Mac mini

Mac Mini: Welcome

The Mac Mini serves as the entry point into the macOS environment. The cheapest Mac is now one of Apple's most powerful PCs. Everything you need to know about it is right here.

Mac Mini: Text

History

Mac Mini: Image

The Mac mini is one of Apple's oldest products, and it's already in its sixth version, but it still feels brand new.

The PowerPC G4 processors were used in the first Mac mini, which was released in 2005. Apple's effort to get into the BYODKM (Bring Your Own Display, Keyboard, and Mouse) market was this machine. This is Apple's only Mac that comes without any extras. For example, the Mac Pro does not include a monitor, but it does include the Magic Mouse 2 and the Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad.

Apple released the second iteration a year later, in 2006, with the same design but with Intel Core CPUs and Bluetooth and Wi-Fi capabilities.

In June 2010, Apple announced the third-generation Mac mini, which included a slimmer unibody aluminum casing and an HDMI connector. This Mac's later models had a Thunderbolt port as well as Intel Core i5 and i7 processors.

The fourth generation, which was released in October 2018, is the final with an Intel processor and is still being marketed today. This iteration has a deeper Space Gray appearance, comes with an SSD as standard, and most data connectors have been replaced with USB-C. This is the world's first Mac mini manufactured entirely of recyclable aluminum.

Apple announced the fifth-generation model in November 2020, which is based on the Apple Silicon CPU and has the same silver finish as previous generations. The A12Z-based Developer Transition Kit, a prototype used by developers to test what was to be the first M1 Apple Silicon chip, came before this Mac. It had 16 GB of RAM, 512 GB of SSD storage, and two USB-C connectors on board.

Mac Mini: Text

Mac mini specs: Apple Silicon and Intel models

Apple sells two different Mac minis: one with its newer Apple Silicon chip and a high-spec model with the 8th generation Intel chip.

Mac Mini: Text

Apple Silicon Mac mini

Mac Mini: Image

The Apple Silicon Mac mini M1 features an 8-core CPU, an 8-core GPU, and a 16-core Neural engine. It comes with 8GB of unified memory and 256GB of SSD storage as standard, with the option to upgrade to 16GB of RAM and 2TB of SSD storage. There are two Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports on this Mac, as well as HDMI 2.0, Gigabit Ethernet, and a 3.5 mm headphone jack.

Apple quietly updated the M1 model in April 2021, adding an optional 10 Gigabit Ethernet connector that had previously only been offered on the Intel version.

This Mac, too, is built entirely of recyclable aluminum.

Mac Mini: Text

Intel Mac mini

Mac Mini: Image

The Intel Mac mini starts with a 3.2GHz 6-core Intel Core i5, 8GB of RAM, Intel UHD Graphics 630, and 512GB SSD storage, and may be upgraded to a 3.2GHz 6-core Intel Core i7, 64GB of RAM, up to 2TB of SSD storage, and 10 Gigabit Ethernet capability.

Mac Mini: Text

macOS Big Sur

The M1 Mac mini comes with macOS 11 Big Sur, which features a fresh design for the Mac program as well as adequate CPU optimization.

For the first time in macOS, Big Sur introduced the Control Center, which provides rapid access to brightness and other quick toggles. For example, the Notification Center in macOS has been updated to match the iOS version, including grouping and rich UI designs.

The iOS 14 widget system has been ported to macOS, and the Messages app for Mac has been updated to include an inline photo picker and Memoji. The Apple Maps app has also been updated, and it is now a Catalyst app, which means it uses the same codebase as iOS.

Mac Mini: Image

Recently, Apple released macOS Big Sur 11.4 with expanded GPU support, zero-day security fix, more. With this update, the company brought:

Apple Podcasts subscriptions are available for purchase via monthly and annual subscriptions
Channels group together collections of shows from podcast creators

This release also fixed the following issues:

Bookmarks in Safari may get reordered or moved into a folder that can appear hidden
Certain websites may not display correctly after your Mac wakes from sleep
Keywords may not be included when exporting a photo from the Photos app
Preview may become unresponsive when searching PDF documents
16-inch MacBook may become unresponsive when playing Civilization VI.

