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admin
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 Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2009 3:06 pm Post subject: OWC offers 4GB memory kits for new Mac mini |
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OWC offers 4GB memory kits for new Mac mini
Wednesday, March 4, 2008
Posted by: Fran
OWC today announced they are offering 4GB memory kits for the new Mac mini. And for those of you thinking about giving 8GB a try, they sent us the following note:
Should advise people that Apple has definitely limited the new Mac mini to only being able to properly utilizing up to 4.0GB of memory. Whether it's a real chipset limitation or an EFI Apple set limitation – while the Mac mini will accept 2 x 4GB and show 8GB of memory installed, once you get applications that result in more than 4.0GB being utilized, the whole system slows down to a crawl. The MacBook Unibody 13" and Unibody Pro 15" has the same issue with more than 6.0GB installed – fine up to 6GB utilized, craps out when 8GB is installed as soon as the 6GB memory utilization point hit... At least in the case on the Unibody, doesn't seem to be an Apple set EFI limit as Apple officially supports up to 4GB in those MacBooks while up to 6GB does work and offer benefit.
Bottom line – don't try to put 8GB into a new Mac mini (or any Mac mini for that matter..) as it's a no go.
OWC also told us they will be posting memory and hard drive video installation guides on their Mac mini page as early as tomorrow.
http://www.123macmini.com/news/story/1155.html
Last edited by admin on Wed Mar 04, 2009 3:23 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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JohnnyBoy
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| Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2009 3:13 pm Post subject: Re: OWC offers 4GB memory kits for new Mac mini |
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| admin wrote: | | ...while the Mac mini will accept 2 x 4GB and show 8GB of memory installed, once you get applications that result in more than 4.0GB being utilized, the whole system slows down to a crawl. |
Uhhh, thanks Apple. 
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Weee
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| Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2009 3:39 pm Post subject: |
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| 8GB is probably overkill for most people, but that would have been cool. |
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MacRat
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| Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2009 3:58 pm Post subject: Nothing new |
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OWC had 4GB kits for the previous model Mac mini also.
The 2006 Mac mini could only "see" 3GB while the 2007 model could use the full 4GB. |
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Ben Tex
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| Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2009 4:31 pm Post subject: |
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I've never had trouble with RAM from OWC or Corsair. I can't say the same about OCZ though. I just bought 8GB worth for my Windows 7/Hackintosh box and it's been nothing for trouble. I've already had two of the sticks replaced.  |
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JohnnyBoy
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| Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2009 5:28 pm Post subject: |
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| Weee wrote: | | 8GB is probably overkill for most people, but that would have been cool. |
You're probably right Weee, but it would have been nice if customers could have decided for themselves. I just hate it when machines are deliberately 'hobbled'.
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CaliforniaMini
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| Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2009 5:57 pm Post subject: Re: OWC offers 4GB memory kits for new Mac mini |
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| admin wrote: | | OWC today announced they are offering 4GB memory kits for the new Mac mini. |
And the difference in the kit for the new Mini vs old Mini would be what?
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Mini 2.0GHz (Early 2009), 4GB RAM, 320GB 72k RPM HD |
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scooper
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| Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2009 6:27 pm Post subject: Re: OWC offers 4GB memory kits for new Mac mini |
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| CaliforniaMini wrote: | | And the difference in the kit for the new Mini vs old Mini would be what? |
I would assume the difference in memory types.
Old Mac mini = PC5300 DDR2 667MHz
New Mac mini = PC-8500 DDR3 1066MHz |
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Chris..S
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| Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2009 8:30 pm Post subject: Re: Nothing new |
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| MacRat wrote: | OWC had 4GB kits for the previous model Mac mini also.
The 2006 Mac mini could only "see" 3GB while the 2007 model could use the full 4GB. |
Not so. 2006 mini is limited to 2GB seen and used. Any more and it won't even boot. 2007 mini is limited to 4GB seen, 3GB used. |
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zen
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| Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2009 10:29 pm Post subject: Re: OWC offers 4GB memory kits for new Mac mini |
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| JohnnyBoy wrote: | | admin wrote: | | ...while the Mac mini will accept 2 x 4GB and show 8GB of memory installed, once you get applications that result in more than 4.0GB being utilized, the whole system slows down to a crawl. |
Uhhh, thanks Apple. |
If you need 8GB of RAM you are a pro level user and should not be using a mini in the first place. Even if the new mini could take 8GB it would be wasted as the supporting hardware isn't really enough to even get full use out of it. |
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ESUNintel
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| Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2009 11:48 pm Post subject: |
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Seems like a better deal to pay OWC $65, rather than paying Apple $100 to upgrade, and you could give the RAM you pull out of the Mini to a friend or even list it on Ebay. ...unless your afraid of opening the Mini up, and I'm not
I'll have to open mines up (when I get it) to install a SSD, so might as well get the RAM from OWC. |
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Chris..S
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| Posted: Thu Mar 05, 2009 12:11 am Post subject: Re: OWC offers 4GB memory kits for new Mac mini |
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| zen wrote: | | JohnnyBoy wrote: | | admin wrote: | | ...while the Mac mini will accept 2 x 4GB and show 8GB of memory installed, once you get applications that result in more than 4.0GB being utilized, the whole system slows down to a crawl. |
Uhhh, thanks Apple. |
If you need 8GB of RAM you are a pro level user and should not be using a mini in the first place. Even if the new mini could take 8GB it would be wasted as the supporting hardware isn't really enough to even get full use out of it. |
Why ever not?
