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Mac mini help!

I

iballer87

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Feb 2, 2013
5
0
Hi

I have just purchased my new i7 2.3 mac mini with stock 1TB HD.
I have ordered 16gb corsair vengance ram to install when it arrives.

I have read a lot about installing a second ssd drive but i really dont feel confident enough to do this and dont want to void my warranty straight away, what alternatives do i have if any?

I have 2 monitors coming to set up 1 via hdmi and the other via TB port.

i was thinking either an external usb 3 7200rpm 1TB HD

or

an external 256 ssd drive (in a case) via TB daisychain with the second hdmi monitor if that is possible. would this be almost as effective as installing an internal ssd?

i will be mainly using the mac mini for music production, secondly for all the usual downloading, surfing, pages/numbers for work and so on.

any help would be great, Thanks
 
Fishrrman

Fishrrman

macrumors Penryn
Feb 20, 2009
28,340
12,458
"I have read a lot about installing a second ssd drive but i really dont feel confident enough to do this and dont want to void my warranty straight away, what alternatives do i have if any?"

You do have alternatives.

You don't have to install the SDD internally right now if you prefer not to open the Mini. I didn't wish to do this either.

I would suggest either an external enclosure for the SSD (which you can buy and install yourself), or a USB3/SATA "docking station" to hold the SSD.

Here's an example of an external case that looks to be a good one:
http://oyendigital.com/hard-drives/store/U32-M.html

Here are two USB3/SATA docking stations (I used the first one):
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00APP6694...=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B00APP6694

http://www.amazon.com/Plugable-Dock...=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B003UI62AG

All of the above will run VERY fast when paired with an SSD drive.

I get writes around 247mbs and reads of 410mps. That's pretty close to Thunderbolt speeds. Essentially champagne performance on a beer budget!

Don't let others on this board tell you that an external USB3 boot solution will be slower than or more problematic than an internal mounting or a Thunderbolt connection.

It just ain't so.
 
Last edited:
I

iballer87

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Feb 2, 2013
5
0
Thanks for the help im going to go with the external enclosure


sorry about the 2 threads, wanted to get away from the hackintosh topic as i have now "seen the light" and went with the mac mini
 
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