haha 😂 I wish! It’s my son’s bottle
@@AlexGTech Haha cool cool. Nicely done review appreciate it. Subbed good luck to the channel .
thank you, welcome aboard!
Really great video, thank you, I enjoyed it! I also plan to buy Mini with just 256 GB and simply add external storage. Especially that it is perfectly possible to have Users folder located on external drive, hence internal drive would hold just apps and system, while all you desktop, documents and other personal locations would sit on external drive together with applications files and preferences which also land in personal Library folder 🙂
@@JustMee-k8q yes, and what then? Such a fast speeds have negligible effect in case of OS and Apps startup. Fast SSD is really needed when copying/moving large files around for instance in video editing.
Great video, Alex! I think this is exactly what buyers needs to known between PRO and classic. My question is: what brand is your bottom down T-shirt you are wearing in this video?
Thanks
Thank you! 🙏🏼 This shirt is by a company called AndSons - love their stuff! Maybe I should ask them to sponsor me 🤣
Hi there, I was getting a lot of nice comments about the shirt so I contacted the brand and they are giving all my viewers 20% OFF. www.andsons.co.uk/discount/ALEX20 use ALEX20 at checkout 👊🏼
Okay, honestly, I’m going to be getting one of these for 2D/3D Art where I’ll likely be blending 3D elements made in blender into my 2D environments fairly frequently. The 3D assets might get a little large from time to time, but it likely won’t matter that much as it’ll probably still be used for my 2D workflow. I currently have the M1 Pro MBP and it works just fine (surprise). Should I shoot for the M2 Mac mini and look for upgrading memory, or go with the M2 Pro instead??
M2 Pro would be the safest bet of course, but I'd be curious to know if the standard M2 would cope with it. I am happy to test this for you, but I have no idea how to push it in 3D work. So if there are simple workflows examples that a noob like me can follow, I am happy to include it in my next video. I've done some tests on the M2 iPad Pro with Nomad and Shapr3D but not sure if those are relevant for you: th-cam.com/video/svY0Mv5I_80/w-d-xo.html
@@AlexGTechr
Boot OS from Thunderbolt external storage - use internal for static files
Great shout!
i bought both and had to return the M2 Base. for my specific needs the M2 Pro was the way to go. everyone has different needs though and i agree that for most people M2 will be enough.
Hi perfect video, I was looking for a video like this and subscribed, not a pro nor a creator, I am just wondering for the long term if base model m2 with added 8 go ram and added 256 gab memory would be a wider choice, for 5 + years timeframe
Thank you so much! Honestly, this means a lot. Doing this on the side and hearing this makes all the hard work pay off! Welcome aboard 🙏🏼
Seriously thank you for this. I’ll be getting an M2 with a single hard drive and either 16 or 24 gig upgrade. I do photo editing word processing mostly, but I’m getting into AI artwork
I’ve used my beloved 2009 Mac Pro that I flashed as a 2010 for a decade. I love it. It works. I’ve had to use is for professional photos and video editing and while slower. Works.
But I owned the CS6 suite and saw no reason to upgrade. I owned the software. I knew it very well and who cares. The end result was all people cared for.
Then Apple updated and CS6 became obsolete. Whatever. Use Da Vinci. But now when I’m editing novels and such, my Mac Pro and 2012 MacBook Pro work. But… slower. Of course.
I write in scrivener, pay an editor a lot of money, she sends in back in word and I use pages to edit. But it’s 5-10 seconds between me clicking accept or reject. There are 45,000 things to check.
I used a friends MacBook Pro with an M1 chip. It’s instant. So while I was happy to hold out until the sun stopped burning. It’s officially time to upgrade. However before I did I put a 12gb nvidea card and locked the computer into windows mode. Now I have a decent gaming computer to go along side my Mac mini. However if it slows down on editing I’m throwing it out the window.
