Charly

I had no time... But I´m trying to find an i7 with good price... maybe 2012 but first I´ll try to find the difference of using TB1 or TB2 with my GTX 970. I´ll post any news and conclusions.

Interesting, Do you have minis to sell right now? I just realized that third Heaven Benchkmark picture i posted yesterday is from your thread jejeje Do you thing is possible to pass again the benchmark with 1080 resolution and no aa? Thank you!

ikir, thanks for your advice, i did´t know 2014 mini has an option tu upgrade the drive with a pci ssd, I asume you are talking about this, don´t you? http://www.applecomponents.com/items/carrier-hard-drive-with-flash-storage/0000006001?pn=10&cat=Service Parts: Cables&per_page=30 About 2014 Mini, I know that RAM is faster than 2012 but it´s really cheap to upgrade the 2012 with 16gb and it´s really difficult and expensive to find a 2014 with 16 GB of RAM, about the thunderbolt again is faster but in terms of using my 970 GTX eGPU I don´t know exactly the difference. I wold like to compare but i´m can´t find similar eGPU configurations with similar CPU & RAM 2012 and 2014 minis to see real differences. Thank you

Thank you for your reply!! Do you have any pictures or results in benchmarks like Heaven? Would be great... I have a GTX 970 and it looks like is more powerful than your 960 , in your opinion, Would be a big difference or more an less like your case? Thanks again errin!!

Hi again, it looks like in terms of CPU the 2014 i5 CPU´s are a little bit faster than 2012 in single core but slower on multicore proceses. 2014 models starting in 2,6 Ghz goes with Intel Iris Graphic 5100 with is twice faster than Intel 400 on 2012 models. So: 2012 PROS : RAM upgrading, Better CPU´s (4% slower single core, 46% faster in multicore) CON: iGPU Intel 4000 90% Slower than Iris 5100 , Thunderbolt 1 2014 PROS : Iris 5100, Thunderbolt 2 CONS: RAM Soldered, slower CPU´s in Multi Core With these data I would choose 2012 model, but I´m not sure if Thunderbolt 2 would be a great improvement to my eGPU... I tried to find real cases but all of them are with really different Mac Minis configs, RAM and eGPU´s so I´m still little confused. Anybody? UPDATE I´m trying to find different benchmarks results for different Mini´s with different configurations and see the differences. Mini 2012 i5 2,5 GHz + 16 RAM + 970 GTX i5 2,5 GHz + 16 RAM + 960 GTX Mini 2014 i5 2,8 GHz + 16 RAM + 970 GTX

Hi guys, I´m planning to buy Mac Mini to have a second setup with my 970 Zotac + Akitio Thunder 2. I would like an i7 Mac Mini but prices are still high so I´m going to an i5 processor, so I´m trying to decide between to models 2012 i5 2,5 Ghz Thunderbolt 1 or 2014 i5 1,4 Ghz. In one hand the 2012 model is the most upgradable Mac Mini being possible to use 16 GB RAM but it´s Thunderbolt version is 1 on the other hand the 2014 model is not RAM upgradeable but it´s Thunderbolt is version 2. What do you thing? Go to 2012 or 2014? Does anybody can help me? Any benchmarks? Thank you so much!

Thanks, I´ll try post all pictures about construction process and explanation in a couple of days, but as you can see in the pictures fan only take fresh air from the exterior, and the push the warm air to the hole into the upper part. Without the pipes fans took air from everywhere, some fresh air but also warm air from the card. Next step is finish all the electric cable inside the case (GPU, PSU switch, maybe extra fans) and design a top part cover.

Hi Dschijn I´m finishing my build, it´s objetive is to improve the cooling of the egpu, at the moment I´m really happy about the results but I realized after playing for long periods of time that the akitio´s board gets little hot. My intention is to use those fans to canalize fresh air directly to de board and as you know there is no much free space inside the case so I need really small fans and those Noctua are in my opinion the best (size/noise/air flow) I´ll try to start a new post this weekend with all the work and steps I did in my not yet finished build and maybe you can give me your oppinion, I´m going to post a couple of pictures (I can´t wait xD) As I said before is not finished but you can start to see the finish design.

Thank you kos, It´s a good idea, I thought before but now I´m trying to find enough space to place the fans inside and maybe I´m not going to do it. Need to think about it

Thank you Dschijn!!

Hi guys, Did anybody applied underbolt CPU on MBPr MID 2012? I´m trying to find info, but find nothing concrete, just some advises about undervolting but nothing concret. Please, Can someone expain a little bit what I would have to change? Another thing is that in my Intel XTU - Advance Tuning I have no many options to set: While loking for information in google, on some other people screen captures I can see more optinos in Advanced Tuning: Are different setting options related to the CPU model? I´ll be really please If someone explain this a little beat. Thank you

What I did to resolve my kernel panics: 1- If you have dGPU: Disable automatic changing graphic card in settings/energy 2- Dissable go to sleep 3- Don´t reactive SIP In my case works 100%

The performance is great!! I´ve been playing XCOM-2 like a charm, with my MBP2 Mid 2012

Hi none, it looks strange you get high performance playing games in OS X than WIN I have also MBPr Mid 2012 and works better when playing games in WIN, not huge but you can see the difference. Those temperatures are really high, I strongly recommend you change thermal paste and use Mac Fan Control Software, I can´t remember the exact temperature before i changed the paste. Could you compare your temperatures with mine please? This is my MBPr 2012 just with Safari, some mail, just regular use.

