Go ahead, punch holes in my plan to upgrade my late 2014 Mac Mini

[The Loaf]

Hi there!

Thanks in advance, and pardon my newbie-ness. I came here to post my plan to upgrade the hd on my late 2014 Mac mini (2.6 GHz, 1TB hdd, 8GB RAM, A1347) because it has become so sluggish, so many spinning balls, gets tied up constantly, you know the story. I did move to Big Sur, and of course that didn’t help, but it’s still chugging along, and I’d like to keep it chugging, albeit quicker, until I can buy a new M1 MacBook later this year.

I’ve meant to swap out the hd for an SSD for a long time, but was only aware of the “open heart surgery” option, where you dig everything out, and replace the physical drive with an SSD. Always seemed intimidating, and I was worried something would go wrong, and I’d be stuck, because it’s my only functional computer. But it has gotten so bad. I don’t know much about computers, but am pretty good with screwdrivers, so finally decided to plunge ahead, for better or worse. But now, after reading a few threads, as I understand it, there are actually 3 options available, all of which should make things better, but which would be better for me?

1. Continue my first plan, and do deep surgery, and replace with SATA SSD. I’ve pretty much ruled this out, if one of the other options will give me better, or at least equal-ish performance.
2. Just buy an external usb-c SSD, plug it in, format it, use carbon copy cloner to clone my current drive to it, choose it as my start up disc, and done. Questions: will there be any kind of significant performance/speed difference if it is plugged into my usb, or the Thunderbolt 2 port? The drive: Costco has a SanDisk Extreme 1TB Portable Solid State Drive for $119 right now.
3. Open up the mini and install a NVMe SSD (I am not intimidated by this procedure, seems simple enough). Questions: Will the drive show up after installation and can I use disc utility to format it, and proceed as in option #2 above? It’s not something I need to format before installation? Will this option give me significantly better performance than #2, given my computer? Or not enough to justify the additional hassle?

Here are the items I was thinking of if I go this #3 route:

https://www.amazon.com/Sintech-NGFF-NVMe-Upgrade-A1347/dp/B07Q5FBNVG

*It seems there is a small mounting screw to hold the SSD in place that I’m not sure this unit contains. It may, but I’m still not sure. Maybe someone can confirm? I know there are some ribbon-type connectors out there as well, but don’t know of a specific reliable one, unless you do?

https://www.amazon.com/Crucial-NAND-NVMe-Internal-3400MB/dp/B087QRVVVH/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Crucial+P5+1TB+3D+NAND+NVMe+Internal+SSD,+up+to+3400MB/s+-+CT1000P5SSD8&qid=1615919872&s=electronics&sr=1-1

People suggest various drives, but does it really matter that much? I thought Crucial was a decent brand, but don’t honestly know.

I know there are some screwdrivers I will have to buy as well. I realize OWC makes a kit, but it’s around $250 vs. the appx $150 if these are acceptable.

Please let me know if you see any holes in my plans, or have additional advice, or if you anticipate I’ll run into issues, given my relative lack of experience. Thank you! This is a great place!

 

[Boyd01]

You will surely get much better performance from the internal NVMe SSD, but the question is, "will you notice"? If the Mini is swapping a lot of data to the SSD due to lack of memory, I guess you would notice? But if that's the case, then its probably time for a new computer with more RAM.

I have the next model up from yours (2014 2.8ghz/8gb) and this is what I get from the original Apple internal SSD (which is only 128gb, larger/newer SSD's should be a bit faster)

And this is what I get from an external USB 3 SSD (Samsung 1TB T3)

Have not tried installing an internal SATA SSD (looks like a lot of trouble) but I assume it would be comparable to the original Apple internal SSD on my 2012 Mini

Thunderbolt SSD's are faster but pretty expensive, IMO not worth the cost for a 2014 Mini, but that's up to you.

