Is a 2018 Intel Mac Mini worth using as a home server?
A 2018 Intel Mac Mini is available for $300. It has 32GB of memory, 2TB of storage, and an i7-8500B chip. The current server is an Optiplex 3050 with 32GB of memory, 512GB of storage, and an i5-6600 chip.
It mainly runs a network and a few other small services. The plan is to install Debian on the Mac Mini and use it as a server. Debian is already running on a 2019 Mac Mini in the same setup, so the operating style is familiar.
The decision is whether to buy the Mac Mini and sell the Optiplex, or keep the existing machine for now.
Key points
- A 2018 Intel Mac Mini is listed for $300.
- The Mac Mini has 32GB of memory, 2TB of storage, and an i7-8500B chip.
- The current Optiplex 3050 has 32GB of memory, 512GB of storage, and an i5-6600 chip.
- The main workload is a network plus a few small services.
- The plan is to install Debian on the Mac Mini if it replaces the Optiplex.