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Archive 2019 · Apple Desktop question

  
 
ShotByTom
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Apple Desktop question


I am ready to buy a new desktop and am reviewing options. Does anyone use a Mac mini for their photography work? My only real concern about a Mini is the video card, or lack thereof!

Has anyone found the recent LR update improved their speed because of the use of the video card?



Aug 27, 2019 at 02:49 AM
OntheRez
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Apple Desktop question


ShotByTom wrote:
I am ready to buy a new desktop and am reviewing options. Does anyone use a Mac mini for their photography work? My only real concern about a Mini is the video card, or lack thereof!

Has anyone found the recent LR update improved their speed because of the use of the video card?


In general the Mini isn't considered a "heavy duty" tool. It is used a lot as a network server - overseeing external drives, etc. It's biggest use is as a small footprint light duty workstation. I've set a number of people up with one but they mostly use it for email/web/letters and iPhoto for their cell pix. You're right about video. It's an Intel thingy integrated on the motherboard, and I think it still uses system memory rather that dedicated VRAM. Check on that.

This isn't to say that people don't use it for development. Depends on available cash, how intense you work your images, and how much you shoot.

At a minimum I recommend the 21" iMac with the 256 GB SSD drive. Do not under any circumstances by the so called "fusion drive." It's junk. This machine with the SSD option $1,300. Not bad. If you have the cash considering the 27" machines with more memory and more SSD storage. That 27" is real sweet. As always get as much RAM, as fast of processor, and as big and fast of a drive as you can possibly afford. Unless you're positive you'll never want to do more with your photos, make sure you buy more machine than you currently think you need. Data expands to fill the memory/processor/etc. (Oh, always check Apple's refurbs. I've gotten a good deal or two there.)

As for the latest Lr, I haven't installed it yet. I'm never close to the front of the line for any update (by anyone). Let others be the beta testers. It seems stable so I intend to do so when I get time.

Hope this helps.





Aug 29, 2019 at 12:19 PM
DanBrown
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Apple Desktop question


It possible to do what you want with a Mac Mini. Check out this article on using an external GPU.

https://www.zdnet.com/article/do-you-really-need-an-egpu-with-a-2018-mac-mini/



Aug 29, 2019 at 01:47 PM
ShotByTom
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Apple Desktop question


DanBrown wrote:
It possible to do what you want with a Mac Mini. Check out this article on using an external GPU.

https://www.zdnet.com/article/do-you-really-need-an-egpu-with-a-2018-mac-mini/



Thanks for the link, this is something I was looking in to, but I decided to go with a new 27" iMac.



Aug 29, 2019 at 07:29 PM
Abbott Schindl
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Apple Desktop question


I know several people using the current Mini for editing, even without an eGPU. Be sure to get at least 16 GB of memory and an i7 processor if you can afford it. Then plug in a good monitor.

The big questions are how fast you need the machine to run (i.e. can you afford to wait for a slower machine to do the work) and how long you're planning on keeping it (i.e. newer software tends to want beefier machines).

Bottom line is that you could probably work with a Mini and a good monitor now and add an eGPU later if you want more performance. Just be sure you spec the Mini fairly high as it's not very upgradable internally. You'll also want to plan on buying a dock to give it adequate connectivity. And as mentioned above, avoid Fusion drives (I don't think they're options for the Mini, but be warned).

You might ask your LR question separately. Adobe's touted GPU support before and it didn't amount to much that I saw. I assume that they've done a better job now, given all the marketing they've wrapped around it.



Aug 30, 2019 at 03:42 AM





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