 

[DeltaMac]

If your 2014 mini did not come with a blade-type drive (either as a fusion drive, or SSD-only model), then there is not only no screw provided, but the cable and connector for the blade drive are also not in place. The blade drive, if there is one, would be located on top of the hard drive mount tray. So, you would also have to add that hardware, if you want to use a blade-type drive.
But, just replacing the spinning hard drive with a 2.5-inch SSD will give you a great boost in performance, and not much more involved in that replacement. I like Western Digital, or Crucial

Crucial MX500 500GB 3D NAND SATA 2.5 Inch Internal SSD, up to 560MB/s - CT500MX500SSD1

Start your system in seconds store up to 4TB of data and upgrade with an SSD you can count on Join more and more people who are keeping their family videos travel photos music and important documents on an SSD and get the near-instant performance and lasting reliability that comes with solid stat...

smile.amazon.com

You don't need a lot of tools. A TR6 and TR8 drivers, and the U-shaped tool to pry the logic board out its place is enough. Ifixit sells what you need, those few tools are only 15 or 16 dollars.

 

[The Loaf]

You will surely get much better performance from the internal NVMe SSD, but the question is, "will you notice"? If the Mini is swapping a lot of data to the SSD due to lack of memory, I guess you would notice? But if that's the case, then its probably time for a new computer with more RAM.

I have the next model up from yours (2014 2.8ghz/8gb) and this is what I get from the original Apple internal SSD (which is only 128gb, larger/newer SSD's should be a bit faster)

View attachment 1744781


And this is what I get from an external USB 3 SSD (Samsung 1TB T3)

View attachment 1744782


Have not tried installing an internal SATA SSD (looks like a lot of trouble) but I assume it would be comparable to the original Apple internal SSD on my 2012 Mini

View attachment 1744783

Thunderbolt SSD's are faster but pretty expensive, IMO not worth the cost for a 2014 Mini, but that's up to you.

You will surely get much better performance from the internal NVMe SSD, but the question is, "will you notice"? If the Mini is swapping a lot of data to the SSD due to lack of memory, I guess you would notice? But if that's the case, then its probably time for a new computer with more RAM.

I have the next model up from yours (2014 2.8ghz/8gb) and this is what I get from the original Apple internal SSD (which is only 128gb, larger/newer SSD's should be a bit faster)

View attachment 1744781


And this is what I get from an external USB 3 SSD (Samsung 1TB T3)

View attachment 1744782


Have not tried installing an internal SATA SSD (looks like a lot of trouble) but I assume it would be comparable to the original Apple internal SSD on my 2012 Mini

View attachment 1744783

Thunderbolt SSD's are faster but pretty expensive, IMO not worth the cost for a 2014 Mini, but that's up to you.

Thank you. Yes, I know it’s time for a new computer—just hoping to hold out until later this year. HD is only about 1/2 full, but yes, RAM is only 8gb. Nothing to be done about that. Really, it’s a choice between option #2 or #3 above. Do you think if I go the #3 route, I have the right purchases linked?

 

[The Loaf]

If your 2014 mini did not come with a blade-type drive (either as a fusion drive, or SSD-only model), then there is not only no screw provided, but the cable and connector for the blade drive are also not in place. The blade drive, if there is one, would be located on top of the hard drive mount tray. So, you would also have to add that hardware, if you want to use a blade-type drive.
But, just replacing the spinning hard drive with a 2.5-inch SSD will give you a great boost in performance, and not much more involved in that replacement. I like Western Digital, or Crucial

Crucial MX500 500GB 3D NAND SATA 2.5 Inch Internal SSD, up to 560MB/s - CT500MX500SSD1

Start your system in seconds store up to 4TB of data and upgrade with an SSD you can count on Join more and more people who are keeping their family videos travel photos music and important documents on an SSD and get the near-instant performance and lasting reliability that comes with solid stat...

smile.amazon.com

You don't need a lot of tools. A TR6 and TR8 drivers, and the U-shaped tool to pry the logic board out its place is enough. Ifixit sells what you need, those few tools are only 15 or 16 dollars.

Right, as I understand it if I go the blade route (that’s the NVMe drive, correct?), I would have to install a connector (which is the first Amazon product linked above… if I have it right). It doesn’t look difficult and, from what I’ve read, would be faster than even the SATA option, without all the extra steps (looks like there are some fiddly spots in that procedure… you’re probably way more experienced than me). Not impossibly difficult, but if I can find a simpler way to get a good SSD function, I’m thinking that might be the way to go. Am I missing anything?

