Core 2 duo mac mini

[Dotty]

Hay there, i bought a mac mini a while back (intel 1.5 processor - no longer available) and now I'm thinking of upgrading it. Now i know that the new mini's ship with the core 2 duo processor, i was just wondering what the max core2duo chip is supported by my mac mini?

Cheers.

[AdeFowler]

Dotty,

They still ship with Core Duo processors, and only 1.83GHz, so your model ain't that out of date.

[Cabbit]

you can upgrade it to a max core2duo 2.33GHz

[Dotty]

So what core2duo chip would work? i read that someone simply swapped the chip with a 2.16 core2duo and it worked fine. Just wanted to know what people around here think. The 2.16 core2's are now only £120. Might be a very good, and cheap, upgrade for me.

[Dotty]

Intel Core 2 Duo E6400-2.13/E6600-2.4/E6700-2.6 would work perfectly fine?

[cube]

Intel Core 2 Duo E6400-2.13/E6600-2.4/E6700-2.6 would work perfectly fine?

Those are desktop (socket 775) processors. Apple does not use that.

You have to look for mobile socket M processors.

[Dotty]

Those are desktop (socket 775) processors. Apple does not use that.

You have to look for mobile socket 479 processors.

Screw that! I'm not paying £500 for a processor.

[dmw007]

Screw that! I'm not paying £500 for a processor.

Perhaps you should just consider holding onto your 1.5GHz Mac Mini a little while longer until Apple released new ones with Core 2 Duo processors and hopefully faster graphics. Perhaps at WWDC.... :)

[cube]

Perhaps you should just consider holding onto your 1.5GHz Mac Mini a little while longer until Apple released new ones with Core 2 Duo processors and hopefully faster graphics. Perhaps at WWDC.... :)

And make another bad investment in a mobile-based "desktop"...

Better have Apple come up with the minitower.

[Cabbit]

http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/121399/rb/0

This one is fine for a mac mini its 2.0 GHz core2duo with the right socket and for under 200 pounds.

[Dotty]

Perhaps you should just consider holding onto your 1.5GHz Mac Mini a little while longer until Apple released new ones with Core 2 Duo processors and hopefully faster graphics. Perhaps at WWDC.... :)

Well the T7200 seems a tidy processor. Few on ebay for about £140. Seems a tidy investment. I don't use my mac for games or stuff which requires a fast graphics card. I just bought 2gb (2x1gb) for £50 which is VERY cheap considering apple charges £150. Now looking to upgrade my processor.

Anyone bought any CPU's from ebay?

i was looking at http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250126159049

Thanks for all the help so far!

[cube]

http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/121399/rb/0

This one is fine for a mac mini its 2.0 GHz core2duo with the right socket and for under 200 pounds.

That's not bad. It's not just 2x500Mhz faster, but it also has double the cache, plus other architectural improvements.

http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?i=2808

[Dotty]

I think the T7200 it is.

How about temperature issues? I hear that it runs cooler than the coresolo?

[negatv1]

I swapped out my core duo 1.6ghz with a core duo 2 1.6ghz (got a good deal). Benchmarks around 10% faster. Heat output about the same. Obviously the t7200 will run a bit warmer.

[flopticalcube]

Somebody had a thread here yesterday about a fully modded mini. 2.33Ghz C2D, Wireless n card, 2G ram, 250G hard disk. He said the temp was about 10C higher, iirc.

[synth3tik]

It would seem to me that the Mini is at about the end of it's life cycle. I would not expect any more updates to this forgotten Mac. instead hopefully we will see it replaced with something new, Maybe in inexpensive Mac w/o a monitor that uses desktop parts instead of laptop parts. <--(less expensive upgrades, expandable)

[negatv1]

I haven't forgotten about my mini yet. It's there everyday I sit at my desk. And it's still on the Apple store. (Yet where are the brushed aluminum iMacs? :rolleyes:)

[dmw007]

It would seem to me that the Mini is at about the end of it's life cycle. I would not expect any more updates to this forgotten Mac. instead hopefully we will see it replaced with something new, Maybe in inexpensive Mac w/o a monitor that uses desktop parts instead of laptop parts. <--(less expensive upgrades, expandable)

