Please note that most of this guide is also applicable to a 2011 model of Mac. You'll probably want to upgrade it, by purchasing Snow Leopard for $30.įor less than $500, including wireless keyboard and mouse this used Mac mini was a powerful, but economical, solution to my computing needs. In this guide, I will give you a detailed walkthrough on how to install a solid state drive to Mac Mini (2009 model). This mac was originally sold with System 10 Leopard. Ful l retail versions should come with iLife 09. The 2009 2 GHz also comes with the fast NIVIDIA graphics card, an internal airport card (so it's ready to hook up to a wireless network). I picked up a 4,1 8-core Mac Pro almost a decade ago and through incremental hardware upgrades was able to keep it working with even the latest version of Pro Tools Ultimate and the Dolby Atmos Production Suite. It also has a headphone and microphone jack. The 2009-2012 Mac Pro cheese-graters are true workhorses for post professionals. It's small, but has everything you need, 5 USB ports, a Firewire 800 port, Ethernet and a couple of monitor ports (this mini comes with adapters so you can hook it up to any relatively modern VGA monitor. This 2009 mac mini is a powerful little machine that can run the latest Apple system, because it has the Intel Core 2 Duo processor. I purchased a large monitor for around $100 to hook up to this computer, so the fact that it had a great graphics card and the proper VGA adapter was key. I bought this used 2009 Mac mini to replace my daughter's old Apple computer, and provide a work station for my intern. Plus, now with el capitan update, the mac is faster still. all at 60 - you cant that kind of bang for your buck with pure ssd. Have owned 5 of them and they all died within that timeframe.2009 Mac Mini is an excellent value and a powerful computer On mavericks it made the mac mini feel like a new mac The drive basically moves the most common apps and files to the ssd part and so you get mad speed most of the time. The drives last (you can take them out and continue to use them with a separate enclosure) but the enclosures have tended to die after about 2-3 years. WD's MyBook line, I don't find their enclosures built very well. Currently using a G-Drive slim (iTunes), G-Drive (Time Machine), and a G-Safe (external storage w/ RAID1) I've been a fan of Hitachi hard drives for awhile now, G-Tech has used them for years now and they own them now too. That said, my recommendation would be G-Technology drives.

I don't believe iMacs supported Thunderbolt back in 2010. FW800 would be about twice as fast as USB2 but you'll be buying old technology on its way out the door. USB3 would be the slowest since your iMac only supports USB2 but you'll be ready for USB3 speeds whenever you upgrade. As others have mentioned, it would help to know what connectors you're looking to use.

2009 mac mini hard drive upgrade