2012 or 2014 Mini for 2021?

[AUTigerMike]

Hello everyone! New user here. I'm sure this has been asked a zillion times.. but any suggestions on which would do me best on 2021? Here are the two models I'm looking at.

2012 (i7-3615QM) or 2014 (i5, 1.4ghz) with 8gb.

I know the memory/HDD in the 2014 can't be upgraded. I know the 2014 has better graphics, but been told the CPU performance is better on the i7b 2012.

I was hoping I could get some advise. Was hoping maybe someone here has maybe used both.. ATM these are the only 2 Macs I can afford.. was hoping someone could help me figure out which would give me the best experience..

Thanks all!

 

[Fishrrman]

You can't upgrade the RAM in the 2014.
But you CAN upgrade the internal drives.

You didn't tell us what speed the i7 runs at.

I used a 2012 i7 Mini for 6 years (have a 2018 Mini now).
It still runs fine on the back table.

If both have platter-based hard drives inside, booting and running from SSDs would greatly improve performance.

 

[AUTigerMike]

I'm sorry! It's the 2.3ghz i7. The one I'm looking at has a 256gd ssd already. Only 4gb of ram but I know it's super easy to upgrade that in a 2012.

One other thing I just saw.. apparently you can install two drives in a 2012 somehow?

 

[Boyd01]

No contest there. The 2012 will just run circles around the 2014. That 1.4ghz 2014 Mini is a disaster, I have one (but only 4gb RAM) and used it for a few years as an iTunes server. It was fine for that (just running iTunes 24/7 with home sharing) but was virtually unusable for everything else. Now, the 4gb memory bottleneck was a big issue on mine, so I'm sure 8gb helps, but I still wouldn't touch it. I am using a 2014 2.8ghz/8gb Mini as an iTunes server now, and it is much better.

The higher end 2014 Mini's have the Intel Iris graphics chip, but that 1.4ghz model has the Intel HD5000 which isn't much of an upgrade from the HD4000 in the 2012. Honestly, I don't even think the Iris is much of an upgrade over the HD4000. I created a website that uses webGL and 3js to render 3d terrain models from LIDAR imagery. Did all the development on a 2012 2.6ghz quad i7 Mini. I don't see any improvement in performance on the 2014 Mini with the Iris chip.

You can compare specs and benchmarks of your two Mini's here, the 2012 CPU is twice as fast.

Mac mini "Core i5" 1.4 (Late 2014) Specs (Late 2014, MGEM2LL/A, Macmini7,1, A1347, 2840): EveryMac.com

Technical specifications for the Mac mini "Core i5" 1.4 (Late 2014). Dates sold, processor type, memory info, hard drive details, price and more.

everymac.com

Mac mini "Core i7" 2.3 (Late 2012/Server) Specs (Late 2012, MD389LL/A, Macmini6,2, A1347, 2570): EveryMac.com

Technical specifications for the Mac mini "Core i7" 2.3 (Late 2012/Server). Dates sold, processor type, memory info, hard drive details, price and more.

everymac.com

But... here's the thing. I really wouldn't buy either of those Mini's today. I understand that you may be on a tight budget, but is it possible find a little more money or save a little longer? The base model i3 2018 Mini is FAR superior to to both of those machines and you can probably find some good deals in the used market, or possibly as an Apple refurb (which would have full warranty). There's also the new M1 Mini, if that will meet your needs (doesn't meet mine, as I heavily depend on legacy MacOS and Windows virtual machines).

 

[monkeybongo]

I'd go with the 2012 but just know that it's pushing 9 years old (time flies) and parts may die like the fan. I have one that's been retired to backup duties but was running 24/7 for 5 years straight. It's still working fine.

 

[teksurv]

Of the two, the 2012 i7 is a better machine in general. Your budget (you mentioned upgrading the 2012 if purchased) and workflow are deciding factors. A base 2018 model as mentioned above is better yet. I own a 2018 i5 model and had an upgraded 2012 i7 before it. My primary use case is a media server and I also own a M1 MBP 13. As soon as there is a four TB port M1 or beyond mini available I will be looking quite seriously at selling my 2018 model.

 

[AUTigerMike]

Hey thanks for the replies! I decided to pull the trigger on the 2012. Got it for 180. I plan on taking it to 16gb (there are sets on ebay for 60ish.

With it being the age it is was wondering.. is there a way to apply new thermal compound? Or is that a "hassle"

It'll get me by until I can get a 2018 model or maybe a M1. Thinking 2018 because I'd like to be able to run Windows top.

Thanks!

 

[ivnj]

2012 does not do big sur. Only 2014 so a 3ghz 2014 is better. I had a 2.6 8gb ram it was not bad. But if you can afford it the new M1s are way better.

 

[AUTigerMike]

I'm not worried about running the latest OS. I know it can run Catalina, but have read that Mojave runs really well on the 2012 models.

I have a Logitech Mac keyboard already from an old iMac I use to have; I also have an external DVD drive.. I wish there was a cool usb hub for it like the USB-C hub for the 2018s.. I'll probably try and find a decent hub at some point.

