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Mac Mini Late 2012 - Questions (Monitors, HD, etc.)

A

A4orce84

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Apr 17, 2012
411
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Hello Everyone,

I recently picked up a Late 2012 Mac Mini from a friend, as I needed to replace my old MacBook Pro (2009 model) that I was using as a desktop replacement. I have a few questions as I'm not super familiar with everything:

Questions:
  1. Is there a preferred way to run a dual monitor setup? I see that the thunderbolt / mini-display port gives better resolution options than running straight from the HDMI port (2560 x 1600 vs. 1920 x 1200). Is it better to get a "y-adapter" and have one cable coming out of the thunderbolt / mini-display port going into 2 separate monitors?

  2. What's the max size monitor I can run? Can I run a pair of 27" monitors without any issues?

  3. I want to do the 2nd HD expansion upgrade as well so I can have 2 drives in my machine. I did something similar with my macbook, with replacing the optical drive with a 2nd HD. My question, I wanted to run an SSD as the main (primary) drive that will have MacOS and all the apps installed. And then wanted to get a large NON-SSD (since they are cheaper) for the secondary drive. I was planning on getting a 1-2TB drive and using that for all my media (movies, TV shows, music, photos) and anything that is not app related.
    Question - Is this a good plan to everyone? I really don't have the $$ for a 1-2TB SSD unfortunately. So, if anyone has any recommendations for NON-SSD (Traditional) large drives, please let me know. Seagate, WD, etc.
Thanks in advance for everyone's time and help, it is greatly appreciated!


--Asif
 
1+2: I don't think it's possible to run dual 27" at a high resolution using DP and HDMI but I might be wrong. I run an old Dell Ultrasharp @ 2560x1440 over mini displayport but every now and then the Mini won't wake the monitor up from powersave. I have not tried with a second monitor but IIRC running two monitors @ 1920x1080 should be fine. Apple tech specs say it's capable of 2x 2560x1600 but with no mention of how: https://support.apple.com/kb/SP659

This discussion thread goes into somewhat more detail, maybe you can find your answer here: https://discussions.apple.com/message/20309378#20309378

3: Yes, I run a 1TB HDD + a 240GB SSD myself, using the OWC kit. I think I use the original "Apple" 1TB drive and installed a cheap PNY SSD but this was a few years ago so I might have the details wrong. While you're at it poking around in the internals, might as well install a OWC bluetooth shielding kit if you're planning on using bluetooth: https://blog.macsales.com/15990-shielding-resolves-usb-3-0-conflict-with-bluetooth
 
Also running a DELL 2560x1440 (model U2713H), and have had the same waking up issue a handful of times over 5 years.

On hard drive brand recommendations, I always try to get HGST (Hitachi). Generally have less problems and longer lives with them.

Was 5 years ago, but when I installed the OWC dual drive kit I think it came with the Bluetooth shield kit in it. Don't know if the shield made any difference, but I don't have any problems with BT.
 
2012 Mini Server owner chiming in with a few tips. First, RAM - the HD4000 shares resources with RAM, with the maxed-out 16GB bumps the VRAM to 1536MB and much better response and additional resolution options. Second, get a certified mDP>DP cable or mDP adapter - yes, there is a difference and your display and Mini will communication DisplayID data correctly. Third, no a Y adapter is not a solution but there are options sold by Matrox that are suited for this Mini. Fourth, due to limitations with DisplayID you'll want to look at a 1440p or 1600p display if you want that resolution "width" - 24"/27"/32" (I have my Mini connected to a 32" LG right now but it's been connected to Dell 27" displays as well) displays will result in an HD "native" signal being conveyed from the display to the Mini; DisplayID conveys what each device is capable of FYI). Next, the characteristics of the cable/computer/display may differ - the LG (32UD59) will get native "HD" when connected via a mDP>DP cable but at 30Hz and native 1080p via an HDMI cable but at 60Hz and the picture is "fuzzier" with the latter cable option; a Mini at one of my offices is connected to a 1600p Dell display and it is serviceable for production work and shows up as 2560x1600 as the max resolution option.

As for storage, my personal unit has the second stock 1TB spinner still installed but the lower "main" spinner was swapped for a 512GB Samsung 850 PRO. I wanted more storage in the second "upper" bay but opted to buy a WD easystore 8TB external drive (sold only via Best Buy) - the 8TB units are pretty much always on sale between $135-$150 but the key with that particular unit is BB sticks a WD Red or White or HGST White NAS drive in the enclosure; I'd rather spend money on the volume than about the same amount on the dual sled and a smallish 2nd drive. Be sure to check out the posts about one of our members that's stuffed a 5TB HGST drive in a Mini - with pictures - plus an SSD. You shouldn't need a large SSD for a main drive - the System on my personal unit is around 13GB (High Sierra) with my iTunes library residing on the 1TB second drive and my movies and high-resolution music on an easystore unit (backed up to a second 8TB easystore unit). My 2¢...
 
The maximum resolution you can get from the HDMI port is 1080p.

I -think- you can get 1440p from the displayport/thunderbolt port.

Be aware that the Mini may "perceive" that the display connected to your HDMI port "is a tv". But everything else will still work. Not a big problem, but you will see resolutions presented as "1080p", etc. (not as "1920 x 1080"). There's a simple fix if you don't care for this.

