Ok so I sold my mini 2007 model to upgrade to a newer version. I'm on a budget so I'm leaning more towards getting a used mini. What is the difference if any between a 2011 mini and a 2012? The 2011 minis are significantly cheaper and I also need a keyboard and trackpad. My 07 mini was used and I have nothing but great things to say about it.
Here's the thing. If you're not going to get a 2012 Mini, you're best off getting a 2010 Mini, because of what you get back:
2009 - Older design, no HDMI out, won't run Mountain Lion, but very cheap.
2010 - has DVD-RW drive, base OS is Snow Leopard, has mini display port + HDMI + USB2.0
2011 - No optical drive, base OS is Lion, has Thunderbolt port + HDMI + USB2.0
2012 - No optical drive, base OS is Mountain Lion, has Thunderbolt port + HDMI + USB 3.0
Between 2010 and 2012 is the big leap; all 2011 gives you is a TB port most people don't use, and you lose out on being able to run SL and having an optical drive. The 2011 is good on its own merits for the right price mainly because it represents a big CPU power jump over 2010, but for the kind of duty you're likely to use a Mini for, raw horsepower usually isn't the dealbreaker versus the peripherals and other aspects of the 2010 and 2012 models.