Mac Mini Review: Made for many but not for me

This thing is next level in terms of what it can do. It’s a simple box, with ports galore and party tricks you’ve never heard of.

It’s all you want from a Mac, but with the flexibility of bringing your own screen, keyboard and mouse – because those are things you might already have or have your eyes on specific versions of.

I took full advantage of that, hooking this Mac Mini up to a 43 inch Samsung Curved Screen. Looks – sensational.

But – and this is a real head scratcher – buggered if I could get it working without an Apple Magic Mouse. Honestly, I tried for hours, over several days.

When we moved into our new office, I bought three Logitech Keyboards – one for each desk, and three Microsoft Arc mouse(s). These are a great mouse, so I wanted it for my workstation.

Nope. Just brought a Magic Mouse from home, and zippo, we’re off and running.

Leaving all that aside, the machine was excellent. Using just the basic Intel Core i3 equipped version I was seriously underpowered when compared to my main iMac (Core i7). But in fact it didn’t hold me back, just slowed me up a touch.

Video editing did become frustrating, but you’re mad if you try make a living editing video on a Core i3 machine – that’s why there are upgrades you can spec from the get-go.

USB-C connectivity in the new Mac Mini is a requirement, and important for this kind of machine, yet there are still standard USB ports.

Ethernet too – and that’s the party trick, because these little baby’s can be clustered together to share your workload – frankly, too complex for me as a one man band when it comes to making my content.

With that in mind, I didn’t take advantage really of what a Mac Mini offers – other than the flexibility to use my own screen, mouse and keyboard. If it was an i7 powered unit, I’d still be using it.

But then again, I look at the price of an iMac and you can get the smaller iMac for just a couple of hundred more than the Mac Mini – and that comes with the screen, keyboard and mouse – and an i5 processor.

So unless you’re someone using the Mac Mini as your entertainment machine in your home theatre/lounge, or in a corporate environment where screens and keyboards are set – I don’t see the case for it.

Prices start at $1249 at Apple.com.au