The Mac mini is Apple's tiny desktop computer and is the cheapest Mac you can buy, but it doesn't come with a monitor, mouse or keyboard. After a two-year-wait, Apple finally updated the Mac mini in October, but is it worth buying? We've been carefully considering why you should buy the Mac mini, and also why you shouldn't.
The Mac mini is Apple's tiny desktop computer and is the cheapest Mac you can buy, but it doesn't come with a monitor, mouse or keyboard. After a two-year-wait, Apple finally updated the Mac mini in October, but is it worth buying? We've been carefully considering why you should buy the Mac mini, and also why you shouldn't. Read on for five reasons NOT to buy a Mac mini, and then head over to our five reasons you should buy a Mac mini article to see the other side of the argument.
Reasons you shouldn't buy a Mac mini: It's not easily upgradeable
Before the Mac mini was updated in October, one of our reasons you should buy a Mac mini was because Apple made it easy for owners of the 2012 model to replace and upgrade elements such as the RAM for a memory boost. It meant that the Mac mini could become an upgrade project, and if you were unsure about what specs you needed you could rest assured knowing that you're not going to be stuck with them forever.
Now, however, Apple has put tamperproof screws on the underside of the Mac mini to make it much more difficult to upgrade. It's not impossible, but it takes quite a lot of effort, and components such as the RAM have been soldered on. Therefore, you'll need to bump from the default 4GB to 8GB in the build-to-order options at check out in order to future-proof the PC.
Reasons you shouldn't buy a Mac mini: The processor
The 2012 Mac mini came with Ivy Bridge-generation Intel Core processors with quad-core options available, but the new Mac mini's performance peak has been eroded by removing any quad-core processors from the list. It's not that the 2014 Mac mini is a slow machine, but it does seem a shame that Apple has limited it by offering only modest processors.
Reasons you shouldn't buy a Mac mini: The graphics
If you're looking to use the Mac mini to play games, you're likely to be left disappointed. The base model has Intel HD Graphics 5000, which we found could play Batman: Arkham City for OS X at 31 frames per second, but at full-HD resolution the Mac mini struggled at 15fps, too slow for smooth playing. That's even slower than the entry-level 2012 Mac mini, which we found managed 20fps in the same test.
Reasons you shouldn't buy a Mac mini: Monitor not included
Yep, you'll need to buy yourself a monitor, mouse and keyboard (unless you have one already, of course) before you can use the Mac mini. While this means you'll have to cough up some extra cash, it does also mean that you can get yourself a monitor that suits your needs perfectly, rather than the one that Apple supplies you with.
Find yourself a good monitor by browsing our Mac monitor reviews. You'll also find good mice in our mice for Mac round-up.
Reasons you shouldn't buy a Mac mini: It doesn't have a disc drive
Ok, so that's not much of a surprise. The non-Retina MacBook Pro is the only Mac left with an optical drive. But still, it's a bit frustrating to know that in addition to your monitor, mouse and keyboard, you'll also need an external disc drive.
Don't forget to check out our five reasons you should buy the Mac mini to hear the other side of the argument.
