Just purchased a new M2 Mac Mini and need Storage advice...

[Bazza1]

I have over 200 docs, 2000 photos, 110 music albums, miscellaneous bits and pieces and +20 apps on my Mini - and even though its a 256GB, I still have 124GB free. And really, I could prune that further, as I hardly need access to all that daily. Its basically a mirror of what is on my 2017 MacBook Air, which used to be my full-time computer, but is now my work / travel computer.

As I did with my laptop, I have an older external Seagate SSD for Time Machine, and then have another external Samsung (T7 - 500 GB); this is where I keep a manual backup, software download files, plus any media files I don't need on my Mini, but will access as desired (usually via VLCPlayer, IINA or Preview - not locked into Apple's proprietary TV, Music or Photos app).

I also do manual backups to other sources once a month. Local and - for non-essential / private stuff - online.

(Incidentally, because my Air is so 'old', I am able to use a SD Card as its own stand-alone Time Machine via it's built-in port.)

 

[LIVEFRMNYC]

4. Using an SSD for a TM backup is often a waste of money. You can get equivalent reliability at a lower cost using a HD. You also get more HD storage for the same cost which increases the number of days that have backups.

I think people go for SSD for speed when browsing for a past file.

 

[McScooby]

I got a Crucial X9 4TB, speed ain't as fast as a nvme but at 1000MB/s & Usb-C it does the job for cheaper than Apple's 512GB upgrade & still isn't any slouch.

 

[macguru9999]

The original poster has a 256G machine ... ok .... So your system and software will fit but not your photo library. So you need an external storage , lets say 1TB, and a seperate Time machine , lets say 2TB set to back up BOTH the 256 and the 1TB drive.... I would get samsung T7 drives, and connect them with the USB - C ports , or though a powered TB Hub, if you start to run out of ports. I use Crucial sata ssds in usb c housings, because i have a lot of them for consulting work. its the same thing... you do not need nvme TB4 housings, as your system is on the internal drive.