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Previously on "Why go for top of the range desktop v Intel NUC or similar ?"

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  • d000hg
    replied
    With you there.

    Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using Tapatalk

    Leave a comment:


  • b0redom
    replied
    They’re all laptop variants vs full fat. Also I’m currently considering an ultra wide display. iMac ties you to a specific form factor.

    Before anyone chimes in about hackintosh, yes I could go that way, but I just want the thing to work. I don’t want to be tinkering constantly.

    Leave a comment:


  • d000hg
    replied
    Originally posted by b0redom View Post
    Because Apple don't offer any other alternative.
    Can't you get a decent GPU in some of the iMacs?

    Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using Tapatalk

    Leave a comment:


  • b0redom
    replied
    Originally posted by d000hg View Post
    If you're going to plug in external drives and external GPUs then why go for a small form factor? You're just going to end up with a PC spread across your desk anyway
    Because Apple don't offer any other alternative.

    Leave a comment:


  • d000hg
    replied
    If you're going to plug in external drives and external GPUs then why go for a small form factor? You're just going to end up with a PC spread across your desk anyway

    Leave a comment:


  • b0redom
    replied
    Fair enough. I've got a reasonably recent MBP and I've not hit any problems with it, but I do know people who've had problems with duff keyboards. I'm comparatively very time poor but have available funds in the company, so cost is lower down the list for me than convenience. That being said, I'll upgrade the RAM myself and there's no way I'm paying £1k for a monitor stand!

    Leave a comment:


  • sal
    replied
    If you want OSX then PC is really not an option. In terms of reliability the last 3-4 years Macbooks are riddled with technical faults and recalls and you only get 1 year of warranty unless you pay even more for dubious apple care and still face major delays of having non-base config box fixed/replaced. Apple is not what it used to be, at least when it comes to laptops. Maybe Mac mini is more reliable or maybe it isn't, just couldn't stomach the risk when the Dell XPS came with 5 years, next business day, on-site warranty too, which was one of the deciding factors to be honest.

    Leave a comment:


  • b0redom
    replied
    It is expensive, but I really like OSX, and my current iMac is from ~2012 and still going strong. When I used to use PC stuff before I'd be upgrading every 2-3 years. I figure if I was a plumber I'd want the proper tools for the job....

    Leave a comment:


  • sal
    replied
    Originally posted by b0redom View Post
    eGPU? I'm considering a new MacMini and hooking up an eGPU for gaming on. Errr rendering....
    The cost of the mac mini + the eGPU enclosure + the GPU is eye watering.

    I was having the same idea, just 2-3 months ago, ended up buying a max speced Dell XPS 13 for the price of mid range mac mini. Still on the look out of decent eGPU enclosure. Unfortunately for me HP being HP, they discontinued what looks like the best eGPU enclosure out there.

    Leave a comment:


  • b0redom
    replied
    Originally posted by d000hg View Post
    Would you physically be able to fit a decent GPU in one? Aren't they using multiple PCI-X slots these days?
    eGPU? I'm considering a new MacMini and hooking up an eGPU for gaming on. Errr rendering....

    Leave a comment:


  • sal
    replied
    Haven't looked at dimensions of the PCI-x slots, but no way to fit a decent GPU in the case for sure. And no way to power it with the tiny PSU.

    It defeats the purpose of the NUC, it's like buying a small city car only to hitch a trailer on it and try using it as a delivery van.

    As anonymouse said, NUCs serve a niche market - media centres, office PC slapped on the back of the display with a VESA mount fro tidiness, homebrew routers/firewalls locked in a cupboard etc.

    Sure you can bastardise them to work as a high spec desktop PC, but what's the point.

    Leave a comment:


  • d000hg
    replied
    Would you physically be able to fit a decent GPU in one? Aren't they using multiple PCI-X slots these days?

    Leave a comment:


  • anonymouse
    replied
    NUC or desktop

    I have a NUC as a media device in the lounge, it's small, it's silent, it just needs to be quick enough for its job. It does fine.
    It depends on what you are wanting to be running, I have an i5 9 running in a Mini ITX mounted via VESA on the back of the monitor.

    NUC are always more expensive than desktop, I have found.

    Leave a comment:


  • vwdan
    replied
    SATA is going to be faster and more reliable than USB3 for storage, for a start. No option for offboard GPU. Slower CPU's, no real room for upgrade.

    NUCs are fine if you want a NUC, and they have their place, but for performance users a desktop (or even a high spec laptop) will always win out

    Leave a comment:


  • sal
    replied
    NUC is more expensive at the end of the day for high specs. Also uses U series laptop grade CPUs which are slower than their desktop counterparts.

    The only benefit of a NUC is that it's small.

    Also another major disadvantage is that it's limited to Intel. Last 2 generations of AMD CPUs are far superior and will remain so for the next couple of years at least. While Intel gets their tulip together and solve the delays around the 7nm process that is now scheduled for 2021.

    Leave a comment:

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