Mac Mini 2012 - SSD or Fusion Drive?

[uzapucax1]

Hi people!
1 - I found a Mac Mini 2012, 2.3GHz Intel Core i7, 16 Gb RAM. Which do you think is the best disk configuration? The 1Tb SSD is 80 USD and the 1 Tb Fussion Drive is 40 USD. I guess the Fussion Drive has 128 Gb to run the System and the rest is large capacity to store files. HDD seems to be too slow nowdays.

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2 - What is the worst thing of now having able to install the latest OS? I have some doubt on buying the max configuration of the 2014 because of the lastest OS and a better graphic card but the Quad Core is commented to be a way better in the 2012.

3 - Is there something like a life expectancy of an used 10 years Mac Mini? the whole combo cost around 350 USD without taxes it be nice if at least i could use it for 4 years i guess.

Sorry for so many questions and thanks for any help or advice?

Thanks!

 

[Miat]

I have exactly the same model, and I'd go for the full 1TB SSD. Given the age of the chipset it will need all the help it can get from an SSD.

But they are getting pretty long in the tooth, and another 4 years might be a big ask, especially if it has been used a lot. I'd check if they have replaced the thermal paste, the factory installed paste will be well past its use by date.

See this comment too.

Personally I am just waiting to see what Apple do with the M2 Mini. Then I will be upgrading my hardware to an M series machine. Haven't decided which one yet.

 

[uzapucax1]

I have exactly the same model, and I'd go for the full 1TB SSD. Given the age of the chipset it will need all the help it can get from an SSD.

But they are getting pretty long in the tooth, and another 4 years might be a big ask, especially if it has been used a lot. I'd check if they have replaced the thermal paste, the factory installed paste will be well past its use by date.

See this comment too.

Personally I am just waiting to see what Apple do with the M2 Mini. Then I will be upgrading my hardware to an M series machine. Haven't decided which one yet.

Thanks for the good info Miat!

The replacing of the thermal paste tip is a very good one. I don't know how to do it by myself, but i will check online.

Sure, a newer M1 Mac Mini will be a better option but the price issue it is one of the major decision of 350 USD at max configuration is tempting. At least as a backup Mac Mini i guess. Until i fix my iMac i am currently working on graphic desgin (no video editing) on a very basic Mac Mini 2014, 1.4 Ghz with 8 Gb, 1 Tb NVMe Aura-pro-x2. It is not a fast Ferrari but run nice and get the work done. The Aura Pro might need a better setup but i might ask on a different post then.

Thanks again

 

[Boyd01]

I guess the Fussion Drive has 128 Gb to run the System and the rest is large capacity to store files.

That's not quite what a fusion drive is, the two devices are "fused" together, as the name implies.

Fusion Drive - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

I would definitely go with the large SSD, the fusion drives might have made sense in 2012 when SSD's were small and expensive, but basically they're a hack that makes no sense today IMO. I have the next model up, the 2.6ghz 2012 Mini and it was a great machine in its day. But now I just use it as a file server.

Is there no way that you can afford a 2018 Mini? Even the entry level model would be a big upgrade in every way - much more RAM capacity, much faster SSD, much faster ports, greatly improved internals and support for the newest version of MacOS.

I just don't think the 2012 Mini is a good choice in 2022, as you have suggested, a 10-year-old Mac is not likely to have much of a future. It would be a huge performance upgrade from the 1.4ghz 2014 Mini however.

 

[uzapucax1]

Thanks for the good tip Boyd01! ;-)

I will go for the SSD recomendation then.

Is there no way that you can afford a 2018 Mini?
I really did not look. Do you know of any reliable sites like OWC? i dont want to buy it on eBay. I am shipping it to a friend in Florida and cannot return it back if has some problems so i need a reliable source.

I was actually hoping to buy the Macbook Pro 14" M1 2011, 16 Gb, 512Gb at $ 1,599 but i just missed a really good discount saving at Best Buy. Now it is at regular price $1,999. Since i do not live in the US i have to match the buying when a friend travels there. Macs are imposible expensive where i live.

Thanks again for your help ;-)

 

[Fishrrman]

SSD.
(There's nothing more to say)

 

[uzapucax1]

That's not quite what a fusion drive is, the two devices are "fused" together, as the name implies.

Fusion Drive - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

I would definitely go with the large SSD, the fusion drives might have made sense in 2012 when SSD's were small and expensive, but basically they're a hack that makes no sense today IMO. I have the next model up, the 2.6ghz 2012 Mini and it was a great machine in its day. But now I just use it as a file server.

Is there no way that you can afford a 2018 Mini? Even the entry level model would be a big upgrade in every way - much more RAM capacity, much faster SSD, much faster ports, greatly improved internals and support for the newest version of MacOS.

I just don't think the 2012 Mini is a good choice in 2022, as you have suggested, a 10-year-old Mac is not likely to have much of a future. It would be a huge performance upgrade from the 1.4ghz 2014 Mini however.

