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Mac Mini Monster (Phase 1):

Swapping a Core Solo CPU
by Ted Silveira
Introduction
What's Required
Overview of CPU swap
Benchmark Tests
Heat
Conclusions
Phase 2...
Introduction
The Mac Mini Core Solo was one of the rst Intel Macs, and the only one
that has shipped with an unusual "single core" CPU. This Mini, along with
its Core Duo big brother, generated a lot of interest when it rst came out,
and we bought one to use for testing as soon as they became available.
Times have changed, though, and quickly. While the Core Solo Mini
provided a nice speed boost over the G4 Mini, it looks a bit forlorn now that
all Macs have at least a Core Duo and the newest ones sport the even faster
Core 2 Duo. Rather than relegate the Mini to some respectable but
unglamorous background task, we decided to try something different: a
brain transplant.
In short, we decided to put a new Core 2 Duo chip into the formerly Core
Solo Mini to see what would happen. We knew ahead of time that the swap
was possible: A few adventurous souls had already reported successful
swaps on the web. And we also knew that the technical skill required
wouldn't be too great: The Core Solo, Core Duo, and Core 2 Duo processors
are pin for pin compatible, and unlike many previous Macs, which have
their processors soldered directly to the motherboard, the Mini's processor is
socketed (as are those in the Intel iMac and the Mac Pro).
The questions we wanted to answer were
Just how difcult is the CPU swap going to be?
Will the performance gain be worth the time and money required?
Will the new processor cause the Mini to run too hot and interfere
with its normally quiet operation?
What's required
An Intel-based Mac Mini: The transplant process is the same for both
the Core Solo and Core Duo Minis, but of course the benet will be
the greatest for the Core Solo.
A Core 2 Duo processor: We used the 1.83 GHz Core 2 Duo T5600
(Merom) chip with the 667 MHz front side bus speed (which matches
the Mini's FSB speed). The cost at the time of purchase was $250.
Intel makes faster versions of this chip (2.0, 2.16, and 2.33 GHz), but
those were universally out of stock (and considerably more
expensive) at the time.
Thermal paste to ensure good heat transfer between the CPU and its
heatsink. (We used Arctic Silver.)
Some basic tools: Phillips and Torx screwdrivers, a at blade (like a
putty knife) for opening the Mini case, an anti-static wrist strap.
A safe workspace: You need good lighting and a at, static-free work
surface with plenty of room. Pick a spot where you can safely leave
the disassembled computer and its parts out if you stop due to nerves
or interruptions. The kitchen table is probably not a good choice.
Neither is any room accessible to free-range pets. (That hamster will
pouch the screws while you're not looking.)
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.
Overview of CPU Swap
This section provides an overview of the CPU swap process. It is only
intended to give you a general idea of the process and of the difculties
involved; it is not meant to give explicit step-by-step directions.
Unfortunately, the folks at iFixit.com have not yet produced one of their
excellent take-apart guides for the Intel Minis, but you can nd illustrated
guides to this chip swap at these locations:
Meromac Mini: Detailed pictures of the whole process but few words
Mac Mini Intel Core Duo Upgrade Guide: Skips the opening steps of
the disassembly but covers the critical parts with excellent pictures
and good explanations. (This swap uses the Core Duo, but the process
is identical for the Core 2 Duo.)
My Upgrade to 1.83GHz Core Duo: Also uses the Core Duo instead
of Core 2 Duo. 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:
1. Remove the Mini's top case.
2. 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.
The RAM slots and the CPU (covered by a large heatsink) are now
clearly visible on the motherboard. Unfortunately, you need access to
the underside of the motherboard to disengage the posts holding the
heatsink in place.
3. Remove one Torx screw and disconnect two cables to free the
motherboard, and slide it carefully out the front of the chassis.
4. 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.
5. Unlock the CPU socket to free the chip and lift it out, noting the
orientation of the chip as you do so.
6. Orient the Core 2 Duo chip, set it in the socket, and lock it in place.
7. Clean the old thermal paste from the heatsink, and apply a very thin
layer of new thermal paste to replace it.
