*** The official late 2020 Mac mini thread (it has the M1 chip and everything!) ***

What are people using for large external storage?

Contemplating selling my PC to fund a Mac Mini for a home server, due to the great power consumption of the M1.

I'll be running Plex and NextCloud, so need a large storage option.

Google TeamDrive unlimited
 
Google TeamDrive unlimited

Hasn't it switched to Google Workspace and now limited to 2TB rather than the previous Unlimited offering?

What are people using for large external storage?

Contemplating selling my PC to fund a Mac Mini for a home server, due to the great power consumption of the M1.

I'll be running Plex and NextCloud, so need a large storage option.

If you've already got the drive(s), then opt for USB3 (or TB if you've got the cash) caddies or if you haven't, pick whatever USB3/TB drive(s) you can afford.
Note, the Mini offers two USB 3.1 and two TB3 ports so you might need to factor in a hub as well.

But it's an expensive solution for what it offers and a RPi might be a better solution if power consumption is the priority (throughput possible an issue). Arguably you probably would be better with using a NAS, like a Synology as mentioned, or sticking with your current server setup.
 
Hasn't it switched to Google Workspace and now limited to 2TB rather than the previous Unlimited offering?

They did mess with it.. but we're on Grandfathered contracts I think so price went up but still unlimited...Great value compared to adding hard disks to a server every few months or whatever...
 
16GB version turned up today, first ever entry into the Mac OS. Paired it with a MX Keys and Master 3 which I'm loving. Struggling to get used to silence when using a computer.
 
16GB version turned up today, first ever entry into the Mac OS. Paired it with a MX Keys and Master 3 which I'm loving. Struggling to get used to silence when using a computer.
Nice. Apologies if you mentioned this further back but what monitor have you paired with it?
 
Nice. Apologies if you mentioned this further back but what monitor have you paired with it?

Currently using my Mrs 24 inch dell, her 'working from home' monitor. It's a temp measure until the monitor I want come in stock. I've settled on the Dell U2722DE. Reason being I like all the extra hub option off the monitor, extra usb A and C slots for example. Which will save me having to use hubs as we all know the most disappointing thing with the mini is the amount of I/O options.

Lots of changes to learn coming from Microsoft but very very impressed so far with how it interacts with all my other apple gear. Early days but feels so much cleaner and easier to use.
 
Currently using my Mrs 24 inch dell, her 'working from home' monitor. It's a temp measure until the monitor I want come in stock. I've settled on the Dell U2722DE. Reason being I like all the extra hub option off the monitor, extra usb A and C slots for example. Which will save me having to use hubs as we all know the most disappointing thing with the mini is the amount of I/O options.

Be very interested to hear how you get on. I have that exact monitor (and love it) but it didn't work for me on Mac. There's something about the 27inch 1440p combo that I just can't find a working scale on Mac. Text was fuzzy and everything was small by default, needed to decrease resolution for readability but at that point the image quality was noticeable deteriorated. Windows does not have this problem, so, frustrated I returned my Mini.

I'm not clear on why, but I read that Apple's changes to antialiasing subpixel meant you need a size/resolution which equates to 220dpi in order to deliver a sharper text which is equivalent to windows. Unfortunately 27/1440 is 110 dpi. UI would be FAR too small for me at 4K 27inch.
 
I've got my 14" connected to a 49" 1440 monitor and it looks fine to me, my biggest grumble is having to move the cursor so far to interact with the application menus.
 
Be very interested to hear how you get on. I have that exact monitor (and love it) but it didn't work for me on Mac. There's something about the 27inch 1440p combo that I just can't find a working scale on Mac. Text was fuzzy and everything was small by default, needed to decrease resolution for readability but at that point the image quality was noticeable deteriorated. Windows does not have this problem, so, frustrated I returned my Mini.

I'm not clear on why, but I read that Apple's changes to antialiasing subpixel meant you need a size/resolution which equates to 220dpi in order to deliver a sharper text which is equivalent to windows. Unfortunately 27/1440 is 110 dpi. UI would be FAR too small for me at 4K 27inch.

