A question on keeping a 2018 Mac Mini

[StoneJack]

The future is exactly what I’m concerned about and what I’m asking about. The absolute last thing I want to do is have to buy a new computer just to finish out the 2-3 years that I have to do this type of work. Don’t tell me what to worry about.

Then dont ask meaningless questions. There are no future proof computers most have 5 year useful life span or maybe 10 at best. Yes, one still can use 1996 windows 3.1 pc but probably better not

 

[rezwits]

Another example, network game I am building in Xcode:

Clean Build Folder Compile on mmM4P (12-core) 64GB ram: 20 seconds
Clean Build Folder Compile on mm2018 (12-core) 64 GB ram: 80 seconds

I did a clean build probably at least 30-40 times, @30 times that's 10 minutes versus 40 minutes!
Just depends what UR Doing... You do that all night you started to get pissed...

2¢

n.b. mind you I do use it to play Music pretty regularly...

 

[Fishrrman]

OP:

If you like "where you are", then just stay where you are, at least for now.

When you come to the point where you MUST upgrade, then do so.

That's the way I see it.
My own 2018 Mini still uses 10.14.6 Mojave as "its main OS"...

 

[ignatius345]

I would like to keep using it for these same purposes for 2-3 years longer, by then the work I do on it now should be all digital and online.

Out of curiousity, what exactly do you mean by "digital and online"? Any work you are doing on a computer or any other such device is already "digital". Do you mean that you expect to be working solely through an "online" web-based interface?

 

[Financial-Figure339]

If your Mac Mini is running fine, no need to rush the upgrade. I’d stick with Sonoma 14.7.3 for security updates and skip Sequoia 15.3 since major updates can sometimes slow things down. As long as it’s working well for your needs, just keep it simple and update only when necessary!

But the new Mac Mini with M4 + 16 gb ram, it is lightening fast

 

[X86refugee]

The future is exactly what I’m concerned about and what I’m asking about. The absolute last thing I want to do is have to buy a new computer just to finish out the 2-3 years that I have to do this type of work. Don’t tell me what to worry about.

Wow, ok, I guess Mac forums are a little different than the Win/Linux ones where people ask questions and get answers. Looks like the Ignore function works too.

 

[obiit]

If your Mac Mini is running fine, no need to rush the upgrade. I’d stick with Sonoma 14.7.3 for security updates and skip Sequoia 15.3 since major updates can sometimes slow things down. As long as it’s working well for your needs, just keep it simple and update only when necessary!

But the new Mac Mini with M4 + 16 gb ram, it is lightening fast

I upgraded to Sequoia 15.3 and it has messed up wireless and my logon screen. Sonoma messed up the graphics driver to the point it wouldn’t run games. I’d keep what works for you and only do security updates on a 2018 Mac mini.

 

[macnavarra]

I would thinking upgrading it to the alpha OS in the works, or disconnecting from the Internet and downgrading it to Mojave in your case, if you Where on Fusion HDD Yosemite and up to Mojave.

That may Help for Fusion HDD owners:

disable swap: sudo launchctl unload -w /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.dynamic_pager.plist

remove swapfiles: sudo rm /private/var/vm/swapfile*

If Fusion HDD is used with a internal or external nvme you may consider:

enable swap again : sudo launchctl load /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.dynamic_pager.plist