5 Reasons to Keep or Buy an Older Mac Mini

Do you have an older Intel-based Mac Mini? Can you get a good price on one? Here are 5 Reasons you might want to keep or buy one!

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#apple #macmini #intel

[sfperalta]

I have 6 Intel Mac minis, 3 of them I recently recovered from storage and with relatively inexpensive upgrades brought them back to useful life. My oldest is a 2009 Core2Duo, which is borderline useful because it's limited to external USB2 & FireWire 800, but does have 1000BaseT Ethernet and can use a SATA SSD internally (two with an inexpensive kit) and up to 8 GB RAM. It's limited to macOS 10.11, but runs Linux Mint 22 quite nicely. Another is a 2010 mini with Core2Duo, also limited to USB2 & FW800, but does support 1 or 2 SATA SSDs and 16GB RAM. Two of my other minis are 2012 (one Dual Core i5, one Quad Core i7). These can accommodate both SSD upgrades and RAM up to 16GB, and supports USB3 for faster external storage and Thunderbolt 1 (10Gbps). One is a 2014 (i5), which can use SATA SSD, an optional kit for PCIe x2 SSD, and has 16GB RAM and Thunderbolt 2 (20Gbps). My last is a 2018 Six Core i7. This one has only soldered storage, no no upgrade option there, but can support up 64GB RAM (user installable with a little care). Amazingly I am the original owner of 4 of these (2009, 2010, 2012 and 2018). These are very versatile machines and can give good service years beyond Apple's intended lifespan for them. Oh, and I also have a 2020 M1 mini, which won't run Intel software but is a macOS workhorse.

[nikkilesley]

I am currently using a mid 2010 Mac mini with ssd drive and 16 gb ram. I am getting a Mac mini m2 though and am wondering how to still utilize the older Mac as it’s still a good computer. The only reason I wanted to upgrade is because a lot of newer apps won’t run with older macs anymore. Thanks for the video. I’ll have to learn more about the network idea.

[techtipsuk]

Interesting content, glad I found you

[endryudzhenn]

Thanks much for these info. I still have my mid 2011 but planning to use it as server aside from my Airport Timecapsule but dont know how yet. 😅

[mikepxg]

Don't forget you can fit 2 SSD into these

[billkormas]

I can virtualize intel windows xp (32-bit) on my m1 MacBook Air. it runs very good. anything newer than that is pretty much unusable tho

[johnczech]

This was quite interesting! If you don't mind me asking what level of school do you teach? What specific areas of technology? Would you consider putting your class lectures on line? Thanks!

[rchamer]

Good video. How do I virtualize a Windows 7 machine on a 2011 Mac mini? Does it have this function natively, or is there a free program I can use?

[planatotsu]

I agree what you insisted in this video. I want to add another reason to keep an older Mac Mini, which is application issue. I'd advise that one must check if an older version of application works on M1 Mac, especially expensive one like the graphics editor and the video editor. I had a photoshop elements(PSE) 2019 version for older Mac Mini which won't work on M1 Mac, despite "rosetta" try to help working on the app. I was lucky though since my PSE-2019 still work on my older mac mini. P.S. Adobe official HP announced that they won't support PSE-2019 for M1 Mac issue.

[grahampetersen]

Thanks sir I just connect my Mac mini m1 to me old Mac just a little delay on my mouse 🙏🏻🙏🏻👍👍👍👏👏👏

[LindaIBrown]

How do you load Linux on a Mac mini mid 2011? I brought a late 2014 Mac mini to use for strictly remote job when i find one. My daughter is using the 2011 for school. I was trying to make this one as a headless setup but not having much luck with her Gen 1 iPad Pro 12.9. So, I’m thinking I might just convert the 2011 to a Linux system. We have enough technology in here that the Mac mini won’t be miss. I’m thinking I’ll just mount the 2011 with he 2014. Suggestions please — thank you! I also have a Mac Airport. I’m betting that some computer geek would have a ball digging thru all my tech devices.

[kassosmafia]

I bought a 2012 Mac Mini for 20 bucks from a computer shop in my town