M1X Mini vs M1X iMac

[uptownnyc]

The machine has been a beast, and performed well despite a few upgraded internal components (fried power supply, fusion drive recall, two failed hard drives, SSD EOL so I'm running from an external SSD as my boot drive) and it's still plugging along. But it's time to switch to Apple Silicon.

So I'm contemplating what my upgrade-path should be coming from an old Late 2012 iMac. I'm expecting that the M1X Mini may launch later this year, but upgrading from that would necessitate at least a primary-monitor replacement since I'd be losing the main iMac display. Alternately, I could wait for the larger-screen iMac which I presume may come out Q1 of next year.

I run my iMac with three screens (primary and two externals) but I'm assuming the multi-monitor issues will be addressed in the next M-chip iteration.

Anyone else coming from an older iMac and switching over to the Mini? Seems to be few downsides if I'm not bothered by the lack of it being an all-in-one device, which isn't a concern.

 

[padams35]

I switched from a 21.5" 2011 iMac to a 2018 Mini.

Since both the 2018 and 2020 mini had multi-monitor quirks for two generations in a row I am a little less optimistic Apple will have stuff fixed for 2021.

Otherwise the only real downside is a slightly more cluttered desk with the addition of the Mini and speakers.

For me going from a 21.5" 1080p to a 24" 4K monitor was an affordable upgrade. For a 27" 1440p user finding a worth but affordable replacement may be a bigger challenge.

 

[velocityg4]

The big pluses of the Mini
- Cheaper monitor options (You could be perfectly happy with a $300 28" 4K IPS display)
- matching multi-monitor (The M1x iMac will almost certainly use an odd resolution like a 5K+ or 5.5K. Making it unlikely there will be a matching second monitor unless LG makes one.)
- No monitor waste when you replace the Mini

The pluses for the iMac
- Cleaner setup
- Historically killer deal on a premium display (when you compare an iMac 27 to an Intel Mini plus a 5K LG)
- Heavier duty cooling
- Depending on what Apple does for the M1x iMac. Possibly better graphics options. If M1x is more segmented than M1. For higher watt loads.

 

[Juicy Box]

Anyone else coming from an older iMac and switching over to the Mini?

I have that identical spec iMac to you, and yes, it has been a beast considering its age. I am not sure if that is due to the Late 2012 iMacs being so good, or the lack of year to year improvements since the Late 2012 iMacs.

I bought a M1 Mac Mini back in the spring, and do not regret the purchase at all, but I was a little disappointed in the lack of performance gains from my 9 year old iMac. Again, I think this is an industry wide thing, and nothing to do with the M1 performance, but I just expected more going from the high end iMac in 2012 to any Mac in in 2021.

Don't get me wrong, the performance of the M1 is great, and there was an improvement over my 9 year old iMac, but I just expected more.

The M1X/M2 will be a more dramatic improvement, I am sure.

- Cheaper monitor options

- Historically killer deal on a premium display

Besides price, I think @velocityg4 is right, and these two things are the major selling points between the iMac and Mac Mini, or at least the current M1 ones.

You know the display on the iMacs are going to be great. But, if you plan on using multiple displays, especially cheaper ones, this probably doesn't matter as much, and the Mac Mini might be the way to go (assuming that the multiple display issue is corrected).

- Heavier duty cooling

I am unsure about this one, as the one-fan M1 Mac Mini still performs better than the two-fan M1 iMac, and much better than the one-fan M1 iMac. If anything, it shows that having the all-in-one design leads to compromises when it comes to cooling, meaning the heavier duty cooling is a necessity more than a bonus.

 

[Jorbanead]

The machine has been a beast, and performed well despite a few upgraded internal components (fried power supply, fusion drive recall, two failed hard drives, SSD EOL so I'm running from an external SSD as my boot drive) and it's still plugging along. But it's time to switch to Apple Silicon.

View attachment 1853021

So I'm contemplating what my upgrade-path should be coming from an old Late 2012 iMac. I'm expecting that the M1X Mini may launch later this year, but upgrading from that would necessitate at least a primary-monitor replacement since I'd be losing the main iMac display. Alternately, I could wait for the larger-screen iMac which I presume may come out Q1 of next year.

I run my iMac with three screens (primary and two externals) but I'm assuming the multi-monitor issues will be addressed in the next M-chip iteration.

Anyone else coming from an older iMac and switching over to the Mini? Seems to be few downsides if I'm not bothered by the lack of it being an all-in-one device, which isn't a concern.

It’s hard to know when the iMac will come. I’ve seen a wide range of rumors, and rumors more lately haven’t been super accurate. I think it really is up to you whether you want to also buy a monitor or not. My guess is they will have similar specs so it’s mostly just form factor which comes down to the individual needs and wants of the user.

