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What you are doing with your Mac mini after purchasing the Mac Studio?

  • Apple Trade-in

    Votes: 11 19.3%
  • Sell

    Votes: 17 29.8%
  • Donate

    Votes: 4 7.0%
  • Keep (not sure if I’m keeping the Mac Studio)

    Votes: 1 1.8%
  • Keep (use as a File / Time Machine server)

    Votes: 17 29.8%
  • Keep (someone else in the household will use it)

    Votes: 7 12.3%

  • Total voters
    57

cityhopper

macrumors member
Original poster
Jul 7, 2013
42
18
I didn’t max out the storage on the Mac Studio, I am going to use it as a Time Machine server. For those that are keeping their Mac minis, how will you use it?
 
Honestly I don’t know? Any suggestions?

For reference: I do video, photo, and audio editing. I’ve never had a second computer like this.
 
My mini is a 2012 i7 with 16GB and 2x internal SSDs. I originally picked it up used to regain access to a bunch of old Mac drives, but it’s proven to still be capable enough to be worth keeping around. It’ll live on as a Plex server most likely, and as a “just in case I need an x86 Mac” machine.
 
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Reactions: DeepIn2U
With multiple sources stating that a new Mac Mini, of sorts was being related, I've been holding off trading in my Mac Mini M1, for one with 16GB memory.

Now that the Mac Studio has been announced, I might continue with my initial process. Even the base model of the Mac Studio is simply overkill for me...
 
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Reactions: 4sallypat
I have (had?) two Mac mini: a 2020 M1 and a 2014 i5 with Fusion drive (current Plex/media server)

I traded the M1 into Best Buy today for $550 credit and ordered the Studio Ultra.

Although my Late 2014 Intel mini is likely to lose current OS support soon, it still serves my needs as a Plex/iTunes server. I dunno what the normal resale value is, but trade in is ~$75 so I might as well keep it.
 
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Reactions: cityhopper
I most likely going to sell mine since I don't have much use for it and the iSCSI initiator software that I use for my 2014 Mac mini as a file server that connects to TrueNAS only works on Intel. Replacing the software will cost $199 for the ATTO ISCSI Initiator, which costs too much.(I use iSCSI so it recognizes the ZFS RAIDz volume as a local drive on the Mac mini for BackBlaze backup.)

Also, the M1 Mac mini with 16 GB of RAM is just overkill to use as a file server and Plex server, especially since you can't run X86 VMs. When the 2014 eventually kicks the bucket, I will probably replace it with a used 2018 model. Not to mention, the M1 Mac mini with 16 GB and 612 GB SSD in good condition still has a lot of value left.

I'm hoping to offset the proceeds for the base Mac Studio since I need 32 GB of ram since 16 GB isn't cutting it for heavy use. I'm not selling the Mac mini yet until I migrate everything over.
 
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Reactions: 4sallypat
I am replacing a 2018 mini i7/32/1TB with the Studio M1M/32/1TB. The mini still works fine, it just doesn't suit my photo editing as well as I'd hoped.

I'll likely replace the 2015 iMac 21.5" I bought for my Mom with the mini.
 
Selling it. Hopefully to someone with some respect and manners. The people on the Dutch eBay have been flatout rude, even stalking my social media because I didn’t close the deal.
 
Help - I don't know if I should get the Studio to replace my M1 Mini.

Prior to the M1 Mini, I was using a 2012 i7 Server model Mini and it was not pretty.

Ever since I got the first M1 Mini (base 8GB), it has been a dream - no more spinning beach balls, no more app bounces, running 40+ tabs on 2 browsers, etc...

If I order a base Studio for $1999, less $200 for EDU and less $370 trade in of my M1 Mini along with 3% cash back with Apple Card = $1400 + tax.

Question: For what I use - minimal storage, minimal RAM, basic streaming, 1GBps ethernet, text editing (web HTML) and I did order the Studio display to replace my 11 year old 27" TB display which now I am having second thoughts.

If I get the Studio, I can run both my ancient TB display alongside the Studio display simultaneously?
 
....
I traded the M1 into Best Buy today for $550 credit and ordered the Studio Ultra.

Although my Late 2014 Intel mini is likely to lose current OS support soon, it still serves my needs as a Plex/iTunes server. I dunno what the normal resale value is, but trade in is ~$75 so I might as well keep it.
How did you get a trade in offer when the Studio is not available in store yet ?

I got a message:
Screen Shot 2022-03-17 at 8.17.22 AM.png
 
honestly, I've no idea ... a basic Studio Ultra is scheduled to be delivered later today and depending on testing it may replace 1, 2 or all 3 of my M1 Mac Minis. One of the Minis is definitely going to my mother (to replace that god awful Win10 box she has), the others may well end up on eBay ... or after testing, I may send the Ultra back and order a Studio Max instead and keep the Minis (and curse myself for 10-12 weeks as I wait its' delivery)
 
Also, the M1 Mac mini with 16 GB of RAM is just overkill to use as a file server and Plex server, especially since you can't run X86 VMs.
I use my M1 Mini as a Plex and file server and it's great - hardly uses any power, small and silent (not that the Intel Mini got loud), even when encoding a Plex stream (which it does nice and quickly).

It may be overkill, but it is nice.
 
After some research, I decided that selling the M1 Mac mini is not worth it as I would be losing $350-400 in value (they are selling for $750-800 for a 16 GB/512GB SSD) and I would need to buy another Mac mini eventually to replace the 2014. In other words, I am just turning the M1 Mac mini to another file server and moving the Plex and iSCSI stuff to the M1. The 2014 Mac mini will remain as a backup server.
 
The M1 mini will replace the aging 2014 mini running home server duties, which will be a nice upgrade in itself.
 
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