M1 Mac Mini verses 2017 iMac 27in

A 4K monitor will allow a higher pixel display up to 3840 x 2160 but everything is too darn small to read on a 27 inch display.

I run my 4K LG monitor at the same definition as my 27 inch iMac used 2650 x 1440

For comparison, the VGA monitor will only go up to 1920 x 1080 but that’s fine as a second screen for watching YouTube, checking email etc.

Something to bear in mind is the M1 Mac Mini limitations for displays. I use the Thunderbolt port (USB C plug) for my main monitor and HMDI for the second monitor.

Also, you can pay as much as you like for a monitor, but do you really need to :slight_smile:

Thanks for the help on this folks. Managed to get the above linked monitor from Amazon for £200, after applying for an Amex card! Bit mad considering I can cancel it within 14 days but get to keep that Amazon gift voucher I got for applying.

Mini arrives later and monitor tomorrow.

If I’m happy with it all after the setup I’m going to flog that 2017 imac and get another MM/LG setup (I have two desktops on my work desk).

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Question: I’m guessing not all USB-C cables are equals!

Given that (I assume) when attaching a big 4k monitor via USB-C cable a vast amount of data needs to be shifted, so I figure a proper good cable is the order of the day? Recommendations?

Is the monitor using HDMI or Display Port?

I am using these, there are working fine:

It’s this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B088M5S7NH/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

So I think it can use pretty much anything! It’s the same (I think) as @Ruyton has. It seems to have a USB-c port, so thinking that’s the best option? From what I’ve read, if I use that method I can then use the USB ports on the back of the monitor. Handy, given the MM has few!

I used the USB C cable that came with the monitor. It’s all a bit confusing because ‘USB C’ is only a type of connector, it isn’t a type of cable in itself. Much the same as a USB C port might be a thunderbolt port, but it might be a USB 3 port and not a Thunderbolt port.

Even the ‘old’ USB cables are not all the same, some don’t have all the pins connected, for instance for power.

The two ‘USB C’ type ports on the back of the M1 Mac mini are indeed Thunderbolt ports that can do fast data, video, sound etc. However, if you plug a USB 3 Hub into a Thunderbolt port, you do get power to the hub but you only get the USB 3 transfer speeds. The other two ‘old type’ USB ports on the Mac mini are USB 3 (and 4?) but plug an unpowered hub into it and there is no power to run USB drives or DVD readers.

So, I have my USB 3 Time Machine HDD in one of the USB 3 ports as speed isn’t really important. My primary display is plugged into one of the Thunderbolt ports and the secondary monitor into the HDMI port.

I have a fairly fast USB 3 SSD with a USB C type plug that I plug in to the other Thunderbolt port as required - this only gives USB 3 transfer rates.

I have a USB 3 hub than I plug into the Thunderbolt port instead of the SSD (this has a type C connector too) with ‘old style’ USB sockets. That gives me USB 3 transfer speeds and power for HDD’s DVD’s etc.

Heck, I spent a day reading about all this and testing my data transfer rates using the Black Magic Disk Speed app.

Ha ha! Just checked the contents list and mine comes with one too!

True :+1::smile:

M1 setup with an old monitor (HDMI) for now… It’s quiet! For now I’ve used it to replace the old 2010 iMac that sits on my desk alongside the 2017. I never realised how noisy that old iMac was; it’s now almost silent in the office with the MM and newer iMac running.

2017 iMac now for sale, once sold I’ll get another MM setup. These things are defo the way to go I’d say; on paper they are underpowered but in reality, they’re so snappy.

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Everything now arrived and all set up, working well, so thanks for the advice and pointers.

One question though, and this most likely displays my ignorance on such things as monitors and the whole 4k / 5k thing…

As @Ruyton commented above, the LG display at it’s max res of 3840x2160 makes text far to small to read, I’d suggest for anyone. This setting is the 4k bit, right?

2304x1296 is readable, but really only a step or two above 1920x1080, which is essentially 1k?

So, why are we paying for a 4k monitor when we’re not really using it? Reading the net, no one is using the whole 4k thing!

Likewise, I’ve only now realised that the lovely 5k screen in my iMac is defaulted to just 2560x1440, which if my understanding of how the “K” thing works, is a long way from 5k!

Am I completely misunderstanding all this?

That aside though, the LG 4k monitor is lovely, super crisp and clear so well worth the purchase, to the point I’ll be getting another soon.

It is more about the sharpness of text and images. The more pixel the sharper everything is displayed. You scale the items on the display to your linking in the system settings, so you do not have to see everything so small.

On a normal 1k rsolution, the images and text will not display so sharp and crips even if you scale it the same way.

That is why my setup uses the same display resolution and sizes:

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OK, now I understand. Thanks.

@Fuellemann Where do you find these settings in prefs? I don’t see under Display. I must have set this once and never looked again. No problem for me reading size and clarify of my text on 5K, but I would like to find that setting again.

For the 2nd image above it’s found in “About This Mac”, then Display.

But those resolutions are only the max available, not how you have it set.

To see the scale options (1st image), that’s in Prefs, display, then hold down alt when you click scale if you want to see the actual res, or just click scale to see the bigger text/smaller text option (as per image).

@TemplateRepo Got it! Many thanks.

Turns out I had set my to default which works just fine for me. I think what I’m mainly doing is adjusting sizes on a per app basic. Most apps I see fine at the default, but especially for writing I like the font to be bigger.

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My 27in iMac is set to default, and yep, it’s about right. I’ve set the monitor on the Mini to the same res.

See my other post for the difference between the two machines when it comes to working in RW. The Mini (M1) walks all over the iMac.

I’m actually looking forward to getting the new “bigger” iMacs later this year. Best guess is they will arrive before 2022 with a bigger faster chip: M1x. We’ll see. But I can wait it out. At that point I’ll decide between iMac 27 or 30 or 32 or whatever it is versus Mac Mini with external display.

Fair play to you, but I’m done with iMacs. I swore I wouldn’t buy another iMac before getting the 2017 model, but it was on a good enough deal with two years warranty included to tempt me. 2nd hand resale on them is more or less what I paid, so I’ll lose very little. But I’m not going that route again.

My guess is the new larger screen models are all going to £2k plus with zero options to upgrade aftermarket. This means when a single internal part dies the entire lot is scrap, that’s insane, and terrible for the environment.

Yes, the Mini is a sealed unit in reality, but when it dies it’s less than a grand to replace and you use the same screen etc. My first Mac was a Mini and if Apple continues to give them the sort of grunt the M1 has, my last will be a Mini too.

Best app for resolution settings:

Does anyone here have experience with the latest Mac mini, which has been on the market since 2020? I would buy that, but only if Rapidweaver works well with it. Do any of you use Rapidweaver on the Mac mini? And does it work smoothly?