The graphics are pretty weak to say the least so forget using a 4k monitor now or in the future the 2018 integrated graphics are decent enough for everyday use but at least you have the option of an eGPU down the line if needed.Ĭatalina could also well be the last OS version for the 2012.
#Late 2012 mac mini ram upgrade 1080p
In all cases, I'd just get the base 8Gb and upgrade RAM yourself as it's much cheaper (16gb is the max on the 2012 you can go up to 64gb on the 2018).īear in mind that the 2012 models (and 2014) are effectively 1080p machines only.
I don't really see the 128gb SSD on the i3 as much of an issue as there are now Thunderbolt/USB-C ports to add as much fast external storage as you like.Īlternatively, the 6-core 2018 i5 would be cheaper and a significant upgrade over the 2012 i7. Those components are getting on now and could fail at some point.įrom your use case, are you sure you even need the 2018 i7? It seems overkill as even the base model i3 is faster than that 2012 i7 and also benefits from significantly quicker DDR4 RAM. The 2012 i7 is still a decent machine but I don't know if I'd want to spend that much on something that is 8 years old. The cost variance between the 2 is quite large in my opinion but at the same time I don't want to get stuck with something old and regret that I didn't buy the newer model epecially when the 2018 has more updated ports.Īny help you folks can send my way to help sway me in either direction would help soo much and would be appreciated. Roughly, I'm looking at $1800-$2000 after tax and depending on which SSD I go with.įor my purpose I don't anything too extreme: surfing, youtube watching, Excel/Word, occasional light video editing. If I go with the 2018 model i was considering the i7 model, 8gm ram, and either 256/512 ssd. He's selling it for $700 (might be able to get it a bit cheaper as it's been up for grabs for a while). The 2012 model is an i7 with 16gb Ram, 500gb SSD, 1 TB HDD, magic mouse, magic trackpad, apple keyboard, and 2 Newertech miniStack external FireWire/USB3.0/eSata HDD enclosures. So I've been going back and forth for weeks between getting a used 2012 Mac mini or buying a new 2018 Mac mini and I really can't decide.
#Late 2012 mac mini ram upgrade how to
If the specs sheet lists features like Registers or buffers, PLLs, ECC, Parity, or EDO RAM, this type of memory is not to be used with the new Mac mini, according to the Mac maker.Īpple says that all these specifications apply to both Mac mini (Late 2012), and Mac mini Server (Late 2012).Ī tutorial on how to remove or install memory can be found here.I'm new here so go easy on this newbie.lol. Install two identical memory modules,” reads the documentation.įor instance, to have a total of 8 GB of memory, use two 4 GB modules that come from the same vendor, to ensure optimal performance.įinally, the guide mentions DIMMs that won’t work with Mac mini (Late 2012) models. “For best performance, don't mix sizes of memory modules. In fact, Apple advises that you install two identical memory modules each time you decide to perform an upgrade. The Cupertino giant confirms that this year’s Mac mini is compatible with RAM module sizes of 2 GB, 4 GB or 8 GB in each slot, which means that you can slide in two 8-gig SO DIMMs for a total of 16 gigabytes of RAM. The exact specifications, according to the knowledge base article, are: PC3-12800 DDR3 Unbuffered Non-parity 204-pin module 1600 MHz. Support document HT5475 confirms that “Mac mini (Late 2012) and Mac mini server (Late 2012) computers have two internal memory slots.”Īccording to Apple, each of these slots accepts standard PC3-12800 DDR3 204-pin SO-DIMMs (short for Small Outline DIMM). You don’t have to tear your new Mac mini apart to determine what you need to upgrade its memory, in case you suddenly decide more RAM is necessary for your computing needs. The computer supports up to 16 GB of RAM now, despite featuring only two slots that take DDR3 204-pin SO-DIMMs. Apple has released a new KB article that details the memory specifications and upgrade process for the latest version of the Mac mini, introduced earlier this week.