 

[glenthompson]

Option 2 is the most cost effective and easiest to implement. In addition if you find that it’s not good enough you still have a good external SSD that can be used for a clone backup for the current Mini or any future Mac. I wouldn’t recommend this option for a laptop but it’s fine for a desktop.

 

[ignatius345]

Continue my first plan, and do deep surgery, and replace with SATA SSD. I’ve pretty much ruled this out, if one of the other options will give me better, or at least equal-ish performance.

I did this years ago on a slightly older Mini (a 2011 or 2012 I believe?) and honestly it was not that bad. In fact, I bought a little adapter bracket and cable kit from OWC and crammed in a SATA SSD in addition to the existing SATA HDD, and then used some terminal trickery to make the two into a Fusion Drive. This was back when SSDs were still pretty expensive. Nowadays they're cheap so there's no reason to bother with that.

iFixit has really good teardown instructions. Just have all the right tools and parts on hand, a clean working space, and take your time and I bet you'll be fine.

If your 2014 mini did not come with a blade-type drive (either as a fusion drive, or SSD-only model), then there is not only no screw provided, but the cable and connector for the blade drive are also not in place. The blade drive, if there is one, would be located on top of the hard drive mount tray. So, you would also have to add that hardware, if you want to use a blade-type drive.

I was a little confused by this as well. If the Mini only shipped with an SATA hard drive, would there be a place to connect an NVMe blade drive at all? My hunch is no, but I guess just make sure you know for sure before you buy the parts and crack it open.

But yeah, even with the SATA option, it's going to be MASSIVELY faster than a spinning hard drive. That was my experience putting the SSD into my old Mini -- it felt like I'd gotten a new Mac.

 

[DeltaMac]

Right, as I understand it if I go the blade route (that’s the NVMe drive, correct?), I would have to install a connector (which is the first Amazon product linked above… if I have it right). It doesn’t look difficult and, from what I’ve read, would be faster than even the SATA option, without all the extra steps (looks like there are some fiddly spots in that procedure… you’re probably way more experienced than me). Not impossibly difficult, but if I can find a simpler way to get a good SSD function, I’m thinking that might be the way to go. Am I missing anything?

Yes, the adapter that you posted in your OP is just that - an adapter. Read my post #3 again, please.
If your mini has only the hard drive, then there is no connector for that adapter. If you have an NVME card that you want to use, the adapter connects to that card -- but there is no matching connecter for that NVME card plus adapter. There is no connector for an SSD drive card, unless your mini came with an SSD card. You could add an NVME, but you will need to source the ribbon cable/connector for the drive card. Again, if your mini did not come with an SSD card, that connector won't be there. The adapter does not include the connector that you would need. (I don't know where to get that connector/ribbon cable.)
edit - I missed the part where the OP posted about the correct adapter cable to add to that 2014 mini. I am not correcting the rest of this post, so others can see where I erred.

 

[prospervic]

Is this plan on paper? If so, I have a very good hole punch.

 

[joevt]

I like option 3 but @Boyd01's numbers only show something like PCIe 3.0 x1 (or PCIe 2.0 x2 or PCIe 1.0 x4) performance. What is the max PCIe link rate and link width allowed by the connector in the Mac mini 2014? There's an upgrade guide at https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/using-a-standard-m-2-pcie-nvme-ssd-in-the-2014-mini.2118732/ which shows PCIe 2.0 x2.

Ok, so 800 MB/s max via internal PCIe 2.0 x2 NVMe or AHCI. That's not a lot more than internal SATA 6G (550 MB/s). It's much better than USB 3.0 (460 MB/s).

If you connect a Thunderbolt 3 device, then you can get USB 3.1 gen 2 (1000 MB/s) or Thunderbolt 2 (1800 MB/s).

The faster you want to go, the more expensive it gets. I think you would be perfectly happy with a SATA 6G SSD.

If your Mac mini didn't come with a blade, and you want to add one, then the Sintech adapter you linked is the way to go (the pictures show it comes with a screw). Optionally, OWC sells a kit that includes the missing cable (but uses Apple's special connector for the blade) - and if you have that cable then Sintech has an adapter to convert from Apple's blade connector to M.2 connector (linked in that MacRumor's upgrade guide).

