I own a 2018 Intel Mac mini with a T2 chip. It comes equipped with a 256 GB internal SSD, which is non-upgradable. Unfortunately, this storage is nearly full, and I’ve found it challenging to delete unnecessary files.
My Adobe applications, Parallels, and the contents of my user folder consume a significant portion of the space. Additionally, I have noticed that the Apple “System Data” is taking up around 58.49 GB, which I cannot seem to remove. Currently, I’m running macOS Monterey 12.5.1 on this device.
To address the storage issue, I recently purchased a 1TB Samsung external SSD, which connects via USB-C.
Now, I am contemplating whether to run my entire operating system off the external SSD or simply relocate my user folder to it. I have prior experience with running a user folder on an external drive, and I found that it occasionally felt buggy. Therefore, I’m seeking practical insights regarding either setup from those who have tried it.
Would transferring the user folder alleviate the storage problem while maintaining system performance, or would it be more effective to operate the entire system from the external SSD? I would greatly appreciate any real-world experiences or advice regarding these options. Thanks for your help!
Doug
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