Mid 2011 mini vs current base model

[dubv23]

I was hoping someone can help shed some light on the main differences between a mini from mid 2011 with 2.3ghz i5, 4gb memory, 500gb drive in comparison to the current model with 1.4 ghz i5,4gb,500gb drive.

I plan on using the mini as a media center front end running plex but also acting as the server running plex media server pointing towards a Unraid server.

I need it to be able to stream Bly Ray rips and dvd rips to the mini itself, iPads, iPhones, ps4 and a Apple TV outside of the home. Not all at the same time. 2 at the same time 3 max.

I just purchased the new mini but maybe able to get a good deal on the mid 2011 of its worth it. This will be a long term solution.

 

[techwarrior]

Mid 2011 mini vs current base model

Aside from the obvious 2.3 ghz vs 1.4 ghz, both are clearly capable of serving the stated need. The new models lack the upgradability (HDD, RAM) that the 2011 model offered.

My experience with Plex suggests the on-the-fly transcoding uses a fair amount of CPU, so the 2011 model might yield slightly better performance, less delay when launching video content.

 

[dubv23]

Thank you for the insight. I was expecting better performance but was uncertain by how much.

I think what i will do is test my system again tonight and see how it holds up. It already responds quicker than my previous setup. One thing I noticed was the new mini seemed to bog down a bit when the server was updating all of my tv shows while also installing some updates through the App Store. I got caught with the spinning wheel quit a few times