Mac Compatible SSD Drive Upgrades For Apple Mac Mini

Solid-State Hard Disk Drives Compatible with Mac mini Apple Desktop Systems

Mac Mini SSD Drive Upgrades

Apple's compact Intel Mac Mini desktop computer is a great candidate for an SSD. Most are reasonably easy Do-It-Yourself solid-state drive upgrades.

Crucial-Lexar SSD M4

SATA III 6GBps

Corsair Force Series

SandForce Based SSD

A multitude of 2.5" SATA Interface laptop size SSD flash drives dominate the retail market. The latest crop of SSD drives now have a 6GBps SATA III interface, but they're fully backward compatible with the SATA I and II chipsets Apple has been using up and into 2011.

OCZ's Fastest SSD

Sandforce Chipset SATA III

3rd Generation Intel SATA II

Excellent Mac Choice

Corsair Force GT Series

SandForce 220 Based SSD

For basic White MacBooks prior to Late 2008 / Early 2009 models - A midrange SSD is well matched to the older SATA I chipset 150Mbps tansfer rates.

Mac Tool Set - 11 Piece

Macs - iPod - iPhone

Apple Mac mini SSD Drive Take-Apart Tips

Apple's low-end desktop system is an excellent candidate for a solid-state drive upgrade. A SSD in a Mac mini replaces the slowest component and can really transform your Macintosh computing experience. Off the shelf Mac mini's typicially had rather mediocre performing 4500 and 5400RPM drives factory installed. Value - and not performance was more important to Apple.

While the Apple Store online offers many Mac models with built-in or Build-To-Order SSD drive options, it's not a configurable option on the base Mac mini. You can opt for a 7200RPM drive at a stiff price premium. Only the Mac mini OSX SERVER model offers an SSD as a build-to-order option.

As such, many Do It Yourselfer's opt to do thier own solid-state drive upgrade. More recent slimline models of the Mac mini in 2010 and beyond are far more serviceable and easy to dissassemble than the original ones. But with help from online How-To's and Mac take-apart videos anyone with the right tools, information and a steady hand can open their Mac mini, swap out their old drive and experience a huge leap in disk performance.

Low-Profile Mac Mini SSD Flash Drive Upgrades

With Torx T6 and T8 drivers, the new mini's are a breeze to dissassemble compared to the previous designs. It's critical to know that the SSD must be a 9mm thick drive to fit in in the minimal space allowed in the new slimline enclosure.

SSD For Older Mac mini's

A good set of Mac tools and the good ol' putty-kife are needed for all previous generations of Mac mini. The tricky latches around the entire perimeter of the mini's case has frustrated many. Prying the putty-knife with care - you think the cover is NEVER going to come off as you work around the edge releasing latches - and then suddenly the cover comes off ridiculously easy! You just have to approach it with determination and confidence.

Buried under the CD/DVD drive, and with AirPort antenna's and wires to deal with, you just have to go slow and easy to get to the original hard drive. Follow online instructions and video tutorials for take-apart, and swapping in the flash memory drive is easy.