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2014 iris mac mini vs base mac mini 2014

philipma1957

philipma1957

macrumors 603
Original poster
Apr 13, 2010
6,429
308
Howell, New Jersey
Okay here goes I own a 2014 base mac mini 4gb ram intel 5000 graphics

I could sell it on ebay for about 300

I see some mid grade 2014 mac minis 8gb ram and iris graphics on ebay for 450 even for 415
I have a 10% coupon so 415 - 40 = 375 which means I may end up spending 100 out of pocket to do this upgrade.


In order to get my base 2014 to work with any speed I boot it with a 2tb external mircon ssd.

So my thoughts are this the midrange 2014 with iris 5100 with 8gb ram seems like a good upgrade.

I simply don't need the 2018 mini. So who runs a midgrade 2014 mac mini with an external boot drive/ssd.

What do they think about it. Even better has anyone run both the base model and the midrange 2014 minis with external booters and how much better is the midrange model?

TIA for your info on this.
 
To be honest, there won't really be that much difference. Yes, there will be a bit, because of the (a bit) faster CPU and 8 GB RAM.

One question: is the base 2018 Mac mini to expensive for you?
I am asking this, because you get MUCH MUCH more horsepower with the 2018 base model, than the middle 2014 Mac mini ...
 
opeter said:
To be honest, there won't really be that much difference. Yes, there will be a bit, because of the (a bit) faster CPU and 8 GB RAM.

One question: is the base 2018 Mac mini to expensive for you?
I am asking this, because you get MUCH MUCH more horsepower with the 2018 base model, than the middle 2014 Mac mini ...
Click to expand...


no but if I buy the base I spend 751 plus 40 tax. which is 791 mid.

my way I spend under 125. leaves me 625 difference.

I don't particularly use the cpu hard on the minis I own.

the 2014 base with 4gb ram 5000 graphics is close to okay for what I use it for.
the 2014 mid with 8gb ram 5100 graphics is an improvement and I spend 125 to do this. vs 751.

I just wondered if people have used the 2 different minis with a big ssd externals as the booter.
 
I have a base 2014 Mini that is only used as an iTunes server. Works fine for that, but it's just horrible for anything else... you must be much more patient than I am! :) I'm also very surprised that anyone would pay $300 for a used one, but if you can really get that much then go for it.

You are comparing a used 2014 Mini from eBay in unknown condition to a new 2018 Mini with full warranty. So of course the used one will be much cheaper.... you get what you pay for. All things being equal, the 2014 machine will die 4 years before the 2018. CPU needs aside, IMO the 2018 mini is a better investment. No way I would consider a 2014 Mini for anything today, but that's just me.
 
Boyd01 said:
I have a base 2014 Mini that is only used as an iTunes server. Works fine for that, but it's just horrible for anything else... you must be much more patient than I am! :) I'm also very surprised that anyone would pay $300 for a used one, but if you can really get that much then go for it.

You are comparing a used 2014 Mini from eBay in unknown condition to a new 2018 Mini with full warranty. So of course the used one will be much cheaper.... you get what you pay for. All things being equal, the 2014 machine will die 4 years before the 2018. CPU needs aside, IMO the 2018 mini is a better investment. No way I would consider a 2014 Mini for anything today, but that's just me.
Click to expand...

new I purchased a 2014 just now for 390 -39 dollar coupon = 351 - 7 in cc coins = 344







Old =
well it is only a 1 year warranty and my needs for the mini are minimal.
I can't see spending 751 + 43 tax for the 2018.
I have a 2014 1.4 base with 4gb that does nothing ,but net surfing and posting on blogs.
the 2tb micron ssd saves it from being slow. if I used the 500gb hdd in it I would go insane with beach balls.
I have more then 35 pcs and macs on hand.
I like apple for certain stuff I do.
But everything with apple that i do is low ram use low cpu use low graphic use.
The fair math is

792-275 = 517 new mini
360-275 = 85 2014 mid mini
so 517 vs 85
both will have 8gb ram
I would what to use the 2tb micron as my booter for either one
one has iris 5100 graphics
one has intel 630 graphics.

to me there is no way I spend 517 to go to the 2018 mini as :
I have 3x 2012 mid minis
I have 1x 2014 base mini
I have 1x mac book pro 2012 with a 17 inch screen
I have 1 iPad mini 3
at least a dozen intel and amd window builds.

