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Mac Mini: i3 vs i5
- Thread starter Scarboose
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I'd get more CPU since that can't be upgraded later, and the storage is super fast, so that makes up a bit with less RAM. If you're not running tons of concurrent apps, or dealing with massive data files (like huge image/video files), or running VMs, then you'd probably see more perky day-to-day performance with the i5.
You're right though, that's a real "it depends" sort of question
You're right though, that's a real "it depends" sort of question
I debated the same question and went with the i5 base model on Amazon only because the i5 was on sale for $929 vs $799 for the i3 base model.
If all you are planning to do are the basics, email, web, watch videos then the i3 is more than enough. The i3 is really fast but you have to consider buying extra storage because 128GB is not enough in 2019. The lack of storage is what put my decision over the top for the i5 base model because for $130 more I got double the storage and a faster processor.
Now if you are customizing it then I would go with the i3, bump up the internal storage to at least 256GB and upgrade the RAM yourself later on.
Exactly the same reason I bought the i5 Refurbished MM 2018 with 8GB and 256SSD at a discount through the Apple On-Line Veterans and Military Store.
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If it was my machine I would get the i5, and add RAM later when I could afford it.
In some operations, where the single-core speed is dominant, the i3 can be faster (3.6 GHz vs 3.0 Ghz).
For longterm use, the 6-core i5 is more future-proof. You can upgrade the RAM yourself, if you want.
So my vote goes for the i5.
Also, the SSD in the i5 is twice the size + about twice as fast in writing than the base 128 GB in the Core i3 mini.
128 GB -> 600 MB/s
256 GB -> 1300 MB/s
512 GB -> 1900 MB/s
100 0GB -> 2600 MB/s
Read: all > 2000 MB/s
Additional info and links:
https://www.ifixit.com/Answers/View...speed+as+benchmarked+by+Black+Magic+disk+test
https://9to5mac.com/2018/11/10/review-2018-mac-mini-video/
For longterm use, the 6-core i5 is more future-proof. You can upgrade the RAM yourself, if you want.
So my vote goes for the i5.
Also, the SSD in the i5 is twice the size + about twice as fast in writing than the base 128 GB in the Core i3 mini.
128 GB -> 600 MB/s
256 GB -> 1300 MB/s
512 GB -> 1900 MB/s
100 0GB -> 2600 MB/s
Read: all > 2000 MB/s
Additional info and links:
https://www.ifixit.com/Answers/View...speed+as+benchmarked+by+Black+Magic+disk+test
https://9to5mac.com/2018/11/10/review-2018-mac-mini-video/
Great point, I kind of assumed "all other things equal" in terms of the other specs, but if the OP is talking entry level storage, that really favors the i5 model.
I chose to get the i5 over the i3 and have never regretted it. What I do sort of regret is that I only got 16GB RAM and only 512 GB SSD. My SSD, after a year's use only has 134 GB available, which begins to feel a little tight to me (mostly psychologically, I realize). And I wish I had gone for 32GB RAM.
However, Apple was charging an arm and a leg for RAM and 1 TB SSD, so I constrained myself. I have no complaints, really, with how the i5 works with 16GB RAM and 512 GB storage. It is all mind-bogglingly faster than my old 2010 Mini was with its platter drive. Add in our 1gig fiber broadband and I am generally very happy. I do think that the Bluetooth implementation for the 2018 Mini was flawed.
However, Apple was charging an arm and a leg for RAM and 1 TB SSD, so I constrained myself. I have no complaints, really, with how the i5 works with 16GB RAM and 512 GB storage. It is all mind-bogglingly faster than my old 2010 Mini was with its platter drive. Add in our 1gig fiber broadband and I am generally very happy. I do think that the Bluetooth implementation for the 2018 Mini was flawed.
You can always upgrade the RAM yourself. It is not that complicated.
The same can be said for this, there are Bluetooth USB dongles out there (or will be), that will give you new functions or simply upgraded technology in the future (like Bluetooth 6.0).
