Due to its small size, the Mac mini is ideal for a home media server as you can put it in a closet or on a desk without taking up a ton of room. Thanks to apps like Screens VNC, using a Mac mini without a monitor plugged in is extremely easy. One downside of a "headless" Mac mini is that it downscales the maximum resolution when no monitor is plugged in. It also doesn't take full advantage of the GPU.

By using a HDMI adaptor from CompuLab, you can trick your Mac mini, though. All you have to do is simply plug it in, and then, your Mac mini will allow for higher resolutions (up to 1080p) and take full advantage of the GPU. If you have a Mac mini server stored locally or remotely, this adaptor is a must have.

Get it on Amazon for $15.