Be aware that it's easy to break something inside while adding a drive.
For the 2012 Mini, you can do just as well by plugging in a USB3 EXTERNAL SSD and then set that up to be the boot drive.
It will run around 85% of the speed of an internally-installed SATA SSD. But faster, easier, and no chance that stuff gets damaged inside.
 
I don't mind tinkering with the mac mini and taking it a part. Part of the fun is being able to upgrade components, with my MacBook Pro I did the following:

-Replaced spinning HD with SSD.
-Maxed out the Memory.
-Replaced Optical Drive with 2nd HD caddy and added another SSD.

I like being able to upgrade and inject more life out of my computers (and macs). It's a lot of fun to me!


Thanks everyone for all the comments / feedback / assistance so far. I'm sure I will have more questions, but I think this helps me get started at least.

Thanks,
Asif
 
A4orce84 said:
I don't mind tinkering with the mac mini and taking it a part. Part of the fun is being able to upgrade components, with my MacBook Pro I did the following:

-Replaced spinning HD with SSD.
-Maxed out the Memory.
-Replaced Optical Drive with 2nd HD caddy and added another SSD.

I like being able to upgrade and inject more life out of my computers (and macs). It's a lot of fun to me!


Thanks everyone for all the comments / feedback / assistance so far. I'm sure I will have more questions, but I think this helps me get started at least.

Thanks,
Asif
Click to expand...

My late 2012 mac mini is connected to the following 2 identical Dell 27" displays:

(1) Dell U2715H: 2560x1440 at 60Hz, attached to the DP output of the mac mini
(2) Dell U2715H: 2560x1440 at 40Hz, attached to the HDMI output of the mac mini

Note that the 2nd display refresh rate is only 40Hz (not 60Hz), because about 40Hz is the maximum refresh possible at 2560x1440 resolution for the HDMI connection. The DP connection does not have this limitation.

To get this to work (i.e., to set the resolution and refresh rate of each display as wanted) I used the SwitchResX program.

More details are given here:

http://johnmarshall4.tumblr.com/post/64978455356/two-high-res-monitors-from-a-mac-mini

I hope this helps...

By the way, in practice I don't see any difference between the 2 displays, despite their different refresh rates: perhaps because I am not using them for gaming, videos, etc. I use my mac mini at work mostly for things like editing files, running programs etc.

Gianni
 
Hey Gianni,

Thanks for sharing! As a use-case to test, can you see if youtube videos are slow or laggy on your monitor #2 that is connected via HDMI? Also, are both monitors 'sharp'? I think one of the commenters above said it took a lot of tinkering to get the HDMI monitor to look as good as the mini display-port connected one. Initially things were washed out and not clear I believe is what he reported.

Also, is there a way to connect 2 monitors to the 'superior' mini display-port? If not, would daisy-chaining be a viable option?

Gianni - I found information on daisy-chaining for your specific Dell U2715H monitor here if you are interested:
https://multimonitorcomputer.com/solved/dell-u2715h-displayport-daisy-chaining.php
 
Last edited:
A4orce84 said:
Also, is there a way to connect 2 monitors to the 'superior' mini display-port? If not, would daisy-chaining be a viable option?
Click to expand...
I'm bailing from this thread, but after pointing out that these Minis have DP 1.1a out (by design) - that's it - and no version of OS X supports MST. The only means to get more video bandwidth is to do what I did with my work units - spend around $1400 on an xMac and a PCI card to dial in next to the embedded Mini. There's only enough bandwidth to drive one display via DP unless you opt for a product like those sold by Matrox, as I alluded to in my OP. Over and out.
 
Thanks campyguy! I looked at your post on my phone, so I wasn't able to reply properly (at my computer now). Your details make sense, and I appreciate you taking the time and effort to give me the full picture.
 
I thought someone had successfully used a ThunderBolt dock to drive two monitors?
 
A4orce84 said:
And what's your experience with them performance wise?
Click to expand...

I'm afraid I don't know much except that they both work. I did have some weird glitchings where one monitor would go blank a few times then work normally afterwards. I think that was around the time I discovered one of my ram rails was bad and have since replaced with no further issues. I haven't experienced any issue if the Mini goes to sleep.

I did try looking around for some kind of thunderbolt hub that would allow for running 2 displays via either 2 miniDP ports or 2 HDMI ports on it, but I don't think there is such a thing.
 
I wanted to run two monitors on my 2013 MacBook Air using a thunderbolt dock, and got one from OWC. Could not get it working properly after a day of messing around (monitor would cut in and out). It might have been an issue with my thunderbolt cable, not sure. But I returned it because it just didn't seem like it would be very robust and that's when I got my 2012 quad Mini since it had all the ports I needed for video editing.

But I think this is the deal with multiple monitors on one thunderbolt port. You can connect two on a dock using different connectors (such as one via HDMI and another via Displayport) but they will simply mirror each other. However, if you connect one monitor to the dock, then connect another thunderbolt device (like a disk drive) to the dock, you can connect a separate displayport monitor to the pass-through port on the disk drive.

In other words, each thunderbolt device can support a monitor, so you need two thunderbolt devices to use two monitors.
 
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