Worth upgrading to mac mini 2018? About to pull trigger, need your thoughts!

Combat squirrel · 2 Jul 2019 at 20:28

Thanks NickK, interesting posts! I have no idea about programming, I'm going from a windows 8 core 16 thread PC to the mini, yet the mini benches higher in single core and multi (a lot higher in single core), so be nice to see how fast it is.

I already have a total TB3 setup for my MBP so I'll just use it on the mini - Vega 56 on Razer X, Caldigit 3 TB3 interface, already have 2x 32" 4k displays.

I do love I can just disconnect my MBP and plug it into the mini and I am away, great stuff !!!

I am unsure what to do about which hard drive I could use on the mini as the OS drive - I could just use the 256gb, but I do have a 1TB SATA SSD available, simply for using it as a boot drive, keep apps on, windows boot camp, and to cache icloud, I'm considering using it to boot from and the internal drive as cache/fast access (for example I could fit 2 weddings on there to edit)

What would you do ?

NickK · 2 Jul 2019 at 23:01

I will use the internal SSD sparingly - I have an external HD on usb that i’m using for additional apps and everything else.

After three machines, this will be one that isn’t migrated, to allow specific allocation of things to particular drives. Even new apps are on the external drive.

In the past I replaced the mbp HD with a 1TB 5400rpm hybrid (has some unbuild SSD cache) for better battery times.

At some point it will get 32GB ram, external drive enclosure and eGPU.

Combat squirrel · 3 Jul 2019 at 17:08

Didn't know you could put apps on other drives! Lol

Am looking at fan bases for the mini now, have seen one in Canada but it's £150 but looks amazing, you take the plastic cover off the Base of the mini and sit it on top of the fan Base and it pushes air through - want it but too expensive for what it is......wonder if I can 3d print something and use a silent 140mm fan somehow

Combat squirrel · 3 Jul 2019 at 18:03

Got the mini up and running now, very very fast, impressed !!!

Combat squirrel · 4 Jul 2019 at 10:57

Having some issues mounting all my USB hard drives, I've got 3 connected so far - all exFat, but the other 2 exFat drives are simply not mounting at all, disk utility says 'not mounted' and wont mount, nor first aid repair, one of these drives is identical model to one thats mounted ok so I'm pretty confused - any ideas?

NickK · 4 Jul 2019 at 11:43

Combat squirrel said:
Having some issues mounting all my USB hard drives, I've got 3 connected so far - all exFat, but the other 2 exFat drives are simply not mounting at all, disk utility says 'not mounted' and wont mount, nor first aid repair, one of these drives is identical model to one thats mounted ok so I'm pretty confused - any ideas?

I had a similar issue with my USB external drive last night. Plugging/unplugging the drive didn't cause it to appear in disk utility. Switching the drive off then on again immediately resulted in it being mounted. I also get issues with blinking screens (random lengths of time) for App Store, and some webpages (Bloomberg for example) as well as the real flickering issue. Another odd one is that safari tabs on first startup seem to be corrupt. It wouldn't surprise me if there's a defect that is causing data to be written across the GPU driver memory space resulting in corrupt data (textures) and memory mapped control registers.
I think the blinks are GPU restarts, losing monitor sync.

I see many others have the same issues - so I think there's a Mojave/driver/firmware update needed to make it stable.

Combat squirrel · 4 Jul 2019 at 12:26

NickK said:
I had a similar issue with my USB external drive last night. Plugging/unplugging the drive didn't cause it to appear in disk utility. Switching the drive off then on again immediately resulted in it being mounted. I also get issues with blinking screens (random lengths of time) for App Store, and some webpages (Bloomberg for example) as well as the real flickering issue. Another odd one is that safari tabs on first startup seem to be corrupt. It wouldn't surprise me if there's a defect that is causing data to be written across the GPU driver memory space resulting in corrupt data (textures) and memory mapped control registers.
I think the blinks are GPU restarts, losing monitor sync.

I see many others have the same issues - so I think there's a Mojave/driver/firmware update needed to make it stable.

Hmmmm this is abit concerning

- I wonder if apple will release an update to deal with this ?

I'll try turning off/on again rapidly to see what that does.

I've had no graphical issues so far though - however I am purely using E-GPU & it seems to fly with that. I'm just having USB hard drive problems - however my external USB SSD drives seem fine.

I have just upgraded it to 32gb ram and it absolutely flys now - speeeedy !!!!! It was mildly stuttering sometimes on 8gb, I also hear however (was it you that told me this?!? may have read it in this thread) - the GPU ram is shadowed in system memory, so 8 gb ram and 8gb egpu would be...interesting, however its much more nippy now on 32gb.

NickK · 4 Jul 2019 at 13:20

Yup, will have to see how the job hunt is going (My role is being made redundant) however i’d like to get 32GB onboard £150 iirc.

Combat squirrel · 4 Jul 2019 at 13:33

NickK said:
Yup, will have to see how the job hunt is going (My role is being made redundant) however i’d like to get 32GB onboard £150 iirc.

Mine was £122 posted brand new.

