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Ready to order Mac Mini

B

biggiet4jets

macrumors member
Original poster
Dec 30, 2013
55
0
I am about to order a new mac mini since with the educational pricing is a lot cheaper than buying a refurbished model with specs that I do not want.

So here it is.

2.6GHZ quad core i7, 4GB of ram(upgrade myself later), 256 SSD or 1TB fusion (undecided), magic trackpad and apple wireless keyboard.

Total price is $1,187 with discount.

Anything else I should know before placing the order would be appreciated!

P.S-I plan on buying a dell or other name brand monitor from amazon or local retail store. Thinking around 27".
 
Just FYI you can take apart the mini and install your own SSD as well (it requires a lot more steps than the RAM but quite a few people have done it) If you shop around you may be able to get a larger or cheaper SSD depending on your needs. Or if you like the convenience of using the machine right out of the box at least you know that you can upgrade those parts in the future should you need to.
 
What would you recommend to get? A fusion drive or a straight SSD. I will be using a permanent external hard drive for all of my files, photos, music, files, etc.
 
COrocket said:
Just FYI you can take apart the mini and install your own SSD as well (it requires a lot more steps than the RAM but quite a few people have done it) If you shop around you may be able to get a larger or cheaper SSD depending on your needs. Or if you like the convenience of using the machine right out of the box at least you know that you can upgrade those parts in the future should you need to.
Click to expand...

This is pretty much what I did. I got the the Mac Mini with a normal drive and replaced it with a Samsung 512gig SSD drive and swapped out the 4gig of RAM with 2x8=16 gigs. The system works like a charm.

FYI - you don't have to take everything out of the Mac Mini chassis/case but open up the back, remove 3 parts and access the drive that way. Far easier and less likely to damage the Mac Mini.
 
Ya but if the fusion drive and SSD are the same price which is an extra $90 for either one to the configuration, which one should I go with?!
 
biggiet4jets said:
Ya but if the fusion drive and SSD are the same price which is an extra $90 for either one to the configuration, which one should I go with?!
Click to expand...

I would suggest you go with the 1TB drive that comes with it.. then get the Ifixit kit and put in your own SSD so you have both.. 1TB for storage and the SSD for your boot.

I literally did the exact same thing yesterday.

If you don't want to spend the extra money, get the SSD. Use an external USB 3.0 drive for storage if you need it.
 
I would hold off for the Haswell version buddy.

If you go the 3rd party SSD path, do you need to enable TRIM in the OS?

Ram upgrade, fair enough Apple let you do that.

But regarding the SSD, man, I'd just buy it with the 256 SSD and run with external USB3 storage as suggested by another.


I would seriously hold off if you can, the HD4000 GPU is OK, but Thunderbolt 2 plus Iris graphics that will come with Haswell is going to make the Mini so much better. I image we will also see PCI SSD as well.


These are my feelings and I've done exactly what you're proposing about a year ago.

Dono
 
If i was you I would just get the ssd. most 256 gb ssd are 200 usd or thereabouts. its 200 dollars to upgrade to a ssd on the mac mini. so basically you pay the same only they are installing it. I dont care about getting a free 5400 rpm drive if i did it myself.

if you already had the ssd that is a different story. Thats just the way I look at it anyway.
 
biggiet4jets said:
What would you recommend to get? A fusion drive or a straight SSD. I will be using a permanent external hard drive for all of my files, photos, music, files, etc.
Click to expand...

I just set up the exact same system (also purchased with Education) - 2.6 i7, upgraded the Ram to 16GB myself (see thread about OWC vs Crucial) and chose the FD. No regrets. Someday I may throw another HD into it, but really, for what I do the externals are plenty.
 
biggiet4jets said:
2.6GHZ quad core i7, 4GB of ram(upgrade myself later), 256 SSD or 1TB fusion (undecided), magic trackpad and apple wireless keyboard.
Click to expand...

I got the same (SSD) just last week, upgraded to OWC 16GB. It is a smoking computer for just over $1000. Quite a value. I'm happy with the purchase.
 
