As mentioned in one of my blog posts last Friday, we’ve been busy testing the limits of the 2009 Mac mini models. In late August, Apple released Mac mini EFI Firmware Update 1.2 which improves compatibility with the latest Apple memory kits on Mac mini computers.
It did a little more than that though. It improved compatibility of OWC brand memory as well. As all of our memory meets or exceeds Apple’s requirements for RAM, it’s no surprise that, yet again, OWC can support memory expansion beyond the maximum installed amount suggested by Apple.
We have fully tested all 2009 release date Mac mini computers with both Leopard and Snow Leopard and found no issues regarding which OS was used for testing a full 8.0GB of RAM installed. Under both operating systems, the memory was fully utilized and no system detriment in speed was observed.
Keep in mind, this information is for Mac mini model identifier macmini3,1. Intel Mac mini machines released prior to 2009 (macmini1,1 or macmini2,1) have hardware limitations that only allow those machines to max out RAM at 2.0GB and 3.0GB respectively.
Want to take your mini to the maximum? OWC has the Mac mini upgrades you need to make your machine screaming fast.
Tuesday, 27. October 2009
Hey,
nice to here that! Do you happen to know whether something has change in the recent Snowy 10.6.1 or .2 and Macbook 5,1 Unibody Intel Core 2 Duo will support 8GB of RAM? I am really curious!
Tuesday, 27. October 2009
I thought the Mac mini 2007 model could use the full 4GB and wasn’t limited to just 3GB.
Wednesday, 28. October 2009
Apple factory specification maximum is 2.0GB in those machines. OWC tested to support 3.0GB maximum RAM. 4.0GB can be installed, but only 3.0GB will be addressed.
Friday, 13. November 2009
Wasn’t that just a limitation of OSX at the time?
Now it should address 4GB….
Cheers
Saturday, 21. November 2009
“no system detriment in speed was observed” means no speed improvement was observed? Perhaps the extra 4 GB of RAM are not utilized?
Monday, 23. November 2009
The extra 4GB of RAM is utilized without the speed detriment that we found with many memory modules prior to Apple’s release of the EFI firmware update. This is exactly why it is so exiting that OWC can now support up to 8.0GB of memory in the Mac mini.
I encourage you to check out our benchmarks of the Mac mini, especially the “RAM Hog I Test” showing just how much quicker the additional memory can make the mini run.