As I have aged and had 2x cataract surgery I went and got an acer 28 in 4k screen.
the only mini that runs it is the base 2014 and it does 30hz not 60 hz
and it needs the big micron to help it run fast enough so I know exactly what a 2014 1.4 will do for me.
I also have a killer little dell optiplex micro attach to that monitor
It has 32gb at ddr4 2133
it has an intel i7 8700t
it has a toshiba 256gb nvme.2
it has an intel 512gb ssd sata
it uses the exact same intel 630 graphics.

and yeah it is better then the mac mini base unit by far in many ways
but I spent 567 for it on a veterans day sale.
now if apple wants to sell me the 2018 mac mini with an intel i7 8700b 32gb ram and a 512gb ssd for under 600 I would already own it and this thread would have never been posted.
I did not ask for info on the 2018 mac mini I asked for people that have worked with both 2014 minis and how much better was the mid.
Getting info on the 2014 base is cool but I know that too.

I don't have info on 2014 mid mini with 8gb ram and an ssd booter I thought someone could tell me if they had it how it worked.
 
Last edited:
If you can sell your current machine for $300 towards another (albeit higher spec) 2014 Mini then you can do the same thing towards a 2018 Mini.

New Mini : $800 - $300 (selling your current one) = $500 investment
Used mid tier 2014 Mini : $450 - $300 (selling your current one) = $150 investment

I think the 2018 base model is definitely worth the extra $350 over the mid tier 2014 Mini. It will last you for 7 - 10 years. The 2014 may only be good (supported) for another 3. Personally, if I HAD to buy a used Mini, I would spring for the 2012 i7 over any 2014 model.
 
tpivette89 said:
If you can sell your current machine for $300 towards another (albeit higher spec) 2014 Mini then you can do the same thing towards a 2018 Mini.

New Mini : $800 - $300 (selling your current one) = $500 investment
Used mid tier 2014 Mini : $450 - $300 (selling your current one) = $150 investment

I think the 2018 base model is definitely worth the extra $350 over the mid tier 2014 Mini. It will last you for 7 - 10 years. The 2014 may only be good (supported) for another 3. Personally, if I HAD to buy a used Mini, I would spring for the 2012 i7 over any 2014 model.
Click to expand...




The 2012 i7 does not work on a 4k screen. So it has no value for my needs since I will be using a 4k screen.
I ordered a mid i5 on eBay for 390 an hour or two ago.
I paid 390-39 for ebucks so 351-7 for cc points = 344.

While the new Mac is 751 plus 49 tax= 800-16 for cc points= 784

That is 344.00 vs 784.00

It is going to be a blogging surf machine not cpu intense.
And I have the dell optiplex with a six core i7 .
So I get Mac OS on the cheap once you subtract my sale of the old 2014

I will be at 344-275 or 69 bucks.
A new one would have been 784-275 or 509

So 509 vs 69 ended up being a no brainer. I want to thank you for arguing against getting a 2014. As I kept looking and found the deal for 390 with 8gb and the 500gb ssd.

After all deductions I got a good deal mostly because you and every poster argued against the i5 mid 2014 and I kept looking for a better deal. I would have paid 415 pre discount and got a 500gb hdd. So you saved me 25 bucks and got me a 500 gb ssd.
 
You probably have the the new 2018 minis to thank for your good deal. The 2014 isn't a horrible machine if its super cheap and all you do it web surfing on it.
 
