Mac Mini Upgraded to T7400 2.16 Core 2 Duo = FASTTTTTT!!!

[capitrueno]

Hi!

This is my first message. I've owned a 1.83 GHz Core Duo for over a couple of years now. In this time I've upgraded the computer little by little. First, I increased RAM to 2 Gb, then I changed the HDD to 320 Gb. Now I'd like to change the processor for a C2D T7400 I got in eBay.

Reading this thread has been very useful to me, but I still have a question that I was hoping you would help me solve:

I've come to understand that Core Duo processors are 32 bits, while Core 2 Duo are 64 bits. Will the change affect my software? I mean, will I have to reinstall Leopard or anything like that?

Thanks in advance,

Alberto

[Smithcraft]

No, the processor's bit depth won't mandate any changes in your software.

If you are already running Leopard, then you don't have to reinstall it.

If you are running 10.4 you might need to upgrade to the final version, before you do the upgrade, to get proper CPU support. Or maybe not...

SC
_________________
Grumpy old man of computing.

[Desktop] G4 mini - 1.5Ghz 1GB 80GB HDD - Newer miniStack v2 500GB - 10.5.8

[Media System] Intel i5 mini - 2.33Ghz 8GB 500GB HDD - 4 x Hitachi 2TB HDD in a qBOX-SF - 10.7.5 (Thanks Phil!)

Make sure it has pins!

[capitrueno]

Wow, that was fast! Thanks for the prompt answer. I'll be posting here my experience when I do the upgrade

[capitrueno]

Just upgraded the CPU. I had to get nuts and bolts, because I broke the original clips, but for the rest it was a smooth transition. I find the computer much faster and the temperature tends to be lower than before, although it's soon to say.

What began as a Mac Mini Core Duo @ 1.83 GHz, with 512 Mb RAM and 80 Gb hard drive that ran Tiger, has turned into a Core 2 Duo @ 2.16 GHz, with 2 Gb RAM and 360 Gb Hard Drive which roars with Snow Leopard.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/capitrueno/3926038165/

[dannyv45]

[Raz0rEdge]

I've upgraded my Core2Duo 1.83 Ghz Mini from the 1GB to 3GB of memory and that was a significant bump in overall performance, would jumping to a T7400 (2.16 Ghz) or T7600 (2.33 Ghz) garner enough of a performance boost to make that upgrade worth it?

Regards

[philiparcario]

if you can get the 2.33 at a good price you would like it a lot. also event the 2.16 would be a good gain. anyone have some recent price info?

I kind of think 250 for the 2.33 and 160 for the 2.16 but that is off the top of my head.
_________________
2010 Mm 2.4 C2D oem 320gb hdd 8gb ram
2012Mm base 2.5 with 16gb ram diy fusion drive
2012Mm quad with 8gb ram oem 1tb hdd

promise pegasus r6 3x 3tb + 3x 4tb =21tb hdds
lacie little big disk 2x 512gb ssds
synology 2tb disk station

[Jwile20vt]

I have been keeping an eye on prices like I mentioned few weeks back on a reply , it seems the 7400 are about $160 -200 on ebay , Im really mad at myself for not picking one up when they were $99 when I first bought my mini ... This week I'm goin to be putting in a new HD finally was planning on cpu also but the money isnt there anymore .

Hoping i'll be semi pleased with the faster/more space drive for now .. But the 7400 will be in sometime this year .

what are the going prices others seeing on the 2.16 2.33 chips ?


JEremy

[tiguy99]

Prices on the Mermon processors family went up somewhat due to demand.

You can still find the T7400 on Ebay around 200 ish now.

As for me, I'm using the Mac Mini right now as we speak. NO issues in the past year and its been a dream the whole time!

I'm just waiting on the cost of SSD drives to come down then I'm jumping on one to boot Snow Leopard from and use the 250 GB as a backup hard drive.

I'm also waiting on Bluray super drives to come out so I can replace the stock one. That's pretty much about it as far as my mini's concerned.

At the end of the day, I may move it into the car and use it as a carputer for a touchscreen Forced Induction systems monitoring computer running a custom 7" touch screen system in the car but that won't be for another year.

I have to make sure I can build another Mini to replace this one before I can contemplate going through with the car project
_________________
- 2.16Ghz Core 2 Duo Mac Mini, 2GB Kingston PC5300 DDR2 RAM (4-4-4-12 timings), 250GB WD 7200 RPM HDD =Blazing FAST

[ClassicII]

Hey guys, I did a search and came up with this thread good info here!!!

From what I have read on this very thread it seems any Merom-2M cpu will work as an upgrade is that correct ?

[ClassicII]

Little more searching answered my own question.

a great post by Adent

Per http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Intel_Core_2_microprocessors The following Core 2 Duos will work (Socket M, 667MHZ FSB):

T5500 - 1.67 GHz 2MB L2 Cache - SL9SH
T5600 - 1.83 GHz 2MB L2 Cache - SL9SG
T7200 - 2.00 GHz 4MB L2 Cache - SL9SF
T7400 - 2.16 GHz 4MB L2 Cache - SL9SE
T7600 - 2.33 GHz 4MB L2 Cache - SL9SD

Per http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Intel_Core_microprocessors the following Core CPUs will work:
T1200 - 1.50 GHz 2MB L2 Cache - Single Core
T1300 - 1.67 GHz 2MB L2 Cache - Single Core
T1400 - 1.83 GHz 2MB L2 Cache - Single Core
T1500 - 2.00 GHz 2MB L2 Cache - Single Core
T1600 - 2.16 GHZ 2MB L2 Cache - Single Core
T2300- 1.67 GHz 2MB L2 Cache - Dual Core
T2400 - 1.83 GHz 2MB L2 Cache - Dual Core
T2500 - 2.00 GHz 2MB L2 Cache - Dual Core
T2600 - 2.16 GHZ 2MB L2 Cache - Dual Core
T2700 - 2.33 GHZ 2MB L2 Cache - Dual Core


Looks like a U2300,U2400,U2500 might work - but those only come from the factory in a BGA and of course you need a PGA in a mini.

