Mac mini and other models running hot

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Level 1

5 points

Mac mini and other models running hot

I've experienced high temps with my current mac mini (2014) and during previous years with other computers.

I've found that it is absolutely essential to replace the heat sink thermal compound if the computer is more than a few years old as thermal compound actually begins to deteriorate slowly from day one.

By the time my computers were a few years old the remaining compound appeared to be little more than a dry crust which represents a significant thermal flow resistance, ie the heat sink will not so easily capture enough heat.

In respect of the Mac Mini, because of the design (equivalent to a small radiator in a car) the thermal bar cannot transfer heat to ambient air without higher fan speed for example.

All comments would be welcome as this is only my assessment, which is probably full of wrong concepts.

Mac mini, macOS 12.1

Posted on Jan 12, 2022 11:17 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

bobcollard

Level 3

719 points

Jan 13, 2022 8:18 AM in response to dogalog

Felt heat on the case is normal, to get a correct value and fan control download from the following link.: Then use the settings after that.

Macs Fan Control Download for macOS & Windows (Boot Camp) (crystalidea.com)

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Answer 2

den.thed

Level 10

82,282 points

Jan 13, 2022 11:42 AM in response to dogalog

As a long time owner of multiple 2010 - 2018 Mac Mini's and a verity of iMac models. I'm a firm believer in monitoring and overheating prevention for all Mac's, and have been using MacFanControl for many many years.

The only Mac Mini that I've ever had to replace the paste on so far, was a 2011 Mac Mini that I inherited. Needless to say, it had been abused and neglected by the previous owner to the point that the fan speed would kick up on high after a few minutes of light use. When I pulled that 2011 Mac Mini apart, like you I found chalk instead of paste, plus it had a warped heat exchanger. I tweaked the heat exchanger back in shape, replace the paste, replaced the HDD with a 1T SSD and currently use that same 2011 Mac Mini as a media and file serve.

With that said, if you replaced the paste and are still having an overheating or CPU/GPU problem?

Then I suspect that you have a plugged or warped heat exchanger and/or worse, a damaged CPU/GPU chip.

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Answer 3

dogalog Author

Level 1

5 points

Jan 15, 2022 3:41 AM in response to den.thed

Hello and thanks for the info.

I downloaded the Mac Fan Control and ran it finding the various temps were up in the high 40s plus area, and when the ambient room air temp was around 30 deg C the core temps etc were correspondingly higher. I cleaned out all the fan dust and am planning on replacing the thermal paste when time permits.

Because of the way Apple has (cleverly I guess) shoe-horned everything together, paste replacement will need a bit of care.

Having said all that I restarted the mac mini as I usually let it sleep when not in use, lo and behold the temps appeared to improve after restarting ! However I'll press on and check out the state of the thermal paste.

Thanks again for the advice. It seems that Apple Macs are a remarkably good machine, this one is around five years old now.

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Answer 4

den.thed

Level 10

82,282 points

Jan 15, 2022 7:13 AM in response to dogalog

You’re welcome.

That is good news and those temp’s are OK.

If you cleaned the fan, blew out the heat sink and the temp’s are better. Then I do not think that there is any need to dig in any deeper in order to replace the paste at this point.

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Mac mini and other models running hot

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