Just from anecdotal observation, the iMac seems to have several niches where a fashionable desktop is called for: at least higher-end shops and lobbies, and musicians and other artists who dabble in production enough to need the larger screen but not enough to invest in a more expensive setup.
The Mini seems more specialized. I’ve bought many of them over the years for things like video installations, but I never see them in “regular people use”.
For quite some years I just said "buy a notebook and (if you really need it) monitor with keyboard/ mouse".
With an SSD and a decent amount of RAM any notebook is fine for 95% of what people want from the home computer, with a small exception of gaming with a better settings than low/middle.
At this point nor Mini, nor any other SFF 'desktop' doesn't make sense, because you can't take it with you if you need.
A Mini is very large (1.4 L) in comparison with a NUC (0.5 L) and indeed a Mac Mini would be inconvenient to carry.
On the other hand, a NUC together with a 17" portable monitor and a compact keyboard weighs less than a 17" gaming computer or mobile workstation and it is easier carried in a backpack, while offering similar performance and more peripheral ports, eliminating the need to also carry dongles.
When you know that a monitor and a keyboard are available at the destination, e.g. when commuting between home and office, than carrying only the NUC is far more convenient than carrying even the thinnest and lightest laptop.
So you can always take a NUC with you wherever you need. I have done this in many business trips, as a much better alternative to carrying a big and heavy mobile workstation laptop.
> and more peripheral ports, eliminating the need to also carry dongles.
My notebook has three USB ports. In the last years the only thing I needed (but in the end didn't) was an Ethernet adapter for the POTP (Plain Old Twisted Pair, lol) cable.
> e.g. when commuting between home and office
Quite weird take. Sure, it's small, but...
> So you can always take a NUC with you wherever you need
Well, I prefer to be able to work on my PC, not seeking a power outlets and a place for a monitor.
IMO a laptop is bulky and inconvenient to place on my desk. The battery is an unnecessary hazard. Having to open the screen to power on the device is inconvenient
I think there are lots of reasons to prefer a minipc to laptop. Personally if I need a computer on the go, I use my phone. Much lighter and smaller.
I’ve found I have little use for my laptop, as a portable machine, since adding an iPad alongside my phone. I doubt I’ll buy another laptop in the future and certainly not a new one (3 y/o Thinkpad maybe).
I’ll probably go with a gaming desktop or a NUC sized machine and a gaming console depending on what the market looks like in a couple years.
I know a few people who bought an iMac because it was the easiest way to get a desktop PC at home:
- big screen
- simple setup
- lasts 10 years
They're a fantastic value if you want a trouble free PC for non-tech folks. The only sad thing is that after 10 years you are basically throwing away a perfectly fine display.
The Mini seems more specialized. I’ve bought many of them over the years for things like video installations, but I never see them in “regular people use”.