Do the Mac Mini Memory Upgrade Yourself

Find out what kind of Mac Mini memory upgrade you need. Depending on which model you have the type of mac mini ram you need may differ. Check this list before you decide what to buy.

Upgrading RAM is a cheap way to add a little more performance. I would max it out so I am on the safe side. Besides, RAM is quite affordable today anyway. It is hard to say exact what you will expect when you upgrade. In general applications may feel a bit more snappier, things might run more smooth. It all depends on what you use your computer for.

Up until now Apple have released six different versions of the Mac Mini. The list below will show you what kind of RAM you need with the different models.

Mac Mini (original) and Late 2005
This was the first one released by Apple. The G4 version. Here you have only one RAM slot to use. This Mac supports up to 1GB of DDR SDRAM at 333 MHz. If you want to max out the RAM buy this one: Crucial Technology CT12864X335 1GB PC2700 DDR 333MHZ 200PIN SODIMM 2.5V CL2.5 Unbuffered Non-ECC Upgrade Memory Module. It will work fine with the G4 Mac Minis. They support up to 1GB.

Mac Mini (Early 2006 and Late 2006)
In these models Apple replaced the G4 CPU to Intel Core Solo and Core Duo. You also have two RAM slots available now. The max amount of RAM you can use in these are 2GB. The type of memory used is DDR2 SDRAM at 667 MHz. If you want to max out the RAM buy this kit: Crucial 2GB Set(2x1GB) 200-Pin PC2 5300 667Mhz SODIMM DDR2 RAM.

Mac Mini (Mid 2007)
Now Apple introduced the Core 2 Duo. 1.83 Ghz or 2.0 GHz. Officially this computer supports up to 2GB of RAM. Using the same type of RAM as the one you can see above. If you want to do the mac mini memory upgrade you can buy the 2x1GB kit showing above. However you can also buy a 4GB kit if you want. Your Mac will only be able to use about 3GB of it so it is all up to you. If you want to do that instead this is the mac mini ram kit you should get: Kingston Apple 4GB Kit (2x2GB Modules) 667MHz DDR2 SoDimm iMac and Macbook Memory (KTA-MB667K2/4GR). Remember your computer will only be able to address about 3GB, even if it shows you 4GB!

Mac Mini (Early 2009)
This is the latest update to the Mac Mini line. With Intel Core 2 Duo P7350 (2 GHz) or P8400 (2.26 GHz) available. This Mac uses DDR3 SDRAM running at 1066 MHz. The max amount of RAM you can use here is 4GB and you have two slots to use. If you want to max out the RAM buy this kit: Crucial CT2KIT25664BC1067 4GB 204-PIN PC3-8500 SODIMM DDR3 Memory KIT (2GBx2).

There you have it. It doesn't cost you so much to gain more performance out of these small computers. It is possible to install these memory modules yourself. It is a bit tricky but certainly possible to do the mac mini memory upgrade at home. Check this page for video instructions on how to do this process: Do The Mac Mini Upgrade Yourself, Save Money.