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admin
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 Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2011 4:45 pm Post subject: OWC Benchmarks of New Mac Minis Show Impressive Results |
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OWC Benchmarks of New Mac Minis Show Impressive Results
Wednesday, August 03, 2011
Posted by: Kenan
OWC has posted an updated list of benchmarks for all three models of the new 2011 Mac mini. This includes testing for both of the standard Mac minis and the Mac mini server configured with 4GB-16GB of total system memory. It also takes things to the next level by benchmarking each system with an OWC Mercury Extreme Pro 6G SSD. And let me tell you, the numbers are off the chart using this drive. We're talking 506MB/s read and 432MB/s write speeds with a single drive and 995MB/s read and 994MB/s write speeds with dual drives in the Mac mini server configured in RAID 0. You can learn more about these results here. So, go and check out all of the numbers. I think you'll be impressed.
http://www.123macmini.com/news/story/1683.html |
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epic_ed
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| Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2011 1:11 am Post subject: |
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| I would love to have one of those 6G SSDs. Here's hoping that OWC comes out with a cable for dual drives too. |
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K.C.
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| Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2011 10:33 pm Post subject: |
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Yes it's true. If you're willing to spend half what your Mini cost you to begin with you can make it boot twice as fast. Of course it will only have 1/4 the storage space, but then who needs a 500GB drive in the first place.
Such a ridiculous proposition unless you just have money to throw at your Mini. It really helps if you don't know they make this thing called the iMac. |
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epic_ed
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| Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2011 1:59 am Post subject: |
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| K.C. wrote: | | Such a ridiculous proposition unless you just have money to throw at your Mini. It really helps if you don't know they make this thing called the iMac. |
You make a good point, but I sold my iMac. I couldn't stand the glossy screen. It was like looking in a mirror all day. And I'm not that good looking of a lad. 
I do think 16GB of RAM is total overkill for most people. I don't think running Lion off a SSD is such a bad thing though. It really speeds everything up. I mean, if you can afford one. And especially when you have a second bay to work with for more internal storage. You know, upgrading the hard drive in the iMac isn't such an easy task either. Like even when your warranty is over and you want a regular 7200RPM drive. The SSD option from Apple isn't any cheaper either. It goes for like $500 as well. Then you have Thunderbolt, but that isn't looking like an affordable option at this point either.
I'm not trying to pick a fight or one up you, but the new Mac mini does make for a pretty nice headless desktop. At least that's the way I feel. I also like the fact that I can get in there and work around if something goes wrong and use it with any display. |
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K.C.
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| Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2011 3:40 am Post subject: |
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My point is that few people will make the investments in a Mini that will give the results OWC is pitching. Yes you can improve the speed, but at a significant cost.
I have 3 Minis, one's hosted at a colo and running 10.4 server. The last time I had to reboot it was Dec. 23, 2010. Another Mini plays all my ripped videos and the 3rd one runs an iPhoto slide show on a kiosk 24/7. So I do understand what great little computers the are, headless or not, but they're not a power graphics designers work station and that's what they allude to on the OWC site.
And FWIW, the glossy screen on my brand new 27" iMac isn't a problem. I set up my working environment to minimize reflections and calibrated it with the new Xrite i1Display Pro which incorporates measuring reflected light into the profile it creates. The profiled iMac display is very, very good. |
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g5g5
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Joined: 25 Jan 2005
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Location: Virginia
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| Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2011 4:56 am Post subject: |
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I still feel like solid-state drives are too expensive based on the price per gigabyte factor. No matter what computer they are being used with. Even with the tremendous boost in performance.
_________________
1.25GHz Mac Mini / 1.8GHz iMac G5 / 2.0GHz C2D Mac mini (2009)
4GB iPod mini / 2G iPod shuffle / 16GB iPhone 3G
Apple TV 2
iLife's a Bitch! |
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Grasshopper
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Posts: 159
Location: CA
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| Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2011 5:13 am Post subject: |
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| K.C. wrote: | | So I do understand what great little computers the are, headless or not, but they're not a power graphics designers work station and that's what they allude to on the OWC site. |
I'm not sticking up for the statements made by OWC (totally hear you), but the new Mac minis are really just about as powerful as the MacBook Pro. A machine that is supposedly loved by graphic and video professionals. One model even comes with a decent GPU in comparison to the same Intel HD Graphics 3000 used in the 13" MacBook Pros. Would you be as down on someone upgrading one of those machines? Just because the Mac mini is less expensive, doesn't mean that it isn't worthy of certain upgrades. In some regards, maybe you are getting more bang for the buck. Like if you have some of the other equipment (LCD, keyboard, mouse, etc) in place. Sure it's not a Mac Pro, but it's not necessarily a sneeze either. You still need to do the math though.
_________________
2011 Mac mini with 8GB of RAM
2012 Mac mini Server with 16GB of RAM
46" Sony TV
24" HP LCD
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Bandit Bill
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Joined: 07 Jun 2005
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Location: Edmonton, AB, Canada
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| Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2011 8:59 am Post subject: |
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| Grasshopper wrote: | | the new Mac minis are really just about as powerful as the MacBook Pro. A machine that is supposedly loved by graphic and video professionals. One model even comes with a decent GPU in comparison to the same Intel HD Graphics 3000 used in the 13" MacBook Pros. |
I sell plenty of MacBook Pros. I've never had a pro request the 13" model with the Intel 3000 graphics. 99% of the time they get the high end 15" MBP with 1GB video RAM or the 17" with 1GB video RAM and then they upgrade the system RAM to 8GB. |
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K.C.
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Joined: 05 Jul 2006
Posts: 208
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| Posted: Sun Aug 07, 2011 12:45 am Post subject: |
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| Bandit Bill wrote: |
I sell plenty of MacBook Pros. I've never had a pro request the 13" model with the Intel 3000 graphics. 99% of the time they get the high end 15" MBP with 1GB video RAM or the 17" with 1GB video RAM and then they upgrade the system RAM to 8GB. |
Yup, that's my point. I love Minis and hope someday they'll make one I really can use for something more than utilitarian tasks. |
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