Now you have me thinking on options.

As you said the 27 dell is 110DPI
The monitor I'm using of my wifes is a Dell 2419H which is 1920 x 1080 23.8 inch so DPI of 92. It's not amazing but I could live with it.

Sadly I can't get a screen to test! But if I'm happy with the 24 at 92DPI will I be happy with the 27 at 110!

Also now looking at the LG 27UP850-W.

I'm kinda thinking I should have got got the 24inch iMac and saved myself the faff!
 
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DannyJo22>The LG 27XX850-W are good monitors. Still a little small for 4k but still extremely good none the less I used one with my M1 Mac Mini when I use to own one.
 
I'm so torn. I now medically need to game less so thinking of getting rid of my gaming PC and replacing it with a Mac Mini - if I can't game, I won't. But I still want a competent machine to use occasionally. Mac Mini even in its base form will be more than enough for my basic usage (web, emails, office, bit of MainStage for playing bass/guitar). I also currently have a 2013 MBP with retina display, which I was originally planning to replace with the base M1 MBA later this year, but with a new medical diagnosis my plan is sort of changing. The issue is whether to go for a fixed machine in the Mini and buy 2x 4k displays or stick with getting the MBA and just get a single 4K display to replace my current 1080p screen.

There's a huge "hidden" cost in going for the Mac Mini, as a keyboard with Touch ID is £150 (which in itself is compromised in not having a backlight) and another £150 for the magic trackpad. Then on top of that, I'll need to get the two 4K displays, which even for cheap TN panels are £200-250 each for a 27/28" model. So even when I'm getting Mac Mini for £628, I'd need to add £700 in extras to get a lot of the "experience" I'd get with the MBA, though would still need to add £200-250 on top of the £898 base MBA if I went down that route. However, the biggest allure is having a dual monitor setup, with those monitors being the same size and model just for neatness' sake. I'm just completely torn.


Plz halp? I'd love others' opinions or suggestions.
 
I'm so torn. I now medically need to game less so thinking of getting rid of my gaming PC and replacing it with a Mac Mini - if I can't game, I won't. But I still want a competent machine to use occasionally. Mac Mini even in its base form will be more than enough for my basic usage (web, emails, office, bit of MainStage for playing bass/guitar). I also currently have a 2013 MBP with retina display, which I was originally planning to replace with the base M1 MBA later this year, but with a new medical diagnosis my plan is sort of changing. The issue is whether to go for a fixed machine in the Mini and buy 2x 4k displays or stick with getting the MBA and just get a single 4K display to replace my current 1080p screen.

There's a huge "hidden" cost in going for the Mac Mini, as a keyboard with Touch ID is £150 (which in itself is compromised in not having a backlight) and another £150 for the magic trackpad. Then on top of that, I'll need to get the two 4K displays, which even for cheap TN panels are £200-250 each for a 27/28" model. So even when I'm getting Mac Mini for £628, I'd need to add £700 in extras to get a lot of the "experience" I'd get with the MBA, though would still need to add £200-250 on top of the £898 base MBA if I went down that route. However, the biggest allure is having a dual monitor setup, with those monitors being the same size and model just for neatness' sake. I'm just completely torn.


Plz halp? I'd love others' opinions or suggestions.

You don't need to buy the overpriced Apple keyboard and trackpad though, your existing PC mouse and keyboard should work just fine!
 
You don't need to buy the overpriced Apple keyboard and trackpad though, your existing PC mouse and keyboard should work just fine!
Sure, but then I miss out on Touch ID and multitouch gestures, which I don't want to miss out on :)

EDIT: Reason for buying new monitor(s) is also that I don't want to step too far away from the built-in retina displays on the MacBooks. I appreciate a 28" 4K monitor is "only" 160ppi, but it'll still be a scaled 1080p equivalent so should look really good.
 
Just order a base Mini with upgraded 16GB RAM, can't wait for the M2. I may swap it for a 24GB M2 Mini when that appears.

It's preparing to ship but shows a 2 week delivery time, I assume that's because it's coming from overseas.

 
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