Do you think the entry model considering it cannot be upgraded later because of soldered RAM and Disk

Mac Mini 2018
3.6GHz Quad-Core Core i3 processor
8GB memory
512GB Solid-State Drive
$ 619

vs

Mac Mini 2012
2.3GHz Quad-Core Core i7 processor
16GB memory MAX
1TBGB Solid State Drive
$350

The non supported OS is it really a big deal?

thanks again

 

[Boyd01]

RAM is not soldered on the 2018 Mini. Apple didn't intend for users to upgrade it, and they could use that as an excuse to void the warrany if you do although I have not seen any examples of that. It involves some pretty extensive disassembly as I understand. Although I have not attempted it myself, you will find many threads here from people who have.

The SSD is soldered on all newer Macs, however USB-C external SSD's are quite fast on the 2018, I have three 2tb Samsung T7's and a 2tb WD Black. This is how they perform

The internal SSD on the 2018 is much faster (smaller SSD's are slower though). But subjectively, I don't usually notice much difference in day to day tasks.

My 2012 2.6 quad Mini has an original Apple internal 256gb SSD, it's only half the speed of the external on the 2018!

And this is an external USB 3 SSD on the 2012 Mini - even slower,

FWIW, this is the original Apple 128gb SSD that I "split" from the fusion drive on my 2.8ghz/8gb 2014 Mini. Faster than the 2012 internal, but still not as fast as an external on the 2018.

Personally, I would choose the 2018 Mini in your example. You could use an external SSD if all your files don't fit on the internal. You could upgrade RAM yourself or pay somebody to do it (I think OWC will do it?). The geekbench score of the 2018 i3 will be a little better than the 2012 2.3ghz, but the faster ports will be a bit plus. It will also have much faster wifi and it has hardware support for video decoding that is a big plus. Then there's the fact that it will run Ventura and possibly even the next version of MacOS. The 2012 is stuck at Catalina which is (effectively) EOL.

That is a big price difference however, so one might make a case for getting the 2012 based on budget. But you might consider it an example of "you get what you pay for", since the 2012 is a slower, 6-year-older model that is no longer supported by a current version of MacOS.

 

[uzapucax1]

Thank you very much for the very useful info indeed!
The 2tb WD Black really fly!

Do you know of other stores like OWC where to buy an used Mac Mini and are reliable? I just found that the 2018 is not in OWC nowdays.

Too bad they don't make new Apple products with users upgrade in mind.

;-)

 

[Boyd01]

There's a place called "Mac of all trades" but I really don't know anything about them so I can't recommend them. I bought my 2012 quad Mini from OWC around 7 years ago. It looked like new and has been perfect ever since, running 24/7 now as a file and time machine server. They are certainly more expensive than buying from a private seller, but I used them because of the warranty and previous good experience with OWC.

As they say however, "caveat emptor"!

 

[uzapucax1]

There's a place called "Mac of all trades" but I really don't know anything about them so I can't recommend them. I bought my 2012 quad Mini from OWC around 7 years ago. It looked like new and has been perfect ever since, running 24/7 now as a file and time machine server. They are certainly more expensive than buying from a private seller, but I used them because of the warranty and previous good experience with OWC.

As they say however, "caveat emptor"!

OWC is really good indeed.
At this time as they also said in latin "Alea jacta est"

 

[biffuz]

In "SSD vs HDD" the answer is always SSD, and it's been for about a decade now. Unless it's for pure storage, but now I have a full SSD NAS as well... all the HDDs I have left are in backup servers or vintage computers.

 

[uzapucax1]

After this very interesting conversation i started looking for a Mac Mini 2018. The Mac Mini 2012 or 2014 at max configuration are around $300 and $400 USD in OWC. This Mac Mini 2018 is $450. What do you think? Is a good deal?

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Just curious how this Mac Mini M1 compares to a Mac Mini 2018?

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[ignatius345]

Fusion Drives were a very clever bridge between HDDs and SSDs. They provided much of the speed of an SSD with the capacity of an HDD -- at a time when large SSDs were still too expensive for many people. That time has passed.

If anyone does end up with a Fusion Drive-equipped Mac (probably second hand, at this point), I'd strongly recommend being on the lookout for failure of the SSD portion. Turns out the skimpy little SSDs Apple used in these (as small as 64 GB, if I recall) got absolutely hammered with wear -- in daily use, huge parts of the SSD are erased and overwritten over and over. The one in my iMac 5K died after about 4 years.

I'd recommend running a drive utility like DriveDX to inspect any Fusion Drive that's still in service today -- it's quite likely reaching end of life by now if it's been used much at all.

 

[uzapucax1]

In your expert opinion what do you think and is too much difference between those models?

Mac mini 2018 3.6GHz Quad-Core i3 / 8GB / 256 GB
$450

and

Mac mini 2018 3.0GHz Six-Core i5 / 8GB / 512 GB
$530

 

[Fishrrman]

OP:

Of the two Minis in reply 15 above, I'd spend the extra $80 and get the i5 with 512gb.
Better CPU, bigger SSD.

 

[AZhappyjack]

Go with the SSD. I had a Fusion config on my iMac (2017) and the drive died about 6 months in. Of course the warranty covered the repair, but it was a hassle. Less moving parts = better.