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http://www.macnn.com/articles/06/06/12/mac.mini.core.2.duo/

Mac mini gets Core 2 Duo chip

updated 11:00 am EDT, Mon June 12, 2006

 

Mac mini, Core 2 Duo


One Mac user has replaced the standard CPU in a Mac mini with a Core 2 Duo Merom running at 2.16GHz, and has posted benchmarks in a Taiwanese forum. The modified Mini beat out both a dual 1.8GHz G5 and a dual 2.5GHz G5 in an iTunes MP3 to AAC conversion, according to macenstein, despite the Mac mini's slower hard drive. A 26 action test in Photoshop 7 reveals positive results for Apple's low-end desktop system, especially since Photoshop requires Rosetta to translate PPC its instructions for the Intel-based chip. The CPU upgrade may be the easiest in Apple's history, according to the report, because the newer Intel chips run cooler than their predecessors.


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  1. eldt

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Jun 2006

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    06/12, 11:27am | report spam | Reply |

    macbook?

    So if the swap is simple and it's faster and cooler, then would this be possible in a macbook or macbook pro?

  1. ZinkDifferent

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    Joined: Jan 2005

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    06/12, 11:48am | report spam | Reply |

    Duh!

    Neither the Macbook nor Macbook Pro have a socketed chip, unlike the Mac mini and iMac. Please, do at least the minimum amount of thinking.

  1. IvoryTower

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    Joined: Mar 2006

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    06/12, 11:50am | report spam | Reply |

    Uh ...

    "The CPU upgrade may be the easiest in Apple's history, according to the report, because the newer Intel chips run cooler than their predecessors."

    Uh, they're also available in far greater quantities and as a result are significantly less expensive (cost to performance) than most others (if not all) in Apple's history. Admittedly, the mini form factor neccessitates the use of low-heat chips, but IMO the factors listed above are more compelling.

  1. gudin

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    Joined: May 2000

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    06/12, 12:43pm | report spam | Reply |

    zink

    relax.... I know it's hard to beleive, but it is at least possible that some people in the world are unaware of the design of the insides of a particular laptop model.

    Perhaps, (I know I'm going out on a limb here) the poster was one of those people.

  1. testudo

    Forum Regular

    Joined: Aug 2001

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    06/12, 02:08pm | report spam | Reply |

    Re: uh...

    The CPU upgrade may be the easiest in Apple's history, according to the report, because the newer Intel chips run cooler than their predecessors.

    First, what in the world does the fact that intel's newer chips running cooler have to do with an easy upgrade? Talk about a stupid comment there.

    Second, to get to the chip in the mini, you have to puddy knife off the lid, unscrew several screws, disconnect a wire, flip over an assembly. Apple has, in the past, used ZIF sockets (or the like) in their computers. And their towers, while not the greatest in the past, were sure easier to disassemble and replace. h***, swapping out a G3 with a G4 in my Beige G3 was simply lift a lever, pop out the G3, and plug in the G4.

  1. henryblackman

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    Joined: Feb 2003

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    06/12, 02:29pm | report spam | Reply |

    re: re: uh

    Chips running cooler is a big issue - upgrades to new chips usually have issues with heat, especially in the type of enclosures that the iMac and Mac Mini have. If the chips run hotter, they may not function correctly at full speed - but because these run cooler, and faster, they offer a very easy upgrade path.

    Swapping a G3 for a G4 in your Beige G3 was in fact switching architectures, daughter boards, and worked because the case was roomy and well ventilated. These things are not the case with the iMac. Best upgrade possibility ever.

  1. sehix

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    Joined: Sep 2000

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    06/12, 02:30pm | report spam | Reply |

    re: uh...

    "First, what in the world does the fact that intel's newer chips running cooler have to do with an easy upgrade? Talk about a stupid comment there."

    There's more to an upgrade than just the physical actions of replacing hardware bits, for starters. A lot of hardware upgrades involve firmware and/or software changes, and even those that do not may require fiddling with hardware to get full funtionality.

    When or if there are problems subsequent to making the upgrade, diagnosis might be simple, or it might be almost impossible. And upgrade, like the one described, certainly doesn't suffer from the new parts stressing the system more than the original parts.

    It wasn't a stupid comment, even if it wasn't utterly transparently clear to you, perhaps.

    Yes, the old G3/G4 systems were easy to work on; I've upgraded several of them at work and at home.

    As long as you avoided problems like forgetting to update firmware, reinstalling heatsinks improperly, not setting dip switches correctly (especially on some of the early upgrades), etc etc etc. I never had any trouble, but I know that some others had problems ranging from erratic operation to creating expensive doorstops.

    It's nice that you never have problems (oh, wait...), it's no excuse to be abusive responding to someone else.

  1. IvoryTower

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Mar 2006

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    06/12, 05:19pm | report spam | Reply |

    No worries ...

    It's cool, I didn't sense any abuse on testudo's part. As I see it, he was agreeing with my post as we both were quoting the article (even though it appeared he was replying to my post).

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