 

[Fishrrman]

My advice:

Get the EXTERNAL USB3 drive, and set that up to become "the new boot drive".

It won't be quite as fast as an internally-installed nvme drive, BUT...
...When the time comes when you get a new Mac, it's a snap to:
a. disconnect the external SSD
b. connect it to the new Mac
c. use setup assistant to migrate directly from the external SSD.
d. then, re-purpose the external SSD as your "new backup", or something else.

Also, there's no risk involved (as you might encounter in opening the Mini to install the nvme drive).

 

[Boyd01]

I like the external option too and used it for several years on my 2012 Mini. But saying it's "not quite as fast" isn't really accurate. A modern NVMe ssd is going to be about twice as fast, which is significant - especially if swapping is the reason why your Mini is slow.

I would completely agree with your external ssd advice if we were talking about the 2012 Mini because its internal SSD is slower and installation is difficult. You can also easily upgrade 2012 Mini RAM to 16gb to minimize swapping. Have not installed an SSD on a 2014 Mini myself, but it looks pretty simple.

 

[G4DPII]

Installing an NVMe drive with adapter linked in the original post is possible, i've done it. To say the connection isn't on the board is a total lie. My 2014 came with the Spinner. It now has NVMe boot drive and a SATA SSD for more storage.

The max speeds you can expect are around 750mb/s, can't get any faster due to the PCI-E limitations of the mini.

 

[ignatius345]

Installing an NVMe drive with adapter linked in the original post is possible, i've done it. To say the connection isn't on the board is a total lie.

Easy there. I don't think anyone is lying here, just asking questions.

 

[DeltaMac]

That response was partly on me. I posted that adapter/cable may not be all that is necessary, and I was wrong, made a bad assumption that it was the tiny adapter from that Sintech company. That posted adapter is all that is needed to add the connection for the NVME card. I edited that post for clarity...

 

[an-other]

Any time you come up with an upgrade plan you have to accept the possibility you'll inadvertently break your machine beyond repair. Logic boards have delicate solder that doesn't age well. The mac mini is one of the harder macs to upgrade, too. Your starting point is a six year old machine.

Please don't read the above thinking, "I've done hundreds of upgrades, I know what I'm doing..." hubris. Even the most talented technicians experience bad luck. If this happens, you're left with a bunch of new parts and no way to use them.

My intention here isn't to say you're destined to fail. There's a very good chance you'll be successful. You just have to accept the prospect things won't go as planned. This may change your decision to take the money you were considering investing back into your old machine and using it toward a new one. There always seems to be attractive deals in the apple refurb shop. I also suspect intel minis are falling in price quickly.

I wish you the best success in whatever option you choose.

 

[G4DPII]

Any time you come up with an upgrade plan you have to accept the possibility you'll inadvertently break your machine beyond repair. Logic boards have delicate solder that doesn't age well. The mac mini is one of the harder macs to upgrade, too. Your starting point is a six year old machine.

Please don't read the above thinking, "I've done hundreds of upgrades, I know what I'm doing..." hubris. Even the most talented technicians experience bad luck. If this happens, you're left with a bunch of new parts and no way to use them.

My intention here isn't to say you're destined to fail. There's a very good chance you'll be successful. You just have to accept the prospect things won't go as planned. This may change your decision to take the money you were considering investing back into your old machine and using it toward a new one. There always seems to be attractive deals in the apple refurb shop. I also suspect intel minis are falling in price quickly.

I wish you the best success in whatever option you choose.

Why are people commneting on this upgrade that clearly have no idea what is involved, let alone actually done it.

It's not difficult, just follow the iFixit tutorial and take your time. Installing a SATA SSD is a long winded affair. Installing an NVMe Drive is a doddle and take 5 minutes.

 

[an-other]

This person is commenting as they've witnessed things like:
1. people inadvertently damaging their airport connection.
2. Pressing down on their motherboard breaking a solder connection

I encourage you to warranty this update for user The Loaf if you're so confident is a doddle.

 

[MateoDeLaLuz]

I'm on a 2014 mini with 8GB RAM and the 1.4ghz i5 processor. It was horribly slow when I first got it and had to boot from the original HDD. I first tried option #2 (external SSD) before going with #3 (adapter and internal NVME blade).

