Select Costco Stores: Apple Mac Mini: M1, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD (Late 2020 Model)

GreenIdea3316

Mar 06, 2023 01:45 PM

264 Posts

Joined Nov 2019

GreenIdea3316Mar 06, 2023 01:45 PM

264 Posts

Quote from ElatedHealth6110

:

Great. Thanks. Sounds like I could get 6 to 8 years out of it as a Plex server. If that is the case, I could look back 6-8 years from now and know that it was a sound purchase. I can live with that.

yes, definitely think you could use as a PLEX server for 6-8 years without issue.

dclive

Mar 06, 2023 01:51 PM

6,118 Posts

Joined Mar 2008

dcliveMar 06, 2023 01:51 PM

6,118 Posts

Quote from HE1

:

M1 average speed is 2300 to 2600 mb/s

M2 average 1200 to 1400 mb/s

Big difference.

So you sat down, got iStat Menus up, and copied some files around, and that's what you saw?

Or are you just quoting benchmarks back to me?

GreenIdea3316

Mar 06, 2023 01:53 PM

264 Posts

Joined Nov 2019

GreenIdea3316Mar 06, 2023 01:53 PM

264 Posts

Quote from Jimmdean

:

Respectfully, that's not how RAM works. I think you got tricked into buying a Mac Studio.

Respectfully thats exactly how RAM works when they do operating system upgrades. I am sorry you can't afford a nice computer.

dclive

Mar 06, 2023 01:54 PM

6,118 Posts

Joined Mar 2008

dcliveMar 06, 2023 01:54 PM

6,118 Posts

Quote from ElatedHealth6110

:

I'm thinking of buying this to use solely as a Plex server. I have a large desktop running Linux that currently serves this purpose in addition to other tasks, but I'd love to get Plex off of it so I can use it for other reasons.
I've never owned a Mac device.
Reading some of the back and forth in this thread, it makes me think I shouldn't get this M1 device. If it won't be supported in a few years or they throttle the speed, I'd be disappointed, as I want something that draws little power and I can just leave it on to run for months/years on end with little to no fuss.
I'm still trying to determine whether this would be a good purchase for me.

I don't think any of those items are reasons not to get a Mac mini; I think a $200 Intel box from Amazon with Plex Pass ($100-ish), while ensuring said Intel box has QuickSync, is the current best-standard for Plex servers. You'll get a used, 2-3 year old PC with good Intel hardware, hopefully some room internally for drives, and easy expansion and plenty of speed in Plex. QuickSync is where it's at - for cheap - with PlexPass.

Jimmdean

Mar 06, 2023 02:09 PM

738 Posts

Joined Mar 2007

JimmdeanMar 06, 2023 02:09 PM

738 Posts

Quote from mail4asim

:

Each mac is supported for X numbers of years.

If M2 is supported for. X number of years.
then
M1 is supported for X -1 number of years.

This should help in making the decision...

my biggest peeve with these computers is the fixed 8GB RAM, which is 2023 should be against the law. My 2013 iMac came with 8GB.. just the 2012 iMac before that. But apple thinks even after putting 8GB standard in Macs for the past 11 years... there is no need for additional memory.

while historically that might have been the case the M2 model did not change significantly, and the M2 itself is not significantly different. I'd be very surprised if they weren't taken off support at the same time. But no one should be worrying about that on a computer they buy today. The real takeaway is that Macs generally last long enough to be taken off support.

Jimmdean

Mar 06, 2023 02:23 PM

738 Posts

Joined Mar 2007

JimmdeanMar 06, 2023 02:23 PM

738 Posts

Quote from ElatedHealth6110

:

I'm thinking of buying this to use solely as a Plex server. I have a large desktop running Linux that currently serves this purpose in addition to other tasks, but I'd love to get Plex off of it so I can use it for other reasons.
I've never owned a Mac device.
Reading some of the back and forth in this thread, it makes me think I shouldn't get this M1 device. If it won't be supported in a few years or they throttle the speed, I'd be disappointed, as I want something that draws little power and I can just leave it on to run for months/years on end with little to no fuss.
I'm still trying to determine whether this would be a good purchase for me.

