tkperlman

Q: Mac Mini Upgrades - Recommendations?

Mac Mini (2011)

Processor 2.3 GHz Intel Core i5

Memory 8 GB 1333 MHz DDR3 (recently upgraded from 4 GB)

Graphics Intel HD Graphics 3000 384 MB

 

Web design & light development.

Print design for standard sized posters, flyers, program books, biz cards, etc.

Running Adobe Creative Cloud, including Photoshop, inDesign, Dreamweaver, and Illustrator, at times simultaneously. Additionally will run Chrome (with multiple tabs open) and Microsoft Word.


I love this Mac Mini as a desktop alternative to my new MacBook Pro. I don't want to replace it unless I absolutely have to. It works but it's slow and is taunting me with the spinning beach ball. I'm wondering what I can do for $100 or so to speed it up a bit? Recommendations are welcome!

Mac mini, OS X Yosemite (10.10.5), Mid 2011

Posted on Apr 28, 2016 7:48 AM

Close

Q: Mac Mini Upgrades - Recommendations?

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

Page 1 Next
  • by Rudegar,Helpful

    Rudegar Rudegar Apr 28, 2016 8:48 AM in response to tkperlman
    Level 7 (28,516 points)
    Apple TV
    Apr 28, 2016 8:48 AM in response to tkperlman

    memory upgrade if it support it

    otherwise a ssd disk

     

    your program are not really very cpu depending or video card depending not that you can change any of those two.

  • by den.thed,Apple recommended

    den.thed den.thed Apr 28, 2016 8:48 AM in response to tkperlman
    Level 7 (27,550 points)
    Apr 28, 2016 8:48 AM in response to tkperlman

    Best thing I ever did for my Mac Mini's, was to replace the HDDs with an SSDs.

     

    Best Buy has 240GB and 480GB SSDs in your price range, see > http://www.bestbuy.com/site/ssdsearchpage

     

    Or go to > http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/mac-mini/, they have a

    240GB SSD for $105 at > http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/SSD/OWC/Mercury_6G/ plus a DIY video at the bottom of the page.

     

    For another good DIY, check out > https://www.ifixit.com/Device/Mac_Mini_Unibody

  • by dwb,

    dwb dwb Apr 28, 2016 8:22 AM in response to tkperlman
    Level 7 (24,152 points)
    Notebooks
    Apr 28, 2016 8:22 AM in response to tkperlman

    The 2011 iMac can handle up to 16GB. Photoshop, inDesign, and Word are all memory intensive by themselves, running two or more of them together will certainly make the 16GB upgrade worthwhile and that will take you be right at the $100 budget you set. Check out macsale.com  or Crucial for pricing. These are my go to sites for RAM.  Upgrading the standard HD with an SSD is also within your budget for a 256 (sometimes labeled as 240GB) drive. While small, you could use your other drive for storing data if you find 256GB too limiting. This is a good upgrade choice if you are constantly shutting down and starting programs.

  • by Lanny,

    Lanny Lanny Apr 28, 2016 8:31 AM in response to tkperlman
    Level 5 (7,935 points)
    Desktops
    Apr 28, 2016 8:31 AM in response to tkperlman

    Your biggest bottleneck would be the stock 5400 rpm spinning hard drive. Replace it with an internal SSD, and while you got the case open, upgrade the RAM to the maximum.

  • by tkperlman,

    tkperlman tkperlman Apr 28, 2016 8:44 AM in response to den.thed
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Desktops
    Apr 28, 2016 8:44 AM in response to den.thed

    Thanks! Love the DIY video. I'm all over that.

     

    What do you think about an external graphics card?

  • by tkperlman,

    tkperlman tkperlman Apr 28, 2016 8:46 AM in response to dwb
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Desktops
    Apr 28, 2016 8:46 AM in response to dwb

    Do you mean the 2011 Mac Mini, not the iMac? If so, Apple is telling me the max RAM for a 2011 Mac Mini (mid 2011) is 8 GB, not 16GB. I would love to go up to 16. Do you have a source?

