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16gb ram in mac mini i5 2.5?

Can I install 16gb of ram into my i5 2.5 mac mini? currently it has 4gb ram. Crucial sells a 16gb kit. Apple only shows a max of 8gb correct?

Mac mini

Posted on Mar 2, 2012 3:58 PM

Reply
54 replies

Mar 2, 2012 11:23 PM in response to den.thed

den.thed wrote:


Yes, OWC also sells a tested 16GB kit for the 2011 Mac Mini's.


Apple Mac mini Memory DDR3 / Ram upgrades for 2011 Mac mini unibody models

I went to the link you posted.

It says:

Upgrade options for

Mac mini 2.3GHz, 2.5GHz or 2.7GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 or quad-core i7
(Mid 2011 with Model Identifier: Macmini5,1 & Macmini5,2)

My mac mini has the identifier: Macmini 5,2. But in System Report this is what is dispayed:

Model Identifier: Macmini5,2

Processor Name: Intel Core i7

Processor Speed: 2.7 GHz

Number of Processors: 1

Total Number of Cores: 2

From the info on the link you provided, it reads as though I should have 4 cores { Quad Core }

Am I missing something ? or am I just reading it incorrectly.

Please help.

Mar 2, 2012 11:58 PM in response to b j t

Perhaps OWC is messed up, it says the 2.5, 5,2 in this link, but not once you select it..


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


Upgrade options for

  • Mac mini 2.3GHz, 2.5GHz or 2.7GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 or quad-core i7
    (Mid 2011 with Model Identifier: Macmini5,1 & Macmini5,2)
  • Mac mini with Snow Leopard Server 2.0GHz quad-core Intel Core i7
    (Mid 2011 with Model Identifier: Macmini5,3)

Mar 3, 2012 12:42 AM in response to BDAqua

BDAqua Wrote:


Perhaps OWC is messed up, it says the 2.5, 5,2 in this link, but not once you select it..


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



Just went to link you provided.

Got this:

User uploaded file

Mac mini (Mid 2011)

(July, 2011)

Model ID: Macmini5,1 & Macmini5,2

2.3GHz, 2.5GHz, 2.7GHz

Detailed specs

Install Videos


Now I am happy that I didn't get F*****D out of 2 cores in my proccessor { what difference 2 cores OR 4 cores would make, I'm not sure }

Mar 3, 2012 2:15 AM in response to raminator5.7

Be aware, that even though currently Mini's may work with

16 gig of RAM, any future OSX updates could render that

extra RAM useless. This has happened in the past and no

reason that it may not happen in the future. Remember that

Apple "officially" will only support up to 8 gig of RAM.


I pretty much agree with Capaho, if you "need" 16 gig of RAM

for what you are doing, the Mini is the wrong machine for

your purpose.

Mar 14, 2012 2:45 PM in response to raminator5.7

I have a 2.7GHz i7 mac mini with 8gig of ram.


I use Logic pro9 and i have some very greedy 3rd party plu-ins that push my mini to the max.


More Ram for Logic pro is a good thing.


But i can tell you from first hand experience that your processor the CPU won't be fast enough to utilze 16gig of ram.


When i stuck 16gig of Ram in mine there was no performance boost with Logic 9 at all, so i went back to 8gig of Ram.


You need a CPU as fast as the server Quad core 2.0 i7 macmini to make use of the other 8 gig of Ram.


Now looking back i wished that i had bought the server model, its a lot more powerful regarding app's like Logic or Final cut.

But i am happy with what i have, i just have to work with-in its limitations. Its still a very fast computer though.


7 times faster than my 2.1 GHz G5 imac!!! 🙂

Mar 30, 2012 8:41 PM in response to capaho

Simply not true as the sandybridge can handle 32gb if there were four ports...but there are two so 16gb is the max. These Apple forums are the worst for info...there are so many average joes on here that only know the Apple "line"...


...and I also hate how everyone inquires to why someone needs more. I run 16gb on every system I have (except MBP) because I run fusion...and for example my SBS2008 test system likes 16gb...so I assign it 4 cores and anywhere from 8-16gb...so there.


RIght now as I write I have 5 Virtual systems running on my 27" imac that had a 512gb SSD as the main OSX drive and three of the virtual OS are running off my raid 4GB 800FW. I have a MacMini Server 2.0 Quad with dual 750gb Raid doing the same thing at work.


There is more to this world then you know...

16gb ram in mac mini i5 2.5?

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