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Bad idea to get 8GB instead of 16GB ram. It's +$200 for doubling your capacity for years to come. Anyone have an opinion on Mac Mini vs Air? the raw benchmarks

Bad idea to get 8GB instead of 16GB ram. It's +$200 for doubling your capacity for years to come. Anyone have an opinion on Mac Mini vs Air? the raw benchmarks seem to favor the M1 mac mini: https://twitter.com/theshawwn/status/1331923535053299712 https://twitter.com/theshawwn/status/1331923535053299712 It takes 25m05s to compile webkit on a macbook air, but 19m32s on a Mac Mini. That's not-insignificant. And the Mini is several hundred cheaper than the Air too. Mobility seems like an issue, but an external keyboard + tiny monitor seems to solve that. Though using a backpack + monitor + keyboard + mac mini + uninterruptible power supply is ... well ... maybe not too practical. It's hard to decide.

jen729w 6y ago
> Mobility seems like an issue, but an external keyboard + tiny monitor seems to solve that. Though using a backpack + monitor + keyboard + mac mini + uninterruptible power supply is ... well ... maybe not too practical. It's hard to decide. Perhaps the most HN comment ever. :-) The Mini is great if it’s sitting under your desk. I’ve had one running for 10 years now. OS updates stopped last year but for what I use it for, it’s a champion. But c’mon, the idea of schlepping it around with a portable tiny monitor is madness. Think of the time you save in build time and how badly it’s offset by the setup time for the Mini + all the gear every time you get a place. Get the Air.
qz2 6y ago
I’m using an ass end M1 mini with a 27” 4K Iiyama monitor, an Apple magic touchpad and Durgod K320 keyboard. It’s my favourite computer set up so far in all the years I’ve been doing this. I don’t want another back and neck killing laptop in my life in my 40s if I’m honest. This is also not my first ARM desktop. I had an Acorn A420 a very long time ago.
oops 6y ago
The M1 MBP does it in in 20m43s[1]. It's more expensive -- or maybe not after you add all those peripherals to your Mini -- and think of what you'll save in chiropractor bills! 1: https://www.macrumors.com/2020/11/17/apple-silicon-m1-compiles-code-as-fast-as-mac-pro/ https://www.macrumors.com/2020/11/17/apple-silicon-m1-compil...
easde 6y ago
If you don't want the chip to throttle, the simple answer is to get the Macbook Pro, not hack together a crappy laptop from a Mac Mini :) Even then, the throttling on the Air seems pretty minor. About ~30% drop in performance after it levels off, which takes several minutes. Less if you get one of those pads with a fan in it that blows on the case.
- AnonHP 6y ago
  Why would the Mac mini throttle and not the MacBook Pro? Both have fans, unlike the MacBook Air.
  - macintux 6y ago
    I think the parent was saying if you want a laptop, buy a laptop, and that the Air’s throttling isn’t a big deal...not that the Mini throttles.

jen729w 6y ago

> Mobility seems like an issue, but an external keyboard + tiny monitor seems to solve that. Though using a backpack + monitor + keyboard + mac mini + uninterruptible power supply is ... well ... maybe not too practical. It's hard to decide. Perhaps the most HN comment ever. :-) The Mini is great if it’s sitting under your desk. I’ve had one running for 10 years now. OS updates stopped last year but for what I use it for, it’s a champion. But c’mon, the idea of schlepping it around with a portable tiny monitor is madness. Think of the time you save in build time and how badly it’s offset by the setup time for the Mini + all the gear every time you get a place. Get the Air.

qz2 6y ago

I’m using an ass end M1 mini with a 27” 4K Iiyama monitor, an Apple magic touchpad and Durgod K320 keyboard. It’s my favourite computer set up so far in all the years I’ve been doing this. I don’t want another back and neck killing laptop in my life in my 40s if I’m honest. This is also not my first ARM desktop. I had an Acorn A420 a very long time ago.

oops 6y ago

The M1 MBP does it in in 20m43s[1]. It's more expensive -- or maybe not after you add all those peripherals to your Mini -- and think of what you'll save in chiropractor bills! 1: https://www.macrumors.com/2020/11/17/apple-silicon-m1-compiles-code-as-fast-as-mac-pro/ https://www.macrumors.com/2020/11/17/apple-silicon-m1-compil...

easde 6y ago

If you don't want the chip to throttle, the simple answer is to get the Macbook Pro, not hack together a crappy laptop from a Mac Mini :) Even then, the throttling on the Air seems pretty minor. About ~30% drop in performance after it levels off, which takes several minutes. Less if you get one of those pads with a fan in it that blows on the case.

AnonHP 6y ago
Why would the Mac mini throttle and not the MacBook Pro? Both have fans, unlike the MacBook Air.
- macintux 6y ago
  I think the parent was saying if you want a laptop, buy a laptop, and that the Air’s throttling isn’t a big deal...not that the Mini throttles.