Mac mini i3 vs i5 temps

[Mol1n]

This guy's i5 runs near 100C under load.

Does any one have the i3 mini and would like to run something like cinebench and let everyone know the results? I still can't find anything on the i3.

 

[dafodeu]

I saw that video. At least it didn't throttle. 100c is the Max Junction Temp of that i5 by the way.

 

[archer75]

Toms hardware review said their i3 got to 85c which was cooler than a macbook pro and other alternatives. Though it looked like they may have been measuring the case temp and not the CPU temp.

 

[Mol1n]

He did an update and says here that the i5 model runs really hot to the touch.

I'm returning mine when it arrives and am going for the i3.

 

[kaibob]

He did an update and says here that the i5 model runs really hot to the touch.

I'm returning mine when it arrives and am going for the i3.

He also states "I wouldn't get the I3. Never." FWIW, my I5 arrives in about 3 hours and I will post my results.

 

[zandorf]

"Optimal" design would be to barely sustain turbo speeds at temperature limit. Throttling is a waste of CPU power, and running significantly cooler is over-kill ($) system design.

 

[archer75]

Even after he hit over 90c the fans didn't ramp up for a bit. And when it did it wasn't loud. I wonder if it was even at max? Perhaps that temp isn't concerning enough to use max fan.
My i7 is on a truck for delivery so later today i'm going to test some video encoding to max it out and i'll post the results.

 

[Mol1n]

He also states "I wouldn't get the I3. Never."

This thread is about how hot/loud the system gets when loaded.

"Optimal" design would be to barely sustain turbo speeds at temperature limit. Throttling is a waste of CPU power, and running significantly cooler is over-kill ($) system design.

The thing is already hot to the touch, brand new. What happens when it gets a little dusty inside? And what happens to the devices that you plug in when the casing is that hot?

 

[archer75]

This thread is about how hot/loud the system gets when loaded.


The thing is already hot to the touch, brand new. What happens when it gets a little dusty inside? And what happens to the devices that you plug in when the casing is that hot?

Nothing will happen to anything plugged in. The case being hot, well, it's aluminum. It conducts heat very well. It acts as a heatsink so I wouldn't let that worry you. The only thing concerning is the actual CPU temp.

Dust can be a concern. But it can be an issue with any computer. Just clean it.

I had a 2014 mini that was also quite hot to the touch under load. And even my 2011 imac would get hot when you pushed it. Left side was CPU heat and right side was GPU. It would get damn hot at times. But all within limits.

 

[Mol1n]

Toms hardware review said their i3 got to 85c which was cooler than a macbook pro and other alternatives. Though it looked like they may have been measuring the case temp and not the CPU temp.

Even after I streamed video, ran benchmark tests and used the system to work on this review, the Mac mini never got warmer than 85 degrees Fahrenheit, which is only 15 degrees above the room temperature of our lab. That's barely enough heat for it to feel warm to the touch.

That's under 30C, although they again omitted details on how they exactly tested it. These tech sites are much more thorough when they review PC hardware.

Dust can be a concern. But it can be an issue with any computer. Just clean it.

That means opening it up like you would when you upgrade the ram right?

 

[archer75]

That means opening it up like you would when you upgrade the ram right?

It can be. I'd just use a vacuum on the intake port from time to time. And maybe once every year or two open it up. Just the bottom plate. I wouldn't disassemble the entire thing.
I had a little bit of dust in my imac when I opened it up. But I had it for 5 years at that point and there still wasn't much.

 

[Jorbanead]

It can be. I'd just use a vacuum on the intake port from time to time. And maybe once every year or two open it up. Just the bottom plate. I wouldn't disassemble the entire thing.
I had a little bit of dust in my imac when I opened it up. But I had it for 5 years at that point and there still wasn't much.

Isn’t a vacuum bad for computers? I’ve always heard compressed air is much safer. Just open the bottom and spray some air inside. Just be careful of the fan because you can potentially brake it - Hold the blades when you spray air.