This is certainly the easiest entry point for macOS. and all things considered at this price its only real competitor is a M2 model for more money. The rest of it is just FUD - no knowledgeable mac user is really going to subscribe to that crap. you buy a computer for what it can do for you today - worry about 5 years from now then. macs hold their value for good reason - you won't have any problem finding a buyer if you decide it's not for you.

Last edited by Jimmdean March 6, 2023 at 08:29 AM.

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Jimmdean

Mar 06, 2023 02:46 PM

738 Posts

Joined Mar 2007

JimmdeanMar 06, 2023 02:46 PM

738 Posts

Quote from GreenIdea3316

:

Respectfully thats exactly how RAM works when they do operating system upgrades. I am sorry you can't afford a nice computer.

this is a deal forum and this is a good deal. you need to move along.

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1

Pragmatism

Mar 06, 2023 02:50 PM

208 Posts

Joined Mar 2019

PragmatismMar 06, 2023 02:50 PM

208 Posts

I'm waiting for the M5. It will be the ultimate computer.

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190rev

Mar 06, 2023 05:09 PM

2,520 Posts

Joined Jul 2006

190revMar 06, 2023 05:09 PM

2,520 Posts

Quote from Laotzu3

:

According to most reports M2 is 20% faster but it's disk access is 50% slower while the price is 33% more.

To get disk access on par with M1 you need to pay $200 to upgrade to 512gb ($799 or $699)

Or get a blazingly fast 1TB external drive for $100

alexsemi

Mar 06, 2023 05:10 PM

835 Posts

Joined Jan 2010

alexsemiMar 06, 2023 05:10 PM

835 Posts

Quote from chi

:

There's a slow SSD controversy on the M2 base models. The M1 base models have 2 SSDs while the M2 base models have only 1 SSD so there can be data bottlenecks.

https://youtu.be/bF_Lbdqfowo

I don't believe "2 SSDs" is technically correct, its more like faster / slower NVMe? Soldered and non-replaceable, BTW.

alexsemi

Mar 06, 2023 05:10 PM

835 Posts

Joined Jan 2010

alexsemiMar 06, 2023 05:10 PM

835 Posts

Quote from 190rev

:

Or get a blazingly fast 1TB external drive for $100

Not as convenient as a single continuous built-in disk, IMO.

mig0

Mar 06, 2023 05:14 PM

2,909 Posts

Joined Jul 2011

mig0Mar 06, 2023 05:14 PM

2,909 Posts

Quote from SiennaDeer7003

:

not sure if that's a good deal since I can buy the M2 for 499 with my educational discount. i guess if someone really needs one they can get.

I mean it's $100 cheaper and you get the Costco warranty boost if you opt not to get applecare. It's a great deal, I don't need this but am tempted

CoreyR2384

Mar 06, 2023 05:15 PM

1,776 Posts

Joined Nov 2018

CoreyR2384Mar 06, 2023 05:15 PM

1,776 Posts

Quote from Examiner44

:

I think that fad died a few years ago.

Since Apple moved to it's own silicon, most modern CPUs are not supported. The last consumer desktop Intel CPU supported is Intel's 10th gen, which is 3 generations old now. You would need an ancient AMD CPU if you wanted to go that route. More modern Xeon and HEDT CPU's are supported, but those are prohibitively expensive. On top of that, Mac OS is now optimized for it's own silicon, and many of the afformentioned CPU's can only run on older versions of the OS. The Hackintosh community has pretty much died out.

1

z3razerviper

Mar 06, 2023 05:23 PM

1,269 Posts

Joined Dec 2006

z3razerviperMar 06, 2023 05:23 PM

1,269 Posts

Quote from gameson

:

can you upgrade SSD yourself or is it soldered on? thanks.

you cant upgrade anything yourself on these

1

ebolaboi

Mar 06, 2023 05:26 PM

3,930 Posts

Joined Dec 2011

ebolaboiMar 06, 2023 05:26 PM

3,930 Posts

A whole 8 gigs of ram and a 256 ssd both soldered on. 😂 😂 🤦🏽 ♂️🤦🏽 ♂️

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Select Costco Stores: Apple Mac Mini: M1, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD (Late 2020 Model)

$400

$599

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