Mac Mini M2 Pro: Is It “PRO” Enough for Videographers and Photographers?

[@jarbird83]

I’m really thankful your video was suggested to me. I’ve watched a TON of M2 Pro videos the last week or so (mine delivers tomorrow) and love the approach you took to explaining your experience. I was recently laid off and unexpectedly and have decided to stop avoiding doing what I really want to do and taking the leap into a creative business. So not only did I find your video informative, I also came away inspired to achieve the level of excellence your putting out. Also, thanks for all the links to your gear. That is really helpful.

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Hey! Thanks for sharing. Glad you’re finding the video valuable! That’s awesome I’m you’ve decided to jump into the creative field. Here’s something that took my awhile to understand that I like to share - if you get laid off from your one job, you don’t have anymore income, (yikes!) and in our field, you can’t get “laid off” you can always find more work, it’s out there. :) thanks for watching!

[@jarbird83]

@@AndreiRestrepo that’s so true!

[@SamBorgman]

I already got the M2 Pro Mini, somehow I still keep watching these "is it good enough" videos lol

[@AndreiRestrepo]

I do that sometimes with other things as well. It’s like validation that it’s good from someone else and for me to stop overthinking it. Also when it comes to other gear, sometime I’ll learn something new about it. Thanks for watching!

[@SamBorgman]

@@AndreiRestrepo Yep exactly. You had some details here others didn't cover, should help people make a decision. This mini is really a great deal.

[@antonisdavis2288]

is 16gb enough?

[@SamBorgman]

@@antonisdavis2288 Yes for most work. I’m editing big 1080p videos almost no lag skimming through them. Don’t even need proxies. Playing games like modded Minecraft. Music production is nothing on this. Fan never speeds up even when rendering video for a long time. Never heard the fan unless I manually sped it up during rendering.

[@antonisdavis2288]

@@SamBorgman thanks! it is enough to edit 4k,60p, 10 bit, 20 min video projects?thanks

[@mr.w3805]

This video is so informative and well presented. Anybody having doubts about the Mac Mini M2 Pro should watch this presentation. Absolutely what those of us who dabble in video need to know. Thanks Andrei for a good project.

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Thanks so much for the comment, really appreciate it! Thanks for watching

[@SamOaCreative]

This is the video I needed to watch to make a decision. People get to fancy with nerdy stuff and specs. You gave your true experience of the product and I can relate. Thanks for taking the time to share.

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Hey man! Thanks so much, totally agree with you. Thanks for watching!

[@tdp627]

Finally! I've been watching videos and reading up on whether the Mac mini is for me for two weeks and this is the video I so needed to watch to confirm what I need to get for my business. Thank you so much for your insight and getting to see someone actually use Premiere Pro and Lightroom, which I use constantly, helped me see how much I need this upgrade. I have a 2018 MacBook Pro that has been amazing, but your closing message on the amount of time being spent doing these projects resonated so much to me because that has been my predicament with my MacBook and I want to continue to add more work but it's time for an upgrade. Again, thank you so much for this video!!!

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Glad it was valuable! It’s worked so well this year, anything I edited it did great with! Thanks for watching!

[@johnallenmedia]

I'm a Multimedia Producer in higher education and I was kind of in the same spot of not knowing what to get. This base model has been more than enough for all of our short form videos. I only store essential apps on the Macintosh. Everything else on externals. Glad you put this video out there because a lot of people have been wondering if this is enough for video/photo production.

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Hey Jack, glad you found it valuable! Your right, it’s definitely been great for all my photo/video work

[@johnallenmedia]

@@AndreiRestrepo Here's also a tip for the Lightroom users. Delete your preview catalog and rebuild them with lesser catalog settings. I went from 80 GB down to 3GB on Mac HD space on a 20,000 image catalog. I feel like with the 512 GB space, save as much as you can.

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Thanks for the tip, I’m going to look into that! I keep my LR catalog on an external though since my MBP crashed last year.

[@EveInTheMachine]

I appreciate the fact that you got the base-level M2 Pro for this review. Of course the spec'ed out reviews are going to be glowing, lol. It sounds like it's a fantastic machine all by itself. I still am going to worry that it might get too bogged down by longer film projects with that amount of gpu & ram, but even so, it sounds pretty impressive!

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Thanks so much! No complaints since I’ve gotten it, but can totally understand that. Maybe 32gb memory at the minimum to be safe. Thanks for watching!

[@hudsoncaceres6820]

I was planning on waiting for the M3 Pro Mini but this convinced me that I don’t need the strength of the next generation. This can do everything I want it to.

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Definitely is for me! It’s been working great. Thanks for watching!

[@rustygates7551]

SOLD. Been waiting for you to drop this video and it confirmed everything I needed to know. Thank you for taking the time to make it!

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Yo Rusty! Glad it was helpful man! Yeah, I'm really happy with it!

[@jeremyharris8796]

Great video. Just took the plunge on an M2 Pro to upgrade my 2015 iMac. It hasn't arrived yet, so still watching videos to make me feel good about my decision.

[@AndreiRestrepo]

I think you're going to be extremely satisfied with it! I came from a 2019 spiced out MBP and this is way better. So I'm sure you'll see a huge difference. I also have a 1 year update video on the m2 pro as well! still using it for my business

[@srlunchbox1668]

All I can say is thank you!! I have been watching tons of youtube videos and reading reddits on which computer I should look at for my business. I even talked to representatives from Apple and everything I was recommended was $2k+. I had a feeling I could use a Mac Mini and I am now convinced. Thank you so much. You have a new subscriber here!!

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Glad to hear it, thanks for the feedback! Still stand by everything in this video now, as it’s still the computer I’m editing on! Thanks for watching!