One can only hope that this will be the case. Mac Pro Minis next Tuesday! ;) :D :apple:

[macenforcer]

I upgraded my mini with the T7600. Cost my $659 though. Got the Core Duo 1.66ghz chip for sale for $95. PM me if interested. :)

[negatv1]

$695? That is crazy, but more power to you. Literally. At that price I'd be tempted to buy another mini and split tasks between the two. :)

[jdryyz]

I must be missing something. $695 (can be had for $659 at Newegg) for 2.33GHz does seem a bit much. Drop down to 2.0GHz and you're paying less than half:

http://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?p=T7200BOX&c=fr&pid=259bee7b8c2e2bde8bf60159de19a8d62c8d2439721fabc5b2ffb21655a78d8b

Does the T7600 offer something else besides a difference of 333 MHz?

[iW00t]

Dotty,

They still ship with Core Duo processors, and only 1.83GHz, so your model ain't that out of date.

Nope, it just means the Mini as a line is ridiculously out of date :rolleyes:

[macenforcer]

I must be missing something. $695 (can be had for $659 at Newegg) for 2.33GHz does seem a bit much. Drop down to 2.0GHz and you're paying less than half:

http://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?p=T7200BOX&c=fr&pid=259bee7b8c2e2bde8bf60159de19a8d62c8d2439721fabc5b2ffb21655a78d8b

Does the T7600 offer something else besides a difference of 333 MHz?




I never said $695. I said $659. Speed ain't cheap my friend. Ain't cheap at all.

[macenforcer]

$695? That is crazy, but more power to you. Literally. At that price I'd be tempted to buy another mini and split tasks between the two. :)

$659 brotha. :p

[jdryyz]

Pardon my misquote. But, I still question a price tag that is more than double the amount for only a marginal increase in performance.



I never said $695. I said $659. Speed ain't cheap my friend. Ain't cheap at all.

[aprilfools1993]

I upgraded my mini with the T7600. Cost my $695 though. Got the Core Duo 1.66ghz chip for sale for $59. PM me if interested. :)

:p

[MEJ]

I never said $695. I said $659. Speed ain't cheap my friend. Ain't cheap at all.

No, it's not "cheap at all" when you purchase on the wrong side of the value curve.

I bought a mini earlier this year, and almost immediately swapped in a T7200, as it was- and still is in my opinion- the best bang-for-the-buck CPU upgrade.

It has roughly 86&#37; of the performance of the T7600, but cost roughly 46% as much.

[macenforcer]

Pardon my misquote. But, I still question a price tag that is more than double the amount for only a marginal increase in performance.


Money not an issue, speed an size were. Love da little guy.

[Dotty]

What pin is the T7200? Someone said its 479, but all i can find is 478? Will it matter if i find a 478?

[cube]

There's some misnaming going on about these chips, as there is Socket 478, Socket 479, and Socket M. All with 478 pins and incompatible with each other.

The real name of the mini's type is Socket M.

[cube]

I think the T7200 may be too hot for the mini. It's reported to run at 55C (idle) and 80C (load).

I guess that's why there are no mini updates. Apple must be waiting for Penryn to be able to offer an interesting update at a reasonable temperature.

[macenforcer]

I think the T7200 may be too hot for the mini. It's reported to run at 55C (idle) and 80C (load).

I guess that's why there are no mini updates. Apple must be waiting for Penryn to be able to offer an interesting update at a reasonable temperature.

That is exactly what my stock mini ran at with the 1.66 core duo. THat is not hot.

[cube]

65C at load is HOT.

[macenforcer]

65C at load is HOT.

No its not.

[cube]

No its not.

Obviously you haven't looked much at overclocking.

[macenforcer]

Obviously you haven't looked much at overclocking.

Um yes I have actually. Where are you getting your numbers from? Because they are totally off. Are you comparing desktop processors to notebook processors because the heat in a notebook is far greater than a desktop. I already told you that 55c was idle temp for a stock mini.

[cube]

I didn't say what you posted was not the normal temperature for the mini.
I'm just saying it's more than what one tries to keep a desktop under.

Why would it be safe to run a mobile at a greater temperature?