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I got the i3 for $700 when it came out. immediately got 32gb ram which makes a big difference especially if you do work on this. Now I got a TB3 enclosure and 2TB drive as a boot drive running at faster writes than the internal drive. Personally id stay away from the 128gb internal drive if you do anything like video or photo stuff. My problem was that iCloud kept filling the drive as I was editing video and iCloud would only delete the files off the local drive once drive got really full. this would slow performance and screw me over when I was rendering the video out as I ran out of space and had to keep deleting old renders.
Doing this again, id probably get the i5 with 256gb and also a fast external drive. Id split the internal into bootcamp and Mac and then also split the external or do a full external boot drive for Mac and make windows internal. the i3 with all the extra ram will run very fast unless you are editing high end 4k footage like raw stuff. for normal use, the i3 is so fat I wouldn't be able to tell the difference between i3 or a Mac Pro. so for regular stuff you can do i3 with 256 upgrade and then upgrade ram yourself to 32 gb. People talk about future proofing but its not like all programs use 8 cores and these guys are editing 10 bit video. For example lots of Adobe software cares about less cores and will eat as much ram as you give it so the ram makes the biggest difference. The mini runs silent even when editing 4k. For my use the i3 is fine as im able to export a 10 min 4k video in 10 minutes. I don't care if it will do the job in 8 minutes vs 10 min. 90% of the time my mini is probably running on one core or some low clock speed.
Id say a must is 32gb and maybe 256 gb drive or get a thunderbolt external which will run at 1800 write and 2500 read. Then I also love my space gray pro keyboard and trackpad.
Doing this again, id probably get the i5 with 256gb and also a fast external drive. Id split the internal into bootcamp and Mac and then also split the external or do a full external boot drive for Mac and make windows internal. the i3 with all the extra ram will run very fast unless you are editing high end 4k footage like raw stuff. for normal use, the i3 is so fat I wouldn't be able to tell the difference between i3 or a Mac Pro. so for regular stuff you can do i3 with 256 upgrade and then upgrade ram yourself to 32 gb. People talk about future proofing but its not like all programs use 8 cores and these guys are editing 10 bit video. For example lots of Adobe software cares about less cores and will eat as much ram as you give it so the ram makes the biggest difference. The mini runs silent even when editing 4k. For my use the i3 is fine as im able to export a 10 min 4k video in 10 minutes. I don't care if it will do the job in 8 minutes vs 10 min. 90% of the time my mini is probably running on one core or some low clock speed.
Id say a must is 32gb and maybe 256 gb drive or get a thunderbolt external which will run at 1800 write and 2500 read. Then I also love my space gray pro keyboard and trackpad.
The i3 is not as fun as an i5. It's like staying in the 7th generation of Intel processors. I'd probably get a second hand iMac instead or even a 2012 Mini Server. Now, a Mini i5 2018 provides twice the performance of a 2012 Mini Server. This really represents a quantum leap. I can even make my 2012 Mini storage faster than the default 2018 i3 one, that is, a RAID0 would make my Mini read/write nearly 1000MB/s with way more space than mere 128GB.
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I also got the 1-5, I upgraded the RAM myself before I even started the machine. I added an eGPU with (now) a Vega 56. That is one sweet combination.
Just for clarifying, a Mini 2012 in RAID0 can reach almost two times SATAIII bandwidth as shown on YT videos.
They were asking about a single port.
So this is true so long as you use two SATA buses, i.e. two ports.
I couldn't resist the base i3 for only $599 brand new.
Considering I'm upgrading from a 2011 I think either was long overdue.
Considering I'm upgrading from a 2011 I think either was long overdue.
That i3 processor is significantly better than any i7 that ever shipped in a silver Mini, so you can't really go wrong with a 2018!
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Great find! Where did you find that deal? The lowest i've seen the 2018 Mini's have been $699 on Amazon for the i3 and $899 for the i5 Mini on B&H Photo.