[@BBQWalkofFlame]

Great review, very useful, like your style, I'm currently editing with a 13 year old iMac with a 1tb external drive. To upgrade it's between the Mini M2 pro, or the Mac Studio, you may have convinced me the M2 Pro will do the job. As a retired pro stills photographer my YouTubing is just a hobby, but I still like to do a polished job.

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Hey! Thanks for the feedback. Yeah, so far so good with this machine! No complaints since upgrading to it and I think it will be more than enough for you. 👍🏻

[@deoccultist]

I was originally dead-set on getting the Mac Studio, but I'm thinking this Mac Mini M2 Pro is all I need right now. If it's fast enough for video editing (and I don't even need 4K editing), then it's beyond perfect for Photoshop design work. I just hope it's built to last.

[@AndreiRestrepo]

I think that’s a perfect choice, still loving it so far and works great!

[@thomask1424]

I'm on the verge of ordering one. I will upgrade the storage to 1Tb even though I'll also be getting the newer Satechi NvME dock, which I'll throw a 2Tb in. As you and others point out 16Gb RAM is plenty but you can never have too much storage.

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Nice! Definitely the smart move, still working great for me!

[@jaredmeche6325]

M2 is just an overclocked M1 with a couple fixes on the higher end, so you're right on the no real need to upgrade if you already have the first. M3 is supposed to be the next significant jump, moving to a 3nm chip. If that's the case, it'll have a larger impact on laptops and ipad pro than the mac minis. Maybe poke at Sandisk, see if they're sponsor a vid, and send you one of their professional G-RAID Arrays. Clean up all those hard drives you have.

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Hey Jared! Thanks for your input. Yeah, that's the next investment, getting setup with a g-raid system! Are you using one? Thanks for watching!

[@jaredmeche6325]

@@AndreiRestrepo not on one yet, but will be by second half this year.

[@mrbinksy]

This video just helped me make up my mind between 16 and 32 GB of RAM. Given that my new purchase is going to be personal use only I think 16 is going to be more than enough to last me for another 5 years. Nice video.

[@AndreiRestrepo]

I think you made the right move, it’s been great for me. Thanks for watching!

[@jriis2010]

When it comes to the M2 Pro, it is not about that the extra 512 gb of storage is not needed as you use external drives, but the speed from 512 to 1TB is doubled due the 2 NAND chips on the SSD on the 1 TB version. The 512 and below only has one NAND chip.

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Thanks for your input! So far I’m loving it, any editing I do is streamlined and runs great. Good point to add though, thanks for watching!

[@seniorbeatbox]

I think 512 has 2 NAND chips

[@jimgunderson6439]

So is the mini 2 PRO worth it??? Can you explain a little further please? Thank you!

[@sharingmatters]

There will always be something better and faster. The speed is double but do you need it?

[@intrinsiccinema7374]

Thank you for that info

[@iunboxstuff635]

Looking to replace my old PC for the M2 Pro and this might be the first video that really convince me. I am dealing with the same kind of work regarding videos and photos so thank you and good job.

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Glad to hear it, appreciate the feedback! I can definitely say it’s been great since, even working on heavier duty projects. Everything I edit just works which has been great!

[@GiacomoArdesi]

I am making the exact same decision, my 2019 MBP 16" still kicks but the heat it delivers and the constant jet noise it produces are killing me.

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Exactly!! Since this video, no complaints on the m2 pro, other than maybe the 1tb storage could’ve been a better move for having enough for apps and programs

[@brianballoonphotography]

Yes, exactly choice I was faced with months ago. Did not want a machine running hot with the fans blasting so when I heard how cool the M chips run and no fan except in extreme circumstances, it was clear M was the choice for the future.

[@boatingwithspencer]

First time I’ve seen one of your videos. Very excellent. Thank you so much.

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Thanks so much, appreciate the feedback! Thanks for watching

[@goobfilmcast4239]

....YES....next question, please....

[@AndreiRestrepo]

YES for videographers & filmmakers. NO for professional video editors doing heavy editing and using multiple editing apps, at least not the base model. Thanks for watching :)

[@snoopaka]

Really enjoyed your video. It answered most of my questions.

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Glad it was helpful, thanks for watching!

[@htxgladiator]

Great video! Thanks for showing real world use. As a hobbyist, I like to make family home videos in 4K and only use FCP and Lightroom. Based on your video, I feel confident that an M2Pro Mini with 16GB will be more than enough for my needs for the next 4 to 5 years before looking to upgrade.

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Definitely! I think it’s more than plenty. That’s awesome you make home videos, I forget to document more of my personal life. What do you make them into? Like family vlogs or mini documentary style videos? Thanks for watching!

[@RobsMemoryLane]

Are you still satisfied with the 16GB model?

[@dave24-73]

You’d probable be able to take the Mac mini anywhere as well, as most places have a tv that’s available. For those bigger projects.

[@AndreiRestrepo]

That’s smart, never thought about that. 👌🏻

[@cotdd]

just ordered a refurbished one. thanks for the reassuring video!

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Good move, I always look for refurbished or preowned gear. Thanks for watching!

[@JamieBonfiglioArt]

Thank you for this video!! I have watched so many about best computers for video editing and I needed your explanation showing what you actually used it for instead of specs. I was so close to just building a PC because I just couldn't tell if even the upgraded Mac mini M2 with 32GB could handle editing with a bunch of graphics or not, or if it made more sense to get Mac Studio. I'm watching your next review a year later now. I think you've sold me!

