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M1 Mac Mini - External Storage
- Thread starter turbineseaplane
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You can decide where iTunes data is located in preferences.
Reading through this thread I fully understand people have different needs but I am not paying $600 for 2TB of storage. That's ridiculous on Apple's part and a clear money grab.
Because storage has become so cheap it is also clear we have gotten some digital hoarders out there ...
From those of you who’ve utilized external drives as primary* for years, what are the downsides?
- Take up an external port, have another peripheral hanging off your Mac
- Slower performance?
- Lower reliability/stability i.e. drive not recognized, OS crashes?
- Quicker system devaluation versus other configs due to low specs?
- Other
I’m not purchasing a Mac mini soon but doing the research; if I bought an...
M1, 16GB, 256GB
+
+
or
... I would cut about half off the storage upgrade expense (~$400). Is it worth it?
* internal drive would be a basic/default account setup as a fallback and for troubleshooting, maintenance
- Take up an external port, have another peripheral hanging off your Mac
- Slower performance?
- Lower reliability/stability i.e. drive not recognized, OS crashes?
- Quicker system devaluation versus other configs due to low specs?
- Other
I’m not purchasing a Mac mini soon but doing the research; if I bought an...
M1, 16GB, 256GB
+
ineo Thunderbolt 3 SSD Enclosure (not Work with Type C PC), PCIe Thunderbolt 3 (40Gbps) to NVMe M.2 SSD Case - (SSD not Included) [C2604]
ineo Thunderbolt 3 SSD Enclosure (not Work with Type C PC), PCIe Thunderbolt 3 (40Gbps) to NVMe M.2 SSD Case - (SSD not Included) [C2604]
www.amazon.com
HP EX950 M.2 2TB PCIe 3.1 x4 NVMe 3D TLC NAND Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) 5MS24AA#ABC
HP 5MS24AA#ABC Solid State Drive 5MS24AAABC 2TB EX950 M. 2 Retail
www.amazon.com
Pioneer 2TB SSD NVMe PCIe M.2 2280 Gen 3x4 R/W Speed up to 3400/3000MB/s Internal Solid State Drive for PC, Laptop (APS-SE20Q-2T)
Pioneer 2TB SSD NVMe PCIe M.2 2280 Gen 3x4 R/W Speed up to 3400/3000MB/s Internal Solid State Drive for PC, Laptop (APS-SE20Q-2T)
www.amazon.com
... I would cut about half off the storage upgrade expense (~$400). Is it worth it?
* internal drive would be a basic/default account setup as a fallback and for troubleshooting, maintenance
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Actually base configs tend to hold value better. Today’s CTO specs for RAM amount and SSD capacity could be tomorrow’s base config.
Maccheetah --
With the high speed of the internal SSD of the m1 Mini -- AND the fast internal "integration" between CPU, memory, and drive, it no longer makes sense to boot and run the m1 Mini "from an external drive".
To go even further, I believe Apple is making it more difficult to do so.
Not "impossible" (not yet), but difficult.
If you don't want to pay Apple's high price for internal SSD storage (and I don't), get a suitably-sized internal SSD (say, 512gb), and supplement it with external USB3 SSD storage (for things like your movie, photo, and music libraries). But keep the OS, apps, and your main account on the internal for the best performance.
There ONCE WAS a time when booting/running from an external USB3 SSD made sense. I booted and ran my 2012 Mini that way since the day I took it out of the box. Even though it's no longer my "main Mac", it STILL uses an external SSD for booting.
But again -- for the new m1 Minis, this no longer is a good way to do it.
With the high speed of the internal SSD of the m1 Mini -- AND the fast internal "integration" between CPU, memory, and drive, it no longer makes sense to boot and run the m1 Mini "from an external drive".
To go even further, I believe Apple is making it more difficult to do so.
Not "impossible" (not yet), but difficult.
If you don't want to pay Apple's high price for internal SSD storage (and I don't), get a suitably-sized internal SSD (say, 512gb), and supplement it with external USB3 SSD storage (for things like your movie, photo, and music libraries). But keep the OS, apps, and your main account on the internal for the best performance.
