I bought the new Mac Mini last month and got the entry level i5 processor version with 2GB RAM and 500GB hard drive. Before I started using it as an everyday machine I wanted to upgrade the RAM to 4GB and put in a SSD in the space available now Apple don't fit an optical drive inside. There has been a lot of discussion about this mod on various forums.
Looking at the options for a suitable SSD turned out to be a minefield but ultimately made easier once I realised that Apple had upgraded the internal bus to SATA III on the new Mac Minis. I got hold of a Corsair Force 128GB SATA III SSD and an Apple 922-9560 flexi cable so I could install it alongside the existing 500GB hard drive. It was easy to install and no problem for anyone used to doing their own upgrades.
I then decided to install Lion, iLife and iWork on the new SSD and leave everything on the existing HD so I could do some timing comparisons before wiping the 500GB HD. Here are the results:
Boot with standard HD: 32 secs
Boot with SATAIII SSD: 13 secs
GarageBand with standard HD: 9 secs
GarageBand with SATAIII SSD: 4.5 secs
iPhoto with standard HD: 8 secs
iPhoto with SATAIII SSD: 2.5 secs
Copy 1.85GB with standard HD: 56 secs
Copy 1.85GB with SATAIII SSD: 22 secs
Boot time was from pressing the on button to desktop. The file copying test was a single 1.85GB file 'option drag' copied.
Impressive in theory but even more impressive in practice. Never before have I upgraded a Mac and was rewarded with so much performance increase. This is a killer upgrade and I would recommend every Mac Mini owner to go this route even if it means paying someone to do it for you.
Sorry to bore everyone but I'm still excited three weeks after upgrading to SSD - still can't get over it!!!
Steve
Looking at the options for a suitable SSD turned out to be a minefield but ultimately made easier once I realised that Apple had upgraded the internal bus to SATA III on the new Mac Minis. I got hold of a Corsair Force 128GB SATA III SSD and an Apple 922-9560 flexi cable so I could install it alongside the existing 500GB hard drive. It was easy to install and no problem for anyone used to doing their own upgrades.
I then decided to install Lion, iLife and iWork on the new SSD and leave everything on the existing HD so I could do some timing comparisons before wiping the 500GB HD. Here are the results:
Boot with standard HD: 32 secs
Boot with SATAIII SSD: 13 secs
GarageBand with standard HD: 9 secs
GarageBand with SATAIII SSD: 4.5 secs
iPhoto with standard HD: 8 secs
iPhoto with SATAIII SSD: 2.5 secs
Copy 1.85GB with standard HD: 56 secs
Copy 1.85GB with SATAIII SSD: 22 secs
Boot time was from pressing the on button to desktop. The file copying test was a single 1.85GB file 'option drag' copied.
Impressive in theory but even more impressive in practice. Never before have I upgraded a Mac and was rewarded with so much performance increase. This is a killer upgrade and I would recommend every Mac Mini owner to go this route even if it means paying someone to do it for you.
Sorry to bore everyone but I'm still excited three weeks after upgrading to SSD - still can't get over it!!!
Steve