Fusion on Mac Mini - new 2014 dual core or refurb 2012 quad core?

[VirtualCircus]

After waiting over two years for Apple to upgrade the Mac Mini, specifically to improve my Fusion performance, Apple disappointed so I must ask for guidance...

Which Mac Mini will perform best with Fusion? I'd prefer a new unit but Fusion on a 2.53 dual core i5 Macbook Pro (8GB memory max) is very slow.

Assuming maximum (16GB) memory, I have a choice of new or refurb.

2014 Model (new)

* 2.8 GHz dual core Intel i5

j2012 Model (refurb)

* 2.6 GHz quad core Intel i7

Background: Mostly home-use, single VM running one of (Win XP, Vista, 7, 8, or Linux). Occasional local development. Need it for the long haul.

[WoodyZ · Accepted solution]

Yeah, it's pretty disappointing they didn't offer a Mac mini with a Quad-core Intel Core i7 CPU.

Anyway, while I've been running VM's for nearly 15 years and in the early days some pretty bare bones systems nonetheless they've run them even if at times slowly.  That said though, today I would never purchase a system without getting as much as I possibly could and that means I wouldn't be purchasing anything with less the 16 GB RAM and a Quad-core Intel Core i7 CPU for use with Virtualization even though it can be done on lessor hardware.  Now I'm talking for my primary system, one that I'd be using daily.

[sdsmpie]

i would go with the quadCore option.

A buddy of mine was also waiting on the new mac-mini but i discussed the mater with him in length

Basically the question would be better stating what's new  on the mac-mini?

Appart from the build in GPU that is supposedly better all the rest is not as tangible as you might think..

Ofcourse the graphics would be better but i think the older intel graphics works just fine for movie watching and can run a 30-inch screen.

Leaving us with what you get.. in this new model..??

No way to build in 2 ssd's or update ssd's

perhaps faster storage from apple at a premium price..

and you would be loosing the benefit of a multi core system..

To illustrate my point , a also act on my own opinion..

a little over 2y ago i got a macbook pro NON retina..

I got my own 16G ram saving my more than $100

And got a 512G SSD for much less. And i got a second drive bay to swap out the dvdRom for a second SSD..(not build in yet)

The new intel i7 cpu brings little to the table ..(the tik,tok intel roadmap) (apart from a better GPU)...

Because i own a quad core cpu and build in 16G ram..Not unlike the refurb model you are considering..

I will not be upgrading this year..

If for sum reason i must or my wallet starts to scream at me hahha...

Than i'm considering going back to my roots..And building a nice custom silent running rig..

Giving me 32G or 64G ram ..with 6 or 8 core desktop grade i7  (much faster than laptop i7 mind you)

ohhh sweet machine hahaha.. But that's basically a macPro killer (as i call it) costing me 75% less than the mac-pro from apple..

with regards sam.

[VirtualCircus]

Thank you WoodyZ. That is my concern too. After running years with VMs on slower single & dual core systems I hesitate to spend money to be disappointed. However, before seeking a refurb and assuming it would be better I thought I'd ask for guidance from those with that experience.

Even dedicating one of the dual cores and much of the memory to VM it is (relatively) glacial. I'm sure a desktop i7 dual would be better but as good as a i7 quad core?... you're the guys that would know.

Thanks again

sdsmpie, that describes my frustration with the Apple "upgrade"... No real benefit in components and loss of upgrade-ability.

• Better GPU (that's it)
• Lesser CPU
• Soldered-in RAM (no upgrade)
• No (or very difficult) upgrade of hard drive/SSD

Basically no improvement for Fusion VMs.

Buying a refurb (with somewhat less life expectancy) or building something (hassles of loading OSX) seem the only good options.

Thanks...

[ColoradoMarmot]

http://www.macrumors.com/2014/10/19/mac-mini-2014-benchmark/

So, for multi-core use, the older one is better.  For single core, the newer one.  In either case, 16GB is a big jump - and not being able to as easily replace the hard drive (even the previous one was a pain), is another factor.

[mntnbighker]

We just checked Friday, and as expected there are now ZERO Mac mini's in the refurb Apple Store. That's NONE.. not a single model. And from recent experience Apple has taken to black listing Macs sold by 3rd party companies as used or refirb. We had a Mac Pro sold by Gainsaver, and Apple had black listed the serial number. They flat refused to do any sort of paid repair on it, and one could assume that things like iMessage will NOT work in Yosemite with a black listed serial number either. Buyer beware. Apple claims they are protecting the integrity of the security inherent in things like Apple Pay with such measures. And once they write off a serial number block as surplus, it's like a salvage title on a vehicle. You never get that stain off the record.