Intel Mac Mini Replacement

[bbarrker]

Looking for suggestions on how to replace my Mac mini. I’ve been using a 2014 Mini w/ dual 1TB SSDs as my home hub. The Mac is primarily just a storage hub for photos, short home videos, and scanned documents. I use CCC to clone the SSDs internally. Unfortunately the SSDs are almost full and I can’t update the OS anymore. I have 2 Dell screens I would like to use but they are mini display port/hdmi.
What would you recommend? I’m open to all suggestions but want to get the most bang for the buck. I would also like to run the iPhoto library off an external drive that I can rotate out.
I’ve considered new Mac Mini but unsure if I can reuse the displays. I would also consider a MacBook w/ a hub to attach to the displays, but I’m worried the cost will get ridiculous. Ideal budget is under $1500. Thanks!

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Bigger EXTERNAL storage hooked to that Mini and shift the bulk of the storage from internal to the new external? That will cost very little and give you many more years of use. Then just keep using it and displays as is.

I think by the CCC part you are basically backing one drive up to the other? If so, backups are very good. So buy TWO bigger externals and replicate what you are doing on the internal drives on the new external drives. That will still cost substantially less than about any other option while still making great use of the Mini and those Dell screens.

You can even split storage, still using some of the SSD for some stuff and shifting other files to the externals. For example, maybe leave photos on the internal(s) and shift videos & scanned docs to the externals? Or vice versa?

Since these files are valuable enough to maintain full backups, might I also suggest an offsite backup option too? You basically have two backups on site, which is much better than the "no backups" approach of many. However, there is risk in having all backups in one place: fire? theft? flood? etc.

So consider a THIRD backup drive that you store offsite (safe deposit box? at another (family members) home? securely at work?). Then just rotate the offsite drive with the backup onsite on a regular basis. For example, if you rotated them once each month, the very worst case scenario is losing about 4 weeks of the most recent file additions if the theft, fire or flood hits right before you rotate the backup drives. If that worst case would be too much:

• rotate them every 2 weeks or so... OR
• add a backup option to send the most recent stuff to "the cloud" (too), then unload the cloud on rotation day.

 

[Fishrrman]

You can re-use the displays with a new Mini.

With a budget of 1,500, perhaps the m2 (non-pro) Mini, with upgraded internal storage?
Or external drives (SSD or HDD) to "boost" your storage level as needed?

 

[BeatCrazy]

Looking for suggestions on how to replace my Mac mini. I’ve been using a 2014 Mini w/ dual 1TB SSDs as my home hub. The Mac is primarily just a storage hub for photos, short home videos, and scanned documents. I use CCC to clone the SSDs internally. Unfortunately the SSDs are almost full and I can’t update the OS anymore. I have 2 Dell screens I would like to use but they are mini display port/hdmi.
What would you recommend? I’m open to all suggestions but want to get the most bang for the buck. I would also like to run the iPhoto library off an external drive that I can rotate out.
I’ve considered new Mac Mini but unsure if I can reuse the displays. I would also consider a MacBook w/ a hub to attach to the displays, but I’m worried the cost will get ridiculous. Ideal budget is under $1500. Thanks!

I have the same 2014 Mac mini, and I use it in the same way (server for Plex/media storage). Since Monterey only has about 1.5 years left of macOS support before it starts losing security updates (maybe less!), I've been thinking about replacement options.

I'm not sure if this was the smartest decision, but I went with the spec'd-up M1 iMac Pro. Normally $1499, Costco has for $999 and I price matched to Best Buy and had a few gift cards. So out-the-door-price was $980 w/tax.

Technically, I didn't need the monitor - like you. However, it certainly gives me some added flexibility down the road if I decide to repurpose. Also, I really want that included Magic Keyboard with TouchID to use for a different Mac

This model M1 iMac has two TB4 plus two 10Gbps USB-C ports, so very easy to add external drives or even a 2nd monitor.

 

[bbarrker]

I'm not seeing a lot of recs to update to a base model M2 Mini - any reason not to?

Will USB-3 external SSDs give me enough speed to use iPhoto without noticeable lag vs what I'm using now?

How do I connect mini display port displays nowadays since only USB-C/HDMI connections only available on new computers?

Does anyone use a MacBook Air or Pro as their "hub"?

 

[Fishrrman]

"How do I connect mini display port displays nowadays since only USB-C/HDMI connections only available on new computers?"

You have two displays, correct?
The displays each have displayport and HDMI, is this correct?

Then...

HDMI (mini) to HDMI (display) (for one)...
and for the other one:
USBc (mini) to displayport (display). You also have the option of USBc (Mini) to HDMI (display).