There is no doubt that Apple’s compact, no-frills, desktop computer is proving very popular but compared to some of the other Apple computers like the MacBook Pro the 2018 Mac mini is already being left behind. In this article, we explore what Apple would need to do to the Mac mini to make it even better than the Mac mini 2018 model.

Where Are We Now With The Mac Mini 2018?

At the moment the two stock models don’t really match the needs of the modern DAW like Pro Tools, to get a machine that is going to deliver the goods you need to go for a build-to-order version to get the 3.2GHz 6-core 8th-generation Intel Core i7 chip and then to upgrade the RAM to at least 32GB, although the 2018 Mac mini does offer the option to jump up to 64GB of RAM, which might be worth considering if you are going to using a lot of Virtual Instruments.

You may recall that we bought a suitably specced Mac mini 2018

• 3.2GHz 6‑core 8th‑generation Intel Core i7 (Turbo Boost up to 4.6GHz)

• 32GB 2666MHz DDR4

• 512GB SSD storage

• Intel UHD Graphics 630

• Gigabit Ethernet (10/100/1000BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet using RJ-45 connector)

• Total Price £1969 plus we paid the extra £99 for AppleCare+

We then tested it first using Geekbench and then used our Pro Tools Expert Mac Power Test Session with 128 audio tracks with audio that is edited every second, each with an instance of the Avid Channel Strip and D-Verb with Pro Tools Native. You can read more about the test in our article Apple Mac mini 2018 Tested For Audio Production Work - Is This The Next Computer You Should Buy For Your Studio?

What Improvements Would We Like In A Next Generation Mac Mini For Pro Audio?

Processors - The first thing we would like is at least parity with the processors available in the current MacBook Pro. In the Mac mini 2018, the best processors available are the 8th‑generation Intel Core i7 with 6 cores, whereas the MacBook Pro can go up to a 2.3GHz 8-core 9th-generation Intel Core i9 processor. Imagine what a Mac mini with 8 cores and 9th Gen processors could do?

Cooling - Heat is another issue. When we tested our 6-core i7 Mac mini with our power test session, the mini ran at 84 deg c with the fan/s running at 3935 RPM, whereas a Mac Pro Trash can ran at 69 deg c with the fan/s running at 790 RPM. Even so, community member ‘Jared P’ said “I purchased the i7 model with 8GB of RAM and did the upgrade to 32GB myself (took about 30 minutes). I have had zero issues with heat or CPU throttling. It can handle any session that I throw at it. Whether it be tracking or editing or mixing.”

Even so, adding more processing power is only going to stress the cooling design of the Mac mini even more. We have seen reports of Mac minis suffering from thermal throttling and overheating and it has been suggested that the Mac mini 2019 might go back to the external power supply that we had with the earlier Mac minis by releasing space inside the Mac mini case for more ventilation and better airflow.

Better Graphics Performance - Another criticism of the Mac mini 2018 is that the internal Intel UHD Graphics 630 graphics card isn’t really good enough even for our relatively lightweight graphics requirements. Although some users like Simon Nakra in his article Using A Mac Mini 2018 With Pro Tools. One Community Member's Experience was happily using a Slate Raven at 1920x1080 with the stock graphics card, he did add that “However, the graphics are where the Mac mini will fall down if I intend on doing any video or graphics-intensive work, so in that case, I will definitely require an eGPU.”

Community member ‘Werderchris77’ commented on our article The New Apple Mac Mini 2018 Is Described As Awesome But Is It A Good Pro Tools Machine? describing his experience with using a Mac mini 2018 with Pro Tools said “I also bought an external Graphics Card (Radeon RX 580) in the Razor X TB Case because the internal Intel 630HD is the only weak component in this machine. That said, there have been reports of problems with some eGPUs with Catalina including the Radeon 580 based units, but as long as you stay away from Catalina, eGPUs seem to be a useful solution, at least for now. With regard to a Mac Mini 2019, it has been suggested that taking out the internal power supply might create enough space for a better internal graphics card but we can’t help thinking that will stress the cooling requirements for the next-generation Mac mini. We shall see.

Easier User Upgradability - The earlier Mac minis were, at one stage, easy to upgrade with the RAM modules accessible when removing the base. However, that isn’t possible with the Mac mini 2018. Although not soldered in, unlike some newer Apple computers, it is necessary, as we showed in our article Want To Upgrade The RAM In Your 2018 Apple Mac Mini? We Show You How, to disassemble your Mac mini to be able to change the RAM. It would be really nice if, in the next-gen Mac mini 2019 or Mac mini 2020, you could at least be able to change the RAM by just opening the bottom cover.

What Do You Want From A Next-Gen Mac Mini?

Are you using an existing Mac mini 2018? If so what are you finding are the pinch points? What are the areas of your workflow where you find your Mac mini 2018 struggles to deliver? What features would you like to see improved in the Mac mini to make it an even better compact desktop computer for pro audio applications?

If you are currently using a different computer, what would you need to convince you to buy a Mac Mini for your pro-audio requirements?

Do share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below as they will add to the advice we have included in this article and help other community members to be able to make a better and more informed choice.