Quad core cpu + 8GB would suit me. Sure the pro will do that, but I don't need all the cores and all the memory all the time. I guess I'll stick to xquartz and a second box. That's Apple's loss. |
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zen
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Location: Vancouver, Canada
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| Posted: Thu Mar 05, 2009 12:23 am Post subject: Re: OWC offers 4GB memory kits for new Mac mini |
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| Chris..S wrote: | | zen wrote: | | JohnnyBoy wrote: | | admin wrote: | | ...while the Mac mini will accept 2 x 4GB and show 8GB of memory installed, once you get applications that result in more than 4.0GB being utilized, the whole system slows down to a crawl. |
Uhhh, thanks Apple. |
If you need 8GB of RAM you are a pro level user and should not be using a mini in the first place. Even if the new mini could take 8GB it would be wasted as the supporting hardware isn't really enough to even get full use out of it. |
Why ever not?
Quad core cpu + 8GB would suit me. Sure the pro will do that, but I don't need all the cores and all the memory all the time. I guess I'll stick to xquartz and a second box. That's Apple's loss. |
In the real world the mini has a dual core so what you're saying is null.. |
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JohnnyBoy
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| Posted: Thu Mar 05, 2009 4:59 am Post subject: Re: OWC offers 4GB memory kits for new Mac mini |
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| zen wrote: | | JohnnyBoy wrote: | | Uhhh, thanks Apple. |
If you need 8GB of RAM you are a pro level user and should not be using a mini in the first place. |
If I put my "computer user" hat on, then I fully agree with you, Zen. But when I put my "geek" hat on (I graduated in engineering in the dim & distant past), I just think that taking the conscious decision to restrict a machine's abilities is a little bit mean-spirited.
Many moons ago ("when I were a lad"), Intel wanted to expand their range of 80486 CPUs. The marketing people wanted a "cut-down" version to sell at a cheaper price. What did Intel do? They took a proportion of their 80486 processors (the full part number had a "DX" suffix) and disabled the onboard maths co-processor. The hobbled DX chips were given a new suffix ("SX") and sold at a discount.
Funny thing is, the extra step of disabling the maths co-pro on a DX made the SX chips more expensive to produce (...well, until the SX eventually got its own production line).
My engineering brain HATES this! Restricting a machine's capabilities for the sake of market segmentation? GRRRR!
Right..... what was the topic of this thread again?  
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Chris..S
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Joined: 25 Feb 2007
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| Posted: Thu Mar 05, 2009 5:49 am Post subject: Re: OWC offers 4GB memory kits for new Mac mini |
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| zen wrote: | | Chris..S wrote: | | zen wrote: | | JohnnyBoy wrote: | | admin wrote: | | ...while the Mac mini will accept 2 x 4GB and show 8GB of memory installed, once you get applications that result in more than 4.0GB being utilized, the whole system slows down to a crawl. |
Uhhh, thanks Apple. |
If you need 8GB of RAM you are a pro level user and should not be using a mini in the first place. Even if the new mini could take 8GB it would be wasted as the supporting hardware isn't really enough to even get full use out of it. |
Why ever not?
Quad core cpu + 8GB would suit me. Sure the pro will do that, but I don't need all the cores and all the memory all the time. I guess I'll stick to xquartz and a second box. That's Apple's loss. |
In the real world the mini has a dual core so what you're saying is null.. |
That's only because the processor seems not to be socketed anymore. There are quad core mobile cpus in the same series that are pin compatible.
The ifixit take apart is a new mini lent to them by mac mini colo. That is where I think you'll find a lot, a real lot of minis - as highly competent, superbly power efficient servers. Right there in the real world, with little concern for their graphics, but with lots of concern for power/cores/memory/hdd rpm. |
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