Mac mini (Intel Core 2 Duo 2.4GHz) DDR3 - Mid 2010. Mac mini (Intel Core 2 Duo 2.26GHz) DDR3 - Late 2009. Mac mini (Intel Core 2 Duo 2.0GHz DDR3) MB464LL/A. Mac mini (Intel Core 2 Duo 2.0GHz DDR3) MB463LL/A. Mac mini (Intel Core 2 Duo - 2.0GHz) Mid 2007 DDR2.
![]() ![]() Gigabit Ethernet remains an option for you if you prefer a hard-wired connection or need to use one for security reasons.Bluetooth 4.0 (LE) comes standard. Paired with a newer Apple AirPort Extreme, Time Capsule or a third-party 802.11ac router, you'll get a significant improvement in Wi-Fi performance if you go this route. It's been updated with 802.11ac Wi-Fi, which runs up to three times faster than the 802.11n found on the 2012 model. And if you're planning on buying whole banks of these for use in some sort of enterprise or institutional setting, that's good news for your bottom line.Along with the faster Thunderbolt 2 on the outside of the Mac mini, it now has faster Wi-Fi on the inside. But at that point you're well into MacBook Pro and iMac territory, so compare your options to see where the best value is.One thing you won't find on this year's Mac mini is a quad-core processor option. Read on for some performance benchmarks that should put my qualifiers in context.If you want to eke as much performance as possible out of your Mac mini, options include a 3.0 GHz processor for another $200, upgrading RAM up to 16 GB (another $200) and going pure SSD ($800 for a 1 TB, with 256 and 512 GB options available for less). It is serviceably better than its predecessor, but you still have to temper your expectations with reality. This isn't the Retina iMac we're talking about, after all. The low-end model uses Intel HD 5000 graphics, comparable to the MacBook Air, while the mid-range and high-end models get the Iris graphics that are included with the 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro.The new Mac mini is serviceably better than its predecessor, but you still have to temper your expectations with reality.The Mac mini won't set anyone's heart ablaze as a game machine or 3D rendering workstation. So did the last Mac mini, but if you're upgrading from a more elderly Mac, you'll find that the Mac mini brings you up to date with everything that's going on with Macs these days.Graphics remain integrated, rather than discrete. Adobe pro for mac downloadThis is a 2.8 GHz Mac mini equipped with 8 GB RAM, 1 TB Fusion Drive and Iris graphics. If you're a spec-monkey and you're concerned with how the Mac mini performs, here are the results. As in all things, your mileage may vary.Enough bloviating. Applications that are thoroughly optimized for multithreading and ones that take advantage of Intel's hyperthreading capabilities may suffer in performance as a result, because there simply aren't as many processing cores in the high-end Mac mini model anymore. That would require Apple to maintain two separate logic boards for each Mac mini model — something they didn't have to do in 2012.Whatever the reason, the bottom line is that quad-core processors are no longer an option on the Mac mini. OS X Server is still available if you'd like to purchase it separately for $19.99, and it'll work quite well, but Apple no longer sells a a Mac mini that comes with it pre-installed.John Poole at Primate Labs, makers of the Geekbench benchmarking software app that we use as part of our performance testing here at iMore, recently blogged about the omission of the quad-core processor in this Mac mini refresh.Poole says that Haswell processors are a bit different than their Ivy Bridge counterparts: the dual-core and quad-core processors use different sockets. Many people using Mac minis as business computers will be just fine with this less-expensive configuration.The mid-range model bumps up the processor to 2.6 GHz, with 8 GB RAM and a 1 TB hard drive included. It'll be well-suited for general users who have modest performance expectations from their Mac — checking e-mail, surfing the web, using the software included with the Mac. That cheaper Mac mini uses a 1.4 GHz processor, Intel HD 5000 graphics, 4 GB RAM and a 500 GB hard disk drive — half the capacity, half the RAM and almost half the clock speed as other Mac mini models. The mid-range model is also $100 cheaper, priced at $699 instead of $799, and there's still a high-end model for $999.Apple's taken a page from its iMac playbook, introducing a stripped down entry-level system. That's suitable if you plan to use your Mac mini as a media server, but you'll probably want something faster if you're using it as a 4K desktop display.Apple no longer includes an HDMI to DVI adapter in the box, so you're on the hook to get your own adapter to connect whatever display (or displays — the Mac mini can support two of them through Thunderbolt) you plan to use.Apple's used this refresh to realign the price of the Mac mini: It now starts at $499, back to the price it was originally when the Mac mini debuted in 2005. Many people buying the Mac mini end up recycling gear they're using with another computer, like an older Mac or a PC.On the back of the Mac mini you'll find four USB 3 ports, HDMI 1.4, two Thunderbolt 2 ports, Gigabit Ethernet, an SDXC card slot (useful for transferring photos and video from a digital camera), and 3.5 mm audio input and digital audio out.The HDMI port will accommodate up a 4K TV, though you'll be limited to a maximum of 30 Hz refresh. What Ssd Drive Should I Buy Mini Late 2014 Upgrade For ThoseThe Mac mini has always been a budget-friendly computer, and we've taken for granted for the past few Mac mini design iterations that we can save even more cash by easily bumping up the RAM if we needed to. If you're on a tight budget or if you've invested in a great keyboard, mouse and monitor that you're perfectly happy with, the Mac mini can help you get the most out of your money.Apple's decision to make the Mac mini's memory non-upgradeable isn't sitting well with folks who have long appreciated the chance to save a few bucks by doing it themselves, and I have to acknowledge their point. This is the model that I tested for the purposes of this review.The 2014 Mac mini is a solid upgrade for those coming from PCs or older Macs. It's the best of both worlds — the speed of a flash drive, the capacity of a regular hard drive. The Fusion Drive combines 128 GB of flash storage with a 1 TB hard drive in one logical volume.
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