There ONCE WAS a time when booting/running from an external USB3 SSD made sense. I booted and ran my 2012 Mini that way since the day I took it out of the box. Even though it's no longer my "main Mac", it STILL uses an external SSD for booting.
But again -- for the new m1 Minis, this no longer is a good way to do it.
Thanks, @Fishrrman. I am limited on the willingness to spread data across volumes. I do have some ripped DVD movies on an external but all else is on the internal. Just seems cumbersome to me to have stuff all over, boot and shut down several drives, etc.
I’m currently using ~600GB on the internal drive, and thus 1TB is fine. Nevertheless, so far, I am budgeting for the M1, 16GB, 2TB configuration ($1,664) with intentions to keep it 5+ years.
I’m currently using ~600GB on the internal drive, and thus 1TB is fine. Nevertheless, so far, I am budgeting for the M1, 16GB, 2TB configuration ($1,664) with intentions to keep it 5+ years.
my exact config that's on the way. frustrating that my order still says "processing" since the night i ordered it. 9 days and hasn't moved from processing! i've been very lucky. my first mac was the 2007 mac pro tower [still running everyday, a friend bought it from me] in 2013 i bought the trashcan mac pro which has been running everyday since. both had zero issues. I do some very light video stuff and the 2 pros were overkill. I refuse to spend $6k on a new one, even if that goes 7 years like the 1st two did. i forced myself to look at my use case and not the shiny new toy. with the numbers the M1 has put up in the reviews i've read, i am hoping the same as you. good luck with yours! i will definitely post after i receive mine.
I own a Mac Mini M1 16GB/256GB. I bought a Jeyi Thunderbolt 3 M.2 NVME enclosure with a 1TB Samsung EVO m.2 SSD. Speeds are constant and are :
Read - 3100MB/s
Write - 2100MB/s
Update : installed Big Sur 11.2 beta 2. Read - 2900 / Write 2200
Read - 3100MB/s
Write - 2100MB/s
Update : installed Big Sur 11.2 beta 2. Read - 2900 / Write 2200
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Yesterday I did some tests, max temperature was around 48 degrees celcius. The Jeyi enclosure is made from metal and feels warm, not hot.
For potential Mac Mini M1 users who have a large storage capacity needs:
Get the base capacity M1 and get the Hagibis Hub/Dock with integrated SSD storage slot and an SSD.
You save hundreds of $ this way.
Get the base capacity M1 and get the Hagibis Hub/Dock with integrated SSD storage slot and an SSD.
You save hundreds of $ this way.
USB-C Hub with Hard Drive Enclosure, Hagibis Type-C Docking Station & Stand for Mac Mini, Mac Studio M1 Max Ultra with SATA, USB 3.0, SD/TF Card Reader and USB 2.0 for Laptop (MC25 Grey)
Hagibis USB-C Hub with Hard Drive Enclosure Unique 2-in-1 design, USB-C Docking Station & Hard Drive Enclosure Designed for Mac Mini, Mac Studio and MacBook Pro
www.amazon.com
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I also bought the M1 Mac Mini, 256GB SSD & 8GB RAM, as external storage is fast/cheap/and not ridiculously expensive as Apple's prices. For the external, I am using a Jeyi USB C NVME enclosure (USB 3.1 v2, 10Gb/Sec, Realtek RTL9210 bridge chip) with 1TB Samsung 970 EVO Plus SSD. With the Realtek 9210 chip, the enclosure merely feel warm and never hot, under stress. I've read that the JMicron JMS583 chip is the one to avoid as it runs very hot and has disconnect issues. I only bought the USB 3.1 v2 enclosure as it was only $30 compared with any Thunderbolt 3 enclosure (as of January 2021), which are about 4X more expensive. For my needs, I only have my applications on my M1 Mac Mini internal SSD, with everything else and Time Machine backup on the external SSD. I don't have a need to buy a TB3 enclosure right now, but I will buy a TB3 enclosure when the enclosures drop in price (hopefully this year). So basically, the $30 I've invested in the USB 3.1 v2 enclosure is minimal, but I did invest in one of the best SSDs on the market (Samsung 970 EVO Plus) as I intend to get the most speed out of it when I buy the TB3 enclosure.
