Optimizing Mac mini with 8GB RAM for gaming performance

Question

Level 1

4 points

Optimizing Mac mini with 8GB RAM for gaming performance

Hi, I have only had a Mac a couple years and never really got into the how to of things. So I am looking at my activity monitor, and I only have 8 gigs of ram, but it shows 5 gigs beings used, and 3 gigs cached. The game I want to play is swtor and I need all the ram I can get. I went through my login settings and removed most things off start up. well I restarted, and I still have tons upon tons upon tons of items running right after I restart my Mac. Where can I go to remove these items? Is there a way I can do this from activity monitor, so I can see what I'm ending task on? anyway, need a lot of help. I am running a PC Mac antivirus, is there some free MAC booster/ anti virus that is better? Running on Mac sequoia 15.5. anyway, thanks

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Original Title: Optimizing my Mac mini

Mac mini, macOS 15.5

Posted on Jul 27, 2025 9:19 AM

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Answer 1

Allan Jones

Level 9

79,826 points

Jul 27, 2025 12:18 PM in response to Zerosense74

Let's try by the numbers:

Open the EtreCheck report:

1— make sure the report is selected in the left pane, then

2 — click "Share Report" to get this:

⚠️ DO NOT highlight the report before copying!! Etrecheck handles that, and your doing so will make the report harder to read.

3 — from the Share menu select "Copy report."

Now leave EtreCheck and go back to the forums. Open a reply to your own post.

4 — When the text entry window shows, click "Additional text." That open this field:

5 — Make it so.

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Answer 2

Jul 27, 2025 9:32 AM in response to Zerosense74

Uninstall all third party apps that claim to protect, clean, manage, etc. This would include uninstalling your third party antivirus app.

Effective defenses against malware and ot… - Apple Community

Unused RAM is wasted RAM. You should expect the majority of your RAM to be used every time you check it.

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Answer 3

Zerosense74 Author

Level 1

4 points

Jul 27, 2025 10:10 AM in response to BobTheFisherman

1st section:

EtreCheckPro version: 6.8.10 (68078)

Report generated: 2025-07-27 12:07:30

Download EtreCheckPro from https://etrecheck.com

Runtime: 1:50

Performance: Excellent

Problem: Other problem

Description:

Need to remove unwanted programs from login and or running in backgrou

nd

Major Issues:

Anything that appears on this list needs immediate attention.

Unsigned files - There are unsigned software files installed that could be malicious and should be reviewed.

Orphan system extension - A system extension has not been properly uninstalled.

Minor Issues:

These issues do not need immediate attention but they may indicate future problems or opportunities for improvement.

No Time Machine backup - Time Machine backup not found.

Clean up - There are orphan files that could be removed.

Hardware Information:

Mac mini (2023)

Status: Supported

Mac mini Model: Mac14,3

Apple M2 (m2) CPU: 8-core

8 GB RAM - Not upgradeable

Video Information:

Apple M2

MSI G27CQ4 2560 x 1440

Drives:

disk0 - APPLE SSD AP0256Z 251.00 GB (Solid State - TRIM: Yes)

Internal Apple Fabric NVM Express

S.M.A.R.T. Details: 0% used, 6.00 TB written, 100% health, 50 unsafe shutdowns

disk0s1 [APFS Container] 524 MB

disk1 [APFS Virtual drive] 524 MB (Shared by 4 volumes)

disk1s1 - iSCPreboot (APFS) [APFS Preboot] (6 MB used)

disk1s2 - xART (APFS) (6 MB used)

disk1s3 - Hardware (APFS) (815 KB used)

disk1s4 - Recovery (APFS) [Recovery] (20 KB used)

disk0s2 [APFS Container] 245.11 GB

disk3 [APFS Virtual drive] 245.11 GB (Shared by 6 volumes)

disk3s1 (APFS) [APFS Container] (11.25 GB used)

disk3s1s1 - Macintosh HD (APFS) [APFS Snapshot] (11.25 GB used)

disk3s2 - Preboot (APFS) [APFS Preboot] (7.11 GB used)

disk3s3 - Recovery (APFS) [Recovery] (1.03 GB used)

disk3s4 - Update (APFS) (4 MB used)

disk3s5 - Macintosh HD - Data (APFS) [APFS Virtual drive] (71.79 GB used)

disk3s6 - VM (APFS) [APFS VM] (20 KB used)

disk0s3 [APFS Container] 5.37 GB

disk2 [APFS Virtual drive] 5.37 GB (Shared by 2 volumes)

disk2s1 - Recovery (APFS) [Recovery] (1.95 GB used)

disk2s2 - Update (APFS) (2 MB used)

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Answer 4

leroydouglas

Level 10

201,010 points

Jul 27, 2025 9:51 AM in response to Zerosense74

Zerosense74 wrote:

Hi, I have only had a Mac a couple years and never really got into the how to of things. So I am looking at my activity monitor, and I only have 8 gigs of ram, but it shows 5 gigs beings used, and 3 gigs cached. The game I want to play is swtor and I need all the ram I can get. I went through my login settings and removed most things off start up. well

I restarted, and I still have tons upon tons upon tons of items running right after I restart my Mac.

