I have an upgraded early 2006 Core Solo Mac Mini. Currently it has 2GHz Core2Duo Processor, 500 GB hard disk and 2 GB ram. The maximum ram I can put into it is 4GB (of which 3 GB will be recognized by this model) by using firmware EFI upgrade. The new 2014 entry level Mac Mini also has 4GB ram limitation. I have a buyer for my old Mac Mini. I would like to know whether I should sell this model and buy the 2014 model as both of them have limitation of memory upgrades. The old Mac Mini more or less meets my computing requirements with Snow Leopard. I would like to know as to what are the additional benefits will I get if I make the switch to the 2014 Mac Mini.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
4GB limitations on 2014 Mac Mini and older model
- Thread starter Abdulhaq
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
You can't judge a computer by its RAM (or lack of it). The 2014 will bring a much newer, faster CPU and GPU along with newer software and support.
If you are concerned about not being able to upgrade the RAM if future software requires it, get a 2012 model.
If you are concerned about not being able to upgrade the RAM if future software requires it, get a 2012 model.
Plus Apple added RAM compression with Mavericks and up. Poss for what you are doing 4GB enough. Although I prefer more ram and less compression, but that is just me.
The new 2014 entry level has a 16GB ram limitation, true it comes with 4GB as a starting point but it can be upgraded at the time of purchase to 16.
Last edited:
The correct term is "configured" since it has that amount to begin with. The 2014 is not upgradable and limited to however much it comes with, whether it's 4, 8, or 16 GB.
The 1.4 Ghz entry level Mac mini 2014 is faster than the 2.5 GHz entry level Mac mini 2012 model. And than we didn't mention the graphics part, especially in the middle/top models.
Also the Intel HD 5000 is a bit faster/better than the old Intel HD 4000 found in every Mac mini 2012 model.
Actually the correct term would be "not user upgradable" being as we seem to want to 'split hairs'
As I mentioned earlier the ram can be upgraded by Apple at the time of purchase.
Attachments
On a computational level, the 1.4Ghz 2014 Mini is slower than the 2.5Ghz 2012 Mini.
the one thing you have to watch out when upgrading from Snow Leopard to Yosemite is iPhoto. time machine won't even touch your library when migrating it. you need to drag it to an external hard drive and drag it into Yosemite and run apple's iPhoto tool
Only if you get the dual-core high-end one and compare it to the quad-core 2012 model. The 2014 model's CPU is faster in other configurations dollar-for-dollar than the 2012's CPU was, and the other parts are also faster.
That isn't to say that the 2014 model isn't BEYOND disappointing. It is. Apple totally locked that thing down.
----------
Mavericks definitely uses more RAM than any version of OS X or Mac OS X I've ever used, and I've used everything from Puma to Mavericks. If the RAM compression is actually doing anything, it's negated by some inefficiency elsewhere.
I got my Mac Mini Quad Core i7 2.3 GHz with 4 GB RAM Mavericks from the refurb and when I boot the thing up there is only 1.3 GB RAM free, only 0.5 GB RAM free after opening one Safari window with 1 tab and only 3 MB free with multiple tabs 
! I keep seeing the beach ball too often for my taste.
Time to get 16 GB
! I keep seeing the beach ball too often for my taste.Time to get 16 GB
Last edited:
I got my Mac Mini Quad Core i7 2.3 GHz with 4 GB RAM Mavericks from the refurb and when I boot the thing up there is only 1.3 GB RAM free, only 0.5 GB RAM free after opening one Safari window with 1 tab and only 3 MB free with multiple tabs
Time to get 16 GB
mavericks probably the same? haven't used it in a while.
if you go to activity monitor and look at memory pressure, and it is LOW and GREEN your ram situation is perfectly fine and you do not need more ram. its just os x eating up all your ram to make your overall mac experience faster and snapper. as far as the beach ball. i dunno. clear your safari cache, and reset prm and smc
this is yosemite on a mac book pro 8 gig with app store, safari 16 tabs open. iPhoto, itunes contacts . calendar. iMessages, stickies , firefox, system preferences, airport, printer notes, get edit, terminal, grab, remote desktop calculator, and youtube downloader, and wake me, vnc, and handbrake all open
the ram is green, so i do not need 16 gigs.
if i had 16 gigs, this screen would just show less swap and compressed memory being used.
it would probably say i was using 15 gigs out of 16 though!
Attachments
Last edited:
Thank you for the clear explanation ! I will soon install a SSD inside the Mini but will the swapping wear out my SSD much faster ?
yeah!!! as long as you don't turn them off.
after 5 years the charge disappears and your hard disk is erased
googling says micron SSDs only guarantee data retention for 1 year of being turned off