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Cape Dave

Contributor
Original poster
Nov 16, 2012
2,270
1,510
Northeast
Don't believe me, check the attatched! I had to manually speed the fan up to 5500 to get the temps down.

Truly wonder why Apple did not speed them up???

Glad I remembered smcfancontrol from these forums. Does just what I want. Min is now 3600 RPM

It is still silent. I LOVE that. I REQUIRE that.
 

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Che Castro

macrumors 603
May 21, 2009
5,878
676
I been using the mini for a couple of months and have never heard the fan or any noise

I do a lot of video encoding and have a lot of apps running at the same time

The only noise I hear is the external drive waking up from sleep, the mini is located right next to the monitor
And I have never thought about touching it to see if is hot

Is this something I need to keep an eye out ?
 

SoCalReviews

macrumors 6502a
Dec 31, 2012
582
212
You can purchase 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch Shepherd brand Surface Gard Self-Adhesive Vinyl Square Bumpers in packs for $2.49 to $2.99 USD at The Home Depot (or search on Amazon or your local hardware store for similar items). If you stick these or other adhesive bumpers on the bottom of the Mini (onto the removable plastic disc base) they can help lift the mini up for improved air flow and cooling. These also help keep the Mini from sliding around on its plastic base when placed on a smooth surface.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Shepherd...ve-Vinyl-Square-Bumpers-9-Pack-9562/100187397

I have a 2011 base model i5 Mini and since the square ones are a bit higher than I need... I prefer using more aesthetic "lower profile height" but wider sized Adhesive Vinyl "Round Bumpers". They come in different brands with different widths and heights and they can also be purchased at Home Depot or Amazon. Do your own online search or go to your local hardware store to decide what size and shape bumpers work best aesthetically and functionally for your Mini. Here is another brand (Waxman) with a different size available on Amazon for $4.99 USD.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001WAK6DS/0187397

Side wall mounting and side profile stands are also available and they also have been reported to help improve airflow and cooling for the Mini.
 
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Fishrrman

macrumors Penryn
Feb 20, 2009
28,198
12,361
Cape Dave -

Just wondering -- what software did you use to obtain the readings that you posted for the pic in your original post?
 

Cape Dave

Contributor
Original poster
Nov 16, 2012
2,270
1,510
Northeast
It is a great app called temperature monitor.

BTW, I have mine on its side in that nice stand from OWC I think it is.

Now I get it. Thanks for the link opinio! It is normal. But since I am a nut, I like to have a higher minimum rev with smcfancontrol.

In the winter when there are no fans going (room fans), I may turn it down a bit. I am really happy that it is such a nice quiet machine. I built my own super quiet desktop that I had before this and was a bit nervous but I need not have worried :)
 
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Jago

macrumors regular
Jul 5, 2013
162
130
90c is not actually all that hot for a 2012 Mini. I've received my 2,6Ghz i7 Mini a few days ago and have been setting it up. If I put the machine to really heavy use, like having a Fusion VM of Windows 7 install Windows updates while running multiple active apps on OS X, I could easily hit 100-101c.

Not being content with the usual "Minis do run that hot, it's normal" answers I ended up simply removing the bottom cover altogether. Now the machine maxes out at roughly 90c. I've also ordered this thing and should receive it next week, hoping it helps further improve the situation.
 

Luap

macrumors 65816
Jul 5, 2004
1,250
744
Hot? Yes.
Within design specs? Yes.

= Nothing to worry about. Move along :)
 

Cape Dave

Contributor
Original poster
Nov 16, 2012
2,270
1,510
Northeast
lol @ caring about noise more than your CPU temp

90 C is insanely hot

I care about noise AND heat. That is why I went right out and got Temperature Control software. It runs in the low 40's to low 60's now :)

But everyone has said the high temps are normal, and they have much more experience with the mini than I.

See below. And it is a very hot day :)
 

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propower

macrumors 6502a
Jul 23, 2010
731
126
Sadly the temp performance you see is totally normal.