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Awesome, glad to hear it! Still working great for me! 😊 Thanks for watching

[@ColinHuijser]

As a 2019 specced out macbook pro user thats looking for an upgrade, this is the EXACT video i was looking for. Thanks man!

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Nice! Glad to hear it! I still use my Laptop for some things and it struggles so hard. M2 pro running great !!

[@sharingmatters]

Very professional video! Well explained. Thanks

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Thanks so much, appreciate that!

[@RashidFarhan]

There was one problem though, and it was your using a solid state drive that is too slow,you should've used M2 enclosure with a high speed envme SSD.

[@AndreiRestrepo]

All the SSD’s I use are plenty fast for me, thanks for watching though!

[@dave24-73]

For what Apple charge for storage you can get a NAS. I use 3 NAS units myself all on a single network, and all of these are accessible to any device on the network. If you don’t need portability, I’d recommend a NAS for storage.

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Hey! Please share some more details on that! Would love to know more, wanting to set something like that up!

[@dave24-73]

@@AndreiRestrepo NAS drives usually have Ethernet ports on them, some have two others have one. You simply connect these to a switch/router on the network. It will initially create a dynamic ip address, it’s important to change tis to static so it never changes, this is because if you do updates it may need to restart. Once connected from any computer on network you enter the ip address in the browser and it allows access. Once you’ve connected once from finder in Mac you can go connect to, it will see the drive and then it behaves just like a usb drive. Some also allow direct connection to a computer via usb, but for every device to see it you’ll need to use Ethernet. You set up a user name and password and when you connect the first time it will prompt you for these. Often you can get a NAS from QNAP or Synology quite cheap on sale or even second hand, here are the ones I’m more familiar with. I got a 4 bay QNAP with 8 TB for $150 second hand, company was upgrading. I also purchase a QNAP as a media centre and a SYNOLOGY to back up stuff on. Note usually the come without drives, so buying a second hand one can save you a lot of money and may even include drives.

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Thanks so much for this, screen shot your comment to do some research!

[@dave24-73]

@@AndreiRestrepo if your router has a USB port on the back, it may also have a file server, meaning you could plug an external drive into the router and it would act as remote drive, this would be storage only vs a NAS which can do a lot more, but it’s something you may be able to try for free.

[@ChefMarkRivera]

Thank you! Just the video I needed to watch

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Glad to hear it mark, appreciate the feedback and glad it was helpful!

[@thehourshow2851]

thank you man im doing a film project, I have the pocket 6k I didn't want to spend a lot of money on a new computer, I was going back and forth with one to get thank you for your video

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Nice! Someone else just commented a similar thing. They said they’re upgrading to 32gb memory, might be the smart move to make sure there’s no lagging with complicated projects using 6k raw. Thanks for watching!

[@thehourshow2851]

Hey man I purchased an m2 pro Mac mini and I had to returned it’s was refurbished the performance was to slow 32g ram 512 hardrive space I went with the basic Mac mini 24g with 1tb brand new loving it much faster I do think for video work the 1 TB makes a difference and if I could afford it I would go with 64 g of ram but for my needs it great

[@Anonymous99997]

I am in the same position. I have been using an iMac Pro for Photo and Video editing for the last few years and want to replace it with something that has a nice display like I have.

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Super happy with the Mac mini m2 pro still, runs everything great! Thanks for watching

[@rasserfrasser]

Thank you so much for doing a hands-on review. Magnificent. When does the After Effects clone of you get released?

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Hahah appreciate it! Funny enough never really dove in after effects. Thanks for watching!

[@tomaszhejna8138]

16GB will be enough for Lightroom and Photoshop photo editing (semipro)? Is it worth buying with 32 GB? I don't want to regret it in a year or two

[@AndreiRestrepo]

For me it has been, but to future proof yourself even more, I’d go 32gb. Thanks for watching!

[@anjuli_fitforlife]

I've watched so many videos about the Mac Mini & it's been so hard to decide what I want to get but tbh anything is an upgrade from my 2015 8gb iMac! It's $1799 here in New Zealand for the 16gb & 512gb ssd but I need an upgrade so I think this has sold me on it.

[@AndreiRestrepo]

I think you'll be more than happy with it! Don't know exactly what kind of work you do but everything I've needed it to do, it does just fine. Thanks for watching!

[@anjuli_fitforlife]

Oops I commented on this account by mistake. My actual youtube is @anjulimack - so I never saw this reply but I went with a Dell screen and a macmini with 16GB 512 :)@@AndreiRestrepo

[@bracesport]

I have an M2P coming - upgrading from a 2017 MBP - I am looking forward to FCP and Blender improvements!

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Definitely think you'll see quite the improvement! Thanks for watching

[@billydeespodcast]

Thanks for the straightforward video. I have an M1 Mini and really like it. I was a very early adopter and 16g wasn’t yet available, but have had few issues with 8. I’m considering an M2 Pro for the base 16g & the better connectivity. I would guess that technically speed is better with the M2 but minimally on a practical level than the M1. Subscribed & thank you.

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Hey Billy! Glad you found it valuable, thanks for watching and subscribing!

[@EveInTheMachine]

Really? Even with just 8GB of ram? Maybe I need to re-evaluate how I look at RAM... lol... these SOC computers sound nuts!

[@_w.w._]

What are your thoughts on the m2 mini 1 year later?

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Actually made 1 year review video! But it's been great, still using it! kzbin.info/www/bejne/b2q3kK1vhZyBhassi=w_qza858J-f53JkF

[@albertolacbai]

For traveling with the mac mini.. use the hdmi port with your camera monitor just to get it running and then use the ipad for your main monitor once you get the sidecar thing going (making the camera monitor secondary). =]

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Smart! Thanks for sharing. I realistically don't see myself traveling with it though, just don't do much traveling right now. Thanks for watching!

