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Exciting Apple Products Coming in Unfortunately, none of the current MacBook range is upgradeable because CPUs are soldered into the motherboard. You will have to melt the connections and then remove CPU for upgrading your Mac.
Even then some old models were soldered. It was basically a tradeoff for small devices that are easily portable. The latest version of Mac Mini holds a similar case. It contains many resemblances of internals as found in Macbook Air. When Mac Mini was first launched in , it was upgradeable. This trend continued till , when first soldered model was released.
The blue-and-white G3 and Power Mac G4 could be easily upgraded with CPU, courtesy the drop-down side door and an easily accessible processor. You need to install software required to make the updates work. Such software are generally provided in the form of an extension and control panel combination that involves the faster cache settings of processor.
If you are installing a G4 processor upgrade into your Blue-and-White Power Mac G3, you are required to apply a firmware update to your Mac. If you're trying to decide between buying a new Mac mini , or just upgrading your current mini to gain performance without spending too much money, then you've come to the right place. In this upgrade guide , we look at the Intel-based Mac minis that have been available since the first Intel Macs were introduced in early If you have one of the earlier PowerMac-based minis, you'll probably want to purchase a newer model.
Even so, this upgrade guide can be of help by revealing what the upgrade options are for each Intel model. Once again, depending on the specific model, some upgrades may be as easy as removing a few screws and popping in some RAM. In other cases, a great deal of disassembly may be required, including using some tools not commonly found in most DIY toolkits.
If you're concerned about your DIY skills, you may wish to have an Apple specialist perform the upgrade for you. Most dealers offer this type of service. If you're a bit adventurous, you can perform these upgrades yourself, and save a bit of cash. Just be careful, and take it slow.
If you do decide to tackle it yourself, we recommend performing both a RAM and a hard drive upgrade at the same time. You don't want to be taking your Mac mini apart on a regular basis, so doing everything at once is the best course of action.
The first three generations of Intel-based Mac minis used the same Socket M to mount the CPU on a MHz system bus. The CPU is not. Replace or upgrade the main processor (CPU) in your Core Duo Mac mini.
We recommend upgrading your Mac mini's memory to the largest configuration supported by your specific model. Some technical aptitude: The swap doesn't require much in the way of technical knowledge, but it does require some basic physical skill and deftness, plus a knowledge of what not to mess with inside a computer. This project is not one to tackle if you've never had your hands inside a computer before. The primary risk -- and it's a real one -- is that you may break something.
We mean actually, physically break something, as in snap it off or crack it. If you do, you will end up with a non-functional pile of Mini parts instead of a working computer.
It is only intended to give you a general idea of the process and of the difficulties involved; it is not meant to give explicit step-by-step directions. Unfortunately, the folks at iFixit. This swap uses the Core Duo, but the process is identical for the Core 2 Duo. My Upgrade to 1.
Not as detailed as the two sites above but includes worthwhile cautions about possible trouble spots. Note: A digital camera is a great aid in disassembly projects like these.
Take photos of each step as you go in case you forget which cable goes where or how to orient the parts. An overview of the basic steps: Remove the Mini's top case.
Unmount the Airport antenna, remove four screws, and disconnect two cables to free the black plastic drive frame, and then lift the frame out with the hard drive and optical drive still in place. Unfortunately, you need access to the underside of the motherboard to disengage the posts holding the heatsink in place. Remove one Torx screw and disconnect two cables to free the motherboard, and slide it carefully out the front of the chassis.
On the underside of the motherboard, free the four posts holding the heatsink in place, and then remove the heatsink from the top of the motherboard to reveal the CPU.
Will the performance gain be worth the time and money required? Mac mini's produced up to March can accept up to 2GB of memory. Thread starter rjackowens Start date Dec 9, Archived from the original on February 12, Firewire port.
Unlock the CPU socket to free the chip and lift it out, noting the orientation of the chip as you do so. Orient the Core 2 Duo chip, set it in the socket, and lock it in place. Clean the old thermal paste from the heatsink, and apply a very thin layer of new thermal paste to replace it.