 

[uptownnyc]

For me, I care less about the form factor of the machine, but I do want the best quality image -- so that likely means waiting for the iMac to at least make an informed decision with all of my available options. The one caveat on that would be if my 2012 were to fail after the revised Mini is released, and I guess I'd need to go the Mini route, at least for some time.

The wildcard is whether Apple releases a new lower-priced monitor. I don't need the $5k monitor, but could be convinced to buy a more affordable Apple screen if available.

 

[mj_]

The M1X Mac Mini is not yet available, and we don't even know whether or not it will ever be release as such.
The M1X iMac is not yet available, and we don't even know whether or not it will ever be released as such.

Why don't you sit back, relax, and wait until the devices are actually announced, released, and available. Then and only then will you be able to make an informed decision, and then and only then will others be able to give you actual advice that isn't based in its entirety on completely unsubstantiated speculation and rumors.

 

[uptownnyc]

The M1X Mac Mini is not yet available, and we don't even know whether or not it will ever be release as such.
The M1X iMac is not yet available, and we don't even know whether or not it will ever be released as such.

Why don't you sit back, relax, and wait until the devices are actually announced, released, and available. Then and only then will you be able to make an informed decision, and then and only then will others be able to give you actual advice that isn't based in its entirety on completely unsubstantiated speculation and rumors.

no

 

[CubeHacker]

The M1X Mac Mini is not yet available, and we don't even know whether or not it will ever be release as such.
The M1X iMac is not yet available, and we don't even know whether or not it will ever be released as such.

Why don't you sit back, relax, and wait until the devices are actually announced, released, and available. Then and only then will you be able to make an informed decision, and then and only then will others be able to give you actual advice that isn't based in its entirety on completely unsubstantiated speculation and rumors.

This is the best answer

 

[uptownnyc]

This is the best answer

The site is called MacRumors, not MacLetsWaitAndSee.

 

[coolguy4747]

The site is called MacRumors, not MacLetsWaitAndSee.

It seems like your only question is iMac v Mac mini, is that accurate? M1X or Intel, the differences should be the same pretty much. There really should be no difference, assuming they get the same processor. You might have trouble finding a monitor that is as good as the 5k iMac screen (or potentially 6k that is rumored for the larger AS iMac), but since I don't believe your current iMac is 5k you might be fine with the plethora of decent-to-good 4k monitors out there in various sizes. I've never had a 5k iMac so I don't have that comparison, and I currently am doing fine with a 27" 4k and a 27" 2.5k side by side. On the other side, if you get a fancy new iMac with a glorious 5k or 6k screen, you will almost certainly have trouble finding two additional monitors of a comparable caliber to hook up to it. With the mini, at least you can have three identical monitors.

 

[Pro Apple Silicon]

The machine has been a beast, and performed well despite a few upgraded internal components (fried power supply, fusion drive recall, two failed hard drives, SSD EOL so I'm running from an external SSD as my boot drive) and it's still plugging along. But it's time to switch to Apple Silicon.

View attachment 1853021

So I'm contemplating what my upgrade-path should be coming from an old Late 2012 iMac. I'm expecting that the M1X Mini may launch later this year, but upgrading from that would necessitate at least a primary-monitor replacement since I'd be losing the main iMac display. Alternately, I could wait for the larger-screen iMac which I presume may come out Q1 of next year.

I run my iMac with three screens (primary and two externals) but I'm assuming the multi-monitor issues will be addressed in the next M-chip iteration.

Anyone else coming from an older iMac and switching over to the Mini? Seems to be few downsides if I'm not bothered by the lack of it being an all-in-one device, which isn't a concern.

I am using a much newer 27" iMac than you (2017), and I'm jumping on the M1X Mac Mini the moment it lands. You don't really say what you do with your machine, but I work on it daily. It is my primary work machine. And it needs to be replaced. I can't wait for a fictional larger iMac with Apple Silicon to materialize. At the rate Apple is going, I would not expect it until late next year at the earliest. Could well be a 2023 product.

 

[SegNerd]

I switched from a MacBook Pro to a Mac mini. I always thought that having everything in one compact unit was cool, but if you think about it, it’s way cheaper if you can upgrade your computer without having to replace the monitor.

 

[sunny5]

I have M1 Mac mini but I'm tire of having issues with monitor connection so I would really wish to get iMac version with M1X or higher.

 

[EntropyQ3]

I have M1 Mac mini but I'm tire of having issues with monitor connection so I would really wish to get iMac version with M1X or higher.