I held onto CS6 with a 2015 15” MB pro till late 2021. I got the results I needed, but things we’re getting messed up due to lack of CS6 support. I got rid of the laptop, got an M1 mini and surrendered to CC. Things are running quite well now, I even have an 11” iPad Pro that works super fast with Lightroom. All in all, a good move despite the Adobe “tax”…
good point i have a 2019 macbook pro with an intel i7 and 32gig ram, i use it connected to a 40" thunderbolt monitor in clamshell mode everyday for coding and design, but the fan runs non stop, if this can handle what i do on a daily basis a mac mini will handle this insanely better, despite benchmarks, and then can use my laptop for less stressful things until i can replace that when it dies in seven years lol
I like your suggestions! What the monitor the you are using? Would it be good for photo editing?
Hi there, thank you! This is a gaming monitor so not really the best for photo editing, might be ok for people portraits but you will get some fringing artefacts especially in text, if you’re photographing products.
This is the one in this video:amzn.to/3Hy65jg
This is a good 4K one (very colour accurate)I use and reviewed it in the channel before: th-cam.com/video/ZKsdHmCa5JY/w-d-xo.html
give you a either-or scenario - should I get base m2 mac mini with 16gb memory and storage to 512 gb that puts me @999 US or just spend the extra $300 and get a better processor and get the mac mini with m2 pro $1299?
Tough one… 🤔 what do you use it for ?
@@AlexGTech browsing the web/excel and word/gaming.
MONZA! The 2023 F1 season starts in a few weeks!
My Mac M2 Pro Mini arrives today. It is my first foray into the Apple "sandbox". I have been a Windows user for 30 years...... It's time for me to make the change and these Minis just make so much sense! Thank you for the video! (And yes, I watched A WHOLE BUNCH of "mini videos" before I placed my order. ).
Thx Alex for this Video, I am using an Imac from 2009 and can still do simple final cut and Photoshop projects, but now it's time for an upgrade, so I can dig deeper in final cut and simple photo editing, maybe I'll also start to play around with ableton again.
Looks like a base M2 could be enough, as I still will need some Budget left for a proper Monitor and an external ssd.
I will definitely go for 16GB, but I'm not sure if 256gb will really be enough storage, as I would like to use t for quite a long time again... i'm thinking of getting at least 512gb.
The title of this video is confusing. You’re reviewing the base model M2 Mac Mini not the M2 Pro Mac Mini. Or am I missing something.
dont forget about the education shop which can get you $100 dollars off so I got the base model for $499. i'm not sure if they offer similar discounts in other countries. I'm new to MacOS I want to learn it better. I still got my windows desktop if i need to use handbrake for any heavy video compression. i'm probably one of the few who still purchase physical media but this is as heavy as my computing gets.
Always amazed how much the mac mini cost 2nd hand, I saw an M1 for £400 so worth picking up 2nd hand, as they seem to depreciate in value faster than laptops for some reason.
Are you team base model or upgrading? Reply with 🍟 if you're team base model and 🌶 if you are upgrading!
By the way, sorry I am late on this, but I thought I'd use the machine before doing the video. I hope you appreciated the tests I've done here and there's definitley more to come on this! I was able to run a Windows VM, play Forza Horizon online and run many apps simultaneously. This base model machine absolutely flies for many different types of workflows. Have a great day! 🙏🏼
🍟
I'm still on the fence.. I have a 2018 Mac Mini i5 Intel w/512Gb SSD & 8Gb Mem. If I spec out an M2 w/512Gb SSD & 16Gb Mem for $999 or M2 Pro Base system @ $1299 other than IO ports in the back what am I gaining? I'm a casual user and trying to decide on the M2 or the M2 Pro with the same specs. How much more future proofing am I doing with the Pro over the standard M2?
how about 10 bit 4.2.2. 4k video, with color correction and some luts? 5 -10 min videos. Will it skip frames a lot on the time line?
@@joakimtollerud2172 I will try that (the video I was editing (using an external M.2 enclosure) as a quick test was my Apple Watch ultra review (about 10 mins long 4K 10bit 4:2:2 filmed in S-Log on the A7Siii) so should be a decent test.
@@geegamiing 👊🏼
What monitor is this?
It’s an Alienware 34 inch, this one: amzn.to/3kFMe8F
I’d like to know more about how did you setup windows vm under this M2 Mini. I have got a good insight from you regarding the base model, but I also wanna run a Windows inside the Mac.
