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HD questions about MACMINI [7200 rpm hd?]

B

boechat

macrumors member
Original poster
Mar 28, 2011
42
3
hello guys

i got myself a mac mini and im really excited about the lil machine.
it fits damn perfect on my desk and, jeez, thanks for the low noise apple!
i am new to macosx and i am lost. actually i only had an ipod so far.

but my question concerns hardware

i have the 799 bucks macmini. id never pay top cash for a SSD technology as im not much of a tech-maniac, i think im ok with HDDs. i heard that the lil thing comes with a 5400 rpm one.

is it possible to remove the 5200 and put a 7200 hd? would i have to buy LION again? also, do you guys know if i get significant speed improvement with 7200 rpm?
 
any specific hd model you do recommend? i want the best of the 2.5'' type.
 
Based on the data I have researched on the difference between 5400 & 7200 rpm HDD's I do not think you would see enough of a difference in speed to warrant the cost.

If it's speed you are looking for, go for the SSD....
 
Initially I put into my 2010 mac mini a 7200 Seagate thin HDD (16 Mb cache versus 8 Mb in the 5400) and did not have noticeable improvement.

However a big difference once I put in an 80 Gb Intel X25M G2 SSD (I had that already in a laptop and swapped the disks around). More spce makes SSD expensive but it all depends on how much space you require - you'll be surprised how the sound really drops away once you put a SSD in. (I only require around 32 Gb but it is always better to have spare) iFixit.com has detailed instructions on how to do it.

You can wait with replacing the HDD until it dies or until it get noisy (I used to replace them every 18 months). Save your money with the 7200, not worth it. (just my opinion)
 
so its possible to put SSD without trouble on my macmini? cool.

but i have another question. is it possible to go with SSD to load the OS rapidly and another normal HDD to put your things?

like a 60gb ssd + 1TB hdd? Can I put both working togheter without major surgery?

Ill do as u said MJL. Ill wait until my HDD goes down then i buy ssd and another HD way cheaper.

Thanks
 
Not so Easy

Updating the HD in the previous version (last year's model) of the Mac Mini is challenging. There's a lot thin cables in a very small space, and several sensors requiring disconnection. It's still very do-able, but a degree of difficulty above most hd upgrades. It's not something to do in a hurry!

I can't speak for the current mac mini model. I'd suggest watching video from iFixit or Youtube to get a good idea of what's involved. The most common "mistake" made in the upgrade is ripping sensors off the mother board as opposed to disconnecting them. The next common issue is crimping the cables.

Be patient and careful, and everything will work out fine. I will agree a SSD will make a huge difference in performance. I'm so on-the-band-wagon with this technology that I upgraded my video game with one. You may regret the cash outlay, but not the result.
 
an-other said:
Updating the HD in the previous version (last year's model) of the Mac Mini is challenging. There's a lot thin cables in a very small space, and several sensors requiring disconnection. It's still very do-able, but a degree of difficulty above most hd upgrades. It's not something to do in a hurry!

I can't speak for the current mac mini model. I'd suggest watching video from iFixit or Youtube to get a good idea of what's involved. The most common "mistake" made in the upgrade is ripping sensors off the mother board as opposed to disconnecting them. The next common issue is crimping the cables.

Be patient and careful, and everything will work out fine. I will agree a SSD will make a huge difference in performance. I'm so on-the-band-wagon with this technology that I upgraded my video game with one. You may regret the cash outlay, but not the result.
Click to expand...

you did upgrade you PS3 with ssd? how come?

MadDragon1846 said:
Check this link for all you need to know about upgrading the hdd, ram, and adding a second hdd! http://www.techdc.com/2011-mac-mini-hard-drive-upgrade-video :cool:
Click to expand...

thanks!
 
Yes, My PS3

I'm a Gran Turismo player. GT5 was infuriatingly slow loading races. The SSD made a huge difference.
 
an-other said:
I'm a Gran Turismo player. GT5 was infuriatingly slow loading races. The SSD made a huge difference.
Click to expand...

I didnt know it was possible to pop in a SSD into PS3 HD's garage.
So you jailbroke your ps3? Or GT5 offers installation data?
Fancy!
 
Thanks guys, very useful thread. I'm thinking about buying a new mini (the 815 basic model with 2gb ram, 5400rpm 500gb disk) and I was considering the disk upgrade.

This would be my very first apple device (well not counting the ipod :)) and my usage will be some basic development (some php, some business apps) and I was not sure of what I needed. The mac mini will be great as I could attach to my samsung p2470hn monitor and share with the windows box without taking up much space.

So for now I'd go for the base thing (locally apple stuff is way expensive) and maybe consider the SSD thing for the future (I was considering that for the windows box in fact). Question: is it possible to add generic ram to reach the 4GB? That might be cheaper and effective.
 
greenflash said:
Thanks guys, very useful thread. I'm thinking about buying a new mini (the 815 basic model with 2gb ram, 5400rpm 500gb disk) and I was considering the disk upgrade.

This would be my very first apple device (well not counting the ipod :)) and my usage will be some basic development (some php, some business apps) and I was not sure of what I needed. The mac mini will be great as I could attach to my samsung p2470hn monitor and share with the windows box without taking up much space.

So for now I'd go for the base thing (locally apple stuff is way expensive) and maybe consider the SSD thing for the future (I was considering that for the windows box in fact). Question: is it possible to add generic ram to reach the 4GB? That might be cheaper and effective.
Click to expand...

you can put in generic ram to go to 4gb ,but just buy this



www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231342


here is a discount code for ten % EMCKAKA22


8GB Will cover almost all base mac mini users
 
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