I would assume that issues with external monitors is an excellent example of an area that could have issues when you migrate a mobile chip onto the desktop and suddenly have to work with a multitude of monitors from different manufacturers, and where consumers are bound to also run into issues due to substandard cabling.
I would also assume that Apple is aware of the problems that are addressable by them, they've had an eight digit number of beta testers. ;-)

I too have a 27" iMac as my main home Mac, but given the design priorities of the 24" iMac, I have no desire for a new iMac. I just hope Apple doesn't screw up cooling on a new Mac Mini. (Or memory subsystem.)

 

[sunny5]

I would assume that issues with external monitors is an excellent example of an area that could have issues when you migrate a mobile chip onto the desktop and suddenly have to work with a multitude of monitors from different manufacturers, and where consumers are bound to also run into issues due to substandard cabling.
I would also assume that Apple is aware of the problems that are addressable by them, they've had an eight digit number of beta testers. ;-)

I too have a 27" iMac as my main home Mac, but given the design priorities of the 24" iMac, I have no desire for a new iMac. I just hope Apple doesn't screw up cooling on a new Mac Mini. (Or memory subsystem.)

I also hate 24 inch iMac's design. It's just terrible. Not sure if M1X version of iMac will come out but I really want a high end iMac with a different design.

 

[ader42]

My daily driver is still my 2014 5k Retina iMac with an attached Thunderbolt Display. I also have an M1 Mini I use for specific tasks - I use both Macs across these two displays, switching with a swipe on a trackpad.

I use screen-sharing via JumpDesktop and tend keep the retina display on the iMac but switch the Thunderbolt Display from iMac to M1 Mini and back (using spaces).

The M1 Mini is effectively twice as fast CPU-wise as the ageing iMac. I’ve been so impressed with the Mini that I too have been wondering if I should replace the iMac with a faster Mini + monitor(s) when available.

I do like that iMacs arre cleaner on the desk, but that can be dealt with easily really (base unit in a desk stand drawer for example). I would be reluctant to downgrade the main monitor from 5k as the inbuilt iMac displays are so good and such good value.

In an ideal world Apple would release a larger M1X iMac and matching external monitor at the same time as the M1X Mini but I can’t see that happening.

My current thinking based on the rumoours is that the M1X Mini will launch well before a larger iMac and external display. So I might just end up getting an M1X Mini to replace the M1 Mini and use that as the main machine and basically forego Retina for now - using my iMac as a matching 2560x1440 display to the Thunderbolt Display.

I do wish the 5k iMac display could be used as a display by the Mini in retina resolution, but my eyesight is not what it was anyway.

So my advice would be to try using your 2012 iMac as a 2560x1440 monitor just as you are now but with an M1X Mini driving it (and the others).

 

[Mr. Bear]

I have a 2015 27" iMac whose fusion drive died a few months ago. I had to pull the SSD and reformat the 3tb HDD. So I'm in the same boat. If the M1X Mini & iMac were both coming out this year, I'd probably wait and see. But the rumors suggest that the Mini will be announced this month, while the iMac might be six months out. So my plan is to get the Mini. Circumstances might necessitate waiting, or maybe I'll get an MBP now and an iMac in the spring. But my plan is to get an M1X mac as soon as I can.

 

[Serban55]

again, consider that the rumoured m1x mac mini can come with the same options as the upcoming 14" mbp (its not a must, but it can be this way)
So, the next mac mini could not come with the 32 core gpu, while the bigger imac will sure come with 16 core and 32
Also the next mac mini can be conf up to 32 gb ram, while the bigger imac up to 64gb ram
These are just speculations from my part...but if the new mac mini goes even thinner like rumours said, dont expect the same gpu level as the bigger imac (the mac mini never had the gpu power like the 27" imac, but maybe with the this transition things can change)

 

[uptownnyc]

I have a 2015 27" iMac whose fusion drive died a few months ago. I had to pull the SSD and reformat the 3tb HDD. So I'm in the same boat. If the M1X Mini & iMac were both coming out this year, I'd probably wait and see. But the rumors suggest that the Mini will be announced this month, while the iMac might be six months out. So my plan is to get the Mini. Circumstances might necessitate waiting, or maybe I'll get an MBP now and an iMac in the spring. But my plan is to get an M1X mac as soon as I can.

Seems reasonable. As long as I have some option of a gen-2 M1 I'll be happy. But three-screens is a necessity for me. I realize there are some workarounds to make it work with the current gen M1 Mini, but I'd prefer non-hacky solutions to that kind of thing.

 

[uptownnyc]

So my advice would be to try using your 2012 iMac as a 2560x1440 monitor just as you are now but with an M1X Mini driving it (and the others).

Interesting idea. I'll have to give that a try when I upgrade.