SSDs

[GTBannah]

Hello!

I'm thinking of upgrading the storage on a Mac Mini to a 2Tb SSD.

Are SSds fast enough to be the System Drive, plus carry Software Applications, Sample Libraries and DAW projects?

Thank you!

[Darryl Ramm]

They are if they are a PCIe SSD. I'd not rely on that with a SATA SSD, even with disk cache. Nut it depends on what you are doing. Everything but audio/session files should be able to go on a single SATA boot SSD. If your Mac Mini supports two SATA drives I'd consider installing two drives (likely Samsung 860 Evo).

If your Mac Mini supports PCIe/NVMe drives I'd be buying the largest one I could afford that is known to work in that Mac Mini (be careful, typical Apple behavior: standard M.2 PCIe/NVMe drives are not likely to work).

What *exact* make/model Mac Mini do you have? I'm not going to try to guess that from the description in your signature. Model number and EMC code please... should be hiding in plain sight on the product.

[GTBannah]

Thanx, for the response!

Here is (hopefully all) the info you asked for.

[Darryl Ramm]

Well not as useful as the actual model or EMC numbers I asked for... and I'm not sure you want to share your hardware serial number with the world.

So its something like https://everymac.com/systems/apple/m...012-specs.html

I'm going to leave you to work out exactly what variant of this you have. Wether it has two internal 2.5" SATA drive slots or not, has a M.2 *like* SSD card for Fusion already installed or not, etc.

You will find lots of info/videos etc. online showing people adding drives in this Mac Mini, especially replacing the 2.5" HDD with a 2.5" SSD. Make sure you are looking at "Late 2012" models not "2011-2012" models (as lots of folks seem to refer to the previous ones).

But the big picture is...

If it has two SATA 2.5" drive provisions (was a server variant). Stick two Samsung 860 Evo in there. That is your best scenario.

Otherwise the hardware should be capable of one 2.5" SATA SSD and one Apple proprietary M.2 like SSD card. But before getting too excited about a fast PCIe M.2 like SSD, uh that's not this. M.2 (and Apples's proprietary takes on that) cards can utilize slow SATA or fast PCIe, and this one uses SATA.

If your system came with a Fusion drive it will have a SATA M.2 card like SSD used as the fast part of a fusion drive. That may be large enough to make good use of as a separate audio/session drive. Deconfigure the fusion drive, there are lots of instructions how to do that online. Replace the current 2.5" HDD with a Samsung 860 Evo.

If it has an empty M.2 like slot for the SSD part of a Fusion drive then you may be able to find a compatible card to install in that slot. It has to be a card made to fit Apple's proprietary connector, standard M.2 cards will *not* work, even if they are SATA. Find the largest compatible SSD card you can, leave it configured as a separate SSD. Do not "fuse" it with the other drive. The super resource for stuff like that is https://beetstech.com/blog/apple-pro...upgrades#hdr-8 ... which uh conveniently does not mention this computer. I would suspect it's the same M.2 like SSD card as used in the Late 2012 iMac, you may find more info online, or just open it up and take at the slot and refer to the beetstech card info.

It also may be that OWC or others sell adapter cables/kits to go from that M.2 like SATA card slot to a standard SATA drive connector that would let you install 2 x 2.5" SSD inside the case. I could not find any with a quick search.