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Want even more memory? If you have an “late-2012” Mac Mini model, you could spring for a total of 16GB of RAM (or a pair of 8GB modules) for $80-ish. If you want, you could double that total to 8GB by buying a pair of 4GB memory modules, which (according to my quick research) would set you back about $40 or so. In your case, Page, your three-year-old Mac Mini has slots for two removable memory modules, probably (I’m guessing) with 2GB of memory in each module, for a total of 4GB of RAM (short for “Random Access Memory”). No “Memory” tab? If so, your Mac’s memory probably can’t be upgraded, although you can always search Apple’s support site to be sure. For the Mac Mini, you don’t even need a screwdriver to open the case.
#Mac mini memory upgrade howto how to
Many of the latest, thinnest MacBooks, for example, are sealed tight, as is the 2014 Mac Mini.Ĭlick the “Memory Upgrade Instructions” link for details on how much more memory you can install, and how to install the modules yourself-typically a process that involves little more than loosening a few screws and snapping the (delicate) modules into place. Now, not all Macs have “user-accessible” memory. Even better, memory upgrades are relatively cheap, and (so long as you’re handy with a screwdriver) you can generally do them yourself. It’s a quick way to give a sluggish system a big speed boost.
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Now, you were asking about a “silver bullet” for a slow Mac, and in my experience, here it is: a memory upgrade.
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#Mac mini memory upgrade howto mac os
If you’re seeing spikes, that’s a sign that your Mac is running low on memory-and if you’ve got a three-year-old Mac Mini running on a new version of Mac OS X, that’s definitely a possibility. Is the gauge smooth and green or do you see yellow and red spikes? (Note: You’ll probably see an entry for “kernal_task” at the top of the list that’s an important Mac system process that should be left alone.)Īlso, check out the Memory Pressure gauge at the bottom of the Activity Monitor window. See anything taking up an unusual amount of memory-more than a gigabyte? If so, try quitting the suspect program. Launch the app, click the Memory tab up at the top, then click the top of the long Memory column to sort the list of apps by the amount of system memory they’re using.
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You’ll find it sitting in the Utilities folder of your hard drive, or just do a Spotlight search for “Activity Monitor.” The Mac’s Activity Monitor app can tell you if there’s a program or process that’s slowing down your Mac.įirst, you can try seeing what’s going on inside your Mac by launching the Activity Monitor app.
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