Is it bad if my Mac gets to 60° C?

60ºc isn't terrible as long as it isn't for extended periods. I render video and my processor hits as high as 72º for about ten to twenty minutes at a time. I don't know anyone who only plays Sims3 for 20 minutes at a shot, though.

Sims3 is pretty tough on Macs, because it runs via Wine (a Windows emulator). That makes rendering the video take twice as much processor as it would if they'd build a Mac specific version, but that isn't going to happen.

It's one of the reasons I won't play Sims3 on my Mac Mini.

You can install SMC fan control (https://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/23049/smcfancontrol) and set a high speed setting for when you play Sims3 (about 2600rpm will help a little).

Also, reducing the game resolution, and turning off details & reflections will lighten the load on your system.

I use my Mac for work, so I can't afford to "cook it" for a game... and that's why I no longer have Sims3 installed.

And check your system profiler again... If you've only got 4Gb system RAM in a Late 2012 Mini... you don't have 1024Mb VRAM. It's 512Mb "out of the box". I never saw a full gig till I bumped the Mini up to 16Gb. 8Gb only took me from 512Mb to 768Mb.

You might want to give > Macs Fan Control a shot. I like it way better than smcFanControl because you don't have to fuss with checking temp's or adjusing the speed for different activities.

I run dual monitors on my 2010 Mini and from time to time give it a pretty good work out. The way I have it setup, it never goes much over 160 F even when I run demanding CPU or Graphic's programs.

It depends on what is being measured as being 60 degrees.

If it is one of the CPU sensors, which are most important for

it, then that is merely tepid and is really of no concern.

The Intel processors used in the Mini are spec'ed to run at up to

95 degrees C as measured on the processor. According

to the Intel site, if they get much hotter than that, the processor

is supposed to start throtlling down.

For what ever reason (and also suggested on the Intel site) is

that forced cooling should not be needed until temps approach

that value and seems to be how Apple sets their fan action

threshold.

Personally, I think that is silly and I use Fan Control which lets

you set a minimum fan speed, a temperature threshold for when

it starts to ramp up, and the temperature at which it will go to

full speed.

The CPU temp on my 2102 i5 runs at abount 87-90C all the times. I am running Seti at home

That's odd...

The Intel HD4000 VRAM is dependent on how much system RAM you have as far as I know.

I have the SAME late 2012 Mini and here's how my VRAM has progressed:

4Gb system RAM (out of the box)

8Gb system RAM (1st upgrade - I still had Mt. Lion)

16Gb (which I got right before Mavericks)

Not weird at all. My 2102 with stock 4 GB had 768 MB VRAM with ML and 1024 with Mavericks. Now ith 16 GB it is still 1024

That must be something that changed with Mavericks... the allocation of more VRAM.

Yes, Mavericks alsot more VRAM than ML.

All has not update ther article

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht3246#intel4000

Apple Computers using the Intel HD Graphics 4000 as the primary or secondary GPU reserve 384 MB to 768 MB of system memory.

yet to reflect that eventhough the article is dated Last Modified: Mar 24, 2014

I just submitted feedback

Well, I needed the 16Gb for other things and with Mt. Lion THAT was what finally bumped me to a gig of VRAM. What with video editing and VMS running all day, I had to have as much RAM as I could get. Next step (this summer) is a Samsung 1Tb SSD.