NickK · 4 Jul 2019 at 17:24

32GB memory also has a minor draw back... it means your 256GB SSD has a 32GB sleep image! :eek:

However at least you're not swapping or lacking with a large GPU memory shadowing!

It is possible to setup apps outside of the internal /Applications directory but with GateKeeper, it is becoming more difficult. You have to spctl to add locations/apps otherwise you may find the Mac will refuse to run it.

Adding VirtualBox app is one I would put on the internal SSD, but the VM HDs are external. However it still requires a Cmd+R recovery boot, then to use terminal to add the kext-consent for Oracle in to allow the VB kernel extensions to be allowed.

Combat squirrel · 5 Jul 2019 at 21:12

NickK said:
32GB memory also has a minor draw back... it means your 256GB SSD has a 32GB sleep image!
However at least you're not swapping or lacking with a large GPU memory shadowing!

It is possible to setup apps outside of the internal /Applications directory but with GateKeeper, it is becoming more difficult. You have to spctl to add locations/apps otherwise you may find the Mac will refuse to run it.

Adding VirtualBox app is one I would put on the internal SSD, but the VM HDs are external. However it still requires a Cmd+R recovery boot, then to use terminal to add the kext-consent for Oracle in to allow the VB kernel extensions to be allowed.

Wow really! Darn, well, seems ok, am leaving what free hard drive space I have left now (about 100gb), just bare, as I don't need it and it will allow Mac OS to do its thing, got my software installed now, may need 5-7gb for some more bits and thats it.

Hard drive issue, solved it - formatting it (even exfat oddly), in Mac OS seems to make it work perfectly - absolutely no idea why, thankfully i have a server I dumped my files on, formatted it and restoring it now using 'free file sync'.

I've also moved iphoto library to a spare external SSD i have - 500gb drive, formatted that and again thats working fine now.

Let me know how your getting on with your tweaks.

Spit · 6 Jul 2019 at 08:44

Where did you get the RAM from for £122?

Which eGPU enclosure and GPU are you using?

I have my Mini arriving on Monday and just looking to get the extras. Going to hook it up to a triple monitor setup.

Combat squirrel · 6 Jul 2019 at 09:20

Spit said:
Where did you get the RAM from for £122?

Which eGPU enclosure and GPU are you using?

I have my Mini arriving on Monday and just looking to get the extras. Going to hook it up to a triple monitor setup.

A shop that's easy to find, I can say no more as per forum rules ! Lol

Razer x egpu and a vega 56, works flawlessly in mac os.

When I get time I need to fix bootcamp, doesn't work at all in Windows with egpu, there's a couple of hacks I need to do.

My next job is getting a fan base of some sort, I want to pop the bottom cover off and have a fan blowing air in....iv seen a metal one in Canada that looks perfect but it's £150.....so looking if there is maybe one I can 3d print and put a spare 140mm fan underneath perhaps

Spit · 6 Jul 2019 at 09:23

Great, I have seen a 2nd hand Razer Core v2 for sale so might got for that.

Did you go for i7? Mine is i5.

Combat squirrel · 6 Jul 2019 at 12:01

Spit said:
Great, I have seen a 2nd hand Razer Core v2 for sale so might got for that.

Did you go for i7? Mine is i5.

Defo, well worth it!

Yeah i7 as I need threads for photo/video work

Broken Hope · 6 Jul 2019 at 14:04

One thing that I'm not sure about and the official support articles and most reviews don't seem to answer, does the eGPU accelerate Mac OS itself, or only apps/games?

Combat squirrel · 6 Jul 2019 at 14:25

Broken Hope said:
One thing that I'm not sure about and the official support articles and most reviews don't seem to answer, does the eGPU accelerate Mac OS itself, or only apps/games?

It appears to me to accelerate the entire screen the GPU is out putting to for general Mac OS screen draws.......but then you also have to tell the app to make sure it uses the EGPU (otherwise i guess the OS just chooses at random?)

I just test this by loading the launchpad screen and scrolling between it and only the Vega 56 GPU usage went up - also it feels a lot more fluid compared to on board graphics.

So I would say general OS use - it uses whatever the screen is connected to - my screen is plugged directly into the Vega 56, I am not sure if you were doing 2 way comms on the TB3 cable (using macs output but drawing with the EGPU) - I would not recommend this however, stick to mac-->gpu-->screen

Broken Hope · 6 Jul 2019 at 15:14

Thanks for the reply, it's the case you've just mentioned that I'm talking about, sometimes animations on launchpad etc seem to be a bit stuttery, was wondering if a eGPU improved that.

Combat squirrel · 6 Jul 2019 at 16:47

Broken Hope said:
Thanks for the reply, it's the case you've just mentioned that I'm talking about, sometimes animations on launchpad etc seem to be a bit stuttery, was wondering if a eGPU improved that.

Ahh Yeh, in that case then yes absolutely egpu speeds it all up.

NickK · 3 Aug 2019 at 16:01

Just ordered my Mac mini’s 32GB memory upgrade also with recommended iFixIt screwdriver set (finding a TR6 security torx that doesn’t have stories of breaking.. not going to risk it).