Sign in with
Sign up | Sign in
Your question

Powerful Mac Mini alternative with 2500€

Tags:
  • CPUs
  • Mac Mini
  • Systems
  • GPUs
  • alternative
  • Configuration
Last response: in Systems
Share
June 23, 2013 11:49:15 AM

Hey there,

this is an unusual question.

I have a rMBP 15". Doesn't work for me. It's always attached to a bigger monitor.
I need a computer to carry around and connect to external display.

Mac Mini would be great, but the GPU sucks.
There are no alternatives, except pricey and uncomfortable external GPU.

I dream of a machine of the size of the Mac Mini with the following specs:

- Intel Core i5 quad-core @ 3,2GHz
- 512gb SSD
- 8gb RAM
- the best NVIDIA GPU that can fit in.
- hdmi, usb and thunderbolt ports


Is this an utopia?

More about : powerful mac mini alternative 2500e

June 23, 2013 12:49:59 PM

Well I don't think you can get quite as small as a Mac Mini but I've constructed a build that's about as close as you can get...

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/19sxb

This build includes the GTX TITAN which is the best video card available (and happens to fit) but if that is complete overkill, you can get that build with the 780. The thing that it doesn't have is thunderbolt :( 

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/19szK

But your dream computer is a bit of a utopia simply because nothing really can get that small with good graphics :( 
a b à CPUs
June 23, 2013 12:55:13 PM

King Hackintosh said:
Well I don't think you can get quite as small as a Mac Mini but I've constructed a build that's about as close as you can get...

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/19sxb

This build includes the GTX TITAN which is the best video card available (and happens to fit) but if that is complete overkill, you can get that build with the 780. The thing that it doesn't have is thunderbolt :( 

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/19szK

But your dream computer is a bit of a utopia simply because nothing really can get that small with good graphics :( 


The OP is in the EU. You need to know what country they're buying from before suggesting a rig. Links to US stores will be of little use to the OP. What's available here and what's available in the OP's country of origin won't match up - particularly power supplies and RAM.

OP - what country are you going to be buying from? Knowing that will help to suggest a rig.
Related resources
June 23, 2013 2:32:15 PM

g-unit1111 said:
King Hackintosh said:
Well I don't think you can get quite as small as a Mac Mini but I've constructed a build that's about as close as you can get...

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/19sxb

This build includes the GTX TITAN which is the best video card available (and happens to fit) but if that is complete overkill, you can get that build with the 780. The thing that it doesn't have is thunderbolt :( 

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/19szK

But your dream computer is a bit of a utopia simply because nothing really can get that small with good graphics :( 


The OP is in the EU. You need to know what country they're buying from before suggesting a rig. Links to US stores will be of little use to the OP. What's available here and what's available in the OP's country of origin won't match up - particularly power supplies and RAM.

OP - what country are you going to be buying from? Knowing that will help to suggest a rig.



Hey, thanks for your help. Much appreciated.
I'm writing from Italy, so an EU store would be better :-)

June 23, 2013 2:35:53 PM

King Hackintosh said:
Well I don't think you can get quite as small as a Mac Mini but I've constructed a build that's about as close as you can get...

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/19sxb

This build includes the GTX TITAN which is the best video card available (and happens to fit) but if that is complete overkill, you can get that build with the 780. The thing that it doesn't have is thunderbolt :( 

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/19szK

But your dream computer is a bit of a utopia simply because nothing really can get that small with good graphics :( 


Thank you King Hackintosh!!
Your's an interesting setup, I was dreaming a Titan actually. :-)

Your help was great and I'll consider your solution.
If had thunderbolt would have been perfect, since I have two thunderbolt displays (damn).
I'll google if some converter exist but i doubt so.
June 23, 2013 2:37:16 PM

G369 said:
King Hackintosh said:
Well I don't think you can get quite as small as a Mac Mini but I've constructed a build that's about as close as you can get...