  • by dwb,

    dwb dwb Apr 28, 2016 8:50 AM in response to tkperlman
    Level 7 (24,152 points)
    Notebooks
    Apr 28, 2016 8:50 AM in response to tkperlman

    Check macsales.com - Apple always specifies what’s available when the computer ships. If at a later date larger SIMMs become available (which usually does happen) Apple doesn’t revise their specs.

  • by Lanny,

    Lanny Lanny Apr 28, 2016 8:51 AM in response to tkperlman
    Level 5 (7,935 points)
    Desktops
    Apr 28, 2016 8:51 AM in response to tkperlman

    The max is 16 Gigs:

    Screen Shot 2016-04-28 at 11.48.54 AM.jpg

     

    Source: http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/memory/Apple_Mac_mini/DDR3_1333

     

    Checkout their SSDs too.

  • by lllaass,

    lllaass lllaass Apr 28, 2016 9:16 AM in response to tkperlman
    Level 10 (188,672 points)
    Desktops
    Apr 28, 2016 9:16 AM in response to tkperlman

    The only external graphics "cards" that can display graphics are via a USB and they are really no better than what you have now.

    You can purchase a Thunderbolt expansion chassis and insert a PCLe graphics card but yo can only use that card for calculations, not video display

    tkperlman wrote:

     

    Thanks! Love the DIY video. I'm all over that.

     

    What do you think about an external graphics card?

  • by tkperlman,

    tkperlman tkperlman Apr 28, 2016 12:28 PM in response to dwb
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Desktops
    Apr 28, 2016 12:28 PM in response to dwb

    Thanks. Done!

  • by tkperlman,

    tkperlman tkperlman May 4, 2016 10:58 AM in response to Lanny
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Desktops
    May 4, 2016 10:58 AM in response to Lanny

    Update!

     

    I installed the 16GB RAM. It looked to be starting fine but then stopped at a funky screen (below). After 15-30 secs it would try to restart. Allowed it to cycle through 4 times but all with the same result. Replaced with the 8GB and it was fine.

     

    Crucial

    2-8GB DDR3L-1333 SODIMM 1.35V CL9

    Kit of 2 CT8GB3S1339M.M16FN

     

    Any thoughts?

     

    20160504_132223.jpg

  • by lllaass,

    lllaass lllaass May 4, 2016 12:17 PM in response to tkperlman
    Level 10 (188,672 points)
    Desktops
    May 4, 2016 12:17 PM in response to tkperlman

    Your Mac with the Intel 3000 graphics uses system memory as graphics memory.

    That screen typically mean problem with the graphics

    The screen you see together with that it works OK if your reinstall the original memory indicates problems with the new memory.

    What specific memory did you install?

    Did they say it will work with a 2011 Mac Mini?

    Try using only one stick of new memory with the other slot empty as a test.

    You can also try interchanging the two sticks in the slot

  • by tkperlman,

    tkperlman tkperlman May 4, 2016 12:31 PM in response to lllaass
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Desktops
    May 4, 2016 12:31 PM in response to lllaass

    This is the memory that worked:

    2-4GB DDR3L-1333 SODIMM 1.35V CL9

    Kit of 2 CT4G3S1339M.M16FKD

     

    This is the memory that did not work:

    Crucial

    2-8GB DDR3L-1333 SODIMM 1.35V CL9

    Kit of 2 CT8GB3S1339M.M16FN

     

    I spoke with a Crucial rep on the phone and he confirmed it would work with a 2011 Mac Mini.

     

    I'll try the 1-slot and then switching slots. If that still does not work, I'll call Crucial again.

  • by tkperlman,

    tkperlman tkperlman May 4, 2016 12:34 PM in response to lllaass
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Desktops
    May 4, 2016 12:34 PM in response to lllaass

    Both kits were from Crucial.

Page 1 Next