That's what I ordered. Now I'm trying to decide whether to move over my entire old hard drive (using Carbon Copy Cloner) or just specific files. I'm convinced that I've got a software issue slowing down my current mini, and I don't want to bring it with me to the new one.
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Late 2014 Mac mini is slow
- Thread starter someguy
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So, nine months later, and my Mac Mini is still super fast with the USB SSD disc. Many thanks again, for the clear and concise instructions.
When I go to the storage information now, it obviously displays two discs, the SATA drive (which has the label ***), and the USB SSD Drive (which has the label Untitled). Can I reformat and re-use the SATA Disk just for additional storage? As far as I can see, it simply contains the data at the point I cloned it to the USB.
When I go to the storage information now, it obviously displays two discs, the SATA drive (which has the label ***), and the USB SSD Drive (which has the label Untitled). Can I reformat and re-use the SATA Disk just for additional storage? As far as I can see, it simply contains the data at the point I cloned it to the USB.
yes, you can reformat it and use it as low speed storage. I use mine for things like movies and music - which doesn't need GB/s transfer speeds.
k moot wrote in 127:
"When I go to the storage information now, it obviously displays two discs, the SATA drive (which has the label ***), and the USB SSD Drive (which has the label Untitled)"
You can rename those disks whatever you want the names to be.
Just click on them and rename them.
IF the internal drive is the same size as the external USB SSD, my recommendation is that you use a cloning utility (CarbonCopyCloner or SuperDuper) to clone the contents of the boot SSD to the (slower) internal drive.
Do this, and you'll have an immediately-bootable-to-the-finder backup in case anything ever goes wrong with the SSD.
But you know that will never happen.
Right...?
Right...?
CCC can be downloaded here, and used free for 30 days:
"When I go to the storage information now, it obviously displays two discs, the SATA drive (which has the label ***), and the USB SSD Drive (which has the label Untitled)"
You can rename those disks whatever you want the names to be.
Just click on them and rename them.
IF the internal drive is the same size as the external USB SSD, my recommendation is that you use a cloning utility (CarbonCopyCloner or SuperDuper) to clone the contents of the boot SSD to the (slower) internal drive.
Do this, and you'll have an immediately-bootable-to-the-finder backup in case anything ever goes wrong with the SSD.
But you know that will never happen.
Right...?
Right...?
CCC can be downloaded here, and used free for 30 days:
Would like some guidance on what I should do with my Mac Mini Late 2014 (2.6GHz with 8GB memory & 1TB storage). This is our home computer to host all our pictures and files but was never used for day to day use. However, I have to use this for a while as a primary computer for awhile (2-4 months) and noticed it is very slow upon wake up and takes forever to register clicks and react while using basic apps like browser, photos & document editing. It is running Big Sur.
My question is - Will making the external SSD update provide a new lease for this or I should just bite the bullet and buy the new Mac mini with M1 chip ? My longer term use would be limited to Photo storage & editing, document storage and maybe a media server use. However in the short term I do need to use it for heavy keynote, and some design tools like figma & sketch.
My question is - Will making the external SSD update provide a new lease for this or I should just bite the bullet and buy the new Mac mini with M1 chip ? My longer term use would be limited to Photo storage & editing, document storage and maybe a media server use. However in the short term I do need to use it for heavy keynote, and some design tools like figma & sketch.
An external SSD (such as the Samsung T5) should make it much faster. I ran my 2012 Quad Core Mini from an external Samsung T3 for several years and used demanding software like Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro. Worked great.
Personally, I would not have upgraded a 2014 Mini to Big Sur. Did the slowness start before or after you upgraded? If the Mini only recently became slow, I would try to find the cause of that change before throwing new hardware at it.
Personally, I would not have upgraded a 2014 Mini to Big Sur. Did the slowness start before or after you upgraded? If the Mini only recently became slow, I would try to find the cause of that change before throwing new hardware at it.
I don't think it was related to Big Sur specifically as the slowness was something I noticed even before the upgrade. If there are any pointers to also optimize the system like removing background use by default services or changing any settings I am up for trying those out along with the SSD upgrade.
Also while looking for the T7 drive I saw a deal for the similar spec WD (https://www.bestbuy.com/site/wd-my-...olid-state-drive-blue/6428007.p?skuId=6428007) for $129. Is this a good option or should I stick to Samsung as highlighted by many in the thread ? I am a bit confused as to the max speed you can get out of the Mac mini ports. What is the best port to use for connecting to external SSD? Thunderbolt 2.0 (with an adapter to connect to SSD) or just stay with the USB 3.0 ?
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Sorry, I don't know anything about that WD drive. Not sure if you can use an adapter for a T7 on the 2014 Mini thunderbolt port, doesn't sound like a very good idea to me. Those adapters are pretty expensive IIRC. I posted speeds on the older T3 and the T7 on the previous page here. I think the T3 speed is about as fast as any USB SSD will be on your Mini.
https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...ow.2165265/page-5?post=29132218#post-29132218
If you want speed, use an internal SSD. I posted about this here
https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...ow.2165265/page-3?post=28294866#post-28294866
OWC has a video here
eshop.macsales.com
https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...ow.2165265/page-5?post=29132218#post-29132218
If you want speed, use an internal SSD. I posted about this here
https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...ow.2165265/page-3?post=28294866#post-28294866
OWC has a video here
Upgrade/Install a PCIe SSD in a Mac mini (Late 2014)
OWC's step-by-step video of how to upgrade the PCIe SSD in the Apple Mac mini (Late 2014).