If you go to Parallels dot com (it requires a license) you can give it a go. Fairly easy to follow along.
Alex, what ultra-wide monitor do you recommend? I am a college professor, I use Microsoft products, and watch a lot of YoutTube. Please help.
I use the LG 34" at home. Nto very expensive and not really gaming-like performance. But perfect for my 9-5 work and light consumption like you're saying, TH-cam and Netflix...
This is the model I went with: geni.us/mPAMQB7
To be honest, I'm more curious about that item that appears to be a riser with an LED bar that's on your desk right under your monitor 🤔
Haha it’s a lovely bit of kit! Check it out here: bit.ly/3JjYAOn
@@AlexGTech that is lovely!! I’m saving this link because I’ll be able to afford it someday. I appreciate it!
My pleasure. I am uploading the entire setup tomorrow, I think you will like it 🙏🏼
That’s the perfect attitude. For the majority of people the base m2 Mac is all they need.
Thanks Sean!! Absolutely, these chips are no joke! Unless you’re doing some heavy graphics or processing a lot of code, etc this machine will be great for a lot of people
Ladies and gentlemen we have the killer review.
Thanks Alex!
The prices are lower in USA. But in Brazil a M2 Pro Mac mini would cost about R$15,000.
So it would be a better deal take the M2 model with 16GB of memory and 512GB of storage and pay about R$8,500 on unofficial traders.
For those who already have monitor, mouse and keyboard would be even better. Which is my case. I’m currently using a 2014 i5 Mac mini.
Working as a product designer this upgraded M2 would be great. Most of my work is online: Figma and FigJam files, Google based tools and other management tools. I hardly use Photoshop and Illustrator. Sometimes I work on Final Cut and Logic Pro editing light weight projects.
What do you think!?
Thanks again!
Bom dia. Qual monitor você usa com o mac mini? Qual você me indica? Obrigado.
Oh Marcos!! You're making me blush 😊
Holy moly, R$ 15,000!! You can buy a car for that 🤯 YEs, for your workflow at the very least the 16GB upgrade would make sense. Adobe apps take between 1.5 and 2GB of RAM, even with nothing open!
Final Cut... Well, you're gonna like today's video 🤣
@@AlexGTech nah! Here in Brazil due to the crisis car prices are getting high. R$60,000 for a popular base model.
Certainly I’ll watch your new video.
Thanks again!
@@edsonsantiago9135 eu estou usando o Samsung U28R550UQ. 28” 4K.
Paguei R$2.100 há exato um ano. É excelente.
Havia outros mais baratos, mas fiquei com medo de não ter suporte, caso precisasse. Samsung é bem consolidada no Brasil.
Precisa apenas ficar atento ao modelo do Mac mini, pois a saída HDMI é defasada nesse modelo de entrada.
O meu modelo, por exemplo (2014 8GB i5), 4K só via HDMI e a 60hz. Apesar do monitor ter saída Display Port, que costuma ser melhor, não daria pra usar 4K, que seria via adaptador Mini Display Port (Thunderbolt 2).
Dependendo do seu uso nem precisa ser 4K. 2k entrega uma qualidade excelente. A Dell tinha alguns modelos nessa categoria.
No meu caso 2k resolveria, mas como sabia que trocaria de Mac em breve, preferi pegar um “future proof”, como dizem.
Além do modelo, pesquise ofertas. O site zoom é muito bom pra comprar preços.
O meu eu achei com desconto num site chamado Eletrum. Acho que atende o Brazil todo.
Boa sorte!
Desculpa Edson pela demora, esse eh o Alienware 34" Ultrawide: geni.us/9eOsAs
Does it finally have hdmi 2.1 so i can use my monitor at 120hz?
It certainly does! Haven’t tested it on many monitors yet (the one I was using is my gaming one, prob not the best for the Mac Mini)
@@AlexGTech finally!!! Lol
I find the other influencers to be somewhat intimidating. Sure, Id like to afford the full-blown models but I'm not them. I don't need all the bells and whistles. I did get the base Mini yesterday and love it. $599 is the value and performance sweet spot. Then add in the display-- $1000. For that money, you do get a damn fine setup. If I were a pro anything and someone paid of it, yeah go big. Gave this a lot of thought to usage and this checked all the boxes. Thank you for this video for anyone who feels guilty not buying into the go big or you're a punk.
