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New Mac mini: Memory runs hot
- Thread starter remmark
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Seems within the published range of 50C - 78C. Why would putting memory near the exhaust make the memory run hotter?
What I meant was the area near the exhaust gets hot under full load. And it may make the memory hot rather than the memory operation itself. Where are these specs published? All I was able to find is the Samsung datasheet.
imho, the bottom threshold for the fan to speed up is too high in the new mac mini. default speed is 1800rpm and it won't budge until the cpu temp censor gets to about 78C.
i use a fan control app to make sure the fan speeds up sooner under heavy loads to keeps the internal components cooler. you can read more in my post here:
https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=10334160#post10334160
i use a fan control app to make sure the fan speeds up sooner under heavy loads to keeps the internal components cooler. you can read more in my post here:
https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=10334160#post10334160
I would say I am not too concerned about the CPU heating up to around 80C because you see that all the time. But how often do you see the memory bank at 65C, unless something is broken?
I see the same thing. I replaced my stock 2GB with 4GB of RAM, ran memtest for a few hours, and then when I got back to desktop was surprised how hot my RAM was. That said, once it cooled down, it's not so bad. But the Mem Bank A1 sensor is often a few degrees cooler than the CPU.
I using the istat pro server, I just woke up my computer at home and looking at the stats, the CPU was at 30 and mem bank A1 was 35. Now it's warmed up to 35/40 respectively, Mem controller is at 33.
I'm not too concerned because I'm not going to be hammering the RAM like the memtesting did.
I using the istat pro server, I just woke up my computer at home and looking at the stats, the CPU was at 30 and mem bank A1 was 35. Now it's warmed up to 35/40 respectively, Mem controller is at 33.
I'm not too concerned because I'm not going to be hammering the RAM like the memtesting did.
Thanks, this is what I am looking for.
The official response to this is that the memory is rated at 85C, so there is no reason to worry. But the 85C refers to the case surface temperature on the center/top side of the DRAM. And it seems this is not where the sensor is located. So I would be more interested to know what reading other Mini owners are getting.
My memory gets especially hot with intensive video tasks such as running Flash in HD with hardware acceleration and at the same time a QuickTime movie with adjusted A/V controls.
Looking at the bottom of Mini they sure didnt do a very good job of getting airflow through the thing, lack of airflow is horrible to electronics.
I just searched for "Mac Mini Temperature". Sorry, I can't find the original site. It was for an older, slower mini, but I don't expect a faster processor would be cooler. Here is another site. Call Apple and see what they say.
there's very little free space inside the mini. heating up of one component (e.g. cpu or gpu) may affect the temp of other components unless the heat is vented out properly (which the mac mini doesn't do well with its default fan speed settings).
i have a 2010 mini with stock 2GB. during typical use, the mem bank temp is about 108F/42C. during heavy loads, it can get up to 125F/52C.
Strangely, when I run Memtest alone, the RAM temp still goes to 64C. Of course, the CPU is only half loaded in this case and much cooler. If it were poor ventilation, I would expect the RAM to be much cooler too. May be this is indeed some defect of my Mini.
Well yeah, I think my temps were in the 60s after I ran my memtest, that's what surprised me, though I then thought that I've never really seen RAM temps before, none of my PCs have ever had that, so I don't know what's normal. The biggest difference between the CPU and RAM is the CPU has active cooling, so the temps on the RAM take longer to fall off I think.
I opened my machine while it was running and tried to touch the memory chips. I thought may be the sensor is not accurate. And you can touch them but just for a couple of seconds, which means that they probably are at 60-65C. This may be not too bad actually if the operating temperature is stated up to 85C. But I still don't see why it should be so hot.
Anyway, I have our IT folks at work checking my unit. May be they can figure it out.
Anyway, I have our IT folks at work checking my unit. May be they can figure it out.
I have recently been using iStatPro for viewing my temperatures. I am impressed with iStatPro, love the widget dealie thing. And then I have fan control of course to keep things under control. I personally just prefer to have electronics at anything but hot temps, why not if it saves your computers bacon.
Would it be an idiotic move to pry open the back of your Mac Mini slightly to allow better air flow?
I tried opening the bottom lid but it doesn't seem to work. Looks like the proper air flow is disrupted and the CPU actually starts getting hotter. Speeding up the fan is also not the best solution, it can get loud and this thing is supposed to be an HTPC. As an alternative, I wonder if anybody has tried to undervolt it yet.
I am really hoping that some company will come out with a cooling system accessory to the 010 mini where it looks like another mini underneath it, and where the mini twists and locks in on top to make a nice sealed ducted port hole so you could have a large fan in this device below to blast fresh air through the thing. You could even throw on some ports to make it a hub to be more appealing.
I am seriously thinking about making such a device by getting some aluminum sheeting at lowes, cutting it in a skinny strip to wrap it around in a rounded corner mini shape to start with.
This might be completely unecessary, but I have noticed when I was playing this free first person shooter in an effort to push/test my mini, that after awhile (prior to fan control) it was basically hot by definition. I assume it will do the same for when I get into heavy graphics/video projects, if I don't up the internal fan that is. Until I make my mini ducting fan, I will just keep pulling out my big'ol ghetto computer fan to aim at the case,
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I am seriously thinking about making such a device by getting some aluminum sheeting at lowes, cutting it in a skinny strip to wrap it around in a rounded corner mini shape to start with.
This might be completely unecessary, but I have noticed when I was playing this free first person shooter in an effort to push/test my mini, that after awhile (prior to fan control) it was basically hot by definition. I assume it will do the same for when I get into heavy graphics/video projects, if I don't up the internal fan that is. Until I make my mini ducting fan, I will just keep pulling out my big'ol ghetto computer fan to aim at the case,
.Hey I am getting my 2010 Mac Mini tomorrow - is this cooling issue something I should worry about?
It is not clear how widespread this problem is. Maybe it's just a small fraction of units with the RAM slots accidentally overvolted or something like that. I wish more people could run memtest (Rember) for a couple of hours and post their numbers.
On the other hand, people are complaining about hot laptops all the time and the new Mini may be worse at least in the sense that the power brick is inside. Notice that the RAM sticks are almost touching the PSU box.
In terms of the sensor accuracy, as I said earlier, when the sensor shows 65C, I can barely touch the chips - that's about right. When the sensor says low 50s, it is still hot to the touch but I can hold my finger indefinitely - again certainly not way off.
On the other hand, people are complaining about hot laptops all the time and the new Mini may be worse at least in the sense that the power brick is inside. Notice that the RAM sticks are almost touching the PSU box.
In terms of the sensor accuracy, as I said earlier, when the sensor shows 65C, I can barely touch the chips - that's about right. When the sensor says low 50s, it is still hot to the touch but I can hold my finger indefinitely - again certainly not way off.