Computer option paralysis

[laxu]

Thanks for the offer @Orvillain. I'm going to take everyones advice and go for a M1 mac of some variety. I'm thinking about saving a bit longer and going for a macbook pro. I've been using a laptop so long I think I'd struggle going back to a desktop now.

The lack of upgradeability makes the Mac Mini/Studio terrible in their own way. Those are more acceptable compromises in a laptop.

I'd aim for 16 GB RAM and at least 512 GB disk space, and M2 or above if you can find one for the right price. I don't have a lot of complaints about the M2 Max I use for work.

 

[EOengineer]

The lack of upgradeability makes the Mac Mini/Studio terrible in their own way. Those are more acceptable compromises in a laptop.

I'd aim for 16 GB RAM and at least 512 GB disk space, and M2 or above if you can find one for the right price. I don't have a lot of complaints about the M2 Max I use for work.

To be fair, I just retired my 2011 Mac Mini as my primary recording machine last year. If you spec it well from the get-go, these things last FOREVER without replacing anything.

The value proposition was better back when you could replace the RAM and HD though. I miss those days.

 

[laxu]

To be fair, I just retired my 2011 Mac Mini as my primary recording machine last year. If you spec it well from the get-go, these things last FOREVER without replacing anything.

The value proposition was better back when you could replace the RAM and HD though. I miss those days.

Also means they can't grow with your needs. I've just kept adding more disk space to my PC, and then just moved those same hard drives to any new system.

Out of Apple's products, the Macbook Pro is the only one where the benefits of the laptop format outweigh the caveats, even if I wish those still let you just have a M.2 drive you can replace. Apple charges 3-5x more for disk space than what they should cost.

 

[EOengineer]

Also means they can't grow with your needs. I've just kept adding more disk space to my PC, and then just moved those same hard drives to any new system.

Apple’s hardware gouging practices are well documented and widely loathed. I don’t have much to add there.

Your average computer user isn’t swapping RAM and hard drives though. With $50 1TB external SSD out there or on the near horizon, most people are just buying a USB3 hub and moving on.

Not discounting what you’re saying because I agree with you. Apple is seeing some power users migrate away - I’m just not sure it’s large enough segment for them to care.

Bringing back something like the PowerMacs would make many of us happy. It would be great to add more internal storage and memory without vomiting in my mouth due to the prices.

 

[Alex Kenivel]

I was near the same juncture not long ago. I just built a PC for under $1000 USD after debating picking up another Mac Mini to replace my old one for audio and video work. 64GB of expandable RAM, 2 SSD drives and 6 actual USB ports. While I do miss the ability to use aggregate devices, my projects are flying quick and RTL is toight.

 

[EOengineer]

I was near the same juncture not long ago. I just built a PC for under $1000 USD after debating picking up another Mac Mini to replace my old one for audio and video work. 64GB of expandable RAM, 2 SSD drives and 6 actual USB ports. While I do miss the ability to use aggregate devices, my projects are flying quick and RTL is toight.

When I was shopping for my MacBook Air this winter I was so frustrated at Apple’s pricing.

The 2011 Mac Mini I just finally demoted to Plex Server duties was an i7 server model that I had added a 2nd drive to the unused internal SATA slot and maxed out the RAM.

I ended finding a 1TB/24GB Apple Refurbished M2 MacBook Air model that was also on sale so I jumped. IIRC it was $1500 all in, which isn't bad for a 15 inch portable with that kind of power. I’ve yet to run into any throttling with the passive cooling either. Absolutely killer machine for audio and software work. Heinously light at 3lbs.

 

[SillyOctpuss]

The lack of upgradeability makes the Mac Mini/Studio terrible in their own way. Those are more acceptable compromises in a laptop.

I'd aim for 16 GB RAM and at least 512 GB disk space, and M2 or above if you can find one for the right price. I don't have a lot of complaints about the M2 Max I use for work.

Yeah not being able to upgrade the ram or hdd is pretty frustrating. I've been looking at ebay prices and will be going for 16gb (not sure why anyone would want less than that) and either 512gb or preferably 1tb.

 

[SillyOctpuss]

I was near the same juncture not long ago. I just built a PC for under $1000 USD after debating picking up another Mac Mini to replace my old one for audio and video work. 64GB of expandable RAM, 2 SSD drives and 6 actual USB ports. While I do miss the ability to use aggregate devices, my projects are flying quick and RTL is toight.

If I wasn't interested in checking out logic again I'd have build a pc. I had specced up a 12600k based system, that seems to be a sweet spot looking at current hardware prices in the UK.

If I get a used mac mini or macbook pro at the right price, realise I don't like logic or MacOs and decide to switch back I won't lose much selling it again and then building a 12600k system.

 

[SillyOctpuss]

Also means they can't grow with your needs. I've just kept adding more disk space to my PC, and then just moved those same hard drives to any new system.

We have a pretty high end gaming machine in the living room which we do that too.

My needs for this unit will be basic recording and vst use. My old laptop was only just starting to show it was getting a little long in the tooth so a M1 mac mini or macbook with 16g should be fine for my use case for a good few years.

If it was our main computer I'd agree with you completely.