I found the external SSD to be a perfectly usable solution, much faster than the original HDD, and the machine went from intolerable to perfectly functional for casual computing purposes. Tested drive speeds with the external SSD were approximately 400 MB/s. But I wanted a cleaner look and wanted to maximize the drive speed to extend the life of the machine as long as possible, so I eventually added the NVME and it is working great. Tested speeds are a little over 700 MB/s with the NVME drive.

I strongly encourage the NVME option for anyone who really wants to get the most out of the 2014 mini. However, for others who don't want to sink more money into an almost-obsolete machine, the external SSD option is a good choice to keep the mini working until they are ready to buy a new computer.

The products you linked to look fine based on what I recall from my search.

 

[The Loaf]

First of all, thanks to everyone who weighed in. I really appreciate everyone's perspective--even when things got off topic a bit. It's all good. I may have a follow up question or two, so thanks for checking in.

I did this years ago on a slightly older Mini (a 2011 or 2012 I believe?) and honestly it was not that bad. In fact, I bought a little adapter bracket and cable kit from OWC and crammed in a SATA SSD in addition to the existing SATA HDD, and then used some terminal trickery to make the two into a Fusion Drive. This was back when SSDs were still pretty expensive. Nowadays they're cheap so there's no reason to bother with that.

iFixit has really good teardown instructions. Just have all the right tools and parts on hand, a clean working space, and take your time and I bet you'll be fine.



I was a little confused by this as well. If the Mini only shipped with an SATA hard drive, would there be a place to connect an NVMe blade drive at all? My hunch is no, but I guess just make sure you know for sure before you buy the parts and crack it open.

But yeah, even with the SATA option, it's going to be MASSIVELY faster than a spinning hard drive. That was my experience putting the SSD into my old Mini -- it felt like I'd gotten a new Mac.

Thanks for that. It's nice to get the encouragement. I've read the iFixit walkthrough to replace the SATA, and that was my plan until I came here and read about the other options. In any case, I plan to crack open the mini once I get the torx driver just to confirm everything looks normal. Then I'll order my parts before proceeding.

Is this plan on paper? If so, I have a very good hole punch.

Good one! Don't forget to tip your waiter.

I like the external option too and used it for several years on my 2012 Mini. But saying it's "not quite as fast" isn't really accurate. A modern NVMe ssd is going to be about twice as fast, which is significant - especially if swapping is the reason why your Mini is slow.

I would completely agree with your external ssd advice if we were talking about the 2012 Mini because its internal SSD is slower and installation is difficult. You can also easily upgrade 2012 Mini RAM to 16gb to minimize swapping. Have not installed an SSD on a 2014 Mini myself, but it looks pretty simple.

Boyd, I have read your many responses to this thread and others on this topic, and--though I don't always understand everything (some of it's over my head), what is clear is that you are here to provide cool-headed assistance. All forums need good moderators like you. Also, thanks for the video. I hadn't seen that one before.

That response was partly on me. I posted that adapter/cable may not be all that is necessary, and I was wrong, made a bad assumption that it was the tiny adapter from that Sintech company. That posted adapter is all that is needed to add the connection for the NVME card. I edited that post for clarity...

Whew (wipes brow). Your first unedited response had me scrambling to double check everything I'd read, etc., so thanks for the correction. Yes, I think "my" adapter combines both the adapter and cable (which is now an arm coming off the main body, with the connection to the board at the end). There is another similar adapter/connector referred to in the thread mentioned by joevt above. But that one looks like it has to be ordered from China, and the Sintech one I'm planning on I hope comes faster via Amazon (I hope... ) Anyway, thank you!

Any time you come up with an upgrade plan you have to accept the possibility you'll inadvertently break your machine beyond repair. Logic boards have delicate solder that doesn't age well. The mac mini is one of the harder macs to upgrade, too. Your starting point is a six year old machine.

Please don't read the above thinking, "I've done hundreds of upgrades, I know what I'm doing..." hubris. Even the most talented technicians experience bad luck. If this happens, you're left with a bunch of new parts and no way to use them.

