Second SSD Recommendation for late 2012 Mac Mini

[Shirke]

I just bought new late 2012 2.6Ghz with 256gb SSD and like to add second SSD, do you think it will work with OS X 10.8.2? If it works which SSD should I buy
On second SSD like to install windows 8 via bootcamp

[philipma1957]

Originally Posted by Shirke

I just bought new late 2012 2.6Ghz with 256gb SSD and like to add second SSD, do you think it will work with OS X 10.8.2? If it works which SSD should I buy
On second SSD like to install windows 8 via bootcamp

i would wait for this


http://www.computerworld.com/s/artic..._for_under_600


http://www.anandtech.com/show/6614/m...d-line-of-ssds


you do know you need to pay 25 to 30 bucks for a cable or 50 for a cable plus kit

http://www.ifixit.com/Apple-Parts/Ma...-Kit/IF171-005

[Giuly]

Go with the OCZ Vertex 4 or the 840 Pro. You'll need the OWC Data Doubler Installation Kit, and follow the guide to install the SSD.

[53x12]

Originally Posted by Giuly

Go with the OCZ Vertex 4 or the 840 Pro. You'll need the Dual Hard Drive Kit from iFixIt, and follow the guide to install the SSD.

The 840 Pro is a great drive as well as the 830. But I will have to agree with philipma1957 that it might be worth waiting for the 1TB SSD for $600. You are already going to pay ~$240 for a good 256GB SSD. Spend another $360 and you get 4x the space. But if you are on a budget, that might not work.

[philipma1957]

Normally I would have told the op get a samsung 830/840 256gb or 512gb. My thoughts are you are risking warranty by doing the work you may as well put in a big ssd. Since crucial m4 ssds are reliable my guess is the m500 should be reliable .

A 600 dollar 1tb ssd (960gb) really has peaked my interest. If the 480gb is 300 that is not a bad choice either. the m500 specs for the 960 and 480 are very fast. the 240 specs are slower.

Op has an ssd in his machine so waiting may be possible.

here is a link for cable alone
if the op has a lot of tools

http://www.powerbookmedic.com/Mac-Mi...e-p-20708.html

[diazj3]

Originally Posted by Giuly

Go with the OCZ Vertex 4

Personally I wouldn't go with any SandForce driven drives...

Originally Posted by 53x12

The 840 Pro is a great drive as well as the 830.

...or the Samsung 840 (the regular consumer version) for a few bucks less. Got one 1 month ago, and so far, it's been flawless.

An any case, I'd go with Samsung.

[53x12]

Originally Posted by diazj3

Personally I wouldn't go with any SandForce driven drives...

Agreed.

Originally Posted by diazj3

...or the Samsung 840 (the regular consumer version) for a few bucks less. Got one 1 month ago, and so far, it's been flawless.

An any case, I'd go with Samsung.

Yeah the 840 is a good option as well.

[Shirke]

Thanks a lot guys your help is greatly appreciated!

Here's my final going to order:
http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Series...dp_ob_title_ce
http://www.ifixit.com/Apple-Parts/Ma...-Kit/IF171-005
http://www.crucial.com/store/mpartsp...D020F5A5CA7304

[diazj3]

Originally Posted by Shirke

Thanks a lot guys your help is greatly appreciated!

Here's my final going to order:
http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Series...dp_ob_title_ce
http://www.ifixit.com/Apple-Parts/Ma...-Kit/IF171-005
http://www.crucial.com/store/mpartsp...D020F5A5CA7304

Sounds great!

Before you place your order, check out this other data doubler for the 2012 MacMini...

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/DIYIMM11D2/

$15 bucks cheaper, and with the OWC warranty.

Or, you could order the 16gigs of RAM from them too, and deal with less shipments (although Ram is a bit more expensive than Crucial).

PS. I don't work for OWC.

cheers!

EDIT: once you get your drive, be sure to check/update the drive's firmware before filling it up.

[Giuly]

Originally Posted by diazj3

Personally I wouldn't go with any SandForce driven drives...

The Vertex 4 has an Indlinx Everest 2 chipset, not a SandForce.

[bplein]

Originally Posted by Giuly

The Vertex 4 has an Indlinx Everest 2 chipset, not a SandForce.

