I have the Mac version of FAF running under OS X on a 2007 iMac, and 2011 and 2012 Mac Minis; all running in 64 bit mode. The Minis are also quad core i7 equipped. I also have BMS running under Win 7 64 bit on each Mini, but it runs best on the 2011 Mini possibly because it has discrete Radeon graphics - no stuttering there, as opposed to the 2012 one with Intel graphics; simply not enough graphic memory onboard. I also boot directly into Windows - I don’t use Parallels or such…I have a feeling that also prevents a few issues.
I think the Mini is a very nice platform for hosting BMS in the Mac universe - you can move it around, and configure it as dual boot with twin drives. I have Win 7 on an SSD in the 2012 Mini, which I bought mainly to get USB 3, but as I’ve mentioned the graphic configuration didn’t quite work out. I run Win 7 from a 7200 rpm HD in a Bootcamp partition on the 2011 Mini and frankly, I don’t note any performance hit between the two when it comes to running BMS - could again be the graphics issue showing. I’ve recently discovered I can get Thunderbolt to USB 3 adapters, and the only reason I wanted USB 3 is because I’m building a pit and am using USB 3 to VGA adapters to drive my MFDs. I’ve also read of issues trying to use USB 2 controllers over USB 3, so it would seem that a 2011 i7 Mini is actually the best choice. Plus I like that I can fit it inside my pit if I choose…as portable as a laptop, but with a few additional options - like being able to hook it to your flat screen TV, which is also what I do.
If you have a newer iMac it’s certainly a nice candidate for a Bootcamp partition and Win 7 install - just be careful as to which version of OS X you are running; as I understand things, the very latest machines and version of Bootcamp will no longer support Win 7, and you may have to install Win 8 or 10.