[@patryklason3108]

Very interesting description of m2 pro. However, I have a dilemma, because I will mainly use it for Photoshop and I was considering the M2 version, but in the configuration of 24GB RAM / 512GB SSD drive. This is probably a better option than choosing the 16GB version, but M2pro...?

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Thanks! Hmm I would still do the m2pro for any editing, and the 16gb if not more to be safe!

[@AndreiRestrepo]

and here's an updated 1 year review on it too, still works great! kzbin.info/www/bejne/b2q3kK1vhZyBhas

[@saeedsiddiki2007]

Nicely done review and practical real live examples! Loved it One thing I was hoping to know from u , that m2PRO designation, what exactly is different to the standard M2 max mini? Is it more on the internals ?

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Hey, thanks so much! I think you’re right, more on the internals. I didn’t touch so much on computer specifics since that’s not my field of knowledge so I presented this in a real life view. Thanks for watching!

[@billbuckleytutorials]

Excellent video my friend

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Thanks so much, appreciate it!

[@markroffey5258]

Andrei, thanks for this video. I am a wedding and family photographer using Capture one pro. I am using a 40MP camera Fujifilm X-T5. I have an inter 2015 iMac 27 inch. Doe you think this M2 Mac Mini work fine for this application. Thanks for the testing on the base model.

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Hey! That's a good question, personally haven't edited with photo files that large as mine are pretty much half the size. I would think it would breeze through them, and you'd notice a huge upgrade from the 2015 iMac! Thanks for watching

[@talktalk4503]

Juz what I need to see. Great vid! Btw did u consider PC during the upgrade process?

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Glad you found it valuable! I didn’t simply because I’ve never worked in PC and just entirely used editing in the Mac OS systems. Totally something to consider if you work in PC or have! Thanks for watching

[@talktalk4503]

@@AndreiRestrepo i used to be a PC guy then many years ago i jumped onto the Mac wagon. But w the current mac lineup it's even harder to ugprade cost efficiently. So I m considering jumping back to PC side :(

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Totally makes sense! It’s definitely better cost-wise.

[@Dulcilady]

Enjoyed your ram world use video. I subscribed.

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Thanks so much, truly appreciate it!

[@chadmullins7553]

This was a really insightful video! Thank you very much. I have been watching a lot of videos looking for information regarding the M2 models and how they work with the video/photography. Most only stick to the specs of things, but you really provide your real world scenarios, which really show what I need to know. I am waiting for the M3 to come out, hopefully with an iMac that is worth while. Hopefully an iMac Pro which would be as good as the studio would be nice. If not, I would probably be looking to upgrade to at least the studio.

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Thanks for the feedback, appreciate it! I almost went with a studio but just seemed overkill for what normally do, this one is still killing it! Thanks for watching!

[@chadmullins7553]

I totally understand! I could go for something that could handle what I am currently working with too, however, I am the kind of person who increases what I am capable of doing once I have the right equipment for it. So it would be better for me to purchase something with a little more power than what is necessary as I will increase the workload in the future.@@AndreiRestrepo

[@happydayzee]

Wonderful video and I like how calm you are. Do you think the base base model of 8 CPU, 10 GPU, and 16 engine with 24gb of ram would be ok for similar video editing projects?

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Thanks, appreciate that! Hard to say since I haven't used it. But honestly I wouldn't go below the base m2 pro model like I'm using. Just to be safe! Thanks for watching!

[@careenaalexis]

This is EXACTLY the point I'm at too, my MacBook Pro also cannot handle my r6 mkII log footage!

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Works like a charm. 👌🏻 probably more affordable now since the m3’s came out!

[@careenaalexis]

Wicked! Thanks again for all the content! @@AndreiRestrepo

[@askstudio75]

Thanks for a great review. I am also fellow Houstonian...(i noticed familiar landmarks in your video😂) looking for Mac Mini and impressed with the performance. Thanks again for sharing...

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Haha nice! Glad you enjoyed the video, it’s been great! No complaints since I’ve gotten it. Thanks for watching!

[@kaosarahmeds]

I just impressed with your review

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Thanks, appreciate it!

[@CalvinRoyHarrison]

Good info. Thank you.

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Glad it was valuable! Thanks for watching

[@rondeangelis7384]

thanks for a great demo justifying the Mac mini probate model. I was hedging towards the Mac studio, but now I see it will be overkill for me. thanks again!👋

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Glad it was helpful, thanks for watching!

[@amritbhathal1487]

Off topic from your Mac Mini, but what CRM system are you using to manage your customers and bookings? I am trying to look for a system, and not sure what I should go with! Would love a video on how you deliver content to your clients and what you use to organize your bookings!

[@AndreiRestrepo]

For sure! I've recently moved over to Aryeo which is I guess mostly a CRM system for my real estate business. Email is still done through gmail. But it's been great since it provides a paywall before downloading, property websites, customer info + their own portal, and works for delivering photo/video content. And it integrated with stripe and then pays out to my business account. Good video idea! Just trying to get fully used to it. Thanks for watching!

[@JamesJosephFinn]

Dude! Thank you so much for this. I've been researching this to death, and you nailed it. Thanks for sharing your real world use case; that's what made this video invaluable!

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Hey James! Thanks so much for the feedback, glad you found it valuable!

[@HEREONOUTBAILEY]

What model and year is your MacBook please? Would the M2 mini be a good replacement for my 2019 27” iMac with 64GB RAM? The processor is the old Intel i5 … I think?