 

[retta283]

2014 mini is a poor product. You made a good choice with the 2012.

 

[loby]

Hey thanks for the replies! I decided to pull the trigger on the 2012. Got it for 180. I plan on taking it to 16gb (there are sets on ebay for 60ish.

With it being the age it is was wondering.. is there a way to apply new thermal compound? Or is that a "hassle"

It'll get me by until I can get a 2018 model or maybe a M1. Thinking 2018 because I'd like to be able to run Windows top.

Thanks!

Best to reapply the thermal compound. For the price you paid upgrading the RAM & SSD it is wise to go ahead and reapply the thermal. It should last for some time.

But after buying more RAM and a SSD, you are getting closer to the base M1 Mini would would be far superior to buy unless you have a specific need to use 32-bit or Windows. Might be better like someone else said to save more money and get a base 2018 (or the M1).

 

[fricotin]

My 2012 (2.6 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7, 16G) mini is my only computer and I use it for several hours every day, I will keep it until they sell a M1 mini with 32G memory.

 

[Fishrrman]

AUtiger wrote:
"With it being the age it is was wondering.. is there a way to apply new thermal compound? Or is that a "hassle""

Unless you are certain of your abilities to open the Mini and do the job, I would NOT attempt this.

There are many many posts in this forum through the years from folks who THOUGHT they could open the Mini, do something inside, and then... BROKE SOMETHING while getting it apart. It's up to you.

Insofar as upgrading RAM goes, there's also the cheap way:
Buy ONE 8gb DIMM, and install it into the "topmost slot" with the bottom cover off.
This will give you 10gb of installed RAM.
It runs fine this way in my own 2012 Mini.

 

[teksurv]

Caution is called for, I would suggest if you haven't already to review the ifixit guide. I used it for repasting my 2012 when I had it and had no issues. https://www.ifixit.com/Device/Mac_Mini_Late_2012

 

[EugW]

Old thread I know, but I just wanted to say I'm very pleased with my 2014 Mac mini, for my business applications and mainstream consumer usage. I got the 8 GB model with 1 TB hard drive. It was basically unusable with the hard drive, but the NVMe SSD upgrade is extremely simple. A beginner can do it in less than 10 minutes, with very low risk of damaging anything, since there is no need to disassemble it. All you need to do is remove the back cover, with care to note that the Airport antenna is attached there, but you don't even have to disconnect that antenna. In fact, there is NOTHING to disconnect. Easiest upgrade ever. The cost for the 500 GB SSD + adapter was about US$50. You might to need to spend another $5 to $10 for the screwdriver, but I already had one.

The reason I wanted the 2014 is because Catalina is beginning to show its age now, as there was a fairly significant change in the aesthetics at Big Sur, which was further expanded upon in Monterey. The 2014 runs Monterey great. My 2017 MacBook is already on Monterey, and my 2017 iMac is on Big Sur but will be on Monterey as soon as 12.1 is released. It's great having my secondary desktop machine, the Mac mini, also on Monterey. And there is even a chance this 2014 might get macOS 13 too. It's really nice having current support, at least for a few years.

I would say that if you need raw CPU speed, the higher end 2012 models are better, but if you just need speed which is more than sufficient for mainstream business applications, mail, surfing, etc. then the 2014 can be superior, as it has the nice advantage of Monterey support and dead simple SSD upgrades. The only thing you need to be careful with is memory of course, since it's soldered on. I chose 8 GB because 8 GB models are common and cheap, but 16 GB models are out there too.

I paid < US$150 + import fees + shipping to Canada for my 2014 Mac mini with 8 GB and 1 TB HD, which worked out a little over US$180. Add in the new SSD + adapter, and my total expense was less than US$240. Granted, I got lucky with the eBay auction, but my costs are inflated vs. US buyers because of the extra costs to ship to Canada. In the US, these are commonly available for around US$225 with 256 GB SSD and free shipping in the US. For 16 GB you're looking at another US$50-$100.

Best to reapply the thermal compound. For the price you paid upgrading the RAM & SSD it is wise to go ahead and reapply the thermal. It should last for some time.

People keep saying this, but out of all my old machines, I've only ever done it on my MacBook4,1 and my Mac Pro. For the former it was necessary to reduce fan noise, and for the Mac Pro I was doing a CPU swap anyway. For my MacBook5,1, MacBookPro5,5, iMac11,3, and now Macmini7,1 I haven't bothered, and they all run fine. In fact, Mac mini is basically completely silent with my usage.

 

[loby]

Old thread I know, but I just wanted to say I'm very pleased with my 2014 Mac mini, for my business applications and mainstream consumer usage. I got the 8 GB model with 1 TB hard drive. It was basically unusable with the hard drive, but the NVMe SSD upgrade is extremely simple. A beginner can do it in less than 10 minutes, with very low risk of damaging anything, since there is no need to disassemble it. All you need to do is remove the back cover, with care to note that the Airport antenna is attached there, but you don't even have to disconnect that antenna. In fact, there is NOTHING to disconnect. Easiest upgrade ever. The cost for the 500 GB SSD + adapter was about US$50. You might to need to spend another $5 to $10 for the screwdriver, but I already had one.

