motionwind

OK FOLKS, my FOLLOW-UP. I can NOW finally say I am satisfied with my decision (thanks for your assistance Ploki). I finally running EVERYTHING I used to run on my MacPro, and can play back MOST of my songs I tested without any changes to plugins. To get there took about 4 VERY FULL days work (including nightshifts). The DRAWBACK? I had to pay a LOT of extra bucks to update nearly ALL software to the newest versions. The entire investment (Hardware plus software), and 2 new 4k Monitors, came to about the same I would have paid for the BASE MODEL 2019 MAC PRO.

monitors are cheap enough.

Yes, like Ploki said, CONGRATS ! I just received my MINI today and am installing NI-Komplete-Ultimate-12 ! I decided to BITE THE BULLET to the FULLEST and left it on CATALINA . I suppose I will have some issues ... so far I have downloaded HALF of it (in about 5 hours time) ... and everything has installed ok so far (except for REACTOR5, which was provided for convenience, but is out-dated and replaced by REACTOR6). This might be an issue for some people, but I mostly used KONTAKT5 Instruments, and TO MY DELIGHT, KONTAKT5 and KONTAKT6 BOTH installed successfully I will let you know what else I run into.

I just ordered a Mac Mini 2018 / i7, 6-core / 32GB / 2TB / 10GB Ethernet to replace my 8-Core Mac Pro. I mainly use Logic & Native Instruments plugins. In my olinion, the Mac Pro 8--to-12 core was always over-powered for most Logic Pro use-cases. My research seemed to indicate that the 2018 Mini is even a little more powerful than most older Mac Pros ... including the 12-core. I know several 12-core users who went mini and seem happy. I could have chosen an iMac ... but it would have cost me more ... and memory is not easily upgradable. The Mini memory is USER-upgradable up to 64GB ! Although it is not good for GRAPHICS work you can get yourself the ABSOLUTE BEST video card on the market today with the money you saved on buying a Mini. With the iMac you are STUCK with an mediocre card (mind you, still not a bad one, but overpriced).. The Mac Mini seems to run reasonably cool ... and is build SO ROCK SOLID. If I bought a Macbook Pro I KNOW mine would be scratched up after a couple of years. Try to find a MBP that has no scratches lol. What I also love about the Mini is thar it is SEMI-Portable. If I need to bring it with me I CAN ! The newest iMac seems to weigh more than an ELEPHANT (I have no idea why it's so damned heavy). Forget bringing that along ... to much risk of damage. Lastly, I also do graphics work. So at some point I will pick up an eGPU with the best video card available . Then my Mini will be a powerhorse for VIDEO AS WELL. P.S. I will first get my Mini Jan 10. Until then all the informatiom above is simply based on research & talkimg to others. Before making a decision plesse do your own research based on your own USE-CASES.