Where can I go to remove these items?

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Original Title: Optimizing my Mac mini

Log at your Log-in items and remove anything that seems appropriate...

*Verify when you quit applications... you are not simply closing windows using the "Red pill button."

Command Q will quit apps;

or Use the drop down menu per application name> Quit

Command Tab will present the HUD (heads up display) for most running applications if in doubt

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Answer 5

Jul 27, 2025 9:42 AM in response to Zerosense74

Post an Etrecheck report so that we can see what is installed.

Using EtreCheck - Apple Community

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Answer 6

Jul 27, 2025 1:01 PM in response to Zerosense74

You are never going to be able to play that game on an M-series Mac since there is no macOS version (at least not on Steam).

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1286830/STAR_WARS_The_Old_Republic/

It is from 2011 so even if it did have a macOS version, I'm not sure it would be compatible as it was likely a 32bit game. Even if was a 64 bit game, it would be game from an Intel Mac so it would likely run poorly if at all on an M-series Mac.

If there is a macOS remake for an M-series Mac, or there is an iOS version that can be run on an M-series Mac, then that may change things, but a computer with just 8GB or RAM won't run most games these days. And Macs have never been known for a gaming platform. From time to time there may be some Mac compatible games, but that is the exception rather than the rule (and they are always second class citizens if there is an online component).

FYI, you should always write out the full name of the game and even provide a link to it. Most people on this forum would not be aware this was a reference to a Star Wars game (I wasn't even 100% certain).

Edit: And look at the Windows system requirements in that link.....it needed 6GB of RAM (that was in 2011 no less!). No way an 8GB system will run it since macOS needs at least 4GB of RAM for its most basic functions.

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Answer 7

Zerosense74 Author

Level 1

4 points

Jul 27, 2025 9:38 AM in response to BobTheFisherman

ok thanks. I was winding about that.. However even after I do this, there are tons of programs running in the background that appear to be slowing things down. As for RAM question, if I start playing a game, will it clear my ram, and just start to cache the game files (ie removing other items)?

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Answer 8

Zerosense74 Author

Level 1

4 points

Jul 27, 2025 10:12 AM in response to BobTheFisherman

2nd

Mounted Volumes:

disk1s1 - iSCPreboot [APFS Preboot]

Filesystem: APFS

Mount point: /System/Volumes/iSCPreboot

Used: 6 MB

Shared values

Size: 524 MB

Free: 506 MB

disk1s2 - xART

Filesystem: APFS

Mount point: /System/Volumes/xarts

Used: 6 MB

Shared values

Size: 524 MB

Free: 506 MB

disk1s3 - Hardware

Filesystem: APFS

Mount point: /System/Volumes/Hardware

Used: 815 KB

Shared values

Size: 524 MB

Free: 506 MB

disk3s1s1 - Macintosh HD [APFS Snapshot]

Filesystem: APFS

Mount point: /

Read-only: Yes

Used: 11.25 GB

Shared values

Size: 245.11 GB

Free: 153.79 GB

Available: 154.92 GB

disk3s2 - Preboot [APFS Preboot]

Filesystem: APFS

Mount point: /System/Volumes/Preboot

Used: 7.11 GB

Shared values

Size: 245.11 GB

Free: 153.79 GB

disk3s4 - Update

Filesystem: APFS

Mount point: /System/Volumes/Update

Used: 4 MB

Shared values

Size: 245.11 GB

Free: 153.79 GB

Antivirus software: Apple

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Answer 9

Zerosense74 Author

Level 1

4 points

Jul 27, 2025 10:19 AM in response to BobTheFisherman

3rd

disk3s5 - Macintosh HD - Data [APFS Virtual drive]

Filesystem: APFS

Mount point: /System/Volumes/Data

Encrypted

Used: 71.79 GB

Shared values

Size: 245.11 GB

Free: 153.79 GB

Available: 154.92 GB

disk3s6 - VM [APFS VM]

Filesystem: APFS

Mount point: /System/Volumes/VM

Used: 20 KB

Shared values

Size: 245.11 GB

Free: 153.79 GB

USB:

USB 3.1 bus

<Empty>

USB 3.1 bus

Apple Inc. - Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad

USB 3.1 bus

Logitech - USB Receiver

Network:

Interface en0: Ethernet

Interface en4: Ethernet Adapter (en4)

Interface en5: Ethernet Adapter (en5)

Interface bridge0: Thunderbolt Bridge

Interface en1: Wi-Fi

802.11 a/b/g/n/ac

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Answer 10

Zerosense74 Author

Level 1

4 points

Jul 27, 2025 10:06 AM in response to BobTheFisherman

Thanks its running now

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Answer 11

Jul 27, 2025 10:14 AM in response to Zerosense74

Use the "Additional text" button to post the whole report.

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Answer 12

Zerosense74 Author

Level 1

4 points

Jul 27, 2025 10:28 AM in response to BobTheFisherman

thanks again, sorry for the mess.

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