Apple updates Mac mini with Thunderbolt, 2X graphics and CPU power

Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
Apple on Wednesday updated the Mac mini with next generation Intel core processors, new discrete graphics, high-speed Thunderbolt I/O technology and Mac OS X Lion at entry-level pricing starting at just $599.



At just 7.7-inches square and 1.4-inches thin, the new Mac mini maintains its compact aluminum design while delivering twice the processor and graphics performance of the previous generation. Customers can choose from three different configurations of Mac mini with the latest dual-core Intel Core i5 or Intel Core i7 processors, AMD Radeon HD 6630M discrete graphics, or a quad-core Intel Core i7 powered server configuration.



Designed without an optical disc drive, Mac mini can access the optical drives on other PCs and Macs, and works with the MacBook Air SuperDrive. Configure-to-order options include up to 8 GBs of memory, a faster 7200 RPM hard drive and a 256GB solid state drive.



?Mac mini delivers the speed and expandability that makes it perfect for the desktop, living room or office,? said Philip Schiller, Apple?s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. ?With faster processors, more powerful graphics and Thunderbolt in an incredibly compact, aluminum design, the new Mac mini is more versatile than ever.?







Mac mini now comes with Thunderbolt I/O technology for expansion possibilities never before available to Mac mini users. With a Thunderbolt port, Mac mini can connect to peripherals such as high-performance storage devices, RAID arrays and the new Apple Thunderbolt Display, a crisp 27-inch IPS widescreen display that?s great for making FaceTime HD video calls, surfing the Web and viewing movies and photos.



With ultra-fast Wi-Fi, users can wirelessly download apps from the Mac App Store, get music and movies from iTunes, back up data to Time Capsule and share files with AirDrop, which makes transferring files quick and easy. Mac also mini includes Bluetooth for wireless peripherals and four USB ports for easy connectivity for the wired and wireless devices you use every day.







At the same time, Apple said the new Mac mini remains the world?s most energy efficient desktop, meets Energy Star 5.2 requirements and achieves EPEAT Gold status. Mac mini has a highly recyclable aluminum enclosure, PVC-free components and cables, no brominated flame retardants and features material-efficient system and packaging designs.



Every new Mac mini comes with Mac OS X Lion, the latest major release of Mac OS X,, and iLife apps for creating and sharing great photos, movies and music.







Tech Specs

Size and Weight

Height: 1.4 inches (3.6 cm)

Width: 7.7 inches (19.7 cm)

Depth: 7.7 inches (19.7 cm)

Weight: 2.7 pounds (1.22kg)

Processor

2.3GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 with 3MB on-chip shared L3 cache, $599

2.5GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 with 3MB on-chip shared L3 cache, $700 (Configurable to 2.7GHz dual-core Intel Core i7, only at the Apple Online Store)

Memory

2.3GHz: 2GB of 1333MHz DDR3 memory (Configurable to 4GB or 8GB, only at the Apple Online Store)

2.5Ghz: 4GB of 1333MHz DDR3 memory (Configurable to 8GB, only at the Apple Online Store)

Storage

500GB (5400-rpm) hard drive

Both models configurable to 750GB (7200-rpm) hard drive; 2.5GHz model also configurable to 256GB solid-state drive or 256GB solid-state drive and 750GB (7200-rpm) hard drive, only at the Apple Online Store.

Graphics

2.3GHz: Intel HD Graphics 3000 processor with 288MB of DDR3 SDRAM shared with main memory

2.5GHz: AMD Radeon HD 6630M graphics processor with 256MB of GDDR5 memory

Video Support

Thunderbolt port with support for up to 2560-by-1600 resolution

HDMI port with support for up to 1920-by-1200 resolution

DVI output using HDMI to DVI Adapter (included)

Support for dual display and video mirroring

Audio

Audio line in minijack (digital/analog)

Audio line out/headphone minijack (digital/analog)

HDMI port supports multichannel audio output

Support for Apple iPhone headset with microphone

Built-in speaker

Connections and Expansion

Thunderbolt port (up to 10 Gbps)

FireWire 800 port (up to 800 Mbps)

Four USB 2.0 ports (up to 480 Mbps)

HDMI port

SDXC card slot

Gigabit Ethernet port

Audio in/out

Communications

802.11n Wi-Fi wireless networking;4 IEEE 802.11a/b/g compatible

Bluetooth 4.0 wireless technology

10/100/1000BASE-T Ethernet (RJ-45 connector)

Electrical and Operating Requirements

Line voltage: 100-240V AC

Frequency: 50Hz to 60Hz, single phase

Maximum continuous power: 85W

Operating temperature: 50° to 95° F (10° to 35° C)

Storage temperature: -40° to 116° F (-40° to 47° C)

Relative humidity: 5% to 95% noncondensing

Maximum altitude: 10,000 feet

Typical acoustical performance: Sound pressure level (operator position): 16 dBA at idle

In the Box

Mac mini

HDMI to DVI Adapter

Power cord

Printed and electronic documentation

Pricing & Availability



The new Mac mini is available through the Apple Store today and in Apple?s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers starting July 21.

