tech industry

06/12/2006, 11:00am, EDT

Monday, June 12th

Mac mini gets Core 2 Duo chip

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.


Filed under: industry

, , 8comments, del.icio.us, slashdot, digg, buzz


8 comments
Reader Reactions (Please use <i></i> for italic text)

subscribe to comments
for this article




Expand All   Global Settings
macbook?
0
06/12, 11:27am, EDT
So if the swap is simple and it's faster and cooler, then would this be possible in a macbook or macbook pro?
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined Jun 2006
User is offline
Duh!
0
06/12, 11:48am, EDT
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.
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined Jan 2005
User is offline
Uh ...
0
06/12, 11:50am, EDT
"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.
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined Mar 2006
User is offline
zink
0
06/12, 12:43pm, EDT
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.
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined May 2000
User is offline
Re: uh...
0
06/12, 2:08pm, EDT
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. Hell, 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.
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined Aug 2001
User is offline
re: re: uh
0
06/12, 2:29pm, EDT
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.
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined Feb 2003
User is offline
re: uh...
0
06/12, 2:30pm, EDT
"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.
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined Sep 2000
User is offline
No worries ...
0
06/12, 5:19pm, EDT
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).
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined Mar 2006
User is offline
Your Comments

In order to post comments: If you are a registered member, please login with your MacNN Forums username and password otherwise please uncheck the checkbox below.


Registered Member?
macnn forums login:

macnn forums password:

Not a member of the MacNN forums? Register now for free.

RSS Feeds

Have the latest content delivered to your desktop via RSS. Use the links below to get access to a specific blog, news, or reviews feed.



  MacNN -all

  MacNN Reviews

  MacNN Podcasts

  iPodNN

  Electronista

  Left Lane News
Turn your laptop into CASH: Sell us your used laptop. Working or not. Get money FAST. Instant online quote. Shipping is FREE.

Mp3S: Browse a huge selection now. Find exactly what you want today.

Mp3 and mp4 Players for Less: Get the best quality mp3/mp4 players for a very good price.

Mp3 Mp4 Digital Player: Cheap affordable Mp3 Mp4 Digital Player. Wholesale click here.

Buy from The Apple Store, iTunes.com, Amazon.com, TechDepot, OfficeDepot, Computers4Sure, or donate.