The very first Mac minis came with ether a Core Solo T1200, or one of two Core Duo 32-Bit CPUs. These CPUs hold back the 2006 Mac mini from being able to take advantage of a newer OS, increased RAM capacity, and overall better performance. Now in 2025 these first-gen Intel minis are cheap to buy and even cheaper to upgrade, with the max upgrade 2.33 GHz T7600 costing an average of only $20 USD on on sites like eBay. This article covers the CPU upgrade and its benefits.
Why Upgrade?
An Intel Core 2 Duo breathes a little extra life into this decades-old Mac, giving it a pinch more flexibility. The benefits would be obvious on the Linux and Windows side of things. On the Mac side, you’ll be able to supersede Mac OS X Snow Leopard, and at least be able to run up to Mac OS X Lion without too much hassle. There are users online who have been able to upgrade to OS X Mavericks with patches, whilst also retaining hardware accelerated graphics. If you want to take this to the extreme – the airport slot is actually a mini-PCIe slot, which can also run external GPUs. With a Core 2 Duo CPU, this Mac mini would be able to run up to OS X El Capitan with patches, with or without graphical hardware acceleration.
All the compatible CPUs
- Although there are a number of CPUs actually compatible with a 2006 Core Solo / Core Duo Mac mini, I strongly suggest you only pick up a Core 2 Duo T7600 2.33 GHz. Not only it’s the best possible CPU upgrade for the mini, but they’re also abundantly cheap anymore as this is a long-depreciated platform.
- Highest-tier CPU model per-architecture is highlighted in green, Italicized CPUs are “stock” and came with the Mac minis (same format as the MacRumors post).
(Credit for chart above goes to: TheMarble, Macrumors, Sourced on 1/15/2025, URL)
Disassembly
- Recommended Toolkits: iFixit Mako Driver Kit (Micro Center), Cheap eBay Toolkit works too.
- Also: iFixit Spudger set (You really don’t need a plastic card or giant knife for this, really)
- Credit for disassembly process and the photos of disassembly go to: Anthony “KrypticNexus” Cress, “Mac Mini 1,1 Upgrade – Going From Core Solo To Core 2 Duo – Far Out Friday”, Sourced on 1/15/2025, URL to video.
- Recommended: Get new thermal paste. I personally use Arctic MX-4.
1: Flip the Mini upside-down, and inset the spudger between the aluminum frame and plastic vents. Please be patient – not much force needs to be used for this process. You are pushing plastic tabs away from the aluminum housing so the Mac mini’s housing can be freed from the rest of the machine.
- Be careful of the spring that will pop-out from one of the wifi antennas.
(Above: Anthony “KrypticNexus” Cress, “Mac Mini 1,1 Upgrade – Going From Core Solo To Core 2 Duo – Far Out Friday”)
2: Next, there are 4 screws to undo which are in the black plastic portion of the housing. The 4 screws are located on each corner.
(Above: Anthony “KrypticNexus” Cress, “Mac Mini 1,1 Upgrade – Going From Core Solo To Core 2 Duo – Far Out Friday”)
3: Lift the ribbon cable up and out of the plastic tab connector (Be careful, this can break easily).
- Once done, the top portion should simply lift-off!
(Above: Anthony “KrypticNexus” Cress, “Mac Mini 1,1 Upgrade – Going From Core Solo To Core 2 Duo – Far Out Friday”)
4: Next, remove the logic board from the bottom portion of the Mac mini.
- First screw is next to the RAM slots.
- Disconnect the power switch and infrared sensor.
- Be super careful with the plastic tabs for the CPU, they tend to break. They can be replaced by a set of screws.
(Above: Anthony “KrypticNexus” Cress, “Mac Mini 1,1 Upgrade – Going From Core Solo To Core 2 Duo – Far Out Friday”)
5: The pins on the bottom must be carefully removed. You can use a spudger, or pinch them carefully using pliers. If you patiently push the double tabs inward and carefully push the pin down, you can save the pins if they aren’t brittle.
(Above: Anthony “KrypticNexus” Cress, “Mac Mini 1,1 Upgrade – Going From Core Solo To Core 2 Duo – Far Out Friday”)
6: Once the pins pop-out, you may now remove the CPU heatsink.
- Turn the locking mechanism 180 degrees on the mobile ZIF socket. It should only move 1mm.
7: Remove the old CPU, pop-in the new CPU!
- Perform the assembly process in the reverse order to the way it was disassembled.
Thermal Paste
- Don’t put too much, it can cause ineffective transfer of heat from the CPU to the heatsink. Way too much will create a moat around the CPU die, further insulating the CPU rather than cooling it. You want to put a tiny blob on there, so the CPU can make contact with the heatsink, not be smothered by it.
- The pressure from the heatsink held down by the pins should help spread out the blob. You can also spread the thermal paste onto the CPU due on your own, for a nice even coat.
(Above: Anthony “KrypticNexus” Cress, “Mac Mini 1,1 Upgrade – Going From Core Solo To Core 2 Duo – Far Out Friday”)
Upgrading the firmware from 1,1 to 2,1
See: GitHub process/instructions on how to do this via terminal. This should make it easier to install Mac OS X Lion.