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changing RAM on the new Mac Mini: have you done it ?
- Thread starter macaron95
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Mac Mini arrived yesterday i7 with 8GB RAM. Purchased 2 x 32GB Crucial RAM for £165 each (no dual pack available) and fitted it. It would have cost £1000 on purchase, so saved about £700!
Only tips I have is to purchase the iFixit tool kit and take your time. The only real parts for concern for me were the antenna cable and the LED cable. Oh and make sure you have both RAM sticks in properly. Did it in 25 mins first time and only one stick shown. Took 15 minutes the next time and now have 64GB RAM.
Oh and it FLIES!!!!!
Good luck to all that try - it is worth it
Only tips I have is to purchase the iFixit tool kit and take your time. The only real parts for concern for me were the antenna cable and the LED cable. Oh and make sure you have both RAM sticks in properly. Did it in 25 mins first time and only one stick shown. Took 15 minutes the next time and now have 64GB RAM.
Oh and it FLIES!!!!!
Good luck to all that try - it is worth it
So which iFixit toolkit did you get? Do they sell the kit without the memory?Mac Mini arrived yesterday i7 with 8GB RAM. Purchased 2 x 32GB Crucial RAM for £165 each (no dual pack available) and fitted it. It would have cost £1000 on purchase, so saved about £700!
Only tips I have is to purchase the iFixit tool kit and take your time. The only real parts for concern for me were the antenna cable and the LED cable. Oh and make sure you have both RAM sticks in properly. Did it in 25 mins first time and only one stick shown. Took 15 minutes the next time and now have 64GB RAM.
Oh and it FLIES!!!!!
View attachment 932147
Good luck to all that try - it is worth it
I did OWC 2x16=32. I used their kit.
It now has 32gb
With a 1 tb nvme
And a 6 core i5
The 630 graphics are fine for my needs.
I may 1 day do 10gb internet using a thunderbolt adapter.
This machine should work fast enough for the next 5 years. Maybe longer.
It now has 32gb
With a 1 tb nvme
And a 6 core i5
The 630 graphics are fine for my needs.
I may 1 day do 10gb internet using a thunderbolt adapter.
This machine should work fast enough for the next 5 years. Maybe longer.
You can always just part it back together. If all goes south. Expensive lessons. Had my share.
www.warriormac.com
Mac mini Late 2018 Parts - 813.444.5595 - Apple Certified Macintosh
Apple Mac mini late 2018 replacement parts. WarriorMac only carries Apple® Genuine Parts for your MacBook. Every New Parts come with (1) Years Limited Warranty
Having read the threads of those who had broken wires on their update attempts, especially the fan wire on the 2012’s, I admit it is a little nerve-wracking to update the memory.
However, I pulled it off without a hitch. The thing is to be careful when you remove the wires. They all seemed to pull up but when one was a little balky, I was sure I was going to pull the connector off the board.
The trickiest part was the rubber end caps for the memory that sits in the Faraday cage. The trick there was to put the end caps in the cage then put the cage back over the memory.
However, I pulled it off without a hitch. The thing is to be careful when you remove the wires. They all seemed to pull up but when one was a little balky, I was sure I was going to pull the connector off the board.
The trickiest part was the rubber end caps for the memory that sits in the Faraday cage. The trick there was to put the end caps in the cage then put the cage back over the memory.
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I got this from Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01MRNIFR6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Just the tools and the memory from Crucial. I used an empty ice container from my freezer to hold the screws in separate compartments too - worked a treat
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
I replaced the battery on a late 2013 15" MacBook Pro before I swapped out the RAM on the mini. By comparison taking the mini apart was far easier. In all cases though, I watched and rewatched the OWC videos to help me along.
I fully agree with the tips--take your time. The videos showing someone doing this in 10-15 minutes is because the guy's done it several times. Have the video or Ifxit guide handy in front of you. Check and recheck.
That last part was critical for me. After I replaced the memory and turned it on, I began to notice how much hotter it got. I felt in the back for hot air, but nothing.
I took it apart just down to removing the metal cover, flipped it upside down and plugged it in to see if the fan was running. Nope.
Turns out, I didn't fully seat the connector. So it's worth taking the time and check each step.
I fully agree with the tips--take your time. The videos showing someone doing this in 10-15 minutes is because the guy's done it several times. Have the video or Ifxit guide handy in front of you. Check and recheck.
That last part was critical for me. After I replaced the memory and turned it on, I began to notice how much hotter it got. I felt in the back for hot air, but nothing.
I took it apart just down to removing the metal cover, flipped it upside down and plugged it in to see if the fan was running. Nope.