The 2.3 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 Mac mini with 2GB of memory and a 500GB hard drive starts at a suggested retail price of $599 (US), with options to add memory up to 8GB and a 750GB hard drive.

The 2.5 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 Mac mini with 4GB of memory and a 500GB hard drive starts at a suggested retail price of $799 (US), with options to upgrade to a 2.7GHz dual-core Core i7 processor, up to 8GB of memory, and a 750GB hard drive with an option to add or replace with a 256GB solid state drive.

The 2.0 GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 Mac mini with Lion Server, 4GB of memory and dual 500GB hard drives starts at a suggested retail price of $999 (US). Options include adding memory up to 8GB, two 750GB hard drives, or up to two 256GB solid state drives.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 111
    saareksaarek Posts: 1,520member
    Very nice, still a tad expensive to my mind for what it is but at least the specs are semi decent this time around!
  • Reply 2 of 111
    asciiascii Posts: 5,936member
    Wow, no optical drive on any model.



    A Mini with SSD would be a deceptively powerful little computer.
  • Reply 3 of 111
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    I can't for the teardown to see ow they used that extra space.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ascii View Post


    Wow, no optical drive on any model.



    A Mini with SSD would be a deceptively powerful little computer.



    The power and versatility of Thunderbolt.
  • Reply 4 of 111
    mactacmactac Posts: 316member
    No optical drive now puts my last hope on a lower end Mac Pro. Not that I can afford it.



    Apple just doesn't seem to understand the beauty of internal devices which is odd considering how much effort it puts into the look of its products. Apple really wants us to hide their designs behind third party external devices? I just don't get it.



    Apple really needs an XMac now.
  • Reply 5 of 111
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    The 2.0 GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 Mac mini with Lion Server, 4GB of memory and dual 500GB hard drives starts at a suggested retail price of $999 (US). Options include adding memory up to 8GB, two 750GB hard drives, or up to two 256GB solid state drives.



    That's quite a potent little server for $999 especially since it comes with the server OS.
  • Reply 6 of 111
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by MacTac View Post


    No optical drive now puts my last hope on a lower end Mac Pro. Not that I can afford it.



    Apple just doesn't seem to understand the beauty of internal devices which is odd considering how much effort it puts into the look of its products. Apple really wants us to hide their designs behind third party external devices? I just don't get it.



    Apple really needs an XMac now.



    Dude the Macbook Air Superdrive is only $79 and how often are you actually using it? I removed the optical drive in my laptop to add a 2nd HDD and I don't miss it at all. If you're worried about restores, just carve out a 9GB partition and restore the OSX software on to it.
  • Reply 7 of 111
    aiolosaiolos Posts: 228member
    Wow, didn't see the discrete graphics coming. Also like the twist off bottom for adding additional RAM. Saves you money because you don't have to buy from Apple.
  • Reply 8 of 111
    dluxdlux Posts: 666member
    Thus ends the life of the Mac Mini as a home-theater PC. Back to a table-top of mismatched remotes...
  • Reply 9 of 111
    djintxdjintx Posts: 454member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jmillermcp View Post


    Dude the Macbook Air Superdrive is only $79 and how often are you actually using it? I removed the optical drive in my laptop to add a 2nd HDD and I don't miss it at all. If you're worried about restores, just carve out a 9GB partition and restore the OSX software on to it.



    Exactly. I have had my aluminum MacBook since November 2008, and I can recall using the optical drive maybe 2-3 times since then. Once was to run disk utility on my HD, which is no longer needed with Lion's recovery mode. And I think I may have ripped a CD. Other than this, I haven't needed it at all. I wish this space were for more battery capacity or for an SSD or something.
  • Reply 10 of 111
    gamringamrin Posts: 114member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by aiolos View Post


    Wow, didn't see the discrete graphics coming. Also like the twist off bottom for adding additional RAM. Saves you money because you don't have to buy from Apple.



    The discrete graphics is a welcome addition... but, according to the Apple store, it's not available on the base model. The base model uses Intel's 3000M. If you want discrete graphics, you're shelling out $800. :/
  • Reply 11 of 111
    chabigchabig Posts: 641member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Dlux View Post


    Thus ends the life of the Mac Mini as a home-theater PC. Back to a table-top of mismatched remotes...



    Why do think it's not a good home-theater computer?
  • Reply 12 of 111
    shenshen Posts: 434member
    i wonder how much the dual rather than quad core will affect performance compared to the iMac. With discrete graphics, and throw in the SSD I bet it will still scream along. That is a very tempting little machine. And my nearly 6 year old mini is feeling rather old right now...



    ...except natch I want the AMD graphics and i7 and now I am up to a grand, and i doubt my wife will see that as reasonable upgrades to to a $600 machine.
  • Reply 13 of 111
    shenshen Posts: 434member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by chabig View Post


    Why do think it's not a good home-theater computer?