Was so looking forward of getting M2 Pro - but after finding out they changed NAND’s and how SSD is being affected - I’m going to spend a little more (500) more not ideal but going for Max Studio Mex refurbished -
Another awesome video. Now i may just need to pick one of these up and replace my iMac 2015.
Mate this is no joke, super capable and decent price!
@@AlexGTech my issue is getting a decent monitor as i have the iMac 27inch right now.
so...the M2 with 16GB and 512GB SSD will be better than a M1 with the same RAM and HD? I just need a decent editing computer with Premiere...never mind FCP X...some 4k30 and 4k60 and some HD...I would like to save some money for sure!
No Premiere allowed. Unless you are stacking ten clips of video.
@@gerardowmby7156 no idea what you mean but thanks anyway!
16gb of Ram minimum is the only upgrade you need on any Apple Mac these days. They're so powerful that 99% of people do not need anymore. Not even us TH-camrs to be honest!
Great review Alex.
Thanks Chris! Totally agree, I am amazed at these Apple silicon machines. What they're not doing on smartphones and tablets (for me) they are smashing on computing
99 percent is a fairly absolutist take. Are you sure you are speaking for 99 percent of the market?
@@agenericaccount3935 the majority of people who buy MacBook Pros do not need the power that they currently offer. That’s not ann out there statement. It’s a fact. It’s a want more than a need. The new mini with 16gb of ram is better than most pc’s around two to three times it’s price. This is coming from someone who spent the ridiculous sums of money on an M1 Max MacBook Pro which outperforms all his current professional tasks.
@@AlexGTech What?
Switched from M1 MBA few months ago to Windows convertible, 14" 2,8k OLED touchscreen laptop, but I missing MacOS feel. So those new M2 Mini seems really goog, especially with lower price, Here in Czech Rep. M1 Mac Mini was starting at 22k CZK, M2 Mini starts at 17,5k CZK which is 20% lower price, my favorite seller offers it cheaper for 16,7k. So, my wallet is ready to place order, but I have no pragmatic reason to buy third computer - one Windows gaming machine and mentioned laptop...
But that feel that you missing MacOS machine is here, so will see if realistic needs wins against tech fan wishes. Maybe I will wait few weeks to see that used market will reflect new prices of M2 Minis and there will be better offers for M1 Minis, right now I was able to find cheapest base M1 for 15k CZK, but if I can buy new M2 for less than 17k there is no reason to buy used one. But for something like 12k it will be great deal for me even 2yrs old M1 Mini and I will most likely pull trigger. I will even look for M1 16/512 version for less than 20k to pull trigger. If I dont fined used one for my price, I will opt in new M2 Mini 16/256.
Hi Jiri! Yes that price is tempting! I’m glad Apple reduced the price for this machine. You’re right, because the price is quite close to the M1 it makes more sense to get the M2. Based on my last two days of usage I’m quite impressed by how much I was able to do on it, even though it’s the base model
@@AlexGTech Hey Alex, your comment makes me more interested to buy one. But I have to repeat to myself: dp you really need third computer? :-; NOO! But that feel buying new stuf.. hard to say no.. Guess You know what I'm mean, right?
Good information about the Mac Mini… But the black shirt… Where can I find it?
Thanks Anthony! It’s from a company called “And Sons” and this is called a “Sunday shirt”, they have some really good stuff!
@@AlexGTech thanks! Looking fresh
Apple doesn't seem to put much effort into programming applications that could really harness the full potential of the M-Series GPU's.
Its the same as saying a base Porsche. Is there really such a thing as a base Porsche?
M2 pro 16gb ram + 512gb SSD blackmagic speed test...Write 4619 Read 2816. Same machine with 1tb SSD = Write 6046 Read 5073. 30% faster Write and 80% faster Read speeds. Just wow what a difference. See videos on you tube from Mcstudio FPV and thefly1976.