M4 Mac mini's efficiency

Post by fkgmeqnb » Wed, Nov 13, 2024, 8:58 AM UTC

620gelato wrote: post #443

vunderba wrote: post #298

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I mind this design decision a hell of a lot less than the baffling deliberate decision to map EVERY KEYBOARD BUTTON to be equivalent to the power button (which the damn thing already has) on their laptop line-up. I love it when my macbook is turned off and I accidentally nudge a single letter on the keyboard and it powers back on - not to mention when you're drying to clean it with a micro fiber cloth.

For better or worse, I have a habit of clicking the touchpad or a few keys after I shut down my laptop. Just to make sure it's shut down properly. Back in Windows days with HDDs and hibernate, laptops sometimes took minutes to shut down completely, and I don't like closing the lid before shut down is complete. Now, I end up restarting with that mere act, and have to long-press to shut down again because the shut down…

Post by moooo99 » Wed, Nov 13, 2024, 8:59 AM UTC

0cf8612b2e1e wrote: post #252

MBCook wrote: post #211

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There was a comparison mentioned on last week’s episode of the Accidental Tech Podcast, I don’t remember if it was pointed out to them or they noticed it themselves. Base Mac mini: $599, 16/256 GB Double storage and ram: $600 upgrade. Price of 32/512 config: $1199 Two 16/256 machines: $119 8 . The ram is (Apple) reasonable at $200, but $400 for the storage doubling is insane.

While I am sure there are performance differences, I picked up 128GB of DDR4 a few months ago for ~$200. That is some wild margin.

Post by initplus » Wed, Nov 13, 2024, 9:04 AM UTC

derefr wrote: post #395

atonse wrote: post #326

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Jobs and Ive had their head scratchers. Like the Magic Mouse with the bottom charging port, or the Cube with all its cables coming in from the bottom.

The GP's same argument also applies to the Magic Mouse, as it happens: > It's a way of signaling how the product should be used. In the Magic Mouse's case, it came out just on the cusp of wireless mice becoming "a thing." Most people, if they were allowed , would have just left the mouse tethered to a computer by its charging cable at all times, since that's what they were used to. But Apple thought you'd be happier…

Post by apexalpha » Wed, Nov 13, 2024, 9:06 AM UTC

nextos wrote: post #9

I use Linux, but I think the cheapest M4 Mini offers an incredible value and efficiency per €. With education discount, it's around €650, including VAT. It's pretty hard to find such a silent and powerful machine for that little. Any comparable options? A good fanless build with a i3-14100T is more expensive and 40-50% slower on Geekbench. An i5 is a bit closer. Some 2024 Ryzen CPUs can match or exceed its multicore…

Post by initplus » Wed, Nov 13, 2024, 9:14 AM UTC

geerlingguy wrote: post #143

00deadbeef wrote: post #136

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The comment in the article is in the context of rack mounting them which is a common thing to do with Mac minis. Having it on the bottom makes it hard to press as you can’t lift them up when they’re secured in a mount.

Exactly this. I am working on a solution to make it easier to hit the button from the front of a rack shelf, but the fact I have to mess with 3D printing just to hit a power button is silly. Older Macs also had the power button on the back, which was also annoying, but at least a Mac that's secured to a shelf could have its power button pressed pretty easily. The Mac mini _requires_ a mechanism to press up from the b…