Turning an Old Mac Mini into a Home Theater PC and Retro Gaming System

I own a mid-2011 Mac Mini, technically a Mac Mini 5.1. Originally, it had a traditional hard drive instead of a solid-state drive and ran macOS. After nearly 15 years, its macOS support had ended, making it nearly unusable for modern online activities. Additionally, while it had 8GB of RAM, the slow hard drive significantly hindered performance.

Mac Mini Hooked up to large TV for HTPC use — From this Reddit Post they set it up like I did mine say model and everything

Why Convert It Into a Home Theater PC?

I've wanted a home theater PC since high school—I always thought it would be the coolest thing. Over the years, I've used multiple Roku devices, starting around 2009 or 2010. While Roku has been a dominant streaming solution, I've grown frustrated with the increasing number of ads, limited customization, and declining app quality. With Windows 10 support ending soon, I'm transitioning my daily computing to Linux. That got me thinking: why not turn my Mac Mini into a low-power, future-proof streaming device?

The Upgrade Process

To make this work, I replaced the old hard drive with a 500GB Samsung 870 EVO SATA SSD. I have a toolkit for servicing computers, and a friend helped me through the process. We used a wired keyboard and mouse to get everything set up.

For the operating system, I installed Ubuntu MATE (LTS), which will receive support until April 2027. While this setup works well, I may explore other lightweight Linux distributions over time.

Customizing the Experience

For web browsing and streaming, I primarily use Firefox with privacy-focused add-ons, including:

Privacy Badger https://privacybadger.org/

uBlock Origin https://ublockorigin.com/

SponsorBlock https://sponsor.ajay.app/

AdBlock Plus https://adblockplus.org/

This setup allows me to watch ad-free YouTube videos, browse multiple tabs simultaneously, and access free streaming services like Tubi, Pluto TV, and others in full-screen mode.

Gaming Capabilities

I added an 8BitDo Ultimate C Wired Controller, which works well for playing retro games. I'm also considering using a PS3 controller if I can find one in storage and get it to work wirelessly.

Final Touches

To make navigation easier, I use a Rii X8 Mini Wireless Keyboard with a built-in touchpad. It's compact yet comfortable enough for typing and controlling the interface.

Rii X8 Mini Keyboard,2.4GHz Portable Wireless Keyboard with Touchpad Mouse

Conclusion

Overall, this retrofit has exceeded my expectations. The Mac Mini is energy-efficient, fully customizable, and ad-free—something that commercial streaming devices can't match. This setup gives me the flexibility to watch content the way I want while also supporting retro gaming. I’m excited to continue refining this system and seeing how it evolves in the future.

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Products Used

I used this to open the Mac up and swap out the hard drive. STREBITO Electronics Precision Screwdriver Sets 142-Piece with 120 Bits Magnetic Repair Tool Kit Buy

8Bitdo Ultimate C Wired Controller for Windows PC, Android, Steam Deck & Raspberry Buy

SAMSUNG 870 EVO SATA SSD 500GB 2.5” Internal Solid State Drive Buy

Rii X8 Mini Keyboard,2.4GHz Portable Wireless Keyboard with Touchpad Mouse, RGB Backlit, Rechargeable Battery Buy

Sites and more info about HTPC

https://www.reddit.com/r/htpc/

https://www.reddit.com/r/mac/comments/1eqsv8v/my_mid_2011_mac_mini_still_going_strong/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_theater_PC

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/10-foot_user_interface

The Linux distro I used

https://ubuntu-mate.org/

Tech specs for a Mid-2011 Mac Mini

https://support.apple.com/en-us/112007