[@AndreiRestrepo]

It’s a 2019 MacBook Pro! Also intel based. Do you have issues with your iMac? I think it definitely would an upgrade if you’re computer is struggling to edit or whatever you do

[@MarcAltshuler]

Thanks for the info. I've beeen struggling with the choices of M2. What's the movable monitor stand you're using?

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Hope it was valuable! It’s an older 34in LG ultrawide monitor on a $50 Amazon monitor arm that works great !

[@AndreiRestrepo]

This one to be exact amzn.to/3N5c0xZ

[@collinrobinson1864]

Great video! Definitely will consider this when I go to upgrade my system but I’m a bit nervous about the 16GB of RAM since I usually run AE, PR, and PS at the same time and use dynamic link. And they charge like $200 to go from 16 to 32GB of ram. Will still consider it though, I miss MacOS.

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Yep! I think I would’ve upgraded everything if I need more in depth editing. Plus what I learned from my last investment in my laptop - tech is constantly evolving so I’m sure in a couple of years I may upgrade this again. What made you leave macOS? Being able to custom and upgrade things? Thanks for watching!

[@uldmedia]

The upgrade from 16 to 32 GB cost $400.

[@collinrobinson1864]

@@uldmediamore to the point, lol. ☠️

[@collinrobinson1864]

@@AndreiRestrepo Just wanted the bang for the buck from a PC. I switched early 2020 when GPU prices were still sane so it made since then.

[@barssillusion]

Please help me. What should I choose? Mac mini M2 24G SSD with 1TB capacity or Mac mini M2 Pro 16G SSD with 512 GB capacity? Video editing in Full HD and 4K 8-10 bit formats. In Adobe Premiere. The speed of the timeline is important. The price for both computers is the same.

[@AndreiRestrepo]

I have the 16gb memory and nothing slows down the timeline on premiere, even 10bit 4k and raw video. But I’d say more memory over storage for sure, you can always get external SSD’s. Thanks for watching!

[@mr_red13]

Coming from a 2016 MacBook Pro, would the Mac mini m2 Pro have the same problems reading SD cards from a Sony a6400?

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Hmm, I can’t say but I haven’t had any problems. I use a third party sd card reader/hub that’s worked perfectly fine for a few years now. Thanks for watching!

[@prsearls]

Looking to upgrade from MacPro "trashcan" model for Photoshop/Lightroom. Old CPU no longer supports new PS features plus no Apple security updates for the old MacOS it uses. Looking forward to Mac-mini refresh later this year; it's rumored to have M4 CPU which would be plenty of "horsepower" for what I do. Old machine would probably become a server (no trade-in value).

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Nice! I'm still using the M2 Pro, I even made a follow up 1 year review to this video and still works great. No plan on upgrading on my end because it runs all the editing apps just fine. Thanks for watching!

[@javi4591]

Is your LG ultrawide "kinda old" monitor 4K?? I'm really having problems finding a "good enough" monitor on a reasonable budget for basically the same set up as yours.

[@AndreiRestrepo]

It’s technically not 4k, it’s like quad hd or something like that. I think it’s 3840x1440. But ya still more than enough and the extra screen space is great. Pretty sure it’s this one or the model before: amzn.to/3pQVUQZ

[@javi4591]

@@AndreiRestrepo thanks! But would I be missing out if I don't go for the 4k? Or is something like the LG 34WP500-B 34" 34" UltraWide FHD (2560 x 1080) IPS Display good enough for now?

[@AndreiRestrepo]

For me it’s not a deal breaker, eventually I might get something 4K or higher. But getting started, and for me now, no complaints

[@rebecavandermooren9141]

Hi Andrei, really great video showing the real use and time. QQ: why is the mac mini still better than the macbook even though the laptop had more ram, gpu and memory? might be a silly question but that resonated with me. thanks!

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Thanks so much! No problem at all - it's simply because my laptop is an intel based computer vs these are using the new m2 chips which can decode video codecs that are much harder for the intel ones to understand. So even though my laptop has way better specs, the computer/processors on the m2 pro beats it for what I do with no question. Hope that makes sense and that I used all the correct terminology bc I'm not a computer guy haha thanks for watching!

[@rebecavandermooren9141]

@@AndreiRestrepo ohhh you're right. Forgot that detail. Thank you so much!! Will totally go for this one :)

[@joseortiz-sr4jl]

I’m thinking of getting the base model 14 inch MacBook M2 pro with 1T SSD

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Solid choice! Same setup my friend uses and he loves it. Thanks for watching!

[@dirkbaumann9398]

Great video and very informative. Question: I have a 2013 IMac 27 inch, is there a way as using it as a monitor with the 512 Mac Mini?

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Thanks so much! Unfortunately I can’t answer that since I’ve never used an iMac. :/

[@IslandDigital]

Is there a Mac Mini M3 on its way ??

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Idk, might be! But this one has still been great, don't plan on upgrading anytime soon

[@titanax1390]

This is a good review video. What got me was the way you were so calm about your $4500 lap top crashing, for that price that you paid- Apple should have given you either new for new replacement or a lap top that was most up to date for the equivalent price at that time. As it happens I have bought a Mac Mini M2 Pro, 16GB unified memory with the 1TB SSD. I am not a professional photographer and Video / film producer like you are, but I like tech generally and I like having high spec and the power to get things done should I need to. The only thing that has irked me about the Mac Mini is that the display compatibility - you correctly state that you hooked your Mac Mini to an LG monitor, in fact you can hook the Mac Mini up to ANY display except Apple displays AFTER 2014- which I find quite bizarre. The only way for me to be able to use my Mac Mini with the 5k retina display I have now is to either Airplay / screen mirror from a none Apple display into the Apple display I have already OR buy a Luna dongle, which transmits a display signal from the Mac Mini into the Apple desktop display, either way the incompatibility that was contradicted by Apple's own website, and Tech support, and Apple Geniuses, has made for a very aggravating experience, no one knew what was true and what was false., When ever I buy new tech products I am always elated and happy when they turn up on the doorstep, but with Apple there always seems to be a catch out or a surprise which is unpleasant, and marring of an otherwise polished experience. It is rumoured that Apple spend a lot of money trying to get the packaging right for the end user, the Mac Mini that has arrived is still in its box, unopened, unused until I can get a none Apple brand display for it; so their investment in the box it came in was (THEIR) money well spent. Thanks Andrei for your review.

