128 GB Enough?

[TheDarkAvengerX]

I've been debating on what configuration I want in my Mac Mini. I'm thinking of this:

Intel i7
16 GB DDR4 Ram
128 GB SSD

This will put me at $1300. I plan on doing boot camp on this but I plan on using external storage for everything else but the OS. I just wonder if I should up it to 256 GB. I am trying to save some money with the 128 but if you guys think it's worth the $200, I might do it.

 

[casperes1996]

This will put me at $1300. I plan on doing boot camp on this but I plan on using external storage for everything else but the OS. I just wonder if I should up it to 256 GB. I am trying to save some money with the 128 but if you guys think it's worth the $200, I might do it.

if you'll use external storage anyway, you're probably fine.

 

[Apple_Robert]

With MacOS and Windows 10, that should leave you about 60- 65 GB.

 

[Spectrum]

Can Windows BootCamp be put on an external? If yes, that might be a good (and useful) solution (out it on its own cheap 128GB USB3 SSD).
Otherwise, I feel like two OSs+Apps+Space to grow, is a bit tight for 128GB. But it really depends on how many apps you have (and how much space Windows needs).

 

[ixxx69]

I've been debating on what configuration I want in my Mac Mini. I'm thinking of this:

Intel i7
16 GB DDR4 Ram
128 GB SSD

This will put me at $1300. I plan on doing boot camp on this but I plan on using external storage for everything else but the OS. I just wonder if I should up it to 256 GB. I am trying to save some money with the 128 but if you guys think it's worth the $200, I might do it.

If boot camp is a real consideration, 128GB will be too tight beyond installation. You will quickly find yourself in a never-ending juggling act of space management.

While there are some hacks to get boot camp working on an external drive, it's not supported by either Apple or Microsoft, and will eventually break.

Good luck!

 

[Sarpanch]

If boot camp is a real consideration, 128GB will be too tight beyond installation. You will quickly find yourself in a never-ending juggling act of space management.

While there are some hacks to get boot camp working on an external drive, it's not supported by either Apple or Microsoft, and will eventually break.

Good luck!

I second this. I bought a 2018 Mac Mini with 256 GB for exactly this reason. Additionally, the 256 GB SSD has higher Write Speeds as well (not a deciding factor though)

If price is a factor, then I would recommend going with the 8GB model and upgrading to 16GB yourself. 16GB kit is around 110$ thesedays. Also, if you don't need the i7, then the i5/256/8 version offers very good value.

Good luck!

P.S. Installing Windows via Boot Camp on external SSD is possible, but as far as I know, it requires some tinkering and modification, and it is not supported by default.

 

[casperes1996]

Can Windows BootCamp be put on an external? If yes, that might be a good (and useful) solution (out it on its own cheap 128GB USB3 SSD).

While there are some hacks to get boot camp working on an external drive, it's not supported by either Apple or Microsoft, and will eventually break.

Uhmmm. Is it not? Pretty sure the BootCamp Assistant literally had a button for selecting external drives last i used it.

 

[ondert]

You can create install bootcamp on an external ssd and can boot windows from there. However, in any case I try to get the model with higher capacity.

 

[Apple_Robert]

I have a base i3 that I have had just over a week. I am going to return it and keep the i7 3.2 Ghz 16 RAM 256GB that I just got today. I just set it up.

OP, the write speed for the 128GB is 615 -650. The write speed for the 256GB is essentially twice (1350) that of 128GB. I wanted to let you know in case that kind of information is important to you.

 

[revmacian]

I have a base i3 that I have had just over a week. I am going to return it and keep the i7 3.2 Ghz 16 RAM 256 GB that I just got today. I just set it up.

OP, the read speed for the 128GB is 615 -650. The read speed for the 256GB is essentially twice (1350) that of 128GB. I wanted to let you know in case that kind of information is important to you.

Also, with SSD's, more is better because of the way an SSD handles wear leveling. Moving data around to prevent cell exhaustion will benefit quite a bit from having more cells to work with. So, I would say that 256GB would definitely be better than 128GB for longevity alone.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

Uhmmm. Is it not? Pretty sure the BootCamp Assistant literally had a button for selecting external drives last i used it.

Nope. I'm very familiar with Boot Camp starting with approximately OS X Lion, it's never "Supported" external disks but there have been some work-arounds (which probably no longer work, I'm not certain of that though). Boot Camp must be on the macOS internal disk - even if you boot macOS from an external, you can't install Windows to that disk.

 

[Sarpanch]

I have a base i3 that I have had just over a week. I am going to return it and keep the i7 3.2 Ghz 16 RAM 256GB that I just got today. I just set it up.

OP, the read speed for the 128GB is 615 -650. The read speed for the 256GB is essentially twice (1350) that of 128GB. I wanted to let you know in case that kind of information is important to you.

I believe you meant Write Speed and not Read Speed. Read speed is the same on all Storage options.

 

[Apple_Robert]

I believe you meant Write Speed and not Read Speed. Read speed is the same on all Storage options.

Thanks for catching my error.

 

[kensic]

I've been debating on what configuration I want in my Mac Mini. I'm thinking of this:

Intel i7
16 GB DDR4 Ram
128 GB SSD

This will put me at $1300. I plan on doing boot camp on this but I plan on using external storage for everything else but the OS. I just wonder if I should up it to 256 GB. I am trying to save some money with the 128 but if you guys think it's worth the $200, I might do it.

why not do 8gh and 256gb ssd @ same price point.

save up money to update to 16gb/32gb when price drops later on.

seems to be a better investment for the initial 1300$

 

[Fishrrman]

IF you're careful, you can make 128gb work.
But one has to be stingy about consuming disk space.

However -- adding BootCamp into the equation may "muck things up".

BTW:
Do you really, really need native Windows bootability?
Could "an emulated solution" work well enough for your use case?
Could something like Crossover (which doesn't require a Windows installation to run certain Windows apps) work?