Turns out, I didn't fully seat the connector. So it's worth taking the time and check each step.
I’m surprised it booted.
I thought a dead fan would throw a POST error.
Glad it was nothing serious.
OWC is having a sale on ($20 off - $120 32gb) on the Mac Mini 2018 memory kit directly from their website.
32GB Memory Upgrade for 2019-2020 iMac and 2018 Mac mini
Upgrade your 2019-2020 iMac or 2018 Mac mini to 32GB of RAM and save money by trading in the original memory. Backed by a lifetime OWC limited warranty.eshop.macsales.com
Is there a reason this kit would be more desirable than the Crucial kit that sells on Amazon for $5 more?
Crucial 32GB Kit (16GBx2) DDR4 2666 MT/s (PC4-21300) DR x8 SODIMM 260-Pin Memory - CT2K16G4SFD8266
CT16G4SFD824A is a 16GB DDR4 Notebook module that operates at speeds up to 2400 MT/s and has a CL17 latency. It is an buffered SODIMM. It conforms to the industry standard DDR4 SODIMM layout of 260 pins and is compatible with systems that take DDR4 2400MT/s SODIMM memory.
www.amazon.com
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
Is there a reason this kit would be more desirable than the Crucial kit that sells on Amazon for $5 more?
Crucial 32GB Kit (16GBx2) DDR4 2666 MT/s (PC4-21300) DR x8 SODIMM 260-Pin Memory - CT2K16G4SFD8266
CT16G4SFD824A is a 16GB DDR4 Notebook module that operates at speeds up to 2400 MT/s and has a CL17 latency. It is an buffered SODIMM. It conforms to the industry standard DDR4 SODIMM layout of 260 pins and is compatible with systems that take DDR4 2400MT/s SODIMM memory.www.amazon.com
I have the Crucial and am very pleased. The OWC was more expensive at the time, even at $4 less, I'd probably still go with the Crucial.
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
It didn't occur to me that it should have given an error. I knew the connector wasn't seated properly because as soon as I lifted the fan it disconnected.
And all of this before I turned on the power for the first time.
Anyway, the refurbished mini (2018 i7/512GB/16GB-->64GB) is working out fantastic.
I remember when I tried to install an SSD in my 2012 Mac Mini, squatting on my kitchen floor with two tiny screwdrivers, fully naked to ensure there would be no errant static electricity from my clothing. I had watched the OWC how-to video several times, but I was distracted by my anxiety about opening up the Mini. The video was simple and straight-forward, but then, aren't all how-to videos disarmingly simple?
I worked by the light of a single flickering overhead fluorescent bulb and the lightbulb in the exhaust hood of my oven. The 2012 Mini model had a large hatch on the bottom of the case and the ease with which it opened gave me confidence. As well, I had a background of building desktop PCs and, professionally, I used to tinker with higher-end computers from Silicon Graphics and Sun Microsystems.
After removing the Mini's hatch, I held the computer up to the light and peered at the interior. I was mildly put off because nothing about it was familiar. I became anxious when, after locating the concealed Torx screws, I realized they were far smaller and more delicate than expected. The micro-screwdrivers I planned on using now seemed out-sized. True, it would be possible to use them, but I realized more specialized tools would be optimal. I wished I had the very tiny and precise probes and scalpels designed for ophthalmologic procedures and neurosurgery. The interior of the Mac Mic Mini reminded me more of complex medical scans of neuroanatomy and less of consumer computing devices.
I proceeded with great caution, using my micro-screwdrivers to remove the Apple screws, and to gently pry apart the various parts. I remember being stunned by the minuscule components and their delicate design. I remember my utter surprise when the metal clips that secured the Mini's RAM separated from the logic board for no reason and fell on the kitchen floor. I remember my dismay when the tip of my probe made contact with the socket and wires of the Mini's fan. Even though I was cautious and extraordinarily gentle, the socket immediately broke from the board and fell to the kitchen floor.
I realized that working with the Mac Mini was not like building a PC. Indeed, it bore no resemblance to any computing hardware in my personal or professional experience. The inside of the Mini was three-dimensional puzzle designed by tiny devils.
The rest of procedure did not go well. Brackets and wires broke no matter how carefully I touched them. Unidentified bits of plastic popped free and fell to the floor. The circuit board seemed to disintegrate before my eyes. Several minutes after removing the hatch of the Mac Mini, the machine had literally self-destructed.