The fans will not increase until the processor reaches 90 to 95degC - by design. At that point it will regulate the CPU temp to be ~95degC - by design.

Expect a loading of 20% to 25% to get your mini to this state. Above 35% load expect fans at maximum.

All by design. A great thermal design? Not in my opinion. Within spec? Sure - running at 90% to 95% of the thermal limit (105degC). Will it last 3 years like this? Probably -- maybe not -- no one knows :). Apple care only goes three years - I would not expect more for a heavily used machine... just my opinoin though :)
 

Omnius

macrumors 6502a
Jul 23, 2012
562
30
Sadly the temp performance you see is totally normal.

The fans will not increase until the processor reaches 90 to 95degC - by design. At that point it will regulate the CPU temp to be ~95degC - by design.

Expect a loading of 20% to 25% to get your mini to this state. Above 35% load expect fans at maximum.

All by design. A great thermal design? Not in my opinion. Within spec? Sure - running at 90% to 95% of the thermal limit (105degC). Will it last 3 years like this? Probably -- maybe not -- no one knows :). Apple care only goes three years - I would not expect more for a heavily used machine... just my opinoin though :)

Minis have always run hot. There are surprisingly few premature deaths to these machines regardless of the heat issues. The 2006-2007 models generally die from logic board failures that are actually fixable if you have a soldering tool and some spare parts.
 

Cape Dave

Contributor
Original poster
Nov 16, 2012
2,270
1,510
Northeast
I would not run mine without the fan control software. Just how I roll. At the end of the day, lower temps means less problems. Period.
 

opinio

macrumors 65816
Mar 23, 2013
1,171
7
90c is not actually all that hot for a 2012 Mini. I've received my 2,6Ghz i7 Mini a few days ago and have been setting it up. If I put the machine to really heavy use, like having a Fusion VM of Windows 7 install Windows updates while running multiple active apps on OS X, I could easily hit 100-101c.

Not being content with the usual "Minis do run that hot, it's normal" answers I ended up simply removing the bottom cover altogether. Now the machine maxes out at roughly 90c. I've also ordered this thing and should receive it next week, hoping it helps further improve the situation.

It is risky leaving the bottom cover off. Your machine is not running at 90'c... The CPU is running at 90'c. The rest of the mini does not get cooled properly. The mini has a patented cooling system that draws air through the whole system. Also you will fill the mini up with dust.

See figure 7

http://www.patentlyapple.com/patent...mini-from-design-to-removable-hard-drive.html

Each to their own with cooling options but I prefer to let the Apple design and OS X cool my system so I do not play around with fan speeds or the base. What I have done thought to assist the technology is to put the mini on its side in a Newer Tech alloy stand and also put Tuniq TX-4 thermal paste on the CPU and GPU. Together they decrease the temp by around 6-8%.
 

Cape Dave

Contributor
Original poster
Nov 16, 2012
2,270
1,510
Northeast
It is risky leaving the bottom cover off. Your machine is not running at 90'c... The CPU is running at 90'c. The rest of the mini does not get cooled properly. The mini has a patented cooling system that draws air through the whole system. Also you will fill the mini up with dust.

See figure 7

http://www.patentlyapple.com/patent...mini-from-design-to-removable-hard-drive.html

Each to their own with cooling options but I prefer to let the Apple design and OS X cool my system so I do not play around with fan speeds or the base. What I have done thought to assist the technology is to put the mini on its side in a Newer Tech alloy stand and also put Tuniq TX-4 thermal paste on the CPU and GPU. Together they decrease the temp by around 6-8%.