So I got the ebay 2014 mid mini today

Hardware Overview:

Model Name: Mac mini
Model Identifier: Macmini7,1
Processor Name: Intel Core i5
Processor Speed: 2.6 GHz
Number of Processors: 1
Total Number of Cores: 2
L2 Cache (per Core): 256 KB
L3 Cache: 3 MB
Memory: 8 GB
Boot ROM Version: MM71.0220.B03
SMC Version (system): 2.24f32
Serial Number (system): *******PG1HW
Hardware UUID: ********-****-****-****-421A4BE4715E







on ebay for 390 - 39 ebucks = 351 - 7 cc points = 344

along with
8gb ram
iris 5100 graphics
i5 2.6ghz 2 core
it had a 500 gb ssd below

Intel 8 Series Chipset:

Vendor: Intel
Product: 8 Series Chipset
Link Speed: 6 Gigabit
Negotiated Link Speed: 6 Gigabit
Physical Interconnect: SATA
Description: AHCI Version 1.30 Supported

Samsung SSD 860 EVO 500GB:

Capacity: 500.11 GB (500,107,862,016 bytes)
Model: Samsung SSD 860 EVO 500GB
Revision: RVT01B6Q
Serial Number: S3Z1NB0******
Native Command Queuing: Yes
Queue Depth: 32
Removable Media: No
Detachable Drive: No
BSD Name: disk0
Medium Type: Solid State
TRIM Support: No
Partition Map Type: GPT (GUID Partition Table)
S.M.A.R.T. status: Verified
Volumes:
EFI:
Capacity: 209.7 MB (209,715,200 bytes)
File System: MS-DOS FAT32
BSD Name: disk0s1
Content: EFI
Volume UUID: ***
Untitled 1:
Capacity: 499.25 GB (499,248,103,424 bytes)
Available: 487.5 GB (487,499,137,024 bytes)
Writable: Yes
File System: Journaled HFS+
BSD Name: disk0s2
Mount Point: /Volumes/Untitled 1
Content: Apple_HFS
Volume UUID: ****
Recovery HD:
Capacity: 650 MB (650,002,432 bytes)
File System: Journaled HFS+
BSD Name: disk0s3
Content: Apple_Boot
Volume UUID: *******


I am using a bigger ssd and usb3 as the booter

USB 3.0 Bus:

Host Controller Driver: AppleUSBXHCILPT
PCI Device ID: 0x9c31
PCI Revision ID: 0x0004
PCI Vendor ID: 0x8086

NS106X:

Product ID: 0x1068
Vendor ID: 0x2537
Version: 1.00
Serial Number: 012**********
Speed: Up to 5 Gb/sec
Manufacturer: Norelsys
Location ID: 0x14a00000 / 3
Current Available (mA): 900
Current Required (mA): 8
Extra Operating Current (mA): 0
Media:
Micron_1100_MTFD:
Capacity: 2.05 TB (2,048,408,248,320 bytes)
Removable Media: No
BSD Name: disk2
Logical Unit: 0
Partition Map Type: GPT (GUID Partition Table)
USB Interface: 0
Volumes:
EFI:
Capacity: 209.7 MB (209,715,200 bytes)
File System: MS-DOS FAT32
BSD Name: disk2s1
Content: EFI
Volume UUID: ***********************
Micron:
Capacity: 2.05 TB (2,048,064,274,432 bytes)
Available: 1.2 TB (1,199,020,056,576 bytes)
Writable: Yes
File System: Journaled HFS+
BSD Name: disk2s2
Mount Point: /
Content: Apple_HFS
Volume UUID: 70D1***************************


I now have a spare 2014 base mini.

I may pull the 500 gb ssd out of this new one put it in the base mini

should work okay that way.

When all is said and done I will have spent under 100 to upgrade to this mini form the base mini.

It does what I need. I will wait for a deal on a 2018 as that soldered ssd is worse then the ram being soldered.
 
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