Cooling solutions for the Mac minis?

[ChrisChaval]

with the Mac mini, apple notoriously slows down the real cooling potential of the built in fan because of noise

On my 2009 Mac mini, I used to use a program that allowed me to manually adjust and override the minimum temperature at which the internal fan would kick in as well as the respective speed settings, with respect to the default settings .. I do not remember the name of that little tool but it worked quite well

then, as mentioned above, there is the possibility of adding external cooling solutions

for example, I put my PS4 on a powerful notebook cooling pad with 2 or 3 big fans and leave it on 80% all the time while gaming. It is a good compromise between noise level and cooling efficiency

I would not get a Mac mini to be used under constant full load though. If so, I would want to look into additional cooling options, because - as stated above - there are a lot of components in that tiny enclosure which over time prove to be quite sensitive to heat

 

[Partron22]

"GOLD SLAB"!!!!!!

18 cubic inches of GOLD!

Just why would you not use the GOLD to get a computer(if needed) that already had good cooling??

It'd look pretty cool, and gold is a good heat conductor.
I settled for aluminum because it's a good conductor that's also cheap.

 

[archer75]

Mine's been running at 100% load all night doing some video encodes. CPU is about 95c currently 3.7ghz, case is cool. Fan is at max.
Airport card is 41c
CPU proximity 58c
GPU PECI 69c
memory proximity 50c
platform controller hub 62c

The fan does a very good job of moving the CPU heat out so that it doesn't affect other components very much.

 

[sauria]

I use the free app Macs Fan Control.

 

[Cape Dave]

If intel decided it was too hot they would throttle it to keep the temps lower. But they don't. So don't worry about it.
If apple decided it was too hot they could ramp the fan sooner. But they don't.

And yet, this is the company that does such a crappy job of applying CPU paste that a simple redo of this can lower temps by a LARGE margin. Because they care so much about cooling

 

[sauria]

Anyone use a cooling stand for a laptop?

 

[GoodGuy12345]

And yet, this is the company that does such a crappy job of applying CPU paste that a simple redo of this can lower temps by a LARGE margin. Because they care so much about cooling

How much will the temps lower if I changed my CPU paste?

 

[LeeW]

How much will the temps lower if I changed my CPU paste?

Mileage varies, I have seen it reduce by 10C overall.

 

[sauria]

Good data are found here about effective cool down:

https://egpu.io/forums/gpu-monitor-peripherals/mac-mini-2018-thermal-solutions-thread/

 

[F-Train]

How much will the temps lower if I changed my CPU paste?

Looks to be a waste of time and money: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/so-much-for-thermal-paste.2161171/
[doublepost=1545949227][/doublepost]It isn't high tech, but I can tell you what demonstrably works in a winter climate. Put the mini on the sill of a partially open window.

 

[sauria]

Looks to be a waste of time and money: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/so-much-for-thermal-paste.2161171/
[doublepost=1545949227][/doublepost]It isn't high tech, but I can tell you what demonstrably works in a winter climate. Put the mini on the sill of a partially open window.

Possibly, but this video has flawed methodology. YMMV.

 

[F-Train]

Possibly, but this video has flawed methodology. YMMV.

The refuge every time someone doesn't like what they're being told Must be the "methodology".

 

[sauria]

The refuge every time someone doesn't like what they're being told Must new the "methodology".

you may be right. But, the kid used different peripherals during the test so it is not comparing apples to apples. Poor experimental design.

 

[F-Train]

you may be right. But, the kid used different peripherals during the test so it is not comparing apples to apples. Poor experimental design.

Next refuge. Don't stop at an unspecified broadside about "methodology", call the adult who did the tests "the kid"

Also, ignore the posts from all the people in the thread who say that "the kid" is probably right.

 

[sauria]

Next refuge. Don't stop at an unspecified broadside about "methodology", call the adult who did the tests "the kid"

Also, ignore the posts from all the people in the thread who say that "the kid" is probably right.

All that you have to do is watch the video.

 

[GoodGuy12345]

I guess after months of searching, I found what I was looking for on instagram at #macmini2018 as of today.

Found this post (https://www.instagram.com/p/Bs4RtvZFXN4/) by a, supposedly fresh company named SPEED making a system to cool the Mac mini's. FINALLY!

Any of you guys heard of them, or do I buy it and find out myself?
My guess is that it probably works (cuz im desperate right now to get something that cools my computer), looks pretty good for a cooling base with aluminum, the site looks even like Apple's.

 

[sauria]

I wonder if they have a review?

 

[GoodGuy12345]

I wonder if they have a review?

Haven't found one yet. I'm sure there would be one soon, like every other new product. Especially something odd and unique like a cooling system for the most underrated Mac.

 

[Ploki]

This just looks like an aluminum slab with what i presume a fan underneath?

 

[F-Train]

My simple, foolproof, free cooling system:

NYC -9°C/16°F
Window open 3”
Mac mini on window sill

Works a charm & promotes fresh air exchange to boot.

 

[Cape Dave]

My simple, foolproof, free cooling system:

NYC -9°C/16°F
Window open 3”
Mac mini on window sill

Works a charm & promotes fresh air exchange to boot.

Supercooled! Overclockers delight, LOL!

 

[George Dawes]

Why on earth they didn’t update the cooling on the mini is beyond me and even change the form factor while they’re at it ?

The mini is based on the cd format design while it should be transitioning to an Apple TV form factor imo

 

[Ploki]

Why on earth they didn’t update the cooling on the mini is beyond me and even change the form factor while they’re at it ?

The mini is based on the cd format design while it should be transitioning to an Apple TV form factor imo

Because it's not really a Mini anymore. It's a "midi". It's apple's equivalent of a mid-tower, or at least, as close as we're going to get one from apple.

Agreed, a 85W machine with laptop chips would fit into Apple TV form factor.
A 150W desktop chip wouldn't.

So they did upgrade. the cooling, opening is larger, fan is stronger and larger.

Really, I like it. I like it more than any previous mini And it like it the most of all apple desktops sans 2006-2012 towers...

 

[Jorbanead]

Why on earth they didn’t update the cooling on the mini is beyond me and even change the form factor while they’re at it ?

The mini is based on the cd format design while it should be transitioning to an Apple TV form factor imo

But they did upgrade the cooling system? It’s much better than the older one. Did you not watch the Apple event in New York?

They should NOT have used the Apple TV form factor. The mini is not a laptop and I prefer the current design. It allows for desktop-class chips while still maintaining great performance.

 

[ElectronGuru]

This just looks like an aluminum slab with what i presume a fan underneath?

It’s not clear from just the photo. It may be active but given the power of the stock fan, may be a passive opening calibrated to enhance the existing intake.

I don’t even need one and am curious what they chose!