So I'm considering the 2014 Mac mini but I'm curious one a couple of things. First how fast is the HDD portion of the fusion drive? Is it 5400rpm or 7200rpm? Second can I add a second HDD or SSD?
So I'm considering the 2014 Mac mini but I'm curious one a couple of things. First how fast is the HDD portion of the fusion drive? Is it 5400rpm or 7200rpm? Second can I add a second HDD or SSD?
Another option is to boot from an external SSD. The Samsung 850 EVO can be had for around $99 for 250GB and $200 for 500GB. You can go with either a USB or Thunderbolt enclosure and you will end up with a fast boot drive for cheaper. Personally, I use my internal HDD as an additional Time Machine backup disk...
Hmm okay. 5400rpm is pretty slow by today's standard. I've also considered a rMBP but the Mac mini is much cheaper. But I thought about going with a Mac mini and just connecting it to my HDTV.
Not exactly the most elegant solution.
The Fusion Drive upgrade isn't too pricey, and it provides a large amount of storage for around 80-90% of a pure PCIe SSD's speed.
----------
See my post above
What is the mac mini for and what is the budget?Yeah I'd simply get the high end Mac mini which comes with the fusion drive. I'd just add 16gb ram. But when it has to write to the HDD wouldnt 5400rpm be really slow?
Yeah I'd simply get the high end Mac mini which comes with the fusion drive. I'd just add 16gb ram. But when it has to write to the HDD wouldnt 5400rpm be really slow?
It will always write to the SSD first. Writing to the HDD isn't that common.
OS X leaves a minimum buffer of 4GB in the SSD for write operations when the SSD portion is nearly full. After writing to the SSD, it will transfer the data to the HDD in the background.
In fact, I don't think you'd even need 16GB of RAM. You only need it if you're running several VMs together.
PS save yourself $100 and go for the middle end 2.6GHz/8GB variant, with an FD upgrade. The processor upgrade isn't worth it, because the difference is almost zero.
What is the mac mini for and what is the budget?
Well what if all your content is more than the 128gb of the SSD? I'd get the 16gb for longevity. Also cause I can't upgrade it later if I were to need it.
Well what if all your content is more than the 128gb of the SSD? I'd get the 16gb for longevity. Also cause I can't upgrade it later if I were to need it.
I don't use the computer for much more than everyday use. Web browseing, email, iTunes and the like. I had a 2011 MBP previously and briefly a 2013 rMBP before I returned it.
Well what if all your content is more than the 128gb of the SSD?
You don't need more than 8 GB, it'll be fine doing those tasks for years to come.
Then some of it be stored on the HDD portion, obviously. The data you haven't accessed recently.
If your content is more than 128GB, OS X will leave the most-frequently accessed files and apps in the SSD portion and put the rest in the HDD.
You don't need 16GB for longevity. OS X's RAM compression makes 8GB act like 12+GB of RAM. Even 4GB is still pretty sufficient by today's standards. The SSD/FD makes all the difference. Look no further than this review to see how powerful 4GB actually is with an SSD: http://bgr.com/2013/11/18/apple-13-inch-retina-macbook-pro-review-late-2013/
What makes you believe that this slowness is memory related?I've actually found 8gb to be slow after a while and I'd have to restart my Mac.
You plug in an external hdd.Well what if all your content is more than the 128gb of the SSD?
Have you considered an iPad?I don't use the computer for much more than everyday use. Web browseing, email, iTunes and the like.
What makes you believe that this slowness is memory related?
Why do you have to restart your mac?
You plug in an external hdd.
I'd restart my Mac to clear the memory. Safari has always been a memory hog but it's interface the best.
Have you considered an iPad?
How do you come to these conclusions?I'd restart my Mac to clear the memory. Safari has always been a memory hog but it's interface the best.
Just quit out of Safari then, no need to restart.
How do you come to these conclusions?
How do you know that Safari is a 'memory hog'?
Why do you think that your system is slow because of lack of RAM?
That is to be expected, since the other apps you are running are trivial at best.Cause activity monitor lists safari as using the most resources.
That is to be expected, since the other apps you are running are trivial at best.
But: Why do you think that your system is slow due to lack of RAM?
No Mac sold in the last 5 years will slow down due to lack of memory just from the apps you are running.Well I'm no tecky but it's my best guess. What else could it be? Crappy integrated graphics?
No Mac sold in the last 5 years will slow down due to lack of memory just from the apps you are running.
The apple reseller around the corner has these on display.I think a 2 GB MBA would![]()