Is it possible to replace the main logic board from a 2011 Mac mini with a 2012? The boards are virtually identical but you get faster RAM and a better i7 chip. The power supply and hard drives all connect the same. All the ports are the same. There are a few curious additional very small connectors on the 2012 board with nothing to plug into once everything is reassembled.
Mac mini, OS X 10.11
We had a 2011 board go out and purchased an i7 2012 board to replace it for all the reasons you identify. Its an easy swap - I just didn't have the faster RAM to boot it up - I tried the slower RAM from 2011 board just to see what would happen and was getting the single tone at start up - which I believe indicates no RAM installed or incompatible RAM.
That is correct, see > About Mac startup tones - Apple Support
I never tried 2011 1333 modules in a 2012, but I do have a 2011 that works fine with 1600 modules from a 2012.
Where did the 2012 i7 logic board come from? Mac’s are picky, if it doesn’t work with good Mac compatible 1600 modules, then I would think that there is a problem with the ram slots or logic board.
What worry’s me with your under taking, is that there is no way to test or know if a used logic board is good or not. That is why I would prefer buying a working Mac Mini over buying a used logic board.
Used i7 boards if you can find a good one, cost more than the i5 boards and you might actually find a working 2012 i5 or i7 Mac Mini for about the same price.
In addition to slightly faster RAM and i7, you also go from the Intel HD 3000 to the HD 4000 GPU which allows you to run Mojave and Catalina.
okay - I agree but I have this thing about keeping my macs going without throwing them out especially if it costs less for a part vs a hole new Mac mini - if the board is bad i'll return it. Matter of fact in this case the board turned out to be a 2010 and needed the slower 1066 MHz Modules - They sent me the wrong board. They'll replace it with a 2012 and we'll go from there. Thanks for your replies.
I have a quick question for you – You are correct as I'm looking more all i see are the i5s and slower i7s 2012s – what about these boards are so in demand? Did they not make that many of them? The fastest boards prior to the on board memory versions 2014s? Perhaps it's in demand for all the folks who want to upgrade their 2010s or 2011s so they can move up to Catalina?
The base i5 models were sold off the shelf, the i7 models was a configure to order option.
Will there be any incompatibilities in swapping the main logic board from a 2011 Mac mini with a 2012 Board? Besides needing the faster RAM?
Yea' those 2012 i7 boards are worth more than there weight in gold and some unscrupulous suppliers will try bate and switch.
Good luck!
Mac Mini 2011 vs 2012
