2012 Mini i7 2.3 with fusion drive rarely used. SSD drive completely failed a couple of weeks back. Had split the fusion drive so was just using the SSD as the boot drive. Surprised it went so soon but was relatively easy to replace with a 1TB SSD apart from difficulty getting the wi-fi antenna grille to seat properly.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
How long without problems with your Mini?
- Thread starter Violafab
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Late 2012, refurb 2.3GHz i7 quad, USB 3, 16 GB RAM & dual 1TB drives (self-installed), running more-or-less 24/7 for about 2 years, including a fair chunk of video processing (mostly CPU work from deblocking), running Mavericks 10.9.5, plus a bunch of 3rd party software. No significant hardware or software problems.
Only things I don't like are the 5400 RPM HDD, and the HD4000 iGPU. The drive is fixable (and fixed-ish, still have to move to an SSD,.. soon, soon, currently around ¢50/GB AUD for a 1TB, half that and I am in the SSD market big time...); and the iGPU is OK, a little laggy here and there when loaded up, but workable, plays 50GB Blu-Ray vids fine, which is my minimum benchmark. A HD 5000, or even 6000, would be nice, but 1st world problems and all.
(I run a Dell U2713H screen, which is very nice.
TIP: The 'H' version is worth every penny. Forget the standard base version, way too much light bleed.)
This Mini is easily the best overall value Mac I have ever had in 25 years, and arguably the best value Mac ever. Happy customer, am I.
So, of course, Apple killed it. Coz,... well, who the &#%@$* knows. An iMac fetish?
Seriously considering picking up another one of the same model Mini on eBay, Amazon, etc. Current price around $1000 AUD. Just in case Apple don't fill that large gap between the current Mini and Pro.
Only things I don't like are the 5400 RPM HDD, and the HD4000 iGPU. The drive is fixable (and fixed-ish, still have to move to an SSD,.. soon, soon, currently around ¢50/GB AUD for a 1TB, half that and I am in the SSD market big time...); and the iGPU is OK, a little laggy here and there when loaded up, but workable, plays 50GB Blu-Ray vids fine, which is my minimum benchmark. A HD 5000, or even 6000, would be nice, but 1st world problems and all.
(I run a Dell U2713H screen, which is very nice.
TIP: The 'H' version is worth every penny. Forget the standard base version, way too much light bleed.)
This Mini is easily the best overall value Mac I have ever had in 25 years, and arguably the best value Mac ever. Happy customer, am I.
So, of course, Apple killed it. Coz,... well, who the &#%@$* knows. An iMac fetish?
Seriously considering picking up another one of the same model Mini on eBay, Amazon, etc. Current price around $1000 AUD. Just in case Apple don't fill that large gap between the current Mini and Pro.
Why I always purchase AppleCare which i have used a few times with IPod Touch 5 problems here in Costa Rica! To date, no "problema" with both of my Mac Mini's in which a replacement for a Costa Rican dealer installed 256 SSD would cost around $350.00!
Last edited:
mid 2011 with i7. I upgraded ram to 8GB and added a 2nd HD (16GB was to expensive, but I wish I had it now). Every once in awhile it acts a little funny, such as random shut down. I want to think I have hdd problems so i can put a SSD into it, but i think that is mostly wishful thinking. I think most of my issues have been software rather than hardware.
It stays on 24/7 with out going to sleep, mainly as it is the media server. It is used for monte carlo simulations, matlab, internet, email, etc. but very few games.
Clean out the dust from time to time and it will help keep temps down inside.
It stays on 24/7 with out going to sleep, mainly as it is the media server. It is used for monte carlo simulations, matlab, internet, email, etc. but very few games.
Clean out the dust from time to time and it will help keep temps down inside.
I'm so annoyed and can't decide what to do. Today I was seconds away from driving to a shop and buying the mid Mac Mini 2.6 ghz (without SSD or more ram). The next seconds I wanted to wait for an updated version...
There isn't refurbished Macs in my country, otherwise I would consider a Late 2012 Mini with high specs.
The hardest thing is not knowing, when a new Mac Mini will be released.
Aaarghhh
There isn't refurbished Macs in my country, otherwise I would consider a Late 2012 Mini with high specs.