I would love to be able to put on new thermal paste :) That is a fairly involved repair! Mine is on side too but bottom is on. But I have raised the min fan speed. Now it is at 2008 RPM. It is seriously humid where I am with no AC so I figure that can only help :)
 

opinio

macrumors 65816
Mar 23, 2013
1,171
7
I would love to be able to put on new thermal paste :) That is a fairly involved repair! Mine is on side too but bottom is on. But I have raised the min fan speed. Now it is at 2008 RPM. It is seriously humid where I am with no AC so I figure that can only help :)

It is not that hard. But I would only attempt it if you have pulled apart a mini a few times and also if you have had experience with thermal paste application. There is an art to it. And various techniques... the bead, the line, the spread.

http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Installing+Mac+Mini+Late+2012+Heat+Sink/11717/1

Tuniq TX-4 is very good stuff.
 

Cape Dave

Contributor
Original poster
Nov 16, 2012
2,270
1,510
Northeast
!

It is not that hard. But I would only attempt it if you have pulled apart a mini a few times and also if you have had experience with thermal paste application. There is an art to it. And various techniques... the bead, the line, the spread.

http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Installing+Mac+Mini+Late+2012+Heat+Sink/11717/1

Tuniq TX-4 is very good stuff.

I have worked with paste on a desktop a few times. I was never sure if I had the "touch" but none of my computers ever went up in smoke :)

I wold need to practice for sure. I was taken aback at how delicate and "one piece" the construction and engineering of the mini was. Spudger rules!
 

Big-TDI-Guy

macrumors 68030
Jan 11, 2007
2,606
13
Slightly confused here - what's with the 8 CPU temps listed? Considering 4 of those cores are virtual, where did those temperature values originate? :confused:
 

Big-TDI-Guy

macrumors 68030
Jan 11, 2007
2,606
13
So... if it's 0 degrees outside today, and yesterday was twice as cold, what temperature was it?
 

Cape Dave

Contributor
Original poster
Nov 16, 2012
2,270
1,510
Northeast
HERE IS ANOTHER GRAPHIC. THE FAN SPEED IS AT THE MIN SET BY ME.

It is about 95 degrees with no ac in room. Do have a small fan though.

Also, does it strike anyone else as a bit well, stupid, for Apple not to put proper paste on at the factory? I mean really about like 2% of users are capable of doing this and it just makes plain old good sense to do it.
 

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opinio

macrumors 65816
Mar 23, 2013
1,171
7
HERE IS ANOTHER GRAPHIC. THE FAN SPEED IS AT THE MIN SET BY ME.

It is about 95 degrees with no ac in room. Do have a small fan though.

Also, does it strike anyone else as a bit well, stupid, for Apple not to put proper paste on at the factory? I mean really about like 2% of users are capable of doing this and it just makes plain old good sense to do it.

Even though I am a 'paste changer', to be fair, Apple's thermal paste is ok. It is just not premium stuff. Also they are not consistent with the type of paste. The main problem is the application. They tend to slap it on like its a peanut butter sandwich.

Even though I am an advocate of Tuniq TX-4 and Article Silver 5, I would not recommend changing the paste unless you know the inside of a mini quite well and know the risks of breakage. As a few other forum members have noted, AS5 is not the best for the mini because the heat sink does not fit well. Tuniq is thicker and better for the mini.
 

Cape Dave

Contributor
Original poster
Nov 16, 2012
2,270
1,510
Northeast
I had already decided on Tuniq if I ever dare. Application is critical, so let me criticize that for Apple even more than their choice of product.

Sloppy pasting does not cool as well and greatly increases chances of an actual short (with Artic Silver), or at least some sort of damage/issues with logic board.

I am glad I am enjoying my unit. It really surprises me. I have been searching for a small quiet powerful computer for a long time.
 

Bacong

macrumors 68030
Mar 7, 2009
2,591
1,087
Westland, Michigan
I care about noise AND heat. That is why I went right out and got Temperature Control software. It runs in the low 40's to low 60's now :)

But everyone has said the high temps are normal, and they have much more experience with the mini than I.

See below. And it is a very hot day :)

oh okay. I didn't know that first pic was a "before" pic :)
 
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