#Best prices on mac mini full#
#Best prices on mac mini pro#
#Best prices on mac mini mac#

#Best prices on mac mini mac#

It is the lowest I recommend you go for photo editing on the 2018 Mac Mini. Completely worth the $300 more to get here (you also get 2x the SSD storage in that $300). The Core i5 is nearly 50% faster than the Core i3 option.

If you don’t have the budget to go up to the Core i7 processor then the Core i5 will do pretty well. The next processor up from that is the 3.0GHz 6‑core 8th‑generation Intel Core i5 (Turbo Boost up to 4.1GHz) for $1,099. You can also expect exports from Lightroom or HDR/panorama merges, more advanced features, to take longer with the Core i3.

#Best prices on mac mini full#

Yes, this Core i3 processor will technically start the software and run it, but if you are editing full frame raw files then expect the sliders and adjustment brushes in Lightroom to be somewhat slow to respond in comparison to how Lightroom does with Core i5 or Core i7 processors. If you have more advanced skills and needs with Lightroom and Photoshop running at the same time then a Core i3 processor is just really not enough power. For beginners just starting out to learn Lightroom, who are more likely to work on jpeg files and not use Photoshop at the same time, the baseline 2018 Mac Mini with a Core i3 process is going to be just fine. Everyone has different expectations when it comes to performance in Lightroom and Photoshop. Core i3 Processor – Not Really Enough PowerĪt the least expensive end of things, $799 gets you a 3.6GHz quad‑core 8th‑generation Intel Core i3 processor. Lightroom in particular REALLY wants as much processor as you can give it, so spend the money here first. If budget is constrained, this is not an area you should save money on. Which processor you are going to choose is the first decision Apple presents, but it really isn’t too much of a decision for a photographer wanting to run Lightroom and Photoshop. I said there is really only one because to me two of the three configuration decisions to make are made for you as a photographer. I know I just said there is really only one choice to be made but there are actually 3. That is what the buying guides on this site are all about. It will last you at least 3 years and you should get 5 years out of the machine if you invest it properly.

You can do quite well with a machine that costs between $1,500 and $2,500. On the other hand, you absolutely do NOT have to spend more than $3,000 on a computer to run Lightroom and Photoshop REALLY well. Yes, you might find some sales that make desktop computers (especially desktops running Windows) that dip a little below that $1,000 mark but if you don’t have a budget of at least $1,000 then I recommend you keep saving until you can get up there. Mac or PC, here in 2019 you shouldn’t really expect to get a computer that can do a good job with Lightroom and Photoshop for less than $1,000. You really need to be ready to make an investment here. Realistic Expectationsīefore we get into the configuration decisions, I want set some expectations for you as a photographer looking to buy a computer.

#Best prices on mac mini pro#

You can get help with those seven decisions in my Photographer’s MacBook Pro Buying Guide article, though I think the Mac Mini is a better choice as far as value for the money. There is really only one choice to make compared with seven decisions you have with the 2018 MacBook Pro lineup. A photographer almost can’t make a bad choice with the Mac Mini, though the $800 entry level model isn’t really up to the challenge of running Lightroom.Īpple has made the choices for a Mac Mini much easier than their MacBook Pro lineup. With the 2018 refresh of the Mac Mini Apple has a solid lineup of computers that are great for photo editing. The best configuration of a late 2018 Mac Mini for photographers is 3.2GHz 6‑core 8th‑generation Intel Core i7, with 16GB of memory, and 512GB of SSD storage at a cost of about $2,100. What is the best configuration of a late 2018 Mac Mini for photographers? When Apple does refresh the Mac Mini with new hardware options this article will be replaced by a new one and a link will be provided here.

This article has been updated based on some of the peripherals that can make the Mac Mini an excellent computer for digital photography, but the hardware of the Mac Mini itself hasn’t really changed since then. All that changed was the amount of storage you get for your money (2x for the same price). Apple just updated the Mac Mini here in March 2020! Nothing too exciting though. NOTE Apple last updated the Mac Mini back in 2018.