The hardest thing is not knowing, when a new Mac Mini will be released.
Aaarghhh
I'm so annoyed and can't decide what to do. Today I was seconds away from driving to a shop and buying the mid Mac Mini 2.6 ghz (without SSD or more ram). The next seconds I wanted to wait for an updated version...
There isn't refurbished Macs in my country, otherwise I would consider a Late 2012 Mini with high specs.
The hardest thing is not knowing, when a new Mac Mini will be released.
Aaarghhh
If you need it now, just do it……!
Last edited:
It CAN wait, because I got my MBPr and my 24 inch Dell screen. But I have been using my Windows desktop for prepping school for the upcoming semester and I hate the machine already
But if the Macbook Pro will be my "only" machine for a while, I need to buy an extra Mac Safe charger for our home. I think the price is ridiculous high. I just hate to wait for a unknown Apple date, which may occur in 2015, 2016 or 2017
Update: I was getting tired of using my MBPr at home with my Dell monitor. It was annoying to disconnect it every day, when driving to Uni.
Because Apple didn't refresh the Mini this october, I wouldn't/couldn't wait any longer.
It was a hard choice to either buy the 2014 mini 2.6 ghz with a 5400 rpm hard drive at a third party shop or a maxxed out Mini from Apple.
I chose the mid model with hdd, because it was much cheaper. I knew I took a chance with the 5400 rpm, but I'm very surprised in a good way. There isn't any loud sound/noise and the speed in Safari or other programs are almost as fast as my 2014 MBPr.
I'm very happy and hope the Mac Mini will be a super machine for all my exam papers and webbrowsing :-D
Because Apple didn't refresh the Mini this october, I wouldn't/couldn't wait any longer.
It was a hard choice to either buy the 2014 mini 2.6 ghz with a 5400 rpm hard drive at a third party shop or a maxxed out Mini from Apple.
I chose the mid model with hdd, because it was much cheaper. I knew I took a chance with the 5400 rpm, but I'm very surprised in a good way. There isn't any loud sound/noise and the speed in Safari or other programs are almost as fast as my 2014 MBPr.
I'm very happy and hope the Mac Mini will be a super machine for all my exam papers and webbrowsing :-D
I've one Mac mini, mid-2007 model, whose RAM I upped about 4 years ago from 1 to 2 GB. It was my first Mac and 8 years later is still going strong. Only issue is not with the mini but with not being able to update OS X past Lion (10.7.5). Am getting quite a few notices from websites, including Netflix, to "update your browser." That has been the only issue, though.
No repairs ever needed.
No repairs ever needed.
My impression is that whatever problems I had with mine (2012 i7 model bought in spring 2014) were either caused by OS "issues" or problems the particular OS had with my old 3rd-party keyboard and mouse (I normally use an older 3-battery BT Apple Keyboard and a newer 2-battery trackpad - but when they run out of battery and I forgot to charge those, I have to use the 3rd-party stuff until everything is recharged).
I could see the fan starting to be problem a couple of years down the road. I think iFixit sells a replacement fan for something like 50 bucks - but I've seen them on alibaba for half of that (looked used, though, and with shipping...).
El Capitan seems to have fixed a lot of issues with BT, on-top of the incremental improvements in Mavericks.
I could see the fan starting to be problem a couple of years down the road. I think iFixit sells a replacement fan for something like 50 bucks - but I've seen them on alibaba for half of that (looked used, though, and with shipping...).
El Capitan seems to have fixed a lot of issues with BT, on-top of the incremental improvements in Mavericks.
my MM 2009 still runs, everything's great, only the CD broke down since...forever (I don't think it ever worked tbh)
2011 - Runs fine, about the same as the day I got it. Installed 8gb RAM off the bat and I have a couple external HDs now.
I'm looking to possibly up the RAM or boot off an SSD..... not really necessary, more something because I'm bored and need a little project
I'm looking to possibly up the RAM or boot off an SSD..... not really necessary, more something because I'm bored and need a little project
Coming up to a year on a 2014. No problems except a CPU that grunts with heavy lifting, which seems to be usually not a problem.
At work we had two 2010 servers who's hard drives died.
While they were in chilled room the mini (1 at a time) were ingesting hot exhaust air from another server.