I asked the same question as you here ( I have the same Mac Mini as you) and like Boyd01 said, I’m going for the internal SSD (just waiting for the deals tomorrow). That should last me until the next Mx iteration arrives.
Thanks! For now I just went ahead with the WD external SSD setup instead of dealing with the disassembly for internal. Though its not the max speed with USB, it’s still way better (got ~420 for read & write), so I am going to stick with it for now.
This is the exact situation I found myself in (a few pages back), and I went for the SSD option. Which option you want to go for really is up to you, the SSD option is obviously cheaper. For me personally, it's really has transformed my 2014 mac mini back to how it was on day one.
I don't do photo editing, but I do use it for doc storage, Timecode vinyl / Traktor DJ-ing, and video editing with iMovie - all of these activities run very nicely now.
It was the only Apple product I regret purchasing. So freaking slow that my non-technical wife would not even use it. I finally turned it into an Apple Cache box, and it worked well for that until I replaced it with a newer surplus Mini.
Then I just gave it away and good riddance.
Then I just gave it away and good riddance.
For anyone else picking the easiest path here (external USB SSD), it's worth noting that a straight copy (with Carbon Copy Cleaner) is not going to make a bootable drive any more if you're on Big Sur. Instead, after making the copy, you can install macOS Big Sur (using the stock installer, just pick the external SSD in the first step) to it, which then makes it bootable.
See these instructions:
See these instructions:
... and I am on Mojave.Yet another reason why I am still on Catalina.
The problem with newer machines, like the M1 is, that these computers don't work with Catalina anymore.
My 2014 Mini is on Mojave. It is only used as a media server and I need iTunes. My 2018 and 2012 Mini's are on Catalina.
My late 2012 I7 is still very fast. But I did install a 1 TB Samsung SSD. Maybe that kept it quick.
Thank you! I have spent the last two days learning enough about SATA, PCIe, NVMe, SSD, HDD, 4GB RAM, 8GB RAM, OWC, adapters, 16x12, blades, M1, silicon, enclosures, torx, and on and on and on that I could design an Apple operating system on my kitchen table. Your comment is all the information I really wanted to know.
@Boyd01 @getrealbro @Fishrrman Thanks for all your advice and help!
Based on everything I have learned, I think the OWC | Aura Pro X2 | 1.0TB NVMe SSD Add-In Solution for HDD-only Mac mini (Late 2014) is the way to go for me because I want to run Adobe Creative Cloud Premier Pro (2020). Since this is my intended use, I can't go back to OSX Mojave/El Capitan/Catalina/Lion/etc.
Before you all laugh me off the forum, I assure you that I have successfully created video content and even a few podcast episodes with my sorry little mini. But as you can guess, it was painfully slow--I would literally execute a few commands and then go out and work in the garden for a while, come back and do a few more edits until it needed another break, leave to do the dishes, come back to save the latest clip, repeat. Basically, it was like the time I worked in Italy.
I really can't afford a new machine right now, so I'm hoping to turn my Mac mini into a Mac Mighty. Any advice for this use and my plan?
Mac mini (Late 2014) | 1.4 GHz | i5 | 4GB RAM | Big Sur v11.4
Based on everything I have learned, I think the OWC | Aura Pro X2 | 1.0TB NVMe SSD Add-In Solution for HDD-only Mac mini (Late 2014) is the way to go for me because I want to run Adobe Creative Cloud Premier Pro (2020). Since this is my intended use, I can't go back to OSX Mojave/El Capitan/Catalina/Lion/etc.
Before you all laugh me off the forum, I assure you that I have successfully created video content and even a few podcast episodes with my sorry little mini. But as you can guess, it was painfully slow--I would literally execute a few commands and then go out and work in the garden for a while, come back and do a few more edits until it needed another break, leave to do the dishes, come back to save the latest clip, repeat. Basically, it was like the time I worked in Italy.
I really can't afford a new machine right now, so I'm hoping to turn my Mac mini into a Mac Mighty. Any advice for this use and my plan?
Mac mini (Late 2014) | 1.4 GHz | i5 | 4GB RAM | Big Sur v11.4
Maybe you can check out some used i3 or i5 Mac minis? Don't know where you are located, but the prices of these are slowly going down.
You can upgrade the RAM in these 2018 models yourself. If you need more storage, you can also connect extrenal SSDs.
You can upgrade the RAM in these 2018 models yourself. If you need more storage, you can also connect extrenal SSDs.
Not sure I follow you. I already own an i5 model, so why would I want to downgrade with a newer model that I would then need to upgrade, instead of just upgrading the model I already own?
@opeter is talking about the i3 and i5 2018 Mini. Apparently you have a 2014 Mini (since that is the subject of this thread). The 2018 i3 Mini would be a huge upgrade from any of the 2014 Mini's, the geekbench rating is at least 50% higher than the top of the line 2014 Mini but in reality it would be even faster due to the other internal changes. And the USB-C ports are significantly faster than the internal SSD on 2014 Mini, plus the 2018 can be upgraded to 64gb of RAM.
You own and i5 model from 2014. I suggested a used i3 or i5 model from 2018.
i3 in 2018 is (much) faster than i5 in 2014.
everymac.com
![4e6TH0v.jpg]()
i3 in 2018 is (much) faster than i5 in 2014.
Late 2014 and Late 2018 Mac mini Performance Comparison: EveryMac.com
Compares the performance of the Late 2014 and Space Gray Late 2018 Aluminum Mac mini models using Geekbench 4 benchmarks and other tests.
