The Mac desktop line has never been as attractive as it is now, but never before has the threat to its existence been more real. They have to die and be born again. They already have an alien from the future, the M1 Mac mini . And his example shows what the Mac will soon become. And when? How long is it left to wait? The transition to ARM will last at least another year. Or even a year and a half. Some Mac models will be updated earlier, most likely in the fall. Some – not earlier than a year later. And there are already Macs on Intel, and among them there is probably one that suits you.
Should you buy a Mac mini M1
As of early April 2021, there are three types of computers in Apple’s desktop lineup. Or even four – if you put the Mac mini with an M1 chip as a separate type – there is every reason for this . Its performance and low power consumption are extraordinary. But on its case there are only two Thunderbolt / USB-C connectors, although unlike the M1 MacBook Pro and MacBook Air , there are other connectors besides these two. Only two displays can be connected to the M1 Mac mini. Prices from 74,990 ₽ to 174,990 ₽ – in the maximum configuration (with Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro – up to 212,880 ₽). And now this is perhaps the most tempting option. But not for everyone.
All other desktop Macs use Intel processors, including the Intel Mac mini, which is still on sale today. The iMac line comes in two sizes and six options. From a cheap 21.5-inch with display that’s not even Retina and a 7th-gen 2-core Intel Core i5 to a 27-inch iMac with a 10th-generation 10-core Intel Core i9, the prime suspect in the iMac Pro murder . which it has surpassed in performance. There is also a Mac Pro, even in two versions, including a rack-mountable version.
Which Mac mini is better – Intel or M1
Inside the “old” Mac mini is an 8th generation Intel Core i5, Coffee Lake. Instead of i5, you can choose the more powerful Core i7, of the same generation. Its Intel brother differs from the M1 Mac mini in a huge number of options. RAM – up to 64 GB (although this is regular RAM, not combined), SSD-drive with a capacity of up to 2 TB, like its brother with M1. Up to three displays can be connected to the Intel Mac mini (only two to the M1).
One of the options offered is 10 Gigabit Ethernet, the M1 mini doesn’t. Prices from $ 1,199 to $ 4,490 if you choose the most expensive options, excluding Final Cut Pro ($ 290) and Logic Pro ($ 219). And the “space gray” color. That’s why Apple left the Intel Mac mini: if you want a really powerful Mac mini, it’s better to build it from options.
Which iMac to choose
iMac 21.5-inch
The cheapest is the 7th Generation 2-core Intel Core i5 (Kaby Lake) 2017 model. The display is not Retina, with a resolution of 1920 × 1080 pixels, the drives are either a 256 GB SSD, or a hard drive or Fusion Drive (a combination of a small SSD with a hard drive) with a volume of 1 TB. The RAM is officially limited to 16 GB, but it grows to 32 GB without any problems (apart from the difficulty of accessing the memory bank). Prices – from 106,990 to 140,890 rubles.
In case you want a cheap all-in-one desktop Mac and your screen size doesn’t matter, this iMac is right for you.
The more recent 21.5-inch iMac 8th Gen Intel Core i3, i5 and i7 (4 or 6 cores, Coffee Lake), Retina display, up to 32GB of RAM . You can choose between a 256GB SSD or a 1TB Fusion Drive – the cost of the computer you purchase doesn’t depend on that choice. 2019 model. From 134,990 ₽ to 269,990 ₽ excluding Final Cut Pro (22,990 ₽) and Logic Pro (14,990 ₽). This is most likely the last 21.5-inch iMac.
iMac 27-inch
The 2020 27-inch iMac has made history. As the first Intel Mac of the Apple Silicon era. 10th Gen Intel Core i5, i7 and i9 (Comet Lake), 6-, 8-, and 10-cores. The 10-core Core i9 “tore” the Intel Xeon in the iMac Pro and Mac Pro. There are many options, and among them there are a lot of interesting ones. For example, glass with a nanostructure , until now, this option was only offered with the purchase of the Apple Pro Display XDR. It’s half the price on the iMac. Omitting details, this is an advanced version of the matte finish that does not degrade the performance of the display. 10 Gigabit Ethernet. Up to 128 GB of RAM. SSD storage up to 8TB (no hard drives or Fusion Drive). FaceTime 1080p camera. Wonderful choice of GPUs.
And great prices, from RUB 188,990 to RUB 891,990. It’s hard to say what this monster is not suitable for, but everything comes at a price. In any case, the iMac is rumored to be coming soon on Apple Silicon (ARM) , and even that is likely to be out of date.
Should you buy a Mac Pro
You can probably call the Mac Pro a computer. Much like the iPhone 12 Pro Max with 512GB of flash storage, it is sometimes referred to as a phone. Mac Pro is a workstation. The computer is not for everyone. The workstation is offered in two versions, vertical and rack (I borrowed the term from the Russian online Apple store).
Intel Xeon W with 8 to 28 cores. Up to 768 GB of RAM ( up to 1.5 TB in configurations with 24 or 28 cores ). Up to 8TB onboard flash storage . Almost infinite expandability, and with it, the storage capacity in the Mac Pro case can be increased to almost a hundred terabytes. And many, many interesting things. For example, the price. From RUB 621,990 to RUB 5,417,480. The rack version differs from the vertical version only in that it is designed for racks and in price. From RUB 672,990 to RUB 5,428,480. There is no information about Mac Pro on Apple Silicon yet.