The total cost of the enclosure and 1TB SSD was around $200 including tax. This is much cheaper and more useful than paying for the "Apple Tax". As I have had no problems with this set up, I do recommend anyone buying a M1 Mac to just buy the minimal storage and supplement with an external SSD. There are a lot of options available on the market right now, and prices should drop during this year as well.
The total cost of the enclosure and 1TB SSD was around $200 including tax. This is much cheaper and more useful than paying for the "Apple Tax". As I have had no problems with this set up, I do recommend anyone buying a M1 Mac to just buy the minimal storage and supplement with an external SSD. There are a lot of options available on the market right now, and prices should drop during this year as well.
I would want a dock that has its own power and the mini going to sleep won't affect devices using the dock. Correct me if wrong but was sure i read of such issues with Mac mini.For potential Mac Mini M1 users who have a large storage capacity needs:
Get the base capacity M1 and get the Hagibis Hub/Dock with integrated SSD storage slot and an SSD.
You save hundreds of $ this way.
USB-C Hub with Hard Drive Enclosure, Hagibis Type-C Docking Station & Stand for Mac Mini, Mac Studio M1 Max Ultra with SATA, USB 3.0, SD/TF Card Reader and USB 2.0 for Laptop (MC25 Grey)
Hagibis USB-C Hub with Hard Drive Enclosure Unique 2-in-1 design, USB-C Docking Station & Hard Drive Enclosure Designed for Mac Mini, Mac Studio and MacBook Prowww.amazon.com
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
Starting to see USB 3.1 and 3.2 devices out there.
For the price, I settled on a 2TB USB 3.0 Samsung 860 EVO SD for my M1 mini.
That gives me 500GB to back up internal 500 (Sys,Lib, and Apps at 66GB, so 250 is too small), plus 1.5 TB for music, pix, docs and such.
Other big HD's for movies and such, plus an 8TB HD for 1° backup of that stuff.
Still have 10 or 20 1TB drives sitting around from olden days, so triple BU should be easy.
I've left iCloud turned off, as I do not trust Apple with my music and files. Coming from my 1st Mac in 84, I get to be cranky about stuff like that. It'll be nice when we actually see 40 Gb/sec devices at a reasonable price.
Oh yes, I'm moving to Volumio/DAC on Raspberry pi for music. With a big collection going back to the 1100's, I'll not trust it to Apple Music. iTunes 10.4 was good enough for years, but it looks like those days are gone. If you value your collection, do something to save it. This is a PITA, but it was also a PITA, when I had to xfer 600+ LPs over to digital. You live with the trouble, or you lose it.
For the price, I settled on a 2TB USB 3.0 Samsung 860 EVO SD for my M1 mini.
That gives me 500GB to back up internal 500 (Sys,Lib, and Apps at 66GB, so 250 is too small), plus 1.5 TB for music, pix, docs and such.
Other big HD's for movies and such, plus an 8TB HD for 1° backup of that stuff.
Still have 10 or 20 1TB drives sitting around from olden days, so triple BU should be easy.
I've left iCloud turned off, as I do not trust Apple with my music and files. Coming from my 1st Mac in 84, I get to be cranky about stuff like that. It'll be nice when we actually see 40 Gb/sec devices at a reasonable price.
Oh yes, I'm moving to Volumio/DAC on Raspberry pi for music. With a big collection going back to the 1100's, I'll not trust it to Apple Music. iTunes 10.4 was good enough for years, but it looks like those days are gone. If you value your collection, do something to save it. This is a PITA, but it was also a PITA, when I had to xfer 600+ LPs over to digital. You live with the trouble, or you lose it.
Last edited:
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I have 2 external 10tb usb 3.1 drives. One does Time Machine backups. They cost $180 each over 2 years ago. I store itunes, photos (referenced), ipad/phone backups, and all but downloads and desktop on the external. I have a pointer to my main folders on the external drive assigned on finder. No issues. If I shut down I do have to remember to eject first. Also wall worts need to be plugged in. I feel confident that my data will be very accessible in case something happens to the main ssd or if I upgrade to a new machine. It is not secure but I don’t care.
it's disconnected for regular use in my case. I only connect it when required as I use it only as my iTunes TV Movies Music library drive, as well as backup for my files which easily fit on the internal 256GB in the first place.
