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Hacker Upgrades Mac Mini w/ Core 2 Duo

Which components would you/have you upgraded in your Mac?

  • CPU

    Votes: 168 39.4%

  • RAM

    Votes: 346 81.2%

  • Video (if applicable, i.e. PowerMacs)

    Votes: 163 38.3%

  • Other internal upgrades (hard drive(s), optical, PCI, etc)

    Votes: 222 52.1%

  • External upgrades (USB, Firewire, external SATA, etc...)

    Votes: 204 47.9%

  • I don't upgrade: I buy new ones.

    Votes: 27 6.3%
  • Total voters
    426
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Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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Macenstein is reporting that a hacker with access to a Core 2 Duo "Merom" CPU clocked at 2.16 GHz has successfully upgraded his Mac Mini. According to the hacker's benchmarks, the upgraded Mini beat out a Dual 2.5 GHz G5 in an iTunes encoding test by 15%. Note that these benchmarks could not be confirmed by MacRumors, but are placed on Page 1 for interest's sake.

Both the Mac Mini and the iMac have socketed CPUs, which make them suitable for swapping with Intel's imminent Core 2 Duo chips, which are conveniently socket-compatible with Intel's current Core Duo chips. The MacBook and MacBook Pro however have their CPUs soldered to the motherboard, making upgradeability impractical.
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2006/06/13/hacker-upgrades-mac-mini-w-core-2-duo/
Beat a dual G5 by that much?!?
I know I'm holding out for Merom like so many others, but I'll wait until official benchmarks come out to have that stat verified...

But nice to know we can upgrade easily all the same!
 
I see a big market for "old" core solo mini's after these chips hit the streets in numbers.

You could trick out a nice system for heavy lifting (not graphics intensive) for a fraction of what Apple's going to eventually charge.

I'm waiting for proc upgrades for the MB. I think I'll run with that from a ship 'n' strip 'n' re-equip company instead of going with a new Rev., unless they throw in some more nice bells and whistles.
 
So how does Aperture run on Core Duo (Yonah or Merom) compared to 1.67 GHz PPC Powerbook? It should run much much faster if it were not for the integrated graphics.
In order to speed up Aperture for me, I guess would either have to buy an iMac or a MacBook Pro.
 
I expect that when the Merom comes out, the MBP will be upgraded, but the MB will stick with the cheaper Yonah processors.
 
schweeeet.

my girlfriend will be incredibly chuffed when i tell her. (got an imac a few months back)

and after I explain what that means.

Twice.

and then just settle and tell her its a good thing.
 
Or wait for them to iron out the kinks that are eating up CPU and GPU cycles.

I bought Aperture first thing and it's unbearably slow on a 2.1GHz 2.5GB imac G5. My work flow is fast just using PS and iPhoto.

manu chao said:
So how does Aperture run on Core Duo (Yonah or Merom) compared to 1.67 GHz PPC Powerbook? It should run much much faster if it were not for the integrated graphics.
In order to speed up Aperture for me, I guess would either have to buy an iMac or a MacBook Pro.
Click to expand...
 
It seems Apple has made their computers very easily upgradable, so hopefully they'll update their lines more often to keep up with other PC manufacturers.
 
mmmcheese said:
I expect that when the Merom comes out, the MBP will be upgraded, but the MB will stick with the cheaper Yonah processors.
Click to expand...

Only for a short time - its been well recorded on these forums (and many other places) that Jobs/Apple want to migrate the entire line to the new Core 2 Duo chips.
MBP in Sept, MB's in Nov/Jan....
 
Now this is impressive, almost as fast as a Dual 2.5 G5 in Photoshop trough Rosetta ????...now that good !

Lets see what 4 of these cores can do..with no Rosetta translation :D
 
Some_Big_Spoon said:
I see a big market for "old" core solo mini's after these chips hit the streets in numbers.

You could trick out a nice system for heavy lifting (not graphics intensive) for a fraction of what Apple's going to eventually charge.

I'm waiting for proc upgrades for the MB. I think I'll run with that from a ship 'n' strip 'n' re-equip company instead of going with a new Rev., unless they throw in some more nice bells and whistles.
Click to expand...

Not so fast. (Pun) Having sold quite a few Apple computers on Ebay over the last three years I can attest to the fact that Apple computers really hold their value. Even if Apple puts the Core 2 in the mini the older Core solos will keep most of their value. So, it might be cheaper, but not by much. I don't think you'll see a Core 2 in a mini for quite some time. It will go in the iMac long before it lands in the budget mini. Which means the mini will retain top resale dollar. But being able to upgrade your mini gives the mini even more value. So a $600 mini + $xx for the proc = a great option.

It will be curious to see if the Core 2 makes it into the MacBook. I don't think it will right away. Everyone is raving about what a great buy the MacBook is compared to the Pro, so all you suckers that bought a MacBook Pro are going to be pissed when your machines are outdated within a year and the performace differece between the MacBook and MacBook Pro widens.

Can't wait to put one in my iMac. :p
 
Piarco75 said:
Only for a short time - its been well recorded on these forums (and many other places) that Jobs/Apple want to migrate the entire line to the new Core 2 Duo chips.
MBP in Sept, MB's in Nov/Jan....
Click to expand...
What does "well recorded on these forums" mean? It's all speculation at this point. Jobs/Apple has not gone on the record in any way with a roadmap of which processors are going into which computers.

This benchmark isn't that surprising considering that the 2.0 ghz MacBook beats out the 2.0 ghz Dual G5 in several benchmarks. Since they say Meroms are about 20% faster at the same clock, 2.167 ghz x 120% should beat out a 2.5ghz Dual G5.
 
If this is true then GREAT!!!! There will be good business swapping chips for people if the specs are true.

but if it's all a hoax or false numbers....
 
Stella said:
Excellent as it may be, you are still limited by the ( relatively poor ) graphics card.
Click to expand...

Boy I was wondering how long it would take for someone to HAVE to point that out.

maybe someone should figure out how to add a dedicated Graphics card to the mac mini and macbook, and then everyone can stop whining about how their cheap computer isnt as good as the expensive models.
 
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