[macenforcer]

I didn't say what you posted was not the normal temperature for the mini.
I'm just saying it's more than what one tries to keep a desktop under.

Why would it be safe to run a mobile at a greater temperature?

I knew you were referencing desktop temps.


Mobile cpu is safe up to 100C. Though it will never get that hot because of thermal shutdown to save itself. 65c underload is awesome for a notbook cpu.

[Dotty]

There's some misnaming going on about these chips, as there is Socket 478, Socket 479, and Socket M. All with 478 pins and incompatible with each other.

The real name of the mini's type is Socket M.

Does that mean the 478 pinned T7200 would fit fine?

[cube]

There're 2 different versions of this CPU at Intel's site. One is labeled "478-pin", the other "479-pin". I don't know what this means.

http://processorfinder.intel.com/List.aspx?ProcFam=2643&sSpec=&OrdCode=

[cube]

Here (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819111302) the Socket M points to the 478-pin version. Loot at the reviews. Someone says he put it in the Mac mini.
You'll have to hope that link is right.

[cube]

Note that maybe the "479-pin" designation of intel also has 478 pins, so you can't just go by this number (even Socket P has 478 pins).

[cube]

http://www.intel.com/support/processors/sb/CS-009864.htm

OK, I think the "479-pin" designation means 479 balls, which is the kind of chip used for soldering directly to the motherboard.

This would make sense, as AFAIK, there existed only these two models of this chip, and I was sure no versions of Core existed for the older sockets.

[macenforcer]

Cube, any socket M will work. Don't look at the pins. None of that makes sense. Socket M like T7200, T7400, T7600. Those are the only options when going Core 2 Duo.

[cube]

That is what I am saying, there is only Socket M or BGA for soldering.

He only got it refrerred to as 478-pin by his source.

[Dotty]

Im still confussed!


this page http://www.redstore.com/INTCPU465 says that ....

Compatible Processor Socket
Socket 479

Packaging Type
478-pin Micro FCPGA

Does it matter if its 478 or 479?

[cube]

Socket P derives from Socket M which derives from Socket 479 which derives from socket 478. They all have 478 pins but they are all different.

One sees online sales sites mislabeling Socket M as Socket 479. That's how I told you Socket 479 the other day. You see sites refering to the Mac mini as socket M and Socket 479.

Socket M appeared with the Core architecture.

The only version sold in a box is Socket M (as well as OEM). The BGA version is only OEM. I guess it would be hard to stumble on a site selling the BGA version, specially in single quantities, as it is for surface mount.

Anyway, your page explicitly says FCPGA, which is not a ball grid array (which is BTW supposed to have 479 balls/pins).

You have a contact link at the bottom if you want to talk to them about this confusion.

[Dotty]

Socket P derives from Socket M which derives from Socket 479 which derives from socket 478. They all have 478 pins but they are all different.

One sees online sales sites mislabeling Socket M as Socket 479. That's how I told you Socket 479 the other day. You see sites refering to the Mac mini as socket M and Socket 479.

Socket M appeared with the Core architecture.

The only version sold in a box is Socket M (as well as OEM). The BGA version is only OEM. I guess it would be hard to stumble on a site selling the BGA version, specially in single quantities, as it is for surface mount.

Anyway, your page explicitly says FCPGA, which is not a ball grid array (which is BTW supposed to have 479 balls/pins).

You have a contact link at the bottom if you want to talk to them about this confusion.

BUT that pages stats its a 479 pin, yet at the bottom it says

Packaging Type
478-pin Micro FCPGA

Compatible Slots
1 x processor - Socket 479

?

[negatv1]

Order a "T" processor and you'll be ok. T7200 will work just fine in your mini.

[cube]

It doesn't say 479-pin. It says "Socket 479", which has 478 pins. The name "Socket 478" was already used.

If you google the product code, you'll see that it is listed as Socket 478, Socket 479, and Socket M. It's a mess out there. Just be glad there is only one socketed version.

[cube]

Order a "T" processor and you'll be ok. T7200 will work just fine in your mini.

If you don't look at the package type, you could theoretically stumble upon a BGA version, which would be wrong.

