

We chose one with the ability to run modern versions of macOS (10.15 Catalina and 11 Big Sur in particular). For the purpose of this article, we looked no further than the OWC website to find a Mac mini. There’s another very compelling reason to use a Mac mini – older models are inexpensive. Why use a Mac mini instead of a Mac with a built-in screen? You probably have a large-screen TV to watch your content on, and the mini can use that as a “monitor”. Stream online content and make use of the media you've already bought and paid for. You can stream online content and make use of the media you’ve already bought and paid for. With fast internet service and purchased physical media, a media server running Plex offers the best of both worlds.

With a local media server, there’s no delay or concern about bandwidth.
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That could make streaming movies, TV shows, and music almost impossible.

Read along to see how we were able to transform a 2014 Mac mini into a home media server. Macs have good longevity and older units are usable for a variety of purposes other than day-to-day work. The old 21.5-inch iMac becomes a FaceTime “videophone” for Grandma. An old MacBook becomes a school laptop for one of the kids. Old Macs never die, they just get reused. From top, an Apple SuperDrive, the 2014 Mac mini, and an 8TB OWC miniStack drive