My intention here isn't to say you're destined to fail. There's a very good chance you'll be successful. You just have to accept the prospect things won't go as planned. This may change your decision to take the money you were considering investing back into your old machine and using it toward a new one. There always seems to be attractive deals in the apple refurb shop. I also suspect intel minis are falling in price quickly.

I wish you the best success in whatever option you choose.

Thank you. I think it's always best to weigh everything too, and agreed, there are always risks. I get that. I do have plans (and budget) for a new machine later this year.

Why are people commneting on this upgrade that clearly have no idea what is involved, let alone actually done it.

It's not difficult, just follow the iFixit tutorial and take your time. Installing a SATA SSD is a long winded affair. Installing an NVMe Drive is a doddle and take 5 minutes.

Even marginally risky ventures (like this) need people with your exuberant confidence. Thanks!

I'm on a 2014 mini with 8GB RAM and the 1.4ghz i5 processor. It was horribly slow when I first got it and had to boot from the original HDD. I first tried option #2 (external SSD) before going with #3 (adapter and internal NVME blade).

I found the external SSD to be a perfectly usable solution, much faster than the original HDD, and the machine went from intolerable to perfectly functional for casual computing purposes. Tested drive speeds with the external SSD were approximately 400 MB/s. But I wanted a cleaner look and wanted to maximize the drive speed to extend the life of the machine as long as possible, so I eventually added the NVME and it is working great. Tested speeds are a little over 700 MB/s with the NVME drive.

I strongly encourage the NVME option for anyone who really wants to get the most out of the 2014 mini. However, for others who don't want to sink more money into an almost-obsolete machine, the external SSD option is a good choice to keep the mini working until they are ready to buy a new computer.

The products you linked to look fine based on what I recall from my search.

Thanks for the real world feedback on your experience, and good points. I'm hoping to get away with spending about $150--which is worth it to me to bridge the gap until I get a new M1 later this year. Then this--still usable for a while--machine can be my back-up. I'm guessing that if I want, I can even extract the NVMe before moving on and using it in an external enclosure.

 

[Kaida]

#3
use the nvme adapter and a WD blue SN550 for best price/performance ratio. This way you get to keep the spinner HDD as a secondary storage too.
Mac mini 2014 is only PCIE x2 so you will only get PCIE x2 speed even if you use a PCIE x4 gen 3 or gen 4 SSD.

 

[Donhugo]

#3
use the nvme adapter and a WD blue SN550 for best price/performance ratio. This way you get to keep the spinner HDD as a secondary storage too.
Mac mini 2014 is only PCIE x2 so you will only get PCIE x2 speed even if you use a PCIE x4 gen 3 or gen 4 SSD.

I also use this solution on my Mac Mini Late 2104 with 8gb ram and I5 2,6ghz dualcore
I use the same nvme WD Blue SN550 512gb SSD with an adapter.
I have also downgraded to Mojave So that the Mac Mini works better, because this processor is not from last generations.
Now it looks like another computer.
In this forum they already told me that this is the best solution for this computer

 

[ChrisChaval]

I also use this solution on my Mac Mini Late 2104 with 8gb ram and I5 2,6ghz dualcore
I use the same nvme WD Blue SN550 512gb SSD with an adapter.
I have also downgraded to Mojave So that the Mac Mini works better, because this processor is not from last generations.
Now it looks like another computer.
In this forum they already told me that this is the best solution for this computer

I did a very similar thing to my late 2014 4gb Mac mini and the nvme revived it completely

very quick and easy install, too

do recommend

 

[seismick]

The PCIe blade-style SSDs are a piece of cake to install compared to swapping out the SATA HDD for an SSD. As others have pointed out, buy the PCIe connector kit from iFixit or elsewhere and go from there. The OEM PCIe SSDs are available from ebay in various storage capacities, with larger capacities generally being somewhat faster.

 

[RobArtLyn]

I went with your Option #3. Bought everything needed in this upgrade kit here:

OWC Aura Pro X2 1.0TB SSD for Mac mini (Late 2014)

Upgrade kit includes all needed tools and components to safely upgrade your 2014 Mac mini to a blade-style SSD. Up to twice as fast as the original SSDs.

eshop.macsales.com

Only took a few minutes. Made things much better.