Alert: The following step is the point at which the greatest risk of damage
exists, in our opinion. Go slowly and carefully.
8. Orient the heatsink, place it on top of the CPU, and push each of the
four spring-loaded posts through the motherboard until they lock into
place.
This step doesn't sound that difcult. But in reality, you're balancing a
big square heatsink on top of a small square chip that you have just
coated with grease, and you're trying to keep the heatsink level and
properly oriented while you press down on a spring-loaded post at
one corner, attempting to push the post through a hole in the
motherboard where it doesn't seem to want to go. And in doing all
this, you're applying force directly to the CPU and the motherboard --
the most critical parts of your computer.
9. Once the heatsink is in place, put the Mini back together by reversing
the steps you used to take it apart.
The good news is that with the CPU and heatsink in place, and the Mini
reassembled, you have nothing left to do but start it up and gloat. The Core
2 Duo will be recognized by Mac OS X and System Proler without any
prompting.
Benchmark Tests
We ran our usual set of benchmarks on the stock Mini and on the modied
Core 2 Duo Mini. The results below show what we hoped they would -- a
substantial improvement in performance over the Core Solo in all CPU-
affected tests. The little Monster Mini is a zippy machine.
Test congurations:
Mac Mini, 1.5 GHz Core Solo, 512 MB RAM, 60 GB/5400 RPM
hard disk
Mac Mini, 1.83 GHz Core 2 Duo, 512 MB RAM, 60 GB/5400 RPM
hard disk
MacBook, 2.0 GHz Core Duo, 2 GB RAM, 80 GB/7200 RPM hard
disk
MacBook Pro, 2.16 GHz Core 2 Duo, 2 GB RAM, 160 GB/5400
RPM Hitachi Travelstar hard disk, 128 MB VRAM
Note: We did test both the Core Solo and the Core 2 Duo with 2 GB of
RAM and an 80 GB/7200 RPM hard disk, but the benchmark scores were
nearly identical to those for the stock RAM and hard disk congurations.
That's not to say that the RAM and hard disk upgrades aren't a good thing;
they are. Their benets just don't show in these benchmarks.
[See our Mac Pro Benchmarks page for more details on the test procedures,
as well as comparative data.]




Heat
During our benchmark tests and in other use, the Mini showed no signs of
excessive heat with the Core 2 Duo installed. Under load (running
CineBench, Xbench, and Geekbench simultaneously), the CPU core
temperatures briey touched 65 Celsius and the fan reached 4500 RPM,
but once the excitement was over, the temperatures and fan speed both
dropped quickly. While doing ordinary web browsing in Safari with a 900
MB download running in the background at 155 KBps, the core
temperatures ran around 47 to 49 Celsius, and the fan speed dropped to a
whisper-quiet 1500 RPM.
Conclusions
So was the Core 2 Duo swap worth the time and money it took?
For the original project Mac, the answer is yes, given that we already had
the Core Solo Mini and the skills needed to do the installation on our own.
For a total outlay of $250, an afternoon's time, and some nervous moments
wrestling with the heatsink, we now have a notably fast Mini that retains the
quiet good manners of the original.
If the Mini had started life as a Core Duo instead of Core Solo, we'd have a
more difcult time justifying the outlay required for the chip. But we'd still
be tempted, especially if we could get one of the 2.0 GHz or faster Merom
chips. (And the single unit price of Core 2 Duo chips will undoubtedly drop
in the coming months.)
And if we had had to buy a Mini to start with, well... With the price of a
refurbished Core Solo Mini running around $479 at the Apple Store (when
it's in stock), and the price of the chip still at $250, we're getting close to the
price of a low-end 17" Intel iMac, which includes a screen, keyboard,
mouse, and a better performing 3.5" hard drive in its package.
We're not done with the Monster Mini yet, though. We subsequently tackled
its hard drive system in Phase 2...
Comment on this Intel Mini Monster CPU project...
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Copyright 2006 by MacInTouch, Inc. All rights reserved.