Which Apple desktop should I buy?
From Mac Guides
Deciding which Apple desktop is the best for you can be a tricky decision. This guide consolidates all the important information into one handy page to help you make that decision.
Contents |
Release Cycle
Before considering a certain model, checking the MacRumors Buyer's Guide is highly recommended. The buyer's guide estimates when a model will be updated by using past release cycle data, therefore letting you know when is the best time to buy.
Overview
| Mac mini | Small, quiet and affordable. Works great as a secondary computer or as a first Mac to help introduce you to the platform. |
| iMac | With its huge screens and a sleek aluminium case the iMac is an eye-catching package. |
| Mac Pro | Apple's most powerful Macs feature 8-cores of processing power and a lot of room for expansion. Designed to handle even the heaviest of tasks. |
Comparison - Price
| Mac mini | iMac | Mac Pro | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low-end | High-end | 20" | High-end 20" | 24" | High-end 24" | Quad-core | Octo-core | |
| USD | $599 | $799 | $1,199 | $1,499 | $1,799 | $2,199 | $2,499 | $3,299 |
| GBP | £499 | £649 | £949 | £1,199 | £1,499 | £1,799 | £1,899 | £2,499 |
| AUD | $1,049 | $1,399 | $1,999 | $2,499 | $2,999 | $3,699 | $4,499 | $5,899 |
| CND | $729 | $949 | $1,399 | $1,799 | $2,099 | $2,599 | $2,899 | $3,799 |
For many, the most important factor is price. Remember to leave some extra money spare for BTO options such as extra RAM and bigger HDDs, especially if you are purchasing a Mac Pro.
Comparison - Power
| Mac mini | iMac | Mac Pro | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low-end | High-end | 20" | 24" | Mid-range 24" | High-end 24" | Quad-core | Octo-core | |
| Processor | 2 GHz Core 2 Duo | 2.26 GHz Core 2 Duo | 2.66 GHz Core 2 Duo | 2.8 GHz Core 2 Duo | 3.06 GHz Core 2 Extreme | Quad 2.66 GHz | Octo 2.26 GHz | |
| 3 MB L2 cache, 1066 MHz FSB | 6 MB L2 cache, 1066 MHz FSB | 8 MB L3 per processor | ||||||
| Standard RAM | 1 GB | 2 GB | 4 GB | 3 GB | 6 GB | |||
| Max RAM | 4 GB | 8 GB | 8 GB | 32 GB | ||||
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce 9400M - 256 MB shared | NVIDIA GeForce GT 120 - 256 MB GDDR3 | NVIDIA GeForce GT 130 - 512 MB GDDR3 | NVIDIA GeForce GT 120 - 512 MB GDDR3 | ||||
A faster processor will show improvements in almost all applications. However, even the 2.0 GHz Mac mini has enough power to run light applications such as web browsers, word processors and presentation software almost as quickly as a high-end iMac. Differences will only be discernible when running multiple applications or more demanding applications. Mac Pros use two Intel Quad-Core Xeon processors for a total of 8 processing cores. On top of that, each core is capable of executing two threads at once via Intel's HyperThreading technology, allowing up to 16 "virtual cores". This provides massive performance gains providing the software can utilize all the cores. In addition, the Mac Pro's processors use a memory controller integrated onto the processor itself along with Intel's QuickPatch Interconnect, which greatly increases memory bandwidth over the 1066Mhz front side bus used by the iMac and Mac Mini.
More RAM also improves speed when multitasking or running heavy apps. Not enough RAM can cause your system to slow down and "hang". It is recommended that you get as much RAM as you can afford. Only the Mac mini comes with 1 GB of RAM while all other models come with at least 2 GB of standard RAM. 2 GB is enough for most users, but those with more demanding needs are recommended to get as much as they can afford. It should be noted as well that while the Mac Pro has 8 memory slots, users will see slightly increased performance by installing RAM modules in groups of 3 rather than two, due to the controller supporting triple channel memory.
Finally, the Mac mini and the two lower-end iMacs use integrated graphics unlike the other desktop Macs which use dedicated graphics. If the user plans on playing any quite recent games, these models are not recommended as they will play newer games on lower settings only. Those with the GT 120 are able to run new games quite well and an iMac with an 4850 should be able to handle most games.
The Mac Pro can be customized to include a Radeon 4870, and a GeForce GTX 285 is available from Apple or third parties as an aftermarket add-in. A Quadro FX 4800 with 1.5 GBs of VRAM is also available but only recommended for workstation usage.
Comparison - Features
| Mac mini | iMac | Mac Pro | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low-end | High-end | 20" | High-end 20" | 24" | High-end 24" | Standard | |||
| Display | Up to 1920x1200 (Mini DVI), 2560x1600 (MiniDP) | 1680x1050 (Internal), 2560x1600 (External) | 1920x1200 (Internal), 2560x1600 (External) | Up to 8x 30" displays (2560x1600, total 20480x1600) | |||||
| Storage | 120 GB | 320 GB | 320 GB | 640 GB | 1 TB | 640 GB | |||
| Optical Drive | 8x DL SuperDrive | 18x DL SuperDrive | |||||||
| Wireless | Wi-Fi (802.11n) and Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR | Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR | |||||||
| Ports | 5x USB 2.0, 1x FW 800 | 4x USB 2.0, 1x FW 800 | 5x USB 2.0, 4x FW 800 | ||||||
The iMac is Apple's only desktop to include a display. Both the Mac mini and Mac Pro are stand-alone machines and if necessary, the additional purchase of a display should be factored into the budget. A possible downside is that the iMac uses a glossy display which provides high contrast, but suffers from additional glare which some may find distracting. The iMac is also capable of extended desktop mode when connected to an external display (up to 2560x1600). The Mac Pro can be customized to include up to four NVidia GeForce GT120 graphics cards allowing up to eight 30" displays to be used with a single Mac Pro.
A variety of Hard Drive sizes are available for all machines. However, the largest capacity for the Mac mini is 320GB as configurable by Apple - a very small amount when compared to the iMac's 1 TB and the Mac Pro's 4 TBs.
All of the Mac desktop line up boast a SuperDrive (read and write both CDs and DVDs). The Mac Pro includes a faster 16x DL SuperDrive and has a secondary bay for an additional optical drive.
How to Make An Informed Decision
Obviously technical details cannot be enough to help buyers arrive at the right decision for them. As such, it is advisable that you consider your needs carefully. It is perhaps best to start with a list of features you believe you must have in order to do what you need/want to do with your Mac. If, for example, DVD burning is an activity you engage in often or you want an all-in-one model, you can eliminate certain models.