XD Relax... I´m just trying to learn and take care of my eGPU implementation, this forum is about that, Isn´t it? Thank you again.

I read all Noctua´s specs and data sheets first, this is not the question. What I need to know is Akitio´s fan conector specification, support 1,2 W (0,6W FAN1 + 0,6W FAN2) The question is: Does the Akitio´s board fan connector can supply enough power to handle both fans without overloading or overheating the dock? Maybe I din´t explain it clear enough. Thank you.

Arbystrider, The "Caution text" I used before is extracted from another placer, is not related to Akitios board it was an example to show you my fear origin. The specifications of the Noctua fans are: Max PW : 0,6 W Max Amp : 0,05 A Exactly the same than the original SUNON MB60201V3-000U-A99 that comes with Akitio. As I told I have no idea if doubling the electricity draw is dangerous or the power needed is in fact ridiculous and I don´t have to worry Are you sure? Thank you!

Maybe I´m completely wrong but in my opinion the combined power draw of the fans connected to Akitio´s board don´t have to exceed the capacity of the connector, I just want to be sure... In many situations spliters are never recommended, overheating risk, overload risk, etc... Arbystrider, Are you sure that using a splitter in this situation is safe? Take a look of this: Caution: Do not use high power fans with this adapter due to the possibility of overloading motherboard fan power regulator. The limit of a fan header on a typical motherboard is usually around ~10W.

That is great but actually a don´t need solder any cables, the Noctua fans I purchased comes with 2 pin -> 3 pin adapter. Maybe I din´t explain my question correctly... my english is not really good... I´m worried about the electricity load, I would like to know if it´s safe to connect two fans with an adapter to the only one Fan connector of the Akitio´s board. As I know nothing about electricity I would prefer wait until an expert confirm it´s possible. Thank you Arbystrider

Hi guy´s, Long time without writing any posts, I´ve been working a lot... I´m planing a new mod to my Akitio case, I´ll post the pictures of the process, I´m really proud about it. Anyway, I want to replace the fan that comes inside the case using two noctua fans: Noctua NF-A4X10 FLX My question is: Is it posible to connect both fans to the Akitio´s board fan connector? I don´t want to burn anything, but it would be great because then i did´t need another cable connected to the psu if it´s possible. Thank you guys!!

Hi Malifunction, I recomend you to remove the original thermal paste and apply a new one, on the CPU and the iGPU... Before I changed the original thermal paste I normally reach 100ª playing games (no eGPU at that moment...) I was really scared, I paid a lot of € for my 2012 MBPr and the hot inside the MBP is your worst enemy to Once I change the paste the temperature decrease 10ª, I´M NOT KIDDING Using the eGPU and playing games with the new paste the temperature is normally between 78º - 85º On iddle the temperature i¡is between 58º 60º I spend some time studying different pastes, and then I choose thermal grizzly because: - You don´t have to wait time to have the best response, I mean you put it and start working at the moment - The high and low range temperature supported where much better than another popular like Arctic Silver Ups... never forget to deep clear the fans and all the dust inside de MBP Good luck!

Good luck next time!! and thank you!!

Jajajaja, never try it at home!! Actually I didn´t move the hole unit, I realized of the problem because I touched every cable connection in the unit while benchmarking to make sure it wasn´t overheating issues due to high loads of power. When I layed my finger on the barren adapter it losed the power connection for a moment and freezed the system the I start to find someone with the same problem. Yea.. you cable looks really great but they charge me 13€ more or less in shipping, so i´m trying to find another supplier with you cable specifications.

To make sure that you have the same problem just follow these steps: 1- Unplug your GPU from Akitio 2- Unplug your thunderbolt port 3- Use the original Akitio PSU to power the unit and make sure that the green/yellow light that is place inside the board is on. With that you now the Akitio unit is working OK 4- If the light remains off, bad luck man... probably your unit is damaged or defective. 2- If you can see the light with the original PSU is time to check if your problem comes with your barrel adaptor. Connect your barrel adaptor to Akitio 3- Switch on your PSU 4- If all is OK you´ll see a yellow/green light inside the internal Akitio board 5- If it´s not working: Try to move softly the barrel adaptor while is connected from on side to the other side, trying to provoque good contact between the adapter and the akitio power connector and take a look inside the board. In my case some times the hole unit doesn´t power and with a simple touch on the barrel it makes connection an everything works great. I now that the is really unstable, it´s the reason I´m trying to find those 5.5x2.5 barrels with internal pins. Good Luck

Hi guys, I have a cuestión about the barrel adaptor, I got a couple of barrel adaptors with the correct sizes, 5.5x2.5 mm solder to one molex cable and power the Akitio, everything is working fine. But, I just realized if something hit the barrel when is connected to the Akitio it loose contact and switch off the Akitio. The problem in my opinion is the original Akitio PSU barrel has a couple off tiny metallic pins which helps the barrel to fit straight and firmly inside the conector (PICURE 1), but the only barrel i found don´t have it (PICTURE 2) If i try to move the original barrel while is connected don´t loose power any moment. With all of that i´m confused because I think that nobody has the same problem as I am and in my opinion must be really common. What do you think? Dschijn, I´m trying to buy the cable you did, as it looks that has the inside pins like the original, but they want to charge me 15€ in transport... the cable is like 2€ so I´m trying to find another shop as where I live they only have barrels without the inside pins, as you can see in the second pic.