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Hey! Thanks for your insight, that's crazy about the monitors! Mines definitely 5-6 years old now so the display isn't as crisp as newer ones. Eventually I'll upgrade but if that's the case, not sure if I'll go with a newer apple display then. Thanks for watching!

[@mrherol]

Hey and cool video! So the standard version of the MacMini M2 Pro for 1549€ is enough for me as a designer? Greetings

[@AndreiRestrepo]

I’d definitely think so. What programs do you primarily work in? PS+AI? I think if I can do heavy video editing, that should work just fine. If you wanted to be safe, you could do the 32gb memory. And thanks for watching!

[@mrherol]

@@AndreiRestrepo Hey and thanks for your quick reply! Yes I work mainly with Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator. I also think that the M2 Pro with 16 GB Ram is sufficient!

[@AZTEC_ARTS2023]

So in other words ... this would hands down handle LUMIX GH7 5.7K (as is / downsacled to 4K) or 4K footage .... with 8 or 10bit, 420 / 422 codecs and RAW / MOV / MP4 or PRO RES and RAW video files ???? all WITHOUT lagging ?

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Definitely, I believe so! Here's a 1 year follow up where I test out some 8k footage from the r5c and still handles it great! kzbin.info/www/bejne/b2q3kK1vhZyBhassi=LGEakVQOk-LLulVO

[@eberhardporombka]

Great Video - thank You from Germany 👍✨🙏

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Thanks so much! I also have a one year review updated video on the Mac mini m2 pro as well. Greetings from TX!

[@eberhardporombka]

@@AndreiRestrepo ♥

[@wildeyestudios5]

I'm thinking of getting the m2 pro mac mini, just not sure about the specs, there's the basic and a higher version of cpu\gou to choose from, and probably would pick the 1 tb sdd as you 512 might be too tight on the long run. 16gb of ram I agree should be enough. Gonna edit just 1080p files on premiere pro, maybe occasionally 4k, but that doesn't really take more ram.if I'm not mistaken

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Definitely not a bad move to future proof yourself with an upgrade or two if you budget allows! I only edit 4K and up so I think the base would do fine for you since it's been great for me. Thanks for watching!

[@davet3530]

Really helpful video , thanks. I’m in the position of considering upgrade options from an older 27” iMac. I’ve been thinking about the new M3 iMac but the lack of ports and the smaller screen are a potential drawback. But I like the concept of a an all inclusive machine. The alternative is a Mac mini and a studio display. I am a keen photography enthusiast (not in business ) and work with LR Classic and PS 2024. It’s so refreshing to see a review of someone who talks about how the Mac mini handles the sort of tasks I might need the computer to do. Merged panos from CR3Raw files From a Canon R5. Or multi layer files in the PS edit. It was useful to see your comments about the Mac mini handling the Canon video files as that is an area I am looking to do more off - possibly with FCP. PS 2024 is not fully compatible with my older IMac operating system - I think it needs the silicone chip to be so. Would you recommend the Mac Mini and Studio display or the all inclusive M3 iMac ? I know there is a cost element, but I’m also thing of five or so years of use out of whatever I go for. Thanks

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Thanks for sharing! I tried looking and didn’t see a “pro” version of the m3 iMac, even thought I’m sure it would do great with what you’re needing. Tough to say! I’d say, if you’re happy with an iMac all inclusive setup, I’d stick to upgrading to the m3 version of it and probably at least upgrade the memory to make sure it can handle anything you do. And you can always just use a dongle adapter like I do on the mini to get more ports, works fine. I also wanted to point out, while the studio display is probably amazing (I want it too haha), there’s plenty of other more affordable monitors that probably look just as great. The thing I love most about the mini series is the power to cost you get, definitely a great option if you have all the other accessories like a monitor, mouse, and keyboard. Thanks for watching!

[@davet3530]

@@AndreiRestrepo thank you so much for your views. Much appreciated.

[@yomango35]

Nice video . Question for you .Would get the Mac Mini pro M2 with 16 GB of Rams and 2 TB of SSD or Mac mini Pro M2 with 32 GB of rams and 1TB of SSD ? Both are the same price . I am debating right now. :))) ( use for video editing )

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Hey man! More RAM for sure! You can't add RAM afterwards, but you can add more storage using external SSD's like I do. You won't gain any extra performance getting more storage and their storage is pretty pricy. Thanks for watching!

[@lapmakz]

Do you use pirated premier or a subscription??😊

[@AndreiRestrepo]

The subscription for all the apps since I use LR, PS, media encoder and whatever else

[@buffaloweddingvideos]

i need to see what adapter will allow me to import my firewire cable to capture footage from my Sony Pd-150's.They are mini-dv cameras & i need to go thru many tapes in future to import for editing.

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Ahh gotcha, that's out of my realm so can't really say much on that. What do you currently work on now? Thanks for watching!

[@accentontheoff]

Any chance you have a take on music production on the same machine? Thanks.

