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Mac Mini CPU upgrade

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Wotan31

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jun 5, 2008
491
1
I have a late 2006 Mac Mini. I've just performed a CPU upgrade on it, removing the 1.66 Ghz cpu and installed a 2.33 Ghz T7600 C2D. This is the fastest CPU available that will work in my Mac Mini. They both have the exact same thermal specifications according to intel.

I run Folding@Home on this machine 24/7. With the original CPU, my cpu temps were about 80 C. With the new CPU, they are 90 C. (The thermal specs on this cpu from intel say it's fine up until 100 C).

I don't care what your opinion is on the temp (zomg! its teh uber hot!!). So please refrain from posting your opinion. What I'm looking for is others who have performed this same CPU upgrade and have first hand experience with this. When you're maxed out at 100% cpu utilization, what kind of temps are you seeing? That is my question. Just want to make sure this 10 degree increase that I'm experiencing is "normal", or if I need to recheck my heatsink or thermal compond, etc. Thank you.
 
One more small thing.

Just because Intel says the TDP is the same doesn't mean that higher clocked processors aren't hotter. TDP is more of a generalization so that OEMs can purchase coolers in the thousands.

My E2160 was cooler than my E6550. When I overclocked the E2160 to 2.4 GHz they were about the same.
 
Eidorian said:
Did you tweak the fan speed at all?
Click to expand...
No I haven't played with the fan speed. I assumed it uses the sensor, and simply increases the speed when the temperature goes up?

flopticalcube said:
Did you remember to put a bit of thermal paste on the new CPU before you put the heat sink on?
Click to expand...
Yes, I did clean the heatsink thoroughly (used a razor blade to scrape all the old material off, followed with a cloth with rubbing alcohol to wipe clean). I used some Arctic Silver thermal paste when reinstalling. Those plastic push-pins are a PITA, and with all the back and forth wiggling, I'm concerned I might have forced all the paste out the sides of the die? Is this a valid concern do you think?

Eidorian said:
One more small thing.
Just because Intel says the TDP is the same doesn't mean that higher clocked processors aren't hotter.
Click to expand...
Yes, that's exactly what I'm trying to determine. If the T7600 does indeed run 10 C hotter than the older T2300 at 100% load? Or if this temperature difference is due to something else...
 
Wotan31 said:
No I haven't played with the fan speed. I assumed it uses the sensor, and simply increases the speed when the temperature goes up?


Yes, I did clean the heatsink thoroughly (used a razor blade to scrape all the old material off, followed with a cloth with rubbing alcohol to wipe clean). I used some Arctic Silver thermal paste when reinstalling. Those plastic push-pins are a PITA, and with all the back and forth wiggling, I'm concerned I might have forced all the paste out the sides of the die? Is this a valid concern do you think?
Click to expand...
Probably not. In my 25 years of farting about with computers I have found that when it comes to thermal paste, less is usually more. You actually only need a very small amount.
 
Wotan31 said:
Yes, that's exactly what I'm trying to determine. If the T7600 does indeed run 10 C hotter than the older T2300 at 100% load? Or if this temperature difference is due to something else...
Click to expand...
In my experiences, yes.

When I was folding on my Mac mini ages ago I'd crank the fan speed up to 3000 RPM. CPU folding doesn't compare to what you can do with a GPU though.
 
Eidorian said:
When I was folding on my Mac mini ages ago I'd crank the fan speed up to 3000 RPM.
Click to expand...
Mind sharing how you went about this? Is there a 3rd party app I need to download to manipulate the fan speed?
 
For the record, I set my fan speed to 3700 rpm and let it run overnight. cpu temp is now steady at 78c. I'm happy.
 
Gee what was the cost on that CPU, it might have been worth just getting a new 2.26 or 2.0 Ghz 2009 Mini ?


Which older ones can you upgrade, because it looks like the CPU is soldered on the MB on my 2009 model, so upgrading is not an option unless someone tickered with this already.


If I were to buy an older one to mess around with, which model should I get, and what is the cost of the CPU upgrade, because ram on the older ones max's out at 2 GB I thought.:rolleyes:
 
Any Intel mini up until the last revision (March 2009) can have its CPU upgraded. Any of the Core 2 Duo minis (August 2007) can take up to 4GB (3.3GB visible to the OS). If you are going to upgrade, the Core Solo mini is the cheapest one to buy and the T7200 (2.0GHz) is the best bang-for-your-buck CPU at around ($100). The T7600 (2.33GHz) runs around $250.
 
Mac Mini 1.66 intel upgrade

I want to put a T7400 or T7600 in my current Mac Mini 1.66. I've upgraded the RAM to 2x1Gb (max for 1.66 Intel) and changed the HDD to 320Gb 7200rpm - so far so good. How do I know what Intel chip I need? The T7400 comes as SL9SK socket PBGA479 and also SL9SE socket PPGA478. The T2300 currently in it is either a FCPGA socket or FCBGA. What are the differences and how do I check what I am buying? The WD 320Gb 7200rpm drive adds a bit of heat and I am running smcFancontrol at 2800rpm as minimum, the 1.66Ghz CPU is running at 56C which seems OK and the fan noise is just noticeable.

I don't want to go out and buy a T7400 or T7600 and find I have the wrong socket version so any help would be appreciated.

Dave
 
dave39 said:
I want to put a T7400 or T7600 in my current Mac Mini 1.66. I've upgraded the RAM to 2x1Gb (max for 1.66 Intel) and changed the HDD to 320Gb 7200rpm - so far so good. How do I know what Intel chip I need? The T7400 comes as SL9SK socket PBGA479 and also SL9SE socket PPGA478. The T2300 currently in it is either a FCPGA socket or FCBGA. What are the differences and how do I check what I am buying? The WD 320Gb 7200rpm drive adds a bit of heat and I am running smcFancontrol at 2800rpm as minimum, the 1.66Ghz CPU is running at 56C which seems OK and the fan noise is just noticeable.

I don't want to go out and buy a T7400 or T7600 and find I have the wrong socket version so any help would be appreciated.

Dave
Click to expand...

You need the Socket M ones. Don't worry all T7400 and T7600s will be fine. I think FCBGA6 is the soldered in versions. You can't buy those from any normal store.
 
Just wondering, can I perform this sort of upgrade with my Mid-2008 Aluminum iMac? It's 2.4ghz right now and I want to make it quad core.
 
armoguy94 said:
Just wondering, can I perform this sort of upgrade with my Mid-2008 Aluminum iMac? It's 2.4ghz right now and I want to make it quad core.
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure all iMacs are still socketed. Your model uses the Santa Rosa chipset which is Socket P. As such, The Core 2 Quad Q9100 2.26GHz, Q9000 2.0GHz and Core 2 Extreme (Quad) QX9300 2.53GHz chips could go in there. As to whether or not they'd work, no one knows. Its never been tested, care to be the guinea pig?
 
dave39 said:
I want to put a T7400 or T7600 in my current Mac Mini 1.66. I've upgraded the RAM to 2x1Gb (max for 1.66 Intel) and changed the HDD to 320Gb 7200rpm - so far so good. How do I know what Intel chip I need?
Click to expand...

Look at my post here: http://www.123macmini.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=20069 .

The T2700 and T7600 are the fastest available - 2.33 GHz. The T7600 will be a bit (10% ish) faster since it is Core 2 Duo. Looks like you can some some $$ by dropping down to 2.16 GHz - T2600 or T7400.

You need pins, not the solder in kind.
 
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