Several weeks ago I purchased a 2018 Mini and I do need to upgrade its 8 gigabytes of RAM. But it has been many years since the 2012 Mac Mini died, and my hands are less steady and my eyes are no sharper. The OWC how-to video is simple and straightforward, but my stomach still knots-up when I think about it.
The best of luck to you, and may God be with us all.
I worked by the light of a single flickering overhead fluorescent bulb and the lightbulb in the exhaust hood of my oven. The 2012 Mini model had a large hatch on the bottom of the case and the ease with which it opened gave me confidence. As well, I had a background of building desktop PCs and, professionally, I used to tinker with higher-end computers from Silicon Graphics and Sun Microsystems.
After removing the Mini's hatch, I held the computer up to the light and peered at the interior. I was mildly put off because nothing about it was familiar. I became anxious when, after locating the concealed Torx screws, I realized they were far smaller and more delicate than expected. The micro-screwdrivers I planned on using now seemed out-sized. True, it would be possible to use them, but I realized more specialized tools would be optimal. I wished I had the very tiny and precise probes and scalpels designed for ophthalmologic procedures and neurosurgery. The interior of the Mac Mic Mini reminded me more of complex medical scans of neuroanatomy and less of consumer computing devices.
I proceeded with great caution, using my micro-screwdrivers to remove the Apple screws, and to gently pry apart the various parts. I remember being stunned by the minuscule components and their delicate design. I remember my utter surprise when the metal clips that secured the Mini's RAM separated from the logic board for no reason and fell on the kitchen floor. I remember my dismay when the tip of my probe made contact with the socket and wires of the Mini's fan. Even though I was cautious and extraordinarily gentle, the socket immediately broke from the board and fell to the kitchen floor.
I realized that working with the Mac Mini was not like building a PC. Indeed, it bore no resemblance to any computing hardware in my personal or professional experience. The inside of the Mini was three-dimensional puzzle designed by tiny devils.
The rest of procedure did not go well. Brackets and wires broke no matter how carefully I touched them. Unidentified bits of plastic popped free and fell to the floor. The circuit board seemed to disintegrate before my eyes. Several minutes after removing the hatch of the Mac Mini, the machine had literally self-destructed.
Several weeks ago I purchased a 2018 Mini and I do need to upgrade its 8 gigabytes of RAM. But it has been many years since the 2012 Mac Mini died, and my hands are less steady and my eyes are no sharper. The OWC how-to video is simple and straightforward, but my stomach still knots-up when I think about it.
The best of luck to you, and may God be with us all.
I too just recently upgraded my maxed out 2020 i7, 4GB SSD, 10GBE Mac Mini system ram from 8GB to 64GB using (2)
Samsung 32GB DDR4 2666MHz RAM Memory Module for Laptop Computers (260 Pin SODIMM, 1.2V) M471A4G43MB1
This system is working well with no problems.
Thanks
Samsung 32GB DDR4 2666MHz RAM Memory Module for Laptop Computers (260 Pin SODIMM, 1.2V) M471A4G43MB1
Samsung 32GB DDR4 2666MHz RAM Memory Module for Laptop Computers (260 Pin SODIMM, 1.2V) M471A4G43MB1
Samsung 32GB DDR4 2666MHZ PC4-21300 SODIMM M471A4G43MB1-CTD
www.amazon.com
Thanks
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
I just followed this guys instructions. Upgraded from 8gb to 16gb and process was exactly as outlined in the video. No issues doing the procedure and while I think 8gb would have been ok, I am running some VM's via Parallels and it has definitely made a performance improvement.
For those of you that are thinking about doing this, just follow this video and I think you can do it with a little time and patience. For me, the hardest part was the little rubber boots that go on the RAM sticks. Those have small fingers that slide inside the tabs that retain the ram in place. Took me a bit to figure that out and once I did, they went back on with no problems.
I used Crucial 8gbx2 memory and the iFixit essential electronics toolkit.
Crucial 16GB Kit (8GBx2) DDR4 2666 MT/s (PC4-21300) SR x8 SODIMM 260-Pin Memory - CT2K8G4SFS8266
CT16G4SFD824A is a 16GB DDR4 Notebook module that operates at speeds up to 2400 MT/s and has a CL17 latency. It is an Buffered SODIMM. It conforms to the industry standard DDR4 SODIMM layout of 260 pins and is compatible with systems that take DDR4 2400MT/s SODIMM memory.
www.amazon.com
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As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
I just did the RAM upgrade. I got 32GB from macsales.com and their toolkit with the torx screwdrivers. It took about 20 minutes or so, following their video.