[Dotty]

So the 478 pinned one will work just fine?

So why is there a 479 pinned one?

I'm so glad we've got some clever people on this site, im in a right mess at the moment!!

I'd also like to thank everyone whos responded to this thread :)

[cube]

There is one version with 478 pins that goes in a socket, and there is a version with 479 balls that can't bend for automated surface mount.
If you don't use a socket you save some money, your customers are forced to buy a new computer when it becomes too slow, and you can make a laptop a bit thinner.

[Dotty]

478 is fine, got it.

This page http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819111302
says its a socket M

and at the bottom it has a link to 'Manufacturer Product Page' which links to
http://processorfinder.intel.com/details.aspx?sSpec=SL9SF
which is the 478 pinned one.

Temps are alright arent they? My mac solo runs at 45/55 doing nothing, whats the core2duo like?

[cube]

Those are the links I told you about. Look at the reviews in the newegg page for the temperature in the Mac mini. I also mentioned this before.

[Dotty]

Thanks cube you've been a HUGE help :)

[negatv1]

If you don't look at the package type, you could theoretically stumble upon a BGA version, which would be wrong.

True, however newegg doesn't tend to sell BGA versions. Something about the installation makes it a bit more tricky than most newegg buyers are able install/upgrade. :rolleyes:

[cube]

True, however newegg doesn't tend to sell BGA versions. Something about the installation makes it a bit more tricky than most newegg buyers are able install/upgrade. :rolleyes:

He is in the UK. He has to look at other places.

[em500]

I seriously doubt you can buy BGA processors in quantities less than 1000...

[negatv1]

He is in the UK. He has to look at other places.

Ok, Let me rephrase. <insert retail consumer shop here> doesn't tend to sell (or stock) BGA CPU's to consumers.

[cube]

Ok, Let me rephrase. <insert retail consumer shop here> doesn't tend to sell (or stock) BGA CPU's to consumers.

That's why I said "theoretically". I've seen shops appearing in price comparison sites which list BGA versions.

[aprilfools1993]

Cube, any socket M will work. Don't look at the pins. None of that makes sense. Socket M like T7200, T7400, T7600. Those are the only options when going Core 2 Duo.

Absolutely right he is. I just installed a T7200 into my Mac mini and its a freakin beast!

Order a "T" processor and you'll be ok. T7200 will work just fine in your mini.

He's right about the T7200, but don't get confused with Socket T, which is LGA775.

You will need a Socket M for a Mac mini.

http://a440.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/29/l_5c164366519d05c15076f045ce090e07.jpg

[iW00t]

I think I will just wait for Apple to update the mini with an official C2D chip.

[MEJ]

Absolutely right he is. I just installed a T7200 into my Mac mini and its a freakin beast!

http://a440.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/29/l_5c164366519d05c15076f045ce090e07.jpg

I wouldn't call my T7200-powered mini a "freakin beast," but it is substantially faster than the T2300 it replaced.

And what's with your "About This Mac" dialog? (See mine below.)

See my System Profiler output here (http://forums.macrumors.com/showpost.php?p=3766774&postcount=10). [macrumors.com]

[aprilfools1993]

And what's with your "About This Mac" dialog? (See mine below.)


Not sure, it originally looked like yours. But I reinstalled and transfered everything to a different drive and it took it from 10.4.9 to 10.4.5, so I'm updating again right now... maybe it'll change back, if not, I'm not losing any sleep.

and FYI, I replaced an Intel Core Solo. Not the T2300. :)

[aprilfools1993]

Anyway, the point is unless you want to wait for an "official" C2D chip, the T7200 is "substantially faster" than the one you are running now. It's only (haha when I say only, that is still expensive, huh?) $300 and you can even find cheaper on ebay. Unless you wanna shell out $695 for a T7600.

(My apologies to MacEnforcer, I just thought it'd be funny to misquote you again LoL):D

[aprilfools1993]

yup. upgraded to 10.4.9 and now it looks just like yours.

[aprilfools1993]

http://a194.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/84/l_1f811217d69c09e92e0ae3ef84899021.jpg

These are my temps with a few applications open, mostly idle. How do these compare with the norm for the chip I have?