BGA - Ball Grid Array for directly soldering - A few people are selling BGA cpus with pins soldered on.
PGA - Pin Grid Array for removable CPUs - Intel spec # listed above for C2D.

The Core 2 Duos (C2D) are 64 bit chips and standard in the later minis. Mac minis that originally shipped with C2Ds can see 4GB of RAM and use up to 3.3 GB. To see which mini you have go to About This Mac, select More Info and look for Model Identifier. "Macmini2,1" is a C2D machine, "Macmini1,1" is a CD machine and can only see 2GB of RAM even if the CPU is upgraded to a C2D.

Here is an AppleInsider article on 4GB seen vs 3.3 GB available: . The Mac mini uses the same chipset as the MacBook 2006 used as an example in that article.

This OWC page show speed differences between the 1.83 GHz C2D, 1.6 CD, and 1.5 CS with different amounts of RAM. It shows adjusted for clock speed a C2D is generally 10% faster than a CD - and these were not the 4MB L2 C2D (which should be even faster).

This Macworld Review compares the C2D and CD 1.83 GHz directly.

[screature]

Hi,

My first post here, I have been a Mini user since the G4 and primarily use it as a HT setup/media server.

I currently have a MacIntel 1.83 GHz Core Duo and I am thinking about upgrading it to a 2.16 or 2.33 GHz Core 2 Duo. What I want to know is that if I make this upgrade can I then also upgrade my RAM to 3 GB from the current 2GB that I have?

Also what is the better bang for the buck the 2.16 or the 2.33? On e-Bay the 2.16 is about $150 and the 2.33 is about $250 used. Is the 2.33 really worth the extra $100?

Thanks in advance guys...

[philiparcario]

smithcraft did the 2.16 works fine. you can add the ram right now it reads about 3.1 out of 4 . or just do 3gb. wait for smithcraft to read this he can fill you in on the 2.16
_________________
2010 Mm 2.4 C2D oem 320gb hdd 8gb ram
2012Mm base 2.5 with 16gb ram diy fusion drive
2012Mm quad with 8gb ram oem 1tb hdd

promise pegasus r6 3x 3tb + 3x 4tb =21tb hdds
lacie little big disk 2x 512gb ssds
synology 2tb disk station

[billb]

Welcome!
I had a 1.66 GHz Core Duo in my mini and it felt ok speed wise.
Then I got a great deal from eBay on a 2.33 GHz C2D processor.
Around $200 USD, six months earlier they were selling for
aroud $300 USD. I would bid on one Processor at a time and set
my bid to always be under the average going price. I didn't expect to
steal one but I wasn't in any hurry and I didn't want to over pay.
I did eventually win it at a price I am comfortable with. I'm glad
I won the 2.33 though I could have just as easily won the 2.16
because I was bidding on both, just not at the same time.

I do a lot of processor intensive things so the 2.33 is a better
processor for me. From your description it looks like you
would be happy with a 2.16 or a 2.33. Bid on both and who
knows you may luck out like I did. If not the 2.16 should be fine.
Just don't get anxious and over pay.

Another thing you might consider is selling your mini
on eBay and put that money along with your processor
money and throw in a little more in order a buy an 09'
mini. Since your mini will be a HTPC the new 09' mini
is something I would seriously consider.

Also, my mini can only use 2 Gig's of RAM. Its a model 1.1
mini. Make sure your mini is 2.1 or greater. It will need to be
in order to use 3.1 Gig's of RAM. If you intend on increasing
your RAM thats another reason to consider a new 09' mini.
_________________
2011 Mac mini 2.7 GHz i7 with
16GB RAM, Samsung 512GB SSD
MacBook AIR 11 Inch
Mac mini, Model 1.1, 2.33 GHz C2D Proc
20" iMac G4 PPC

[Smithcraft]

Yep, the T7400 is great! I didn't think the extra $100 was worth it for the T7600, but it's just for a media center. If like billb, I did real computing with it, then I would have gone with a T7600.

The hardest thing it does now is Handbrake, which is a good work out for it. And it only gets to do Handbrake with HD files. It's been a while, but I think it took about half a day to do my last HD transcode, and I think it would have only shaved a couple of hours off, at most, if it was the T7600.

As for the memory, you might be better off if you upgrade with a 'matched' pair. Then you will get the interleaving, which makes it a bit faster.

Or, sell it on eBay. If you still have the boxes and all that good stuff, you should be able to get at least $300, if not $400. Then add in the $200 you would have spent on the upgrades, and you are at the price of a new mini.

SC
_________________
Grumpy old man of computing.

[Desktop] G4 mini - 1.5Ghz 1GB 80GB HDD - Newer miniStack v2 500GB - 10.5.8

[Media System] Intel i5 mini - 2.33Ghz 8GB 500GB HDD - 4 x Hitachi 2TB HDD in a qBOX-SF - 10.7.5 (Thanks Phil!)

Make sure it has pins!