[@zeechris9220]

Its can runs logic pro easily even on m2 chip , make sure just to get minimum 16gb ram

[@accentontheoff]

@@zeechris9220 Ok thanks.

[@zeechris9220]

@@accentontheoff no prob!! 🫡

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Glad someone answered, wouldn’t have been able to say whether you could or not! Thanks for watching

[@VladislavBorisov-j1n]

Hello, i usually don't leave comments. I wanted to say thankyou for a really good thurough review. My company does Photography, video, and sound engineering/DJ/karaoke. This Video helped me make a decision on investing into one of thiese as well. It was vert informative and straight to the point. Wish you the best! :D thank you again

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Thanks so much! Glad it was valuable. It’s still kicking just fine with any of my work! Thanks for watching

[@brianballoonphotography]

I was in the same scenario as you. Went from a 2015 mb pro 16 gb ram for photo/video editing to a Mac mini m2 pro 2023 16GB ram. Totally connected with you. Final Cut was even smoother compared to Davinci on my old laptop. Went from very choppy to smooth in Davinci and PS on the new Mac Mini. LOVE the price to performance. Since I live in TX too (Dallas area) maybe we should collab?? 😀 Btw I heard Premiere isn't even optimized for the M chips like FCP and Davinci are, so your processing speed in Premiere likely isn't even full potential!

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Nice! What kind of work do you do in dallas? Yup, still beyond happy with it, especially the small investment it was compared to a speced out version. Thanks for watching!

[@brianballoonphotography]

@@AndreiRestrepo I do portrait and dance photography and some video work!

[@younseokjang6656]

Hi! I am just wondering! Was it a Mac mini Pro with 16 GB RAM? I have been watching many videos about the Mac mini videos.. Some people said 16 RAM is enough to edit 4K videos but some people said not…

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Correct, 16gb ram! It’s worked fine for me, but I also never really have any other apps open at the same time as well. To be safe, 32gb would be the right move! But as a full time photographer/videographer, it’s been more than enough

[@younseokjang6656]

@@AndreiRestrepo Hey, Andrei. Thank you for your reply. Just one more question: if I edit with complex layout video clips (add adjustment layout and b-roll and another adjustment layout and transition effect etc..), did 16 GB RAM handle it? Your video almost made me clear. Thank you so much. I am just waiting for the M3 chip Mac mini at the moment. 😭😭

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Yeah, runs all that fine for me! But like I said, to be safe, I’d go 32

[@bvsproductions]

Where did you get or what is the full size keyboard name in this video?

[@AndreiRestrepo]

It’s called the logitech K750 keyboard, which is solar powered, and it would’ve worked out much better if I worked in a more well lit environment, but now I use the MX keys mini. Thanks for watching!

[@cairocarr]

What are your thoughts on the Mini M2 with 24 gb of ram with 512 gb of storage vs the base model pro? Mostly photography with hobby videography

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Hey! Hmm, honestly I think I would still go for the base Mac mini m2 pro. Just because I can honestly say it'll work great for you vs I'm not sure if you'd have any issues with the regular Mac mini. Thanks for watching!

[@cairocarr]

Thanks!

[@work2836]

If you are getting paid for your video work, you might as well go for M1 Max Ultra chip based studio for $1800 (refurbished). That also comes with 32GB Ram and much better performance in terms of video editing i.e. 2x media engines for twice the speed.

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Hey! Nice, thanks for your input. This is still total overkill for me since it easily ran the most complex video project I’ve done. And normally it’s just some real estate video work, social media content, and YT. I think if I was doing much more editing extensive projects in multiple apps, I would’ve looked at that. Thanks for watching!

[@garuda909]

Hi @work2836 - What's a good place to buy a used M1 Max ? Thank you.

[@SecretMan299]

would you have get the 32gb RAM if you do it again

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Not for another $400, it’s been great for any project!

[@memzTV]

I bought a Mac Studio for over 2k and I want to “downgrade” to the Mac Mini M2 Pro to save 1k dollars! Should I do it? The Mac Studio is still within the return window.

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Maybe! What do you do? Do you think the m2 pro is more than plenty for you?

[@memzTV]

@@AndreiRestrepo I did ended up exchanging the Mac Studio for the Mac Mini right now! I got 1k money back. Haha. That makes me feel so much better !

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Haha that's awesome, congrats! Can use that for something else. :)

[@55beethoven]

Super helpful review. Bought the new Mac Studio M2 and waiting for it to arrive. But wondering if I should get the Mac mini M2 pro instead and save money. What differences do you notice with one over the other? I’m primarily a photographer using LR and photoshop. Not a whole lot of video editing. Mac Studio will be overkill for me but wondering if it’s more future proof than a 16gb Mac mini. Thanks!

[@aik64g]

please do comparision video M2 pro base vs M2 mac Mini Pro.

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Hey! Honestly don't think I can get my hands on another Mac to test out. I was able to make a video showcasing this one since I personally invested in it for my needs. Thanks for watching!

[@aik64g]

@@AndreiRestrepo lot of channels do benchmark on games. I find your channel which focus on real world video editing. kudos to that! I am confussed which one to purchase mini pro 16GB or macbook pro 16 GB ram

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Oh gotcha! Well it helped me make my decision on the fact that I already have a laptop that still works great and I also usually just edit from my office. So investing in another laptop didn't make much sense to me. Plus, I already had an external monitor, mouse, and keyboard. I believe the MBP 16gb ram m2 pro chip, and the Mac mini m2 pro 16gb ram, are the same. Just depends if you need the power in a laptop or a desktop.