    I suspect he wants a DVD drive for movies...
  • Reply 14 of 111
    pokepoke Posts: 506member
    I think the Mac Mini dropping its optical drive points very strongly to the MacBook Pros and iMacs dropping their optical drives in the next update. Major redesigns all round?
  • Reply 15 of 111
    zeasarzeasar Posts: 91member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Dlux View Post


    Thus ends the life of the Mac Mini as a home-theater PC. Back to a table-top of mismatched remotes...



    +1



    So for me to use the mini on my tv in the future as home entertainment system and to watch DVDs with it I need to either:



    Use a remote disk on another computer within the home network, or

    Rip the DVD on another computer then transfer the file over to the mini, or

    Directly connect a USB DVD drive to it.



    I support the fact that apple is pushing forward the new technologies and leaving behind the old, but I'm pretty sure DVDs are going to be around for sometime yet, especially for movies and such, killing them now is just a little premature in my opinion, especially on the mini.
  • Reply 16 of 111
    hattighattig Posts: 860member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Gamrin View Post


    The discrete graphics is a welcome addition... but, according to the Apple store, it's not available on the base model. The base model uses Intel's 3000M. If you want discrete graphics, you're shelling out $800. :/



    That extra $200 gets you an extra 2GB of RAM, the discrete graphics (HD6630M - 480 shader cores at 485MHz, not a slouch at all even if it only has 256MB of its own RAM), and 200MHz on the CPU. Don't ask me why Apple skimped on the graphics memory, but at least it is GDDR5.



    Even if you want 8GB, selling 2x 2GB sticks is far easier than selling 2x 1GB sticks, or the 4GB will last you until 8GB kits are even cheaper.



    I would call the low-end Mini the 'office' configuration mini - fast enough CPU, graphics perfectly adequate for desktop use, enough RAM for office use.



    The $799 mini is the Mini for the home user that may wish to play games, or run Windows at the same time in Parallels, etc.
  • Reply 17 of 111
    gamringamrin Posts: 114member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by poke View Post


    I think the Mac Mini dropping its optical drive points very strongly to the MacBook Pros and iMacs dropping their optical drives in the next update. Major redesigns all round?



    I would think so. With software downloads, legal digital downloads of DVD movies, and flash memory (as OS backup drives, among other uses) becoming ubiquitous, it looks like the CD/DVD era is about to come to a close. I don't mind Apple getting rid of their DVD drives. There will always be third party folks to make add-on drives for the shrinking portion of the market who still needs that function.



    Just my opinion. I'm not interested in starting up the old "spinning media" argument.
  • Reply 18 of 111
    djintxdjintx Posts: 454member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Dlux View Post


    Thus ends the life of the Mac Mini as a home-theater PC. Back to a table-top of mismatched remotes...



    Not completely. Only for those who rely heavily on playing DVDs. I think the number of people wanting to play actual DVDs is getting smaller by the day. I think the majority either watch from ripped content, or what they can stream from Netflix, Hulu, and other online sources.



    You might argue it also ruins it for those who want to play BluRay disks, but of course Apple has never shown interest in joining that party. I could see them maybe Maybe adding BluRay support for high end Mac Pros for video professionals, but even this seems unlikely. With the trend toward streaming, it seems clear they are moving toward a disk-less future. It sounds like soon they will be offering 1080p content on iTunes, and I'm sure along with 1080 they will be announcing a huge increase in rental agreements for TV shows to go along with a larger HD movie library.
  • Reply 19 of 111
    gamringamrin Posts: 114member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Hattig View Post


    That extra $200 gets you an extra 2GB of RAM, the discrete graphics (HD6630M - 480 shader cores at 485MHz, not a slouch at all even if it only has 256MB of its own RAM), and 200MHz on the CPU. Don't ask me why Apple skimped on the graphics memory, but at least it is GDDR5.



    Even if you want 8GB, selling 2x 2GB sticks is far easier than selling 2x 1GB sticks, or the 4GB will last you until 8GB kits are even cheaper.



    I would call the low-end Mini the 'office' configuration mini - fast enough CPU, graphics perfectly adequate for desktop use, enough RAM for office use.



    The $799 mini is the Mini for the home user that may wish to play games, or run Windows at the same time in Parallels, etc.



    Oh, I know everything else that comes with the $800 price tag. However, at that point, anyone who just wants a desktop computer (and doesn't have a monitor laying around) might as well go with a more powerful low-end iMac. I was excited to see discrete graphics at a $600 price tag... and then not so excited to realize I was wrong. :P
  • Reply 20 of 111
    outsideroutsider Posts: 6,008member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by aiolos View Post


    Wow, didn't see the discrete graphics coming. Also like the twist off bottom for adding additional RAM. Saves you money because you don't have to buy from Apple.



    The previous mini had this feature too. One of my favorite features of it. Now we just need a twist top to make use of all that extra space from the optical.
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