Mac Mini M2 + Monitor + External SSD Setup Advice Needed

[GHicks]

As I can no longer update it, i'm having to move on from my brilliant late 2014 imac (27inch ,i7, 3TB Fusion Drive, 24GB). Have decided to keep costs down by going for the new mac mini M2, 8-Core CPU, 10-Core GPU, 8GB, 256GB SSD. Both my wife and I have iphoto library files over 350GB so there is no point stumping up for the 500GB SSD version when I'm going to need some additional storage anyway (I thought I'd cracked this problem by moving the photo library file to icloud drive only to later discover the maximum file size is 50gb). I only really use the mac for office, emails, Teams, photo organising and web browsing. However, my wife does a lot of work on sketchup, designing interiors for homes.

So I'm looking for advice/reccomendations on the following...

1. A nice looking, £250 maximum 27inch monitor (ideally with webcam and speakers)
2. What external storage and using what connection (usb c, thunderbolt etc) you would use to gain an extra 2TB-3TB additional space. If it helps, I would rather have a better quality/faster 2TB solution than a slower 3TB (if that makes sense)
3. Any suggestions on how to setup the drives for maximum performance? e.g Boot from the external SSD or the internal?
4. I quite like the idea of using a hub with an integrated SSD (like this example) but can't seem to find one that looks smart and connects to the mac mini via thunderbolt rather than usb c. Not sure if this would result in reduced performance.

5. This is not linked to the mac mini, but is it possible, worthwhile moving the application folder to icloud drive to free up space?

Noticed it was coming up to 'Prime Day' on Amazon (here in the UK anyway) so thought it would be a good time to get some of the extras I might need.

Thanks in advance to anyome who takes the time to read/respond.

 

[PaulD-UK]

There's a Mac mini sized Thunderbolt dock with 2 SSDs internally on this page:

https://www.trebleet.com/ssd-hard-drive-enclosures

Second item down on the left.

There's a thread about it - go to the end section as the thread starts with an older version.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/trebleet-mac-mini-tb3-dock.2340514/?post=32407326#post-32407326

My preference which is on a Prime Day-like offer at the moment is a TB3 Western Digital D50 Gaming Dock, which is £220 for 2TB, £170 1TB from Scan or Amazon.

 

[PaulD-UK]

In reply to your 1. question:
If you have a bit of DIY electronic experience you could turn your old 5K iMac into a monitor - within your budget.:
Open it up - carefully not damaging the screen - discard everything except the speakers, and fit this:

2HDMI+2DP 5K HDR LCD monitor Controller Board Kit for imac 27 A1419 LM270QQ1 | eBay

This kit is for LM270QQ1(SD)(A2)/ LM270QQ1(SD)(C1)/LM270QQ1(SD)(B1)/LM270QQ1(SD)(A3). Support HDR function (HDR can not be turned on at 5K resolution.). So that our engineer can double check it for you and send you the right kit.

www.ebay.co.uk

This will drive the screen and speakers.
How to do it guides are in this long thread.
My own more ambitions build is here. I know, too much faff for most...

I don't have a webcam (I use iPhone Continuity Camera) but here is the way to do it internally:

 

[Fishrrman]

OP wrote:
"Have decided to keep costs down by going for the new mac mini M2, 8-Core CPU, 10-Core GPU, 8GB, 256GB SSD."

I would advise against this.

You need 16gb of RAM.
With the new m-series Macs, more and more users are discovering that...
16gb is "the new 8".

You need a 512gb SSD.
256 just "isn't enough" any longer.
Another reason:
The 512gb SSD is TWICE AS FAST as the 256, due to the chip design on the motherboard.
The 256gb speed is good, but... the 512 is (again) twice as fast.

Fishrrman observation:
"Buy cheap... GET cheap"...

Final thought:
That "brilliant 2014 iMac" lasted a long time because it was equipped "above the base line".
If you want 7, 8 or 9 years out of a new Mini, don't skimp on it.
The additional RAM and drive space will make all the difference going forward.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

I'm with Fishrrman on stepping up the specs. Barebones options exist for Apple Marketing "starting at..." purposes. Buying minimums sets you up for MAYBE "get by" use now, increasingly decaying over time... as demands ramp up while Silicon offers no way to expand RAM or internal SSD. When you are frustrated with the barebones in a few years, the only remedy is buying an entirely new Mac.