I suggest you watch the whole video first, so you know where this is going and then decide if you want to do it. I also used an empty egg carton to store the screws (some are really tiny), using one slot per step. This way, when it's time to reassemble, no guessing needed.
I suggest you watch the whole video first, so you know where this is going and then decide if you want to do it. I also used an empty egg carton to store the screws (some are really tiny), using one slot per step. This way, when it's time to reassemble, no guessing needed.
Hello spooklog,
I sympathize with your story!
BTW, if you need to upgrade the memory of your 2018 Mac mini, I would recommend having a 3rd-party do the installation! Most certainly, the 2018 Mac mini will be harder to install memory in, compared to the 2012 Mac mini.
I also have a 2018 Mac mini which needs a RAM upgrade. I haven't decided what course of action to take yet.
Good luck!
richmlow
I sympathize with your story!
BTW, if you need to upgrade the memory of your 2018 Mac mini, I would recommend having a 3rd-party do the installation! Most certainly, the 2018 Mac mini will be harder to install memory in, compared to the 2012 Mac mini.
I also have a 2018 Mac mini which needs a RAM upgrade. I haven't decided what course of action to take yet.
Good luck!
richmlow
The main things are to have the right tools for the procedure, and to take your time. The iFixit Essential tool set has all the right tools. The video in my post above has straightforward and methodical instructions on how to complete the task. If you are somewhat mechanically or technically inclined, you can do this with no issues.
Admittedly, my background is in electronics and I have been in the computer industry for decades, so my perspective may be a bit tainted.
But, in the end, people need to do what they are comfortable with. I am sure there are many competent 3rd party shops that can complete this task as well.
That 630 still just gets my panties in a wad though.
They could easily have an option for the vega 20 in there (like the macbook pro). The cubic space of the mini is actually bigger than the 15-inch macbook pro so please don't tell me it's not possible because the mini is "too small".
Mac Mini: 1.4 x 7.7 x 7.7 inches = 83 square inches
Macbook pro 15": .61 x 13.75 x 9.48 = 79.5 square inches
To me the only slightly challenging part was getting the wifi cable connected again. It's got that tiny little circular connector and getting the tip of it in the slot is hard, especially with the really short antenna wire.
I just installed my 32 Gb RAM extension.
Everything works well so far. Three Virtualbox VMs running and 20 Gb of RAM left, and the Mac Mini really flies.
With the stock 8Gb, even idle, it was slower.
The iFixit kit and tutorials are great, as well as the video mentioned above in this thread. After watching all this, I think I was more than prepared and could almost do the steps without checking anything (I had the iFixit step by step guide opened though).
However, there is one thing I found harder than expected: putting the connectors together, mainly because the Mac Mini is so small and the connectors so hard to reach. In particular the wifi antenna took me many attempts to put back in, as I have big fingers and the connector does not clip so easily.
Unexpected observation: as I was so frustrated with the Wifi antenna, I thought maybe I should test it before I put it back, to make sure that at least I do not have to put it twice if the memory sticks were poorly seated for instance. Not only I could validate that the RAM was there, but also I noticed that my Mac Mini directly connected to... the Wifi network. So basically, it connects to Wifi without the bottom plate Wifi antenna. Is there another Wifi antenna somewhere ? If so, where is the other antenna and what is the point of the bottom one ? Maybe to have better reception ? But it was working very well without it.
This is so strange.
Everything works well so far. Three Virtualbox VMs running and 20 Gb of RAM left, and the Mac Mini really flies.
With the stock 8Gb, even idle, it was slower.
The iFixit kit and tutorials are great, as well as the video mentioned above in this thread. After watching all this, I think I was more than prepared and could almost do the steps without checking anything (I had the iFixit step by step guide opened though).
However, there is one thing I found harder than expected: putting the connectors together, mainly because the Mac Mini is so small and the connectors so hard to reach. In particular the wifi antenna took me many attempts to put back in, as I have big fingers and the connector does not clip so easily.
Unexpected observation: as I was so frustrated with the Wifi antenna, I thought maybe I should test it before I put it back, to make sure that at least I do not have to put it twice if the memory sticks were poorly seated for instance. Not only I could validate that the RAM was there, but also I noticed that my Mac Mini directly connected to... the Wifi network. So basically, it connects to Wifi without the bottom plate Wifi antenna. Is there another Wifi antenna somewhere ? If so, where is the other antenna and what is the point of the bottom one ? Maybe to have better reception ? But it was working very well without it.
This is so strange.
Get Parallels. So much better than VirtualBox. I never like VirtualBox. It always looked flimsy compared to VMWare Fusion or Parallels.