PerformanceĮven without the included peripherals of the iMac, the Mac Mini is a compelling purchase - especially if performance is a crucial factor. The M1 Mac Mini is ideal for people who have a lot of peripherals already or prefer more control over the look and functionality of their setup.
That doesn’t mean it’s for everyone, though. The iMac has always been a great all-in-one-computer, and the latest iteration will likely maintain its positioning as the best. The iMac is undoubtedly appealing to long-time Apple fans, especially if they wanted something a bit more expressive. The more premium keyboard even comes with TouchID built-in. Apple has also revamped the keyboards with new shortcuts (including a dedicated Spotlight key). The iMac still comes with a Magic Keyboard, except now the keyboards also come in the colors listed above.
The other (more expensive) model adds yellow, orange, and purple to those choices. The base model (more on the distinctions and prices below) comes in four colors: blue, green, pink, and silver. However, the company has embraced a more vibrant design language, and that comes through in the new iMacs. Before, Apple’s desktops only came in silver (or space grey if you opted for an iMac Pro). The iMac is more vibrant than ever with Apple’s new color choices. All of this should add up to a significantly improved audio and video experience, but we will have to see.
#2017 MAC MINI SPECS 1080P#
Along with the mics and speaker, the iMac has a 1080p camera that works with the image processing found in the first M1 Macs. It also contains a three-mic array for studio-quality sound capture. The iMac also includes six high-fidelity speakers that support spatial audio and Dolby Atmos. It sports a 4480 x 2520 resolution, 500 nits max brightness, and True Tone technology for pleasant viewing. Plus, that marginal size increase comes with a notably bigger 24-inch 4.5K Retina display, up from the 4K display on the 21.5-inch model. However, thanks to the thin design, it certainly doesn’t feel bigger.
The compact housing holds a single speaker, which performs admirably for the size, but you will want something bigger and better. It stands at 18.1 inches tall and 21.5 wide, making it slightly bigger overall than the previous 21.5-inch model. That’s remarkable, especially considering the bulky and largely unchanged housings of prior iMac models. For one, the whole package is incredibly thin, with the display housing being a mere 11.5 millimeters (about 0.45 inches) thick. Whereas the new M1 Mac Mini looks exactly like the model before it, the new iMac has been completely redesigned. The iMac is very distinguishable from the Mac Mini.
#2017 MAC MINI SPECS WINDOWS#
Great as that is, the sleek space gray aluminum design doesn’t account for monitors or keyboards, all of which need to be purchased separately, reflecting its history as a computer designed for Windows switchers who likely already had these accessories. It easily stays out of the way in places with limited space and the fans are quiet as a whisper. At 2.6 pounds and 1.4 inches in thickness, the Mac Mini is a thin slab of metal that is similar to a super-compact cable box.Ī highlight for us in our review, the Mac Mini is ideal for sitting under a monitor or at the side of a desk. Designīoth the iMac and Mac Mini are made of aluminum and are designed as desktops, but the form factor could not be more different between the two. After all, Apple devices rarely come cheap. If you’re in the market for a new machine, take a look at the best iMac deals and the best Mac Mini sales available now. Weighing in features like design, performance, and our overall impressions of the new Mac Mini, we’ll help you decide which is right for your setup at work or home. Which one is best will depend on what type of user you are, hence the need to compare them. We probably would have never compared these two in the past, but since both are now running Apple’s M1 chip, they offer very similar core experiences. In this guide, we put up the specs on the newest, refreshed Mac Mini against the iMac.