A good Thunderbolt-based hub for Mini (or Studio) is OWC Ministack STX: one Thunderbolt in and 3 out. It has internal storage for one stick of M.2 up to 8TB and a standard 3.5" HDD (I think 24TB are available now). Get yourself plenty of M.2 for fast external storage and maybe store those 350GB libraries on either drive inside. If me, I'd probably put it on a big 3.5" HDD inside since photo use doesn't exactly demand super speed. Save true super-speed file types for the M.2 drive.

Dump iCloud big storage so you are not wasting ongoing subscription money on a big hard drive in the sky. Put only a few months of that bill towards the M.2 or big HDD and own- not rent- your own storage.

If you want to save a few bucks, buy the "garage sale" version for about $50 off.

Thunderbolt will generally be faster than USB-C but real world usage may make it hard to notice any difference. USB-C will generally be cheaper than Thunderbolt. Both can be/seem very fast.

I use this Ministack STX and it works well. It also doesn't suffer the mysterious "unexpected ejection" bugs many other enclosures do. While I suspect Apple will eventually fix that bug(s), it's been going for a few generations of macOS now, so worth noting when someone is buying new hardware.

And, of course, be sure to have a backup solution with at least one reasonably new copy stored offsite to protect against fire/flood/theft scenarios which could take both Mac and TM drive at home at the same time. I use 2 big HDDs in onsite/offsite rotation, with Apple's Time Machine automating the backups to those drives. I swap them about every 4 weeks to keep the one offsite fresh.

I would NOT move the applications folder to the external. But you can easily put the gigantic photo library on it to free up the space you seem to be trying to free with ideas like ejecting applications to external. If that doesn't quite resolve the internal storage burden, you might also consider storing all "documents" on the external too AND media- particularly videos.

Boot from internal drive for fastest boot.

 

[meson]

You all should work at a mobile phone retailer making sure every grandma walks out with an iPhone 15 pro max with top tier storage.

The OP has a workflow that could be done on a base model iPad with extra storage.

The 8/256 mini with an external ssd is all that is needed for a very long time unless the user drastically changes usage patterns. Even then, the machine will handle a quite a bit.

There is no third party screen that will compare to an Apple screen. That said, even lower end displays have come a long way. I use one of LG’s lowest end 4k displays (32UL500) with my mini and my 13 MBP sitting on the desk nearby. It’s a massive step up from the old externals I used previously. It doesn’t bug me going back and forth anymore. I recommend the OP find a suitable 27” 4k display within budget, and will be happy if they have reasonable expectations.

I explored the idea of a mini hub/stand and opted against it. Because guests in my office sit behind my mini I ended up setting my mini on edge with the ports facing me. I added a Monoprice thunderbolt hub, unnecessary, but provides extra connectivity when needed.

I use a WD blue SSD in an enclosure for Time Machine and media storage. It is plenty fast enough. I run a Windows VM, and it’s far more responsive than my in-laws’ new lower end Windows laptop. There is no need for thunderbolt enclosures unless you are chasing specs or doing professional level media work. The Fusion Drive in your old machine keeps most data on the old spinning hard drive, and that is responsible for it feeling sluggish.

In fact, you could likely save yourself from buying a new machine by installing macOS on an external SSD and booting the old iMac from it instead of the internal drive.

The biggest advancement in modern computing for the casual user is the SSD. Since I first put one in my 2012 MBP, that new computer speed boost never felt that impressive. I can push my new machines way harder, but basic productivity tasks feel the same.

 

[GHicks]

Thanks everyone. Having listened to feedback I've gone with the long term investment option (as I did in 2014 with the imac) and upgraded to 2TB storage and 24GB memory. This may well be overkill but I had the same thought in 2014 and that ended up lasting me nearly ten years. I've paired it with a Samsung M8 monitor, which came yesterday. It looks great, has 4k and doubles as a TV, which ticks my boxes. I'm now constantly refreshing the DHL app to track the mac mini!

