I do appreciate the aesthetic of the iMacs but I traditionally gravitate towards the Mac Minis for two primary reasons:
I typically want a larger/higher quality monitor than what's packaged in the current iMac Models and I prefer dual, matching monitors for my desktop setup.
Historically the Mac Minis have had more hardware customization and an easier time making those changes
Regarding the RAM choice - I would verify if the RAM can be upgraded or not on the device you're picking. If it can, then you can go with a lower amount of ram initially and upgrade later; if it cannot then you want to make your up-front investment to maximize the longevity of the device. Regardless of which Mac I pick today, I tend to set a baseline of at least 16GB Ram and 500GB Hard Drive in anticipation of my future needs.
Also worth mentioning - if you have an Apple Credit Card, that 0% APR financing makes it a lot easier to afford the hardware upgrades when ordering.
I'm a friendly, non-dev, cisgender guy from NC who enjoys playing music/making noise, hiking, eating veggies, and hanging out with my best friend/wife + our 3 kitties + 1 greyhound.
I do appreciate the aesthetic of the iMacs but I traditionally gravitate towards the Mac Minis for two primary reasons:
Regarding the RAM choice - I would verify if the RAM can be upgraded or not on the device you're picking. If it can, then you can go with a lower amount of ram initially and upgrade later; if it cannot then you want to make your up-front investment to maximize the longevity of the device. Regardless of which Mac I pick today, I tend to set a baseline of at least 16GB Ram and 500GB Hard Drive in anticipation of my future needs.
Also worth mentioning - if you have an Apple Credit Card, that 0% APR financing makes it a lot easier to afford the hardware upgrades when ordering.
Great practical advice, Joe!
Upgradability is definitely a plus and leaving myself a bit of room to spare in both the RAM and hard drive departments also def makes sense.
I can't promise that I'll make the practical decision though... those M1s just look so dang pretty, haha.