mac mini longevity

[caioferrari]

am looking to the community for feed back on the pit falls of the base m2 mac mini: how many repairs under warranty, length of service, possible upgrades etc. an overview of dependability. the nearest store is a 10 hr. trip any insights are appreciated

MacMini is the most reliable machine from Apple.
It doesn’t have risk of a battery, keyboard or flat cable failure like notebooks, it doesn’t have the risk of display failure like AIO computers.
The newer models doesn’t have mechanical parts like DVD drives or so… you can expect like a decade of lifespan. If you wish spend that much time with your new computer I just suggest to max out RAM

 

[Le Big Mac]

Which raises the question: what costs more money:
1) buy a new Mac Mini with expanded RAM for more $$$ in the hopes it will last 15 years;
2) buy a base Mac Mini and replace it every 7.5 years.

At Education Store prices, $180 per step upgrade, $499/$180 = 2.77 .

Thus if you buy a single Mac Mini with three upgrade steps in the hopes of lasting 15 years, they you've paid more than buying a base level machine today and then replacing it once during that same time.

This is all probably academic, though, as people's needs change. Sure, if you have a Mini which is working as a music server than maybe it will be not called to do anything else over 15 years.

But if you are using a Mini for work or general home use, then maybe one should just plan on replacing it every 7 years (home) or 5 years (depreciation window for a business.)

Seems like more relevant time frames are something like 4 years vs. 8 years (4 being about when significant marginal improvements appear; 8 being about when Apple doesn't meaningfully support the computer any more.

Given the prices, you could replace a base mini after 4 years and spend about as much as you did with a 16GB/512GB upgrade at the outset . . but then you'd be working the entire time with a base machine instead of one with upgrades that may make it faster.

 

[frou]

MacMini is the most reliable machine from Apple.
It doesn’t have risk of a battery, keyboard or flat cable failure like notebooks, it doesn’t have the risk of display failure like AIO computers.
The newer models doesn’t have mechanical parts like DVD drives or so… you can expect like a decade of lifespan. If you wish spend that much time with your new computer I just suggest to max out RAM

The phrase "built like a tank" came to mind, but technically I guess the Mac Studio is the tank version

 

[Feek]

My 2006 Mac Mini I use as a media server, just died. HDD Failure.
I have not decided if I want to swap out the HDD or buy something newer.

Swap out the HDD for an SSD, give it a new lease of life.

I still use the C2D Mac mini that I bought in 2010, it boots to Windows XP and it's connecting my Yaesu radio to the WIRES-X network.

 

[carylee2002]

I find both my intel 2014 and 2018 very reliable and wish I bought another 2018 Mini when they had them new.

 

[jaehaerys48]

No model of computer can guaranteed to have 100% reliability but in general Apple silicone computers have proven to be pretty reliable. Since the storage is soldered on these chips do technically have a lifespan - eventually with use they will start to fail - but that's well in excess of what most people can expect to do.

Do Macs ever die, vs. becoming obsolete? I think every one I've had was still working when I retired it, except for one laptop that got a coffee bath.

My 2017 MacBook Pro isn't in great shape tbh, but that's probably a combination of the dreaded butterfly keyboard and me admittedly dropping it a few times - and it still more or less works.

 

[Nychot]

I'll second this. I have a 2011 model still in regular use. Any Mac should last at least a decade in my experience.

My 2010 with the DVD drive is still strong as ever. A few years ago I installed an Ssd and increased ram to 8 gb.

 

[Nychot]

I find both my intel 2014 and 2018 very reliable and wish I bought another 2018 Mini when they had them new.

I just picked up a new 2018 8/256 for $265.

 

[OldCorpse]

Recently I bought a standard M2 MM 8/256. I intend to use it as a server on a home network. Speaking of longevity is there any reason why I should ever turn it off (I'm not talking re-starts necessary for updates, app installation etc.)?

My idea was to just have it sit in the background and not be turned off/on. Basically running non-stop 24/7. Obviously, unless it's doing something longer term like torrenting, there will be a lot of time when it's just sitting idly - is there any reason why I should make a point to shut it down if I'm going to be away for a couple of days etc.? I don't care about the electricity use/bill, just wondering technically if there's any pro/con to shutting down or just letting it run/sleep? TIA!

 

[Chuckeee]

I had 2 iMac (20” G4 and late 2012 27” Intel) eventually succumbed to power supply failures after ~10 years. Are the Mac mini’s as, more or less resilient?

 

[Ben J.]

Recently I bought a standard M2 MM 8/256. I intend to use it as a server on a home network. Speaking of longevity is there any reason why I should ever turn it off (I'm not talking re-starts necessary for updates, app installation etc.)?

My idea was to just have it sit in the background and not be turned off/on. Basically running non-stop 24/7. Obviously, unless it's doing something longer term like torrenting, there will be a lot of time when it's just sitting idly - is there any reason why I should make a point to shut it down if I'm going to be away for a couple of days etc.? I don't care about the electricity use/bill, just wondering technically if there's any pro/con to shutting down or just letting it run/sleep? TIA!

I don't have an expert answer to this, I just wanted to let you know that I started to let my macs just run 24/7 a few years ago, when I was still using my 2008 mac pro as my main machine. My thinking then was; I don't think it will wear out sooner - that the process of shutting down and turning on once a day would be at least as wearing. I just let my displays go to sleep.

I've gone thru several intel and M1 minis since then and I still do it. I think it's a good thing not to start with blank RAM as you do with a restart - for performance. Of course, if the new minis were not stone cold and silent like they are, I might think differently about it.

 

[OldCorpse]

I don't have an expert answer to this, I just wanted to let you know that I started to let my macs just run 24/7 a few years ago, when I was still using my 2008 mac pro as my main machine. My thinking then was; I don't think it will wear out sooner - that the process of shutting down and turning on once a day would be at least as wearing. I just let my displays go to sleep.

I've gone thru several intel and M1 minis since then and I still do it. I think it's a good thing not to start with blank RAM as you do with a restart - for performance. Of course, if the new minis were not stone cold and silent like they are, I might think differently about it.

Right, Ben J., I am inclined to see things your way. Off the top of my head, I see no inherent hardware or software reason why a mini that’s gone to sleep is worse off than one that’s shut down. Barring freak accidents like massive electric surges - presumably circuit breakers on my extensions would take care of that - or some kind of nefarious hacking, it’s pretty steady state; as you point out, minis run quite cool, and in a climate controlled environment not subject to direct sunlight, there should be no external stress that can build up in the system (dust builds up regardless of on/off).

Anyhow, just for peace of mind I sprung for AC+ on both my MBA and MM, so if things go south in that timeframe, I’m not going to fret. Beyond that is too far to look forward, not to mention another year or two coverage beyond AC+ from the CC I used to purchase these.

In the worst case it’s an experiment, and to me worth not having the hassle of “turn off, turn on”. YMMV.

 

[ChrisA]

am looking to the community for feed back on the pit falls of the base m2 mac mini:

I've got an M2-Pro mini I use for most things but I also just bought a 2014 vintage Mini to use as a small server. It is 10 years old and I fully expect it will last another 10 years. It has not screen or keyboard connected.

There is likely no other computer by any manufacturer that is more reliable than a Mac Mini.

My M2-Pro is left on 24x7 but put in sleep mode sometimes. The 2014 mini is active 24x7.