I want to upgrade my Mac mini even more than the hard drive and the ram. Is there any cooling kits I could I put in because my Mac is always burning hot. Second I would like to put in a desktop gpu. Can this be done (externally).
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Mac mini mods/ upgrades
- Thread starter Ngorkes
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The GPU is internal to the Mac Mini (MM). External GPU's? I don't think so...
If you have a new (mid 2012 on) MM it's an integrated Intel GPU. Difficult at best to upgrade.
If you have a Mid 2011 MM - mid grade or above - it has an AMD GPU. A very good GPU and one that should not need upgrading.
If it's hot, cool it with a fan or set it on some sticks or pencils - let the internal fan cool it...
"Is there any cooling kits..." --- Are there any schools on the east coast that teach proper written English?
If you have a new (mid 2012 on) MM it's an integrated Intel GPU. Difficult at best to upgrade.
If you have a Mid 2011 MM - mid grade or above - it has an AMD GPU. A very good GPU and one that should not need upgrading.
If it's hot, cool it with a fan or set it on some sticks or pencils - let the internal fan cool it...
"Is there any cooling kits..." --- Are there any schools on the east coast that teach proper written English?
As noted, there are not too many mods for cooling a mini (well none).
But I thought I would mention you could replace the heat sink paste if you are keen to play around. Some people like to spec out their mini, some don't. I have used Tuniq TX-4 on my 2.6GHz 2012 mini. It gave me about 3-5'c off the peak temp and dropped the idle temp around 5-8'c. It is hard to tell on the idle temp because it is not as exact as the peak temp is when the mini CPU is maxed out.
Also it is not a mod, but you can try running your mini on its side in say a Newer Tech side stand. That allows both 'sides' (top and bottom) to cool once it is on it side. That is, the black base is allowed to cool more when the mini is on it side.
I found a solution for the gpu.
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Sonnet%20Technologies/ECHOE34/
http://www.villageinstruments.com/tiki-index.php?page=ViDock
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130914&nm_mc=OTC-Channel&cm_mmc=OTC-channel-_-Video+Card+-+Nvidia-_-EVGA-_-14130914&srccode=cii_7240466&cpncode=26-20064121&DEPA=0&refer=channel&CMP=OTC-
I may spend 600$ on this. I all ready dumped 400$ on upgrades.
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Sonnet%20Technologies/ECHOE34/
http://www.villageinstruments.com/tiki-index.php?page=ViDock
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130914&nm_mc=OTC-Channel&cm_mmc=OTC-channel-_-Video+Card+-+Nvidia-_-EVGA-_-14130914&srccode=cii_7240466&cpncode=26-20064121&DEPA=0&refer=channel&CMP=OTC-
I may spend 600$ on this. I all ready dumped 400$ on upgrades.
I thought about that. I could call up Nividia and ask if they could make me drivers or I could use it throught boot camp.
I suspect you would need support below the usual drivers level - like at the chipset level..efi
I build a lot of gear you are not gong about this correctly. get a mini use vmware fusion or parallels or bootcamp. then build a pc here is a small build and you can use a good card even a great card inside it.
http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2320873
http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2268192&
the case is 40 bucks. a good mobo /cpu combo is around 250 windows oem 125 a psu 100 ram 100 a decent card 200 total is 815. you have two machines and since the mini has windows in it they can talk to each other.
your way buy a mini and tag on 700 or 800 bucks.with a mess of wires only running windows with the good gpu
my way buy a mini and build a pc for 900 maybe 100 more but you get 2 pcs not one. both in neat packages
1 small box the pc
1 tiny box the mini
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One thing I am not quite getting my head around here is what you actually expect to gain from this external GPU over the internal (assuming you can get it running)? Also I am not even sure what your internal GPU is or what mini you have?
I like doing 'mods' myself (sink paste, SSD, RAM), but they always have an clear advantage over the stock part.
If you are going to use BootCamp and Windows just to get a an external GPU running then why not get a small form factor PC? I mean all the suggested mods in this thread use bulky expensive (T-bolt) external peripherals. It's going to look like you will have the Mac mini hooked up on life support in the ICU or something.
I don'd mind the 'I just want to see if it can be done' approach. I am just wondering if that is what the approach is, or do you actually plan to gain a genuine improvement over the internal GPU.
If it is just to have another monitor then you already have multiple options for that without the need for a second GPU.
Edit: Kanex may have something to suit your needs. They have a few Mac friendly devices.
http://www.kanexlive.com
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other threads in the forum suggest that thunderbolt is too slow for external graphics cards.
Bootcamp drivers for external gpu are not likely to be available.
Bootcamp drivers for external gpu are not likely to be available.