The reason I wanted the 2014 is because Catalina is beginning to show its age now, as there was a fairly significant change in the aesthetics at Big Sur, which was further expanded upon in Monterey. The 2014 runs Monterey great. My 2017 MacBook is already on Monterey, and my 2017 iMac is on Big Sur but will be on Monterey as soon as 12.1 is released. It's great having my secondary desktop machine, the Mac mini, also on Monterey. And there is even a chance this 2014 might get macOS 13 too. It's really nice having current support, at least for a few years.

I would say that if you need raw CPU speed, the higher end 2012 models are better, but if you just need speed which is more than sufficient for mainstream business applications, mail, surfing, etc. then the 2014 can be superior, as it has the nice advantage of Monterey support and dead simple SSD upgrades. The only thing you need to be careful with is memory of course, since it's soldered on. I chose 8 GB because 8 GB models are common and cheap, but 16 GB models are out there too.

I paid < US$150 + import fees + shipping to Canada for my 2014 Mac mini with 8 GB and 1 TB HD, which worked out a little over US$180. Add in the new SSD + adapter, and my total expense was less than US$240. Granted, I got lucky with the eBay auction, but my costs are inflated vs. US buyers because of the extra costs to ship to Canada. In the US, these are commonly available for around US$225 with 256 GB SSD and free shipping in the US. For 16 GB you're looking at another US$50-$100.


People keep saying this, but out of all my old machines, I've only ever done it on my MacBook4,1 and my Mac Pro. For the former it was necessary to reduce fan noise, and for the Mac Pro I was doing a CPU swap anyway. For my MacBook5,1, MacBookPro5,5, iMac11,3, and now Macmini7,1 I haven't bothered, and they all run fine. In fact, Mac mini is basically completely silent with my usage.

With the 2014 model in 2021-2, I would think it is ok still not to go through the trouble doing a reapply thermal paste now. It depends on the usage etc. For just basic business needs and social media and web surfing etc. probably no need for some years still. Once you start to notice fans going on more or the unit getting a little more warmer than usual, then time to consider.

I needed to do it for my 2010 MacBook Pro now in 2021 is about 12 years old. Works great now with really no fans coming on with normal workload (simple stuff), but with old systems, there needs to be extra care when taking apart to get to the CPU due to a few parts becoming old with normal usage and heat. Noticed it when doing it and had to fix the battery sensor connector for the external meter (outside button), for it broke when getting at the board - showed wear, not clumsy surgery

For the 2012 Mac Mini, it’s getting to the ten year mark, so applying CPU thermal paste again was needed for me. I did video editing on it and Logic Pro for years, so it ran hot mostly over the years.

So..it really depends on the mileage and intended use for the mini. If ever concerned, then get a CPU monitor like TD Pro or something and then if you notice spikes or over heating, it’s time for the surgery. Otherwise, most 2014 and over systems should still be ok for a few more years.

 

[EugW]

I was doing some YouTube testing, and the 2014 i5-4278U in Monterey gets very stressed out at 4Kp60 VP9, and is kinda stressed out at 4Kp30 VP9 too. It mostly works at 4Kp30, but if you do anything else it will drop frames, and the UI is very sluggish. 1440p60 performance is roughly similar to 4Kp30.

1440p30 works fine, as does 1080p60.

Note though these machines can't output 4Kp60 anyway, so you're usually going to have to stick with a 1440p60 (or lower resolution) screen. Nonetheless, this is one spot where a 2012 quad-core would be superior to this 2014 (although a 2014 Core i7 would do better than this i5).

Not really an issue for me though, since for video playback, what's important to me are:

1. 720p60 YouTube in a browser <-- This is fine on the 2014 i5-4278U.
2. 1080p Netflix <-- This is fine on the 2014 i5-4278U. (These machines don't have the DRM for 4K Netflix.)
3. 4K HEVC in Infuse <--- Neither the 2012 nor the 2014 Mac minis can handle this. You need a 2017 Mac or later... or just an A9 iPad.

With the 2014 model in 2021-2, I would think it is ok still not to go through the trouble doing a reapply thermal paste now. It depends on the usage etc. For just basic business needs and social media and web surfing etc. probably no need for some years still. Once you start to notice fans going on more or the unit getting a little more warmer than usual, then time to consider.

---

So..it really depends on the mileage and intended use for the mini. If ever concerned, then get a CPU monitor like TD Pro or something and then if you notice spikes or over heating, it’s time for the surgery. Otherwise, most 2014 and over systems should still be ok for a few more years.

FWIW, for this video stress testing, never once did the fans become audible. Yay! I wouldn't be surprised if the thermal paste is OK even 5 years from now, given that it's mainly a business application machine with some 1080p video playback in the background. No Logic and Final Cut on this machine.