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2.53 Ghz 2009 Mac mini on eBay - is this real?
- Thread starter TechViking
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Ok? How do you overclock the core duos, is it software overclocking only? And if so, what software?
No, I will write here when I do.
I've seen these guys' ads before... they specialize in upgrading/overpricing/voiding Applecare on minis.
While I admire them for their moxy, anyone who knows Apple knows they are trolling for suckers with bucks.
I've noticed a lot of very good Apple Techs around me are going out of business fast. It is not just the economy. It is that the level of understanding Apple hardware has skyrocketed among normal users.
A few years ago, Apple's warnings about touching their hardware was scary stuff because you were always afraid of voiding the warranty.
Even putting in a new hard drive in an Apple iBook or Powerbook caused a lot of discussion on MR then because it wasn't clear if this would void your overall warranty or not.
I can understand Apple's side in this, they do not want people messing with machines under warranty and breaking them, but the scare factor had an interesting effect: it caused Apple users to get smart and start tinkering with their machines themselves instead of paying Apple Techs to, for example, upgrade a hard drive.
I paid thousands to these techs for dumb thing like that on iBooks, Powerbooks, Minis, Powermacs and iMacs back in the day.
I remember paying a tech 30 dollars to install memory in my iMac G3! (Granted this was when one 512mb stick of Kingston ram was 179 bucks retail!)
Now that I know how easy those types of jobs were, and what fake mystery the Apple Techs conned me with -- I mean -- educating myself was economical.
Only the truly gifted Apple Techs will survive. The ones like these ebay sellers on these mac minis who actually seem to know how to solder logic boards and truly understand the engineering side of things. But even these smart guys will lose if they gouge people, as it seems they are in this auction.
The other thing I heard is that Apple had a campaign a year or so ago with all their third party Apple techs that they got all their customer base emails from them. Apple really doesn't want anyone but their "Geniuses" touching their machines. I feel sorry for the Apple techs today who know how to, for example, solder broken sockets on a logic board and/or know how to overclock within reason and things like that. But not sorry enough to overpay them for this mini. It's a tough business... and they need to be creative to stay alive.
While I admire them for their moxy, anyone who knows Apple knows they are trolling for suckers with bucks.
I've noticed a lot of very good Apple Techs around me are going out of business fast. It is not just the economy. It is that the level of understanding Apple hardware has skyrocketed among normal users.
A few years ago, Apple's warnings about touching their hardware was scary stuff because you were always afraid of voiding the warranty.
Even putting in a new hard drive in an Apple iBook or Powerbook caused a lot of discussion on MR then because it wasn't clear if this would void your overall warranty or not.
I can understand Apple's side in this, they do not want people messing with machines under warranty and breaking them, but the scare factor had an interesting effect: it caused Apple users to get smart and start tinkering with their machines themselves instead of paying Apple Techs to, for example, upgrade a hard drive.
I paid thousands to these techs for dumb thing like that on iBooks, Powerbooks, Minis, Powermacs and iMacs back in the day.
I remember paying a tech 30 dollars to install memory in my iMac G3! (Granted this was when one 512mb stick of Kingston ram was 179 bucks retail!)
Now that I know how easy those types of jobs were, and what fake mystery the Apple Techs conned me with -- I mean -- educating myself was economical.
Only the truly gifted Apple Techs will survive. The ones like these ebay sellers on these mac minis who actually seem to know how to solder logic boards and truly understand the engineering side of things. But even these smart guys will lose if they gouge people, as it seems they are in this auction.
The other thing I heard is that Apple had a campaign a year or so ago with all their third party Apple techs that they got all their customer base emails from them. Apple really doesn't want anyone but their "Geniuses" touching their machines. I feel sorry for the Apple techs today who know how to, for example, solder broken sockets on a logic board and/or know how to overclock within reason and things like that. But not sorry enough to overpay them for this mini. It's a tough business... and they need to be creative to stay alive.
Yeah there's no way then. Unless they desoldered the original processor and soldered another one on. I reckon they've made the mistake of assuming that the chips are socketed and haven't actually bought any Mac Minis yet.
And it's "AppleCore."Oh, and if anyone decides to get it - be sure not to pass up on this splendid warranty plan:
Quad-core is 45 W, will the Mac mini be able to handle that?
A couple possibilities.
