It's the only machine where that's true.įor GPU performance, the Intel Mac mini is again the weakest performer, due to its integrated Intel GPU. The 27-inch iMac can also have its RAM changed in the future, with a door on the back making it accessible. The iMac 27-inch offers all the same options as the Mac mini, but it can also go up to 128GB. The Intel Mac mini comes with 8GB, but you can opt for 16GB, 32GB or 64GB. That will be enough in some cases, but it can't be altered in the future, so if you're worried you'd need more to be future-proofed then… well, these may not be the machines for you. Both the Mac mini and iMac 24-inch come with 8GB as standard, and can be customised with 16GB, but that's it. The M1 Mac Mini and 24-inch iMac offer the best bang-for-buck but a large margin.įor RAM, the M1 chip is the real limiter here. So the 27-inch iMac is the peak of performance of these, but you'll need to pay a lot of configure it that way. You can go six-core, eight-core or 10-core, which is significantly more powerful than the eight-core M1 for multi-core tasks (though is actually weaker for single-core tasks). The 27-inch iMac offers options here, thanks to Intel's range. For the majority of creatives, it's more than enough power. This chip is extremely fast, matches comfortably against an eight-core chip from Intel.

The Mac mini with Apple M1 and the 24-inch iMac both offer identical performance from Apple's eight-core M1 chip. It's perfectly capable, but everything else here is capable of more. This is where things can start to feel really complicated, so instead of talking about each model individually, we're going to talk about the key spec areas – processor, RAM, graphics, storage – because that will help to highlight where all of these models has strengths and weaknesses.įor processing power, the weakest machine is the Intel Mac mini, with its six-core processor. You get four USB Type-A ports, two Thunderbolt 3/USB-C ports, an SDXC card reader, 3.5mm jack and Gigabit Ethernet (yes, with 10Gb option). This machine offers much more connectivity than the smaller iMac.

Again, it's a big part of the iMac's draw – buying a separate screen of such quality would cost a huge portion of the total cost here. The 27-inch 5120x2880 display is also 218 pixels per inch, and matches the 24-inch iMac for specs in every other way.

This uses the same design Apple has had for years, with a silver front, and very thin sides that bulge out near the centre of the rear. Then there's the 27-inch iMac, which is only available with Intel processors. If you pay more, you get two more USB-C ports, and a Gigabit Ethernet connection (again, configurable to 10Gb). This iMac is very limited on ports: by default, you get two Thunderbolt 4/USB-C 4 ports, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. It's an extremely impressive screen, and makes this iMac amazing value for creatives who need a machine that's mid-tier for power and want a really strong screen. The 23.5-inch IPS display offers a 4480x2520 resolution at 218 pixels per inch, with 500 nits of brightness and P3 wide colour support. You get your mouse and keyboard in matching colours, too. It's pretty stunning, and the look is aided by a choice of seven colours, from boring silver through to soothing green and vibrant yellow. The 24-inch model uses the Apple M1 chip, which enables it to be incredibly thin – just 11.5mm. The iMac comes in two sizes, which is divided by both screen size and processor type. There, you get four Thunderbolt 3/USB-C ports, two USB Type-A, HDMI 2.0, 3.5mm jack and Gigabit Ethernet (again, with the option of 10Gb). The Mac mini with Intel offers a slightly different selection. When it comes to connections, the Mac mini with Apple M1 offers two Thunderbolt 4/USB-C 4 ports, two USB Type-A ports, an HDMI 2.0 port, a 3.5mm headphone jack and Gigabit Ethernet (though you can swap this for 10Gb).

Is the mac mini worth it for editing