Compare the differences between iMac, Mac Mini and Mac Pro

If you’re shopping for a new desktop Mac, you’ll almost certainly be hooked on the iMac. However, Apple also makes iMac Pro, Mac mini, and Mac Pro. If you still do not understand the features and differences of the 3 types of iMac, iMac Mini and iMac Pro, read through this comparison.

iMac: Everything in One

The iMacs are the sum total of Apple’s best. An iMAC will include the monitor, CPU, keyboard, and mouse. iMac has a size of 21 or 27 inches, you can optionally configure the iMac depending on how much you have in your wallet.

iMAC’s cheapest is the 21-inch ($1,099) model that comes with a Retina 4K (or 5K) display, which has a P3 wide color gamut. These impressive panels are one of the main attractions of the iMac. When you buy an iMac, you get everything you need to use it: a computer, a display, and devices like a keyboard and mouse.

For the 27-inch iMAC, there is not only a larger screen, but also a higher configuration. This includes an 8 Core CPU (formerly a 6 Core), up to 64 GB of RAM (formerly 32 GB), up to 3 TB of storage (formerly 1 TB), and a more powerful GPU for rendering. good big screen.

Therefore, the iMac is Apple’s best desktop computer. The iMac can be a home computer or learning tool, photo editing tool, the hub of a home recording studio, or for video editing or 3D rendering.

When it comes to Apple, the price is expensive, but in return you will get a cool computer with all-in-one features and a 4K or 5K screen. If you want to save space when using a computer without many devices such as cases, screens, and messy wires, then iMAC is right for you.

The iMac comes with a Magic Keyboard and a Magic Mouse. You can upgrade the Magic mouse to the Magic Trackpad which will make using the iMAC like on a MACBOOK laptop with drag and touch gestures.

Mac mini: smaller and more convenient

Mac mini Apple’s “pocket” desktop computer. Mac mini used to be Apple’s stepchild because it was not upgraded since 2014. It was not upgraded until 2018, which is 4 years later. In March 2020, Apple released its predecessor with timely hardware updates (which is really nice).

To understand the appeal of the Mac mini, you need to understand its intended use. First, it’s a dedicated mini-computer for $799 (whispering, throbbing). You won’t have a monitor, keyboard or mouse, it’s always been like that since the first version back in 2005.

Mac mini provides users with an inexpensive and compact PC to be able to “use” Apple products. Since then, the Mac mini has gained a reputation as a home server solution and can become a PC cinema (HTPC). It’s also a great choice for people who want to use MacOS or who already have monitors and peripherals.

Mac mini is also suitable for programmers who want to develop apps on iPhone and iPad, want to use Xcode and Apple Developer account. Things not available on Windows and Mac mini are still cheaper than MacBook Air.

The Mac mini is also popular in other areas. Build and render videos, or use distributed computing methods to share heavy resources across multiple machines. This speeds up the process of building or rendering videos, and the Mac mini will support users with those requirements.

Other uses include Xcode servers for mobile developers, controllers for professional lighting and sound processing at live shows, and powering digital signage and outdoor displays. To support this, Apple has equipped up to 4 dedicated Thunderbolt 3 ports.

The Mac mini just lacks a dedicated GPU, so it doesn’t have powerful video editing capabilities. You can upgrade most hardware at checkout, like CPU, RAM, and hard drive.

Like the iMac, you can also upgrade your Mac mini’s RAM yourself to save money.

Mac Pro: When there’s nothing else to do

If you look at iMAC Pro and think, I need more, well Mac Pro is your choice. After the first version in 2013, it was really a disaster, at that time users bought Mac Pro just to ….to store garbage. Learning from that time, Apple revived the Mac Pro in 2019 to turn it into a cheese grater (laughs). But it must be admitted that it is a huge beast, both in strength and in body.

The new Mac Pro has the same design as the Power Mac G5, even the case and chassis are all metal. If the starting price of $5,999 sounds a bit underwhelming, keep in mind that the full-options Mac Pro costs more than $50,000 (2nd kidney ache).

Like the iMac Pro, the Mac Pro only has a 28-core Intel Xeon processor ($7,000 option). The machine supports up to 1.5TB DDR4 ECC memory, 32GB Vega II Radeon GPU, 8TB SSD, Apple also provides an additional $2,000 Afterburner card, which speeds up the decoding of ProRes and ProRes RAW encoded video from high end camera.

Mac Pro must be used with Pro Display XDR – $4,999, 32-inch, Thunderbolt 3, 6K resolution to be happy enough. Of course, you can also use any screen you like.

For most users, even an upgraded regular iMac will get nearly all the tasks done, including 4K video editing, RAW image processing, and 3D rendering.

Do you have your choice now?