- They desoldered the CPU and soldered in a new CPU.
- They desoldered the CPU and soldered in a socket. Don't know if the pins all line up.
- Overclocked through software.
- Overclocked through manipulating resistors, if you can even do that on these systems.
- This is a mistake or scam.
Either way I'm intrigued. I hope the person who buys this comes to this site and posts details
- They desoldered the CPU and soldered in a new CPU.
- They desoldered the CPU and soldered in a socket. Don't know if the pins all line up.
- Overclocked through software.
- Overclocked through manipulating resistors, if you can even do that on these systems.
- This is a mistake or scam.
Either way I'm intrigued. I hope the person who buys this comes to this site and posts details
The purchase is not a problem but I wanted to comment on the chip replacement. It's not as difficult as opening the Mini and getting to it in the 1st place. There's a soldering iron that is specifically designed to grab the chip and desolder all the feet at the the same time. You just place it over the chip, wait 5 seconds, relax the spring grip and wala... the chip is off. To put the new one on just orient it in-place make sure that you have some proper flux and a correctly heated flat iron and the solder kinda flows perfectly into place. If needs check it with a magnifier (usually not needed - if the flux is good and the iron is the right temp) - and you're done. So, it's 7 seconds to remove, and about 15 or 20 seconds to place the new one.
I think I have to agree though - if indeed this is true then it's probably a hack of some sort. <shrug> Whatever it is it's the most expensive 0.24 ghz upgrade I've ever seen.
$427 for 0.24GHz. Hmm that's expensive right?
The price is not worth that size at all... 1500 for a few modifications? At that rate you can just buy an iMac with similar specs and you get a 24" screen. Plus, I'm not sure why you would want to trust people you've never heard of before.
Just my thoughts.
Just my thoughts.
You're forgetting that they also bump the HD speed.I think I have to agree though - if indeed this is true then it's probably a hack of some sort. <shrug> Whatever it is it's the most expensive 0.24 ghz upgrade I've ever seen.
$427 for 0.24GHz. Hmm that's expensive right?
The seller just replied:
"Thank you, the auction is down for now. I do not get mine until Monday and I assumed it was a Ziff Socket. If there is a way I will find it."
Oh, well. What's a Quad core CPU in a mini? After all, I suppose it would be frightfully dull, and-and-and boring, and-and completely... completely wonderful.
"Thank you, the auction is down for now. I do not get mine until Monday and I assumed it was a Ziff Socket. If there is a way I will find it."
Oh, well. What's a Quad core CPU in a mini? After all, I suppose it would be frightfully dull, and-and-and boring, and-and completely... completely wonderful.
Actually AppleCore is a very good Apple reseller. They have great customer service. I've been upgrading Mini's now for about a year and I, just like AppleCore, was going to post up an ad with an upgraded processor, RAM, and HDD. However, I went and bought a Mini, brought it home, opened it up in 10 minutes, saw it wasn't socketed, and promptly returned it.
Apple did this for the simple fact that with the nVidia Chipset, we could've tried the Q9000/9100 in the Mini and they wouldn't have made any money as I always buy the 1.83Ghz Refurbs for $499 and then upgraded to the T7600 and sold them for $999 and I sold about 15 of them in a 7 month span.
I'm currently working on testing a T7600 and a 2.26Ghz with the same HDDs and same amount of ram to see how much faster the new one's truly are.
Apple did this for the simple fact that with the nVidia Chipset, we could've tried the Q9000/9100 in the Mini and they wouldn't have made any money as I always buy the 1.83Ghz Refurbs for $499 and then upgraded to the T7600 and sold them for $999 and I sold about 15 of them in a 7 month span.
I'm currently working on testing a T7600 and a 2.26Ghz with the same HDDs and same amount of ram to see how much faster the new one's truly are.
Funny, look what that same seller is selling now...
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Sealed-Inte...9|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1318|301:1|293:1|294:50
I don't blame him for anything, he was just trying to offer an upgraded Mac Mini.
Unfortunately for him he didn't do his homework before hand and tried to jump the gun in an effort to beat the competition by offering the upgraded Mac Mini. He may lose some credibility as those who know about the Mac Mini and its lack of a socketed CPU will think maybe that was some sort of a scam and they may not buy from them in the future. So in a way, he's hurt himself by offering a product that he couldn't come through with.