Folks using external drives, are you setting them up as Fusion Drive or separate volume? I picked up a M1 Mini with 256GB and intend to use an external 1TB SSD. I've rolled my own fusion drive before using internal drives, but never with an external.
I have [2] 10TB mini stack enclosures from owc and they are just a volume drive for me. one acts as my media hub, the other is a backup for that. I run a small USB 2TB drive as my main HD bootable clone. this type of setup has worked for me for years. I've never set an external up as a fusion drive
A Fusion Drive is a HDD augmented with an SSD, a hybrid, to increase performance. Using two or more SSDs (or HDDs) of different sizes as one is referred to as JBOD, spanned, or concatenated disks.
I am a bit surprised, discovered Apple's software RAID options include spanning, err concatenating.
Apple said:
Overview of creating disk sets using Disk Utility on Mac
Use Disk Utility on your Mac to create a Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) set, multiple disks that work as one disk.
support.apple.com
While it's helpful to have a single volume, be forewarned, when using either striped or concatenated, if one drive fails you lose all the data. With concatenated, you may be able to recover some data from the remaining drive(s) by using special recovery software. In your proposed situation, that would also be the case if you didn't have the external SSD connected (except when your Mac is off, of course).
idiiamots wrote:
"Folks using external drives, are you setting them up as Fusion Drive or separate volume? I picked up a M1 Mini with 256GB and intend to use an external 1TB SSD. I've rolled my own fusion drive before using internal drives, but never with an external."
Trying to create a fusion drive with an external drive (even an SSD) could result in data disaster if something goes wrong.
I can't for the life of me see why ANYONE would do this. What purpose could it possibly serve?
The Mini's internal drive is very fast as it is.
Besides, I'm wondering if the t2 chip (which controls the internal drive) would permit it, in any case.
"Folks using external drives, are you setting them up as Fusion Drive or separate volume? I picked up a M1 Mini with 256GB and intend to use an external 1TB SSD. I've rolled my own fusion drive before using internal drives, but never with an external."
Trying to create a fusion drive with an external drive (even an SSD) could result in data disaster if something goes wrong.
I can't for the life of me see why ANYONE would do this. What purpose could it possibly serve?
The Mini's internal drive is very fast as it is.
Besides, I'm wondering if the t2 chip (which controls the internal drive) would permit it, in any case.
It’s not an issue of speed, but of having more disk space without paying exorbitant upgrade prices. 1TB of storage in M1 mini is $400. 1TB Samsung T5 is $120 and T7 is $160.
I’ve only used macOS with a single drive, so I don’t know how to migrate large libraries (mainly iPhoto) to external while keeping user profiles on 256GB internal.
FYI
Move your Photos library to save space on your Mac - Apple Support
To save storage space on your Mac, you can move your Photos library to a different storage device.
I turned 45 on 29th jan so I got a new m1 bae 8gb mini. Just using a couple of these for now.
www.costco.com
Seagate Backup Plus 5TB Portable Hard Drive with Rescue Data Recovery Services
Seagate Backup Plus 5TB Portable Hard Drive with Rescue Data Recovery Services
When we replaced my wife's old 27" iMac (2011 model year) in late 2019 - went with a refurb 2018 i7 Mac mini that had 512 GB internal storage (OS + Apps) - and added 3rd part ram and an external USB-C NVMe enclosure with Intel 660p 1TB NVMe drive inside (Canadian funds - $50 for case, and was about $130 for the drive). gets around 900 MB/s on large file transfers - the external holds things like iTunes & Photos libraries - and other large files like video editing.
Now I'm waiting to do something similar to replace my 2012 i7 Mac mini (which was also a refurb) - just waiting for the Refurb M1 Mac mini's to become available - hopefully in 4 more months or so (I've seen that it's typically about 6 months after initial release for the refurbs to show up)
Now I'm waiting to do something similar to replace my 2012 i7 Mac mini (which was also a refurb) - just waiting for the Refurb M1 Mac mini's to become available - hopefully in 4 more months or so (I've seen that it's typically about 6 months after initial release for the refurbs to show up)