I'm just trying to find a data cable/cable + adapter to link the thunderbolt 2 on the imac to the thunderbolt 4 on the mac mini so I can transfer files via target disk mode. I was initally going to do this via ethernet but am now of the understadning that thunderbolt would deliver 20gbps whereas ethernet only 10gbps. Can anyone point in the right direction of a cable or cable + adapter that would do the job (i'm in the UK). Thanks

 

[PaulD-UK]

This is what you need, but you can get both cheaper elsewhere...
The Apple products are better, as not all 3rd party copies are compatible.

In the old days TB networking wasn't much faster than ethernet, as both use the same protocols.
Target disk mode does give better speed.
Obviously ethernet is cheaper.

Thunderbolt 3 USB C to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter - Apple (UK)

Apple Store Search Results

www.apple.com

Charging Essentials - Mac Accessories

Find cables, charging docks and battery cases for Mac. Charge and sync up your Mac. Buy online now at apple.com.

www.apple.com

 

[Fishrrman]

"I'm just trying to find a data cable/cable + adapter to link the thunderbolt 2 on the imac to the thunderbolt 4 on the mac mini so I can transfer files via target disk mode. I was initally going to do this via ethernet but am now of the understadning that thunderbolt would deliver 20gbps whereas ethernet only 10gbps."

Question:
- Your backup drive... is the enclosure "open-able"?
- If so, you could take the drive OUT OF the enclosure, and connect it to the NEW Mac using a USB3/SATA docking station (they're cheap and plentiful).

BE AWARE that the tbolt3-to-tbolt2 adapter cable may not pass through "bus power". What this means is that if your drive requires bus power, it may not work unless it also has a means to supply its own power (i.e., a "power-brick").

Another way to do things if you're encountering problems with the tbolt drive...
Get a USB3 drive of sufficient capacity.
Use either SuperDuper or CarbonCopyCloner to create a NEW backup on the USB3 drive (both are free to use for 30 days, this will cost you nothing).
Use THAT backup to do the migration.

 

[picpicmac]

Boot from internal drive for fastest boot.

Will not an external Thunderbolt 3/4 SSD as the StartUp disk boot faster than the internal SSD? Online examples show that the Mini internal SSDs in the M2 series are just not fast (at least in the 256GB and 512GB versions).

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Haven't tested that myself. But even the "half speed" effect of minimal specs is quite fast. And I THINK I've read in more than a few places that there is some overhead delays when booting on external drives, even over Thunderbolt... though those should be quite fast too.

If you are in a position to try both, break out the stopwatch and give both a try. I would bet on the internal beating the external but if you can test that, you will have conclusive evidence vs. a gut guess.

 

[JamesMay82]

Thanks everyone. Having listened to feedback I've gone with the long term investment option (as I did in 2014 with the imac) and upgraded to 2TB storage and 24GB memory. This may well be overkill but I had the same thought in 2014 and that ended up lasting me nearly ten years. I've paired it with a Samsung M8 monitor, which came yesterday. It looks great, has 4k and doubles as a TV, which ticks my boxes. I'm now constantly refreshing the DHL app to track the mac mini!

I'm just trying to find a data cable/cable + adapter to link the thunderbolt 2 on the imac to the thunderbolt 4 on the mac mini so I can transfer files via target disk mode. I was initally going to do this via ethernet but am now of the understadning that thunderbolt would deliver 20gbps whereas ethernet only 10gbps. Can anyone point in the right direction of a cable or cable + adapter that would do the job (i'm in the UK). Thanks

What do you mean couldn’t update the iMac? Did you mean to the latest os?

I’ve got the same machine and it’s still great but I’m curious about you enjoy your mini upgrade after a decade with the iMac.. more so with that monitor I think, in my head I’d always go Mac Studio but it’s tough to justify.

 

[Le Big Mac]

You need a 512gb SSD.
256 just "isn't enough" any longer.
Another reason:
The 512gb SSD is TWICE AS FAST as the 256, due to the chip design on the motherboard.
The 256gb speed is good, but... the 512 is (again) twice as fast.

Also looking at this decision. Time for my 2015 iMac replacement - it has 2TB fusion (about 1.4 used). Most of my storage is photos.

Best to spend the extra money on a larger SSD rather than larger internal?