[@vichhaichork7778]

I was wondering how the M2 Pro performance with Adobe app cuz I've been using the M1 for awhile now and it work well with photo and simple video editing like 4K 8bit but when it come to BMPCC 4K 10bit 4.2.2 thing, It struggle when scrolling through timeline. After seeing ur video I got clear view now I think my work fit with the M2 Pro now with adobe app.

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Thanks! Yeah, BM video can be tough, I've worked with it a few times! I just made a 1 year review on the m2 pro in case you're interested in watching that! kzbin.info/www/bejne/b2q3kK1vhZyBhassi=J_JU3IXdz6SzXT3W

[@angmadiskartengdaddy6307]

my dear i only use PS LR and FCXP and i plan to upgrade the 16 gd `ram to 32 ~Gb...If i will ask u its ok to upgrade it

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Nice! I use the same except premiere pro instead of FCXP which typically runs worse. I edit in all those programs and my M2 pro 16gb runs them fine

[@---oh5ls]

On your 16-inch did you have an i7 or i9?

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Sorry for the late reply, i9!

[@twn2rbo]

Does it do good with h265 10 bit with grading etc?

[@AndreiRestrepo]

YES! That’s the primary reason since that’s what my camera shoots. Works great!

[@jankarlsson8341]

Great video, I also shoot real estate: photos and simple videos as a side hussle. I just wanted to ask if you can store the entire LR catalog and photos on the Sandisk ssd and only work from that? Is the speed sufficent? I do HDR in LR and I'm a bit worried that the workflow will be slow when using an SSD, but I might be wrong. Thanks in advance! /Jan

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Hey! Nope, not slow at all. That’s how I work with my LR catalog! I keep it on an external sandisk extreme ssd along with everything else. Basically just store the programs on the computer and that’s it. Thanks for watching!

[@jankarlsson8341]

@@AndreiRestrepo Thanks for the reply, keep up the good work! I'm torn between the mini m2 pro and an MBP m2 max, a big difference in price of course and both have their pros and cons.

[@crazyjane01]

Hello. I have an old iMac Retina 2014 (Intel Core i5, 32GB RAM, FusionDrive 1.12TB), unfortunately apple no longer supports and won't let me install new os updates, so I can't install Lightroom. I tried to install os unofficially /I have Ventura there now/, it works fine, only Lightroom is slow. Would it make sense for a Mac mini for m2 16GB (would it be better?) and would it connect to an Imac and use it at least as a monitor? Thanks

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Hey! I can’t fully confirm for the iMac as a monitor since I’ve never used one. But I can honestly this base m2 pro has been great for over a year now!

[@kevinhawkins82]

Is there a sample real estate video of yours that I can see? What do you charge for shooting a Real Estate video and what do you change for editing one?

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Sure thing! You can check out the videos I have uploaded on my business channel. youtube.com/@prorealmedia Right now we start at $350 and they can go $1000+ and I don’t offer real estate video editing services. Thanks for watching!

[@ian.bravo2]

You need a NAS system for your storage solution. that's too much external drives!

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Yup, I definitely do. Lol

[@keithbirdwell]

Is this 16 gb version good for 4k video editing??

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Definitely. That’s what I was using in all these examples. 4K video from my camera which is a tough codec to process, even raw video from the c200 + c70 and 6k raw from the black magic work fine. Thanks for watching!

[@keithbirdwell]

@@AndreiRestrepo thanks!

[@marwasa7344]

Thanks for great video.. please help Will it be enough for editing and after effect 4k??

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Hard to say since I don’t use after effects! Might be safe to go with the 32gb ram option to be safe. But for photo/video editing, it’s been great! Thanks for watching!

[@marwasa7344]

@@AndreiRestrepo thank you for your reply.. which video editing apps you keep using with this mac ? Thanks again

[@marwasa7344]

Please .. last question.. is it silent or is there a fan sound ??? Mac mini m2 16/512 (not pro)

[@marwasa7344]

Please .. last question.. is it silent or is there a fan sound ??? Mac mini m2 16/512 (not pro)

[@AndreiRestrepo]

I use premiere pro! Lightroom and photoshop for photo editing. Mine is silent, I image the regular m2 is as well.

[@mmalouf]

This guy really needs a NAS

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Help me out, send me some vids on getting that setup

[@mmalouf]

@@AndreiRestrepo kzbin.info/www/bejne/n56rYWR8q7mmqcU

[@Guironey]

thxxx for thisss

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Glad you found it valuable!

[@lostrusty7351]

You didn't use proxy?

[@AndreiRestrepo]

I mentioned in the video I used to do that, along with transacting the footage but both processes just didn't;t work well for me. No proxies or anything needed on the m2 pro. Thanks for watching !

[@lostrusty7351]

@@AndreiRestrepo i just wanted to confirm if hear right lol,, thanks for the reply,, im currently debating if i got cheap m2 pro or a use m1 max macbook pro🤪

[@AndreiRestrepo]

I'd say if you do a ton of heavy editing or work in multiple apps at once, go with the m1 max, otherwise I think the m2 pro is plenty for most editors!

[@lostrusty7351]

@@AndreiRestrepo I got a killer deal on M1! max 16,, loving it ,, thanks for the replay brother

[@afonsosantos8364]

Does thethering work with M2 ?

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Hey Afonso, I can't say. Haven't tried that actually!

[@afonsosantos8364]

@@AndreiRestrepo I can find quite a few complaints about M1/M2 not working with Tethering of C1. Sole reason I have not upgraded from my intel based 2018 Mac Mini so far

[@terjemaurset6133]

In Norway the Mini M2 Pro cost 1800-1900usd... And that's just so ouch!

[@AndreiRestrepo]

Ahh that’s a lot, sorry to hear! Thanks for watching!