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/19sxb

This build includes the GTX TITAN which is the best video card available (and happens to fit) but if that is complete overkill, you can get that build with the 780. The thing that it doesn't have is thunderbolt :( 

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/19szK

But your dream computer is a bit of a utopia simply because nothing really can get that small with good graphics :( 


Thank you King Hackintosh!!
Your's an interesting setup, I was dreaming a Titan actually. :-)

Your help was great and I'll consider your solution.
If had thunderbolt would have been perfect, since I have two thunderbolt displays (damn).
I'll google if some converter exist but i doubt so.


There are quite a number of ATX boards that have thunderbolt but I guess thats not what you are looking for...
a b à CPUs
June 23, 2013 2:42:17 PM

Are you playing games ?
June 23, 2013 3:31:31 PM

Marcopolo123 said:
Are you playing games ?


Yes i play games a lot, also I play with some 3d animation once in a while, and heavy photoshop files very often.

I would play even more but the experience is not very pleasant considering my actual GPU*, and the resolution I play at.

*NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M 1024 MB
a b à CPUs
June 23, 2013 5:09:07 PM

G369 said:
Hey, thanks for your help. Much appreciated.
I'm writing from Italy, so an EU store would be better :-)


Any PC you build will be worlds beyond a Mac Mini. The build that was originally posted was an mITX build. I'll show you a full tower. mITX builds are extremely limiting in terms of expansion and are known to overheat. Also having a 128GB SSD as your only storage device is extremely limiting. If you're playing games it would be better to have a full tower IMO.

Here's what I would suggest, using store HRW.it:

Case: Corsair Carbide 500R - 111,09 €
PSU: XFX Pro Edition 850W - 108,20 €
Motherboard: Asus Z87-C - 128,26 €
CPU: 3.4Ghz Intel Core i5-4670K - 238,10 €
RAM: 8GB Corsair Vengeance DDR3 1600 MHz 1.5V - 67,20 €
SSD: 128GB Samsung 840 Pro - 127,70 €
HD: 1TB Seagate Barracuda 7200 RPM - 58,08 €
GPU: 2 x Gigabyte Geforce GTX 780 - 1.229,80 € (614,90 € each)
Optical: LG DVD Burner - 16,17 €

Total: € 2.201,91

- Two of the most powerful graphics cards on the market
- new Intel Haswell CPU
- More storage than previous build

Add an OS license and 1440P monitor and you're done.
June 24, 2013 10:03:26 AM

g-unit1111 said:
G369 said:
Hey, thanks for your help. Much appreciated.
I'm writing from Italy, so an EU store would be better :-)


Any PC you build will be worlds beyond a Mac Mini. The build that was originally posted was an mITX build. I'll show you a full tower. mITX builds are extremely limiting in terms of expansion and are known to overheat. Also having a 128GB SSD as your only storage device is extremely limiting. If you're playing games it would be better to have a full tower IMO.



Hey did you moderate my last comment? xD

BTW I said that your help was great, thanks.
But still a tower computer is far from the portability I was trying to achieve with my question.
All I need is a better GPU, and the mac mini would be perfect as it is.

Maybe I have to wait for the next mac mini update, or a more reliable external gpu, or a real mac mini competitor (but still I would need a thunderbolt port -.-)

Thanks again =)
a b à CPUs
June 24, 2013 10:47:13 AM

G369 said:
g-unit1111 said:
G369 said:
Hey, thanks for your help. Much appreciated.
I'm writing from Italy, so an EU store would be better :-)


Any PC you build will be worlds beyond a Mac Mini. The build that was originally posted was an mITX build. I'll show you a full tower. mITX builds are extremely limiting in terms of expansion and are known to overheat. Also having a 128GB SSD as your only storage device is extremely limiting. If you're playing games it would be better to have a full tower IMO.



Hey did you moderate my last comment? xD

BTW I said that your help was great, thanks.
But still a tower computer is far from the portability I was trying to achieve with my question.
All I need is a better GPU, and the mac mini would be perfect as it is.

Maybe I have to wait for the next mac mini update, or a more reliable external gpu, or a real mac mini competitor (but still I would need a thunderbolt port -.-)

Thanks again =)


Did I? :lol: 

But the thing is if you've got 2500€ to blow on a PC you're better off building your own than buying a Mac Mini. If you want a smaller rig, take the one I posted and change the motherboard to mITX and the case to a Bitfenix Prodigy and you're good to go.
!