I'd still stay away from OCZ. Their management was reckless with the company in the recent past (go read some business articles, the founder is gone, the CFO replaced). They are trying hard to turn the company around. You do not need to donate money to them just to keep them afloat, and their record with RMAs is abysmal (lots of them, and a long time to turn them around)

I owned a few OCZ Vertex 2's, btw. OK, I only bought one. It was RMA'd twice in a year. Great when it was actually running.

[diazj3]

Originally Posted by Giuly

The Vertex 4 has an Indlinx Everest 2 chipset, not a SandForce.

Wow, didn't know that. Thanks for the info.

But it seems the Vertex 4 is their first drive to ship with the new controllers that replace SandForce... so still, kind of a risk as it has no market record to go on

Plus this:

Originally Posted by bplein

I'd still stay away from OCZ. Their management was reckless with the company in the recent past (go read some business articles, the founder is gone, the CFO replaced). They are trying hard to turn the company around. You do not need to donate money to them just to keep them afloat, and their record with RMAs is abysmal (lots of them, and a long time to turn them around)

I owned a few OCZ Vertex 2's, btw. OK, I only bought one. It was RMA'd twice in a year. Great when it was actually running.

I'd stay away from OCZ for now too.

[Giuly]

Originally Posted by diazj3

Wow, didn't know that. Thanks for the info.

But it seems the Vertex 4 is their first drive to ship with the new controllers that replace SandForce... so still, kind of a risk as it has no market record to go on

What I forgot to mention is that the chipset is actually a Marvell (like in the Crucial m4 and Intel 520), but with a custom firmware.

[ndmx52]

Anyone recommend the 840 (no pro)? Seems like a pretty popular drive. High reviews on Amazon.

[paulrbeers]

Originally Posted by diazj3

Wow, didn't know that. Thanks for the info.

But it seems the Vertex 4 is their first drive to ship with the new controllers that replace SandForce... so still, kind of a risk as it has no market record to go on

Plus this:



I'd stay away from OCZ for now too.

I wouldn't buy an SSD that the speed changes fairly dramatically when you fill it half full. Apparently to make it seem faster, they have a "turbo" mode that the SSD goes into until it is half full. While OCZ hasn't specifically said this, they know that rarely would a review site fill an SSD with much more than 30GB worth of data so many sites just report the artificially inflated numbers that they get and never run into the "truth".....

This is why I would never by a Vertex 4.

[Amrives]

I have the 2.3ghz i7 Mini with 16gb of Crucial CL11 RAM, a Samsung 840 Pro 128gb SSD boot drive, and the original 1tb Apple hdd that my Mini shipped with. I recommend this setup to just about anyone that wants to get the most out of their mac mini. I installed ML onto the SSD and formatted the 1tb to MACOSX so I can use it for storage. Went into terminal and moved the location of my Library, music, movies, pictures, downloads, etc. to the "spinner" trying to only leave my Logic and current (note I said CURRENT) Final Cut projects, my Applications folder and my Users folders on my SSD. The 840 Pro is a very VERY speedy hard drive. The standard 840 just doesnt get write speeds above 300mb/s and the 128gb pro is closer to 400mb/s write. Even when you get the larger 840 your performance does not get a boost like it does in the Pro line.

[53x12]

Originally Posted by ndmx52

Anyone recommend the 840 (no pro)? Seems like a pretty popular drive. High reviews on Amazon.

If you are on a strict budget the 840 is a decent option. But if you want the best get the 840 Pro or 830. They are worth the extra.

[elolaugesen]

Where can i find the terminal instructions for moving the folders to hd

Thanks elo

[theprocess]

Youtube has some good videos for installing second hdd/ssd.

[Mighty Anderson]

Originally Posted by diazj3

Personally I wouldn't go with any SandForce driven drives...

...or the Samsung 840 (the regular consumer version) for a few bucks less. Got one 1 month ago, and so far, it's been flawless.

An any case, I'd go with Samsung.

I agree! Sandforce drives perform much better these days as compared with other drives because of their unmatched ssd technology...

[Giuly]

FWIW, the Vertex 4 has been superseded by the Indlinx Barefoot 3-powered OCZ Vector.

[Drharrington]

Had good results with crucial mp4 512 gb and owc data doubler.

[53x12]

If I needed a large SSD I would wait for Crucial's 1TB SSD as that will be the best bang for the buck by far. Won't even be close.

If I just need 256GB for OS and Apps, then Samsung is hard to beat for reliability and super fast.