Mac Mini i7 2.3 HD Native is processor getting HOT!!

[jjking]

Originally Posted by propower

When I had mine - ~16% CPU was enough to drive the temp to max out the fans as well. Temp varies between 90degC and 100degC for the mini as to where a specific unit regulates (search macRumours for tons of info).

WRT 16% CPU with no session open... (I assume that is Activity monitor) please check this thread and see if it applies for you ... the Mini Fan was my first experience with this ...

http://duc.avid.com/showthread.php?t=349742

Maybe I didn't explain myself well, I didn't mean 16% with no session open. The 16% was when session was running but after closing the session although cpu wa reduced the temp was over 83c.

[musicman691]

Originally Posted by Hugh-H

Hello jjking,

We have a number of Minis with expansion chassis and in our testing the Minis would get up to 92degC after about 2 hours of heavy use. Obviously yours is getting hotter. After the first one got that high I took it in to Apple who tested it, and told me "not to worry, if the Mini gets too hot it will turn itself off for protection". Not what we want.

We did a bunch of cooling testing on the Minis to determine a solution and Apple's airflow design is inadequate. The air intake is in the front of the machine in the narrow slot between the bottom plastic cover and the case, the air then flows through the hard drive area, into the main cpu area and over the heatsinks, then through the fan and out the back. The restriction is the narrow slot - everything else in the Mini allows adequate airflow.

Make sure enough air can get through the narrow slot and make sure the rear is clear to avoid short cycling the airflow. Of course we would NEVER void the Mini's warranty by modifying any airflow in the unit.

Hugh

This is why I said to elevate the Mini off the table so it gets airflow all around and through it.
Also check that the fan connector is fully plugged in - there was a rash of problems a while back where the connector wasn't fully seated from the factory and the fan wouldn't work right.

[jjking]

Originally Posted by musicman691

This is why I said to elevate the Mini off the table so it gets airflow all around and through it.
Also check that the fan connector is fully plugged in - there was a rash of problems a while back where the connector wasn't fully seated from the factory and the fan wouldn't work right.

Does Avid take it ( the heating CPU problem) into consideration when they confirmed the i7 late 2012 Mac Mini as a PT HD Native compatible Apple computer?

[musicman691]

Originally Posted by jjking

Does Avid take it ( the heating CPU problem) into consideration when they confirmed the i7 late 2012 Mac Mini as a PT HD Native compatible Apple computer?

Probably not.

[jjking]

Originally Posted by musicman691

Probably not.

Hi Jack, Do you have the same heating problems with the iMac?
Do you know if mini + HDX is running cooler?

[musicman691]

Originally Posted by jjking

Hi Jack, Do you have the same heating problems with the iMac?
Do you know if mini + HDX is running cooler?

No heating problems with the iMac in my sig file then again I don't have stuff crammed around the computer and keep the airflow path free of obstruction (air comes in the bottom through the ram slot covers and out the top).

Now you're asking about HDX which has dsp chips on it and is a completely different animal than HD Native. The HDX will help but only in the case of having plugins coded to run on it. Not all aax64 plugins run on the dsp card; those will still need to run off the computer's cpu.

The Mini I have (mid 2010) is my Photoshop/web machine and will get warm to the touch but has never gotten hot enough to shut down. I think the highest cpu temp I've ever had was just under 160 F during a heavy Photoshop session. But I also have some kind of audio going at the same time (either internet radio or cd in the SuperDrive) while working in Photoshop so it'a a heavy load.

[jjking]

Originally Posted by musicman691

No heating problems with the iMac in my sig file then again I don't have stuff crammed around the computer and keep the airflow path free of obstruction (air comes in the bottom through the ram slot covers and out the top).

Now you're asking about HDX which has dsp chips on it and is a completely different animal than HD Native. The HDX will help but only in the case of having plugins coded to run on it. Not all aax64 plugins run on the dsp card; those will still need to run off the computer's cpu.

The Mini I have (mid 2010) is my Photoshop/web machine and will get warm to the touch but has never gotten hot enough to shut down. I think the highest cpu temp I've ever had was just under 160 F during a heavy Photoshop session. But I also have some kind of audio going at the same time (either internet radio or cd in the SuperDrive) while working in Photoshop so it'a a heavy load.

Looks like the safe (coolest..) way is HDX with (avid mostly) aax dsp plug ins...
I never saw a clear statement like this from any involved companies (Avid or Apple) but that seems to be the sum of this subject.
No one can tell how long will live a mac mini running 95c for hours every day but I have the feeling this is not what it was planned for..

[propower]

Countless posts on MacRumours and Apple will confirm that the temp performance is perfectly normal. Only Pro Audio or Video editing, ripping (probably a few other special tasks will put a constant CPU load on a machine.

Minis will ramp up temps very quickly and between 15% and 25% constant load regulate at ~92degC

MBP do the same thing (though I don't know the exact load on them since I have never owned one - tested in an apple store though...).

imacs - late 2013 model takes somewhere between 50% and 85% load to get to over 90degC.

Old Mac Pro - 20degC rise is a LOT !!!
New Mac Pro (just got one yesterday) - so far 50% CPU load on a stock Quad using HDN = 6degC rise (~42degC).

[jjking]

Looks like the extra money give you some cooler (& longer) life.
Good luck with your new MP!

[Hugh-H]

Hello,

The aforementioned 16% at several hours for 90+degC is normal for a stock Mini. As I mentioned and I'll mention again, the issue is the air inlet slot. Trying to give you folks some help.... :) Our Minis currently run at 80degC when working hard but naturally we would NEVER void the warranty.

Hugh