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2 GB core Solo or 1.25GB (RAM) Duo mini

T

thumb

macrumors 6502
Original poster
May 8, 2005
268
0
Hi all,

which of these two set ups would you recommend, they come out to pretty similar specs?

or should i just be content with the 1.25 GB solo and save $120?

I would be attaching this to a 24" dell lcd, any problems with that?

cheers, and thanks.
 
i have just been reading about the few who put a core 2 duo in their mini with some impressive results.

is this going to be a pretty common sight? any idea how much a single chip sold to a consumer might cost? in other words, would it make some sense to go for the solo now and put that $200 saved towards the merom chip this fall. in general, are these chips made available to the public for upgrades at the same time they start to appear in products?

thanks,
 
thumb said:
i have just been reading about the few who put a core 2 duo in their mini with some impressive results.

is this going to be a pretty common sight? any idea how much a single chip sold to a consumer might cost? in other words, would it make some sense to go for the solo now and put that $200 saved towards the merom chip this fall. in general, are these chips made available to the public for upgrades at the same time they start to appear in products?

thanks,
Click to expand...
Too much, and void your warranty while you're at it
The new processor is going to cost more than good 3rd party RAM.
Let the adventurous experiment and potentially wreck their machines. Stick to the lowest RAM stock config of the Duo, and upgrade the RAM with third party. Lowest cost, best performance, best warranty.
 
Definately get Core Duo. You can always upgrade RAM later for much cheaper than the CPU.
 
CanadaRAM said:
Too much, and void your warranty while you're at it
The new processor is going to cost more than good 3rd party RAM.
Let the adventurous experiment and potentially wreck their machines. Stick to the lowest RAM stock config of the Duo, and upgrade the RAM with third party. Lowest cost, best performance, best warranty.
Click to expand...

You void your warranty the minute you crack it open to put in more ram. How will apple know if you've swapped a new processor in and out aswell? Oh wait, they won't unless they get at the cpu socket (which they won't) and know that something has changed (how are they to know that wasn't the way the thermal grease was applied last time...).

You can tell people it can void their warranty but couldn't you also be nice enough as to say that apple probably won't know? It's like overclocking, no one will know unless you tell them...
 
TBi said:
You void your warranty the minute you crack it open to put in more ram. How will apple know if you've swapped a new processor in and out aswell? Oh wait, they won't unless they get at the cpu socket (which they won't) and know that something has changed (how are they to know that wasn't the way the thermal grease was applied last time...).

You can tell people it can void their warranty but couldn't you also be nice enough as to say that apple probably won't know? It's like overclocking, no one will know unless you tell them...
Click to expand...

Actually putting in more memory doesnt void you warranty at all on the mini.
However putting in a new processor probably would.
 
What do you plan to put the Mac mini through?

I say this as a solo with 1.25gb of ram might suffice for your needs. Save the $120 and in ~4 years when you come to upgrade put the money towards that. That way your happy now, your $120 gains interest and you buy a new computer later on. IMO
 
MacRumorUser said:
Actually putting in more memory doesnt void you warranty at all on the mini.
However putting in a new processor probably would.
Click to expand...

As i said, it only voids your warranty if they find out you did it... you have to take apart of lot of the mini to upgrade the ram anyway.
 
neither voids the warranty as long as you dont break anything as a direct consequence of your upgrades.
 
Hector said:
neither voids the warranty as long as you dont break anything as a direct consequence of your upgrades.
Click to expand...

The problem is what if something breaks a few weeks after you put it back together. If apple find out you opened it then they can easily blame you for breaking it.
 
TBi said:
The problem is what if something breaks a few weeks after you put it back together. If apple find out you opened it then they can easily blame you for breaking it.
Click to expand...

Upgrading RAM doesn't not void your warranty. They'd have to be able to prove that damage was a direct result of your installing the RAM.
 
physical damage is easily provable if apple blames it on you demand them to give photgraphic proof, ESD is largely a myth unless you wear allot of synthetic cloths and are a walking P conductor. in an N conductor house
 
core duo with 1.25 GB of RAM. It will perform really well (and much better than the solo with 2 GB). Should be a great computer! :)
 
Upgrading a CPU is one of those things that sounds cool, but nobody ever does. Basically because its not really cost effective - the performance gain is never really worth the cost or hassle. Unless the machines so old that you can get the new CPU very cheaply, but by then its a collectors item and not your main machine hopefully.
 
thanks all,

i just ordered the core duo with basic RAM and HD. I will order a 1GB stick from OWC, and plan on adding an external shortly, thanks for all of your help.
 
It NEVER ever hurts to have the extra CPU, and its a lot more expensive at retail than your RAM.

Down the road though, as in a few years, you can probably get a Core 2 Duo for cheap as well, drop it in, and either keep or sell the orginal for a bit.
 
TBi said:
You void your warranty the minute you crack it open to put in more ram.
Click to expand...

Wrong. RAM is a user-replaceable part
TBi said:
How will apple know if you've swapped a new processor in and out aswell? Oh wait, they won't unless they get at the cpu socket (which they won't) and know that something has changed (how are they to know that wasn't the way the thermal grease was applied last time...).
Click to expand...
CPUs are not a user replaceable part.

How could they tell? Oh, I dunno, maybe... Apple records the batch numbers on the CPUs that they install and can tell when the CPU is a third party? Maybe... Apple can tell by the serial number that the machine was built as a Core Solo so what's it doing with a Duo in it?

Oh I see, You are saying to save money you buy a Core Solo machine, pay MORE THAN THE DIFFERENCE* between the Solo and the Duo for a processor, disassemble the machine to install that processor, then when you have a warranty problem, disassemble the machine again to re-install the original processor before having it worked on. Brilliant.

*CAN$679 Solo vs. $899 Duo.
Or more accurately Solo $739 w/Superdrive + Core Duo 1.66 Processor CAN$303 + shipping = $1042 vs. $899 Duo

TBi said:
You can tell people it can void their warranty but couldn't you also be nice enough as to say that apple probably won't know? It's like overclocking, no one will know unless you tell them...
Click to expand...
Wow... making a note never to sell TBi anything that has a warranty...

Hey, everybody: Speeding in a school zone and cheating on your taxes are both against the law but you probably wont' get caught at that either.
Probably.
CanadaRAM is a "not nice enough" though and says: "Bad idea, don't do it"

Plonk
 
Let's just agree to disagree :)

I think it's worth it to buy a core solo though and stick in a nice 2GHz merom processor (, or even a conroe... EDIT: the conroe isn't pin compatible). Don't know why anyone would stick in a 1.66 duo when you can just buy it built in...

As long as they don't offer you the ability to buy it directly with the processor i want i don't see the problem in doing your own upgrading.

I'd say its more akin to speeding on a lovely wide motor way with no other cars on it. As long as you don't do anything stupid no one is going to get hurt. I'd never speed in a school zone, too many chances of someone else doing something stupid such as getting in my way :)
 
get a duo, it will last longer, and really help with the integrated graphics, and 1.25Gbs is plenty of RAM for most user(its plenty for me) it really helps speed the mini along, making it faster then a G5 iMac
 
Hector said:
conroe is socket 775, merom is 479, they are not pin compatible.
Click to expand...

Apologies, i read somewhere that someone had upgraded the mini to a conroe. In fact it was just the merom. My own mistake for not researching properly and edited as such.
 
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