 

[Mol1n]

Does running it without the bottom lid make it run cooler? I heard running it sideways makes it cooler too.

 

[archer75]

Isn’t a vacuum bad for computers? I’ve always heard compressed air is much safer. Just open the bottom and spray some air inside. Just be careful of the fan because you can potentially brake it - Hold the blades when you spray air.

I'd rather pull dust out with a vacuum than push it in with compressed air. I don't know if it's technically bad for it. You can do what you need to do as long as you're not pushing dust further in.

 

[colinwil]

Toms hardware review said their i3 got to 85c which was cooler than a macbook pro and other alternatives. Though it looked like they may have been measuring the case temp and not the CPU temp.

They said 85f - not 85c. And yes - I'm sure they meant the case temp. not the CPU one

 

[archer75]

They said 85f - not 85c. And yes - I'm sure they meant the case temp. not the CPU one

Yes, you're correct. Case temp is a stupid thing to measure though. I wonder why they didn't post CPU temp? Easy enough to pull the data. I don't know what my case temp on my i7 was under load but based on touch i'd say it felt like 85f or so.

 

[brand]

I'd rather pull dust out with a vacuum than push it in with compressed air. I don't know if it's technically bad for it.

Vacuum cleaners generate static electricity. Static electricity is bad for electronics. The industry accepted method for cleaning is with compressed air.

 

[MandiMac]

The case being hot, well, it's aluminum. It conducts heat very well. It acts as a heatsink so I wouldn't let that worry you. The only thing concerning is the actual CPU temp.

This. And if the processor is not throttling, the system does not deem the temperature dangerous. All is well.

 

[Mol1n]

This. And if the processor is not throttling, the system does not deem the temperature dangerous. All is well.

Now idea how this kind of vocabulary answers the actual questions in the OP.

 

[MandiMac]

Now idea how this kind of vocabulary answers the actual questions in the OP.

If you‘re hellbent on returning your i5 anyway, what‘s the point of your question then?
[doublepost=1541854700][/doublepost]

He also states "I wouldn't get the I3. Never." FWIW, my I5 arrives in about 3 hours and I will post my results.

Any news on that?

 

[Mol1n]

If you‘re hellbent on returning your i5 anyway, what‘s the point of your question then?

Obviously that is based on the assumption that the i3 runs substantially cooler. I'm still trying to find someone who can post their i3 thermals. No one seems to have it.

 

[MarkosXT]

Obviously that is based on the assumption that the i3 runs substantially cooler. I'm still trying to find someone who can post their i3 thermals. No one seems to have it.

This is the maximum temperature I got after running cinebench 8 times, doesn't seem to get higher than 90C, the first time I ran it, it only got up to 65C, then it kept going up a little more with each consecutive test. The fan never became audible in a completely silent room, the top of the case is slightly warm.

 

[Spectrum]

This is the maximum temperature I got after running cinebench 8 times, doesn't seem to get higher than 90C, the first time I ran it, it only got up to 65C, then it kept going up a little more with each consecutive test. The fan never became audible in a completely silent room, the top of the case is slightly warm.

View attachment 803186

But presumably the i3 also takes longer to complete that task, than an i5 or i7. It seems like you'd get the same result if you limited an i5 or i7 to only using 4 threads. But would be left with a system that is far more responsive to other tasks because it would have either 2 or 8 threads left to call on as needed.

 

[MandiMac]

I‘ll be using BOINC tomorrow where I can steer how many CPU % are being used. Thrilled to see what Intels Power Gagdet will tell us there

 

[Mol1n]

This is the maximum temperature I got after running cinebench 8 times, doesn't seem to get higher than 90C, the first time I ran it, it only got up to 65C, then it kept going up a little more with each consecutive test. The fan never became audible in a completely silent room, the top of the case is slightly warm.

Thank you. Yours is probably the first such result on the internet.

So the conclusion to this question is that neither the i5 nor the i7 can maintain their rated multicore speeds even with a 100C allowance. The i3 can and does so at under 90.