new mac mini v old mac g5

[lozyounger]

Hi,

Really naive question.

I've been using a dual 1.8 G5 tower with 2gb ram for the last 8 years. Now it's obviously time to change for something intel based and faster. I was thinking of a new mac mini i7 2.6 quad core with 8gb of ram. I use cabase 5.5 with soft synths like predator which is processor hungry and I like to play them with a low latency.

The question is am I really going to notice a massive difference in terms of speed?. At the moment I can't even play some of the predator patches without it crackling, even with all the other tracks and effects frozen.

Hope someone can help

Laurance.

[Kaw-Liga]

I don't know predator, but I just upgraded from a macbook core2duo to the mac mini. The difference in terms of speed is very noticable big.

Check this page out:

http://browser.primatelabs.com/mac-benchmarks

(The mini is actually is cheaper than any other computer I found with similar specs, not even counting the thunderbird port!)

[lozyounger]

Thanks for that, the chart's really interesting. I wouldn't have expected the macbook pro to be faster than the mac mini.

[chris...]

The question is am I really going to notice a massive difference in terms of speed?.

Yes.

[ken long]

(The mini is actually is cheaper than any other computer I found with similar specs, not even counting the thunderbird port!)

Interesting.

[johnny h]

Thanks for that, the chart's really interesting. I wouldn't have expected the macbook pro to be faster than the mac mini.

There's almost nothing in it. Both would be a huge upgrade from your G5.

[MonkeySpank]

A 2012 Mac Mini will EAT your G5 for breakfast. It won't even be funny.

I went from a dual 2 GHz G5 to a Core 2 Duo Macbook Pro and the performance difference cannot be adequately put into words. In fact, it made my life so much easier that I came very close to actually writing Steve Jobs a letter of thanks! I have since moved on to an i7 MacBook Pro and that was yet another noticeable hike in performance.

Throw as much RAM as you can in an i7 Mini and you will have a studio machine that will take anything you can throw at it for the next 5 years. And, in the interests of fairness, the same is probably true of modern i7 Windows machines from dedicated audio PC makers.

[lozyounger]

It's funny but the girl in the mac store said that it'll be good for the next five years, but in fact the G5 is "almost" fast enough for my requirements. I have all the software I need, I can record vocals with an external reverb at low latency when all the tracks are frozen and I can happily mix 24 or so tracks at a longer latency. The mac mini will probably be my last mac for a long time.

But then I just traded in my 1.2 for a 2.0 car, didn't need too, but it makes me happy!

[johnny h]

It's funny but the girl in the mac store said that it'll be good for the next five years, but in fact the G5 is "almost" fast enough for my requirements. I have all the software I need, I can record vocals with an external reverb at low latency when all the tracks are frozen and I can happily mix 24 or so tracks at a longer latency. The mac mini will probably be my last mac for a long time.

But then I just traded in my 1.2 for a 2.0 car, didn't need too, but it makes me happy!

If you can stretch to a Macbook ... do that. Its wonderfully liberating to have your studio anywhere you go.

[zenguitar]

...the girl in the mac store...

Sorry, I couldn't resist

Andy

[Phil O]

...the girl in the mac store...

Sorry, I couldn't resist

Andy

I suppose it's better than "fat man down the pub says".

[lozyounger]

Yes, the girl in the mac store was very sweet.

When I asked for advice on installing software from an external drive she called over an "expert". Then when I wanted advice on turbo boost and which mac would be best for music she found me a "genius". I told her he's not really a genius, he just thinks he is.

[zenguitar]

It's a generation thing. In the dim and distant past, long before the internet, the image of a dirty old man or pervert was... a man wearing a shabby mac.

Andy

[lozyounger]

Oh yeah, my mum was only telling me the other day that she was flashed at by a man in a mac, close to where i live, about forty years ago. I know the mac store has geniuses and experts, but do they have perverts?

[Sam Spoons]

Undoubtedly, those'll be the two who still have Windoze PC's at home

[lozyounger]

Ended up with the 2.3 quad i7 with 16gb ram. Needless to say I don't have to worry about the processing power anymore. The best example is using a convolution reverb. Basically couldn't use one on the old g5 it was so slow, the strain is hardly noticeable on this new machine. Just confirming what everyone new already.

[chris...]

Glad it's working happily.

[_ Six _]

I'm astounded at the value for money in the new Mac Minis.

[G-Doubleyou]

I'm a little late to this thread....but,
here is a thread from gearslutz that uses Logic as a stress test to compare different Mac models.

The later threads contain info on the more current Macs, for general knowledge.
http://www.gearslutz.com/board/music-computers/371545-logic-pro-multicore-benchmarktest.html