Ya I want to purchase it but everyone keeps telling me to wait until the haswell processors come to the mac mini. Granted I don't need a mac right away because I already have a 09 MBP which does me justus. I will be starting my next semester soon and I will be currently living at my other home near the university so this is where I plan on keeping my new mac. I wanted the 27" iMac or mac mini with a big external display because I want it to be my bedroom hub for watching netflix etc. Since I don't want to purchase a TV and a new mac lol

Let me know what you guys think about my plan and any suggestions you might have!
 
depending on what position the existing drive is in, it can make a big difference in ease of install. I ended up taking mine to an Apple dealer, and even they had a bit of a time with it. A real PIA.

If it had been in the "correct" position, It would have been simple by comparison.

Real bad play on Apple's part to not be consistent with the position. BAD APPLE.
 
Just get the base drive, and pop in your own SSD in the empty slot, it is almost as simple as adding RAM. Very easy, and you will love the fact that you have 1TB of internal storage some day. For example, I take the Mini with me on travels and plug it into hotel TV's with a large movie collection on the HD.
200$ is a Fusion upgrade, which is basically adding an SSD in the empty slot by Apple, A 128GB model for a 1.125TB fusion drive.
200$ is an SSD only upgrade, which basically replaces the HD with a 200$ 256GB SSD
200$ is the price for a DIY 256GB SSD and cable, and you have either both the 256GB SSD and 1TB drive, or a 1.25TB fusion with a 256GB SSD part.

Oh and skip the keyboard/trackpad. It is the most flaky stuff apple makes (especially the keyboard). Grab any Logitech/Mickeysoft one and you'll thank me for that. 25$ buys you a mouse and keyboard that will work way better for much longer time.

Good screens are the Dell U2412M and the U2713HM. I still prefer 1920x1200@24 inch compared to the too-high density 2560x1440@27 inch. It just works faster. For the price of the 2713, you buy two 2412's and so it allows you to use the Mini in two locations for the same price.
 
Last edited:
Ya I would love to have two screens, but for the place where I'm going to put it I only have room for one screen around 27" maybe 32". I want to use my Mac for computer use for school and for entertainment, like movies and Netflix. I love the 27" imac on the refurbished store for 1399 but it is last years model. Not that will effect me that much for what I would use it for.
 
[[ 256 SSD or 1TB fusion (undecided) ]]

The 256gb SSD will give you 256gb of storage space.
The 1tb fusion drive will give you 1tb of HDD space + 128gb of SSD space.
So -- you get approximately 4.5 times the space with the fusion drive, as with the SSD.

[[ Anything else I should know before placing the order would be appreciated! ]]

Unless you know you want to use the Apple keyboard and pointing device, have you considered 3rd-party options instead?

[[ I will be using a permanent external hard drive for all of my files, photos, music, files, etc. ]]

An external drive (ONE of them) isn't enough.
If the drive fails, you lose everything.

If you're going to store/archive items on an external drive (with no copies on the Mini itself), you also need a SECOND external drive to serve as a backup.
 
The Haswell Mini refresh has been rumoured again and again, who knows when or indeed if we'll see one.

Do you really need 1TB? If not I'd just get 256SD and a cheap external drive, as and when SSD's get cheaper you can upgrade the internal one.

I would get 8GB RAM upfront, either form Apple or DIY (I have read in various places that changing the Ram doesn't invalidate the warranty but worth checking)

Wirless keyboard and mouse/trackpad - I agree the is the way to go

I use my Mini with an Samsung Monitor which works just fine, the Mini has HDMI out which is a simple way of connecting a monitor up (or indeed direct to a tv)
 
Fishrrman said:
[[ 256 SSD or 1TB fusion (undecided) ]]

The 256gb SSD will give you 256gb of storage space.
The 1tb fusion drive will give you 1tb of HDD space + 128gb of SSD space.
So -- you get approximately 4.5 times the space with the fusion drive, as with the SSD.

[[ Anything else I should know before placing the order would be appreciated! ]]

Unless you know you want to use the Apple keyboard and pointing device, have you considered 3rd-party options instead?

[[ I will be using a permanent external hard drive for all of my files, photos, music, files, etc. ]]

An external drive (ONE of them) isn't enough.
If the drive fails, you lose everything.

If you're going to store/archive items on an external drive (with no copies on the Mini itself), you also need a SECOND external drive to serve as a backup.
Click to expand...

Yes I would use one external drive directly connected to the mini. And I do have a time capsule already for backups so that will have copies of all of my stuff if anything was to ever happen.
 
Dual 2.6ghz with the Fusion drive here and no complaints. For me the extra hard drive space and not having the hassle of installing my own drive was worth the price.
 
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