A family member had a HD and opti drives die in 2009 MM after few years.
Muself I have acquired 2 3009 and 1 2007.
Each has some spacers on the bottom for more intake airflow.
While they were in chilled room the mini (1 at a time) were ingesting hot exhaust air from another server.
A family member had a HD and opti drives die in 2009 MM after few years.
Muself I have acquired 2 3009 and 1 2007.
Each has some spacers on the bottom for more intake airflow.
I've got loads of them , the only problems are the os updates
The hardware seems bullet proof so far - particularly the new cooler ones
The hardware seems bullet proof so far - particularly the new cooler ones
I bought mine 2012 Mini a year ago in September. No problems so far. It is the first Mac that I have bought Apple Care for.
i have owned 3 mac mins and the #1 problem is optical drives failing and wearing out. but since they do not come with optical drives anymore, i think they are probably more reliable.
applecare for a mini is only $99 compared to other plans its cheap, but mac minis are pretty solid, and i don't think you will ever need repair.
these new screws in the 2014 mini are very fragile. its like they are only designed to be unscrewed and screwed once!
one of the outside case screws broke
half of one airport screw looks lodged inside it.
i never had issues with the screws in the 2010 mini
i tried to put a SSD in the 2014 model, and i nearly wrecked it
i think you should buy whatever mac mini you can afford, and never consider actually doing any upgrades on it what so ever , the 2014 is too fragile
applecare for a mini is only $99 compared to other plans its cheap, but mac minis are pretty solid, and i don't think you will ever need repair.
these new screws in the 2014 mini are very fragile. its like they are only designed to be unscrewed and screwed once!
one of the outside case screws broke
half of one airport screw looks lodged inside it.
i never had issues with the screws in the 2010 mini
i tried to put a SSD in the 2014 model, and i nearly wrecked it
i think you should buy whatever mac mini you can afford, and never consider actually doing any upgrades on it what so ever , the 2014 is too fragile
you probably saved a bunch of money in electricity costs to buy several pc clones
I thought this was a cool thread, so I'll add my 2¢ — I ran an original mini for about 7 years as a primary machine and then a home server with no issues (I still have it, but finally "retired" it from normal use), my dad has a late 2012 i7 that he got in early 2013, and we have a late 2012 i5 (base specs) at work that's been running as a server for about a year with no problems. They've all held up great so far, and I hope that my new one (2014, arriving today?) will continue the trend.
Update:
My early 2009 Mini was running fine, with an extra 4 GB of RAM added along with an update to Mountain Lion about three years ago. It had all the dust blown out then too……
…… Until a few days ago, when the fan ramped up to about 5,500 RPM, with one of the heat sensors stubbornly sitting at well over 100ºC. With the dust blown out and a general check up over, all systems are in order, and all is well again. Fan ticking over at about 1,500 RPM and sensors all steady in the 50 - 60ºC range.
So, six and a half years, and no problems that a bit of maintenance hasn't been able to fix; nothing major or costly.
Just a point to be aware of, If a model of computer has been out of production for more than five years, Apple will no longer supply parts for it. Repairs will have to be made using third party or second-hand parts. No problem for the likes of a HDD, but could be a bit difficult to find a Apple specific parts, such as a fan, for instance.
My early 2009 Mini was running fine, with an extra 4 GB of RAM added along with an update to Mountain Lion about three years ago. It had all the dust blown out then too……
…… Until a few days ago, when the fan ramped up to about 5,500 RPM, with one of the heat sensors stubbornly sitting at well over 100ºC. With the dust blown out and a general check up over, all systems are in order, and all is well again. Fan ticking over at about 1,500 RPM and sensors all steady in the 50 - 60ºC range.
So, six and a half years, and no problems that a bit of maintenance hasn't been able to fix; nothing major or costly.
Just a point to be aware of, If a model of computer has been out of production for more than five years, Apple will no longer supply parts for it. Repairs will have to be made using third party or second-hand parts. No problem for the likes of a HDD, but could be a bit difficult to find a Apple specific parts, such as a fan, for instance.
Miat the Dust Exterminator to the rescue!
https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...se-for-unibody-mac-mini-2010-current.1933770/
https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...se-for-unibody-mac-mini-2010-current.1933770/