With macOS Big Sur 11.5 Apple brought:

Podcasts Library tab allows you to choose to see all shows or only followed shows
Music may not update play count and last played date in your library
Smart cards may not work when logging into Mac computers with the M1 chip

Mac Mini: Text

macOS Monterey

Mac Mini: Image

During WWDC21, Apple previewed macOS 12 Monterey. On October 25, Apple released Monterey for Mac users. Here are some of its most important features:

Shortcuts app now on the Mac;
Revamped FaceTime feature;
Redesigned Safari.

You can read more about macOS 12 Monterey here.

In the future, Apple will add some features that were postponed like SharePlay, which is already available with iOS 15.1, and Universal Control, which will let users move the mouse and use the keyboard across Macs and iPad seamlessly.

Mac Mini: Text

Pricing

The M1 Apple Silicon Mac mini starts at $699 and can go up to $1,699. The Intel model starts at $1,099 and can go up to $2,999.

Lower prices may be available from Apple’s official Amazon store.

Mac Mini: Text

Apple Silicon

8GB RAM, 256GB storage: $699
8GB RAM, 512GB storage: $899
8GB RAM, 1TB storage: $1,099
8GB RAM, 2TB storage: $1,499

For the model with 16GB of RAM, adds $200 in every configuration. You can also get 10 Gigabit Ethernet for $100 more.

Mac Mini: Text

Intel

i5, 8GB RAM, 512GB storage: $1,099
i5, 16GB RAM, 512GB storage: $1,299
i5, 32GB RAM, 512GB storage: $1,699
i5, 64GB RAM, 512GB storage: $2,099

For the model with Intel Core i7, adds $200. If you want more storage, add $200 for 1TB and $600 for the 2TB option. The 10 Gigabit Ethernet feature is $100 more.

Mac Mini: Text

Mac Mini Rumors

Mac Mini: Image

A new Mac mini is rumored to be on the way. The new Mac mini, according to a Bloomberg story from May, will use an Apple Silicon chip with 8 high-performance cores and 2 efficiency cores. It will also have up to 64 GB of RAM and additional Thunderbolt lanes, allowing for extra IO connections. This processor is also expected to debut in the forthcoming MacBook Pro upgrade for the 16-inch model.

According to YouTuber Jon Prosser, the impending M1X-powered Mac mini will also usher in a new age of industrial design for Apple's standalone Mac. This model is likely to take the place of the higher-end space grey Intel Mac mini in the lineup, with the M1 Mac mini remaining as the entry-level model.

The 2021 Mac mini, according to Prosser, will have a new external chassis with a "plexiglass-like" reflective surface on the top, in an otherwise aluminum enclosure.

Mac Mini: Text

Mac mini

The Mac Mini serves as the entry point into the macOS environment. The cheapest Mac is now one of Apple's most powerful PCs. Everything you need to know about it is right here.

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Table of contents

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History

The Mac mini is one of Apple's oldest products, and it's already in its sixth version, but it still feels brand new.

​

Apple released the second iteration a year later, in 2006, with the same design but with Intel Core CPUs and Bluetooth and Wi-Fi capabilities.

​

In June 2010, Apple announced the third-generation Mac mini, which included a slimmer unibody aluminum casing and an HDMI connector. This Mac's later models had a Thunderbolt port as well as Intel Core i5 and i7 processors.

​

Mac mini specs: Apple Silicon and Intel models

Apple Silicon Mac mini

Apple quietly updated the M1 model in April 2021, adding an optional 10 Gigabit Ethernet connector that had previously only been offered on the Intel version.

This Mac, too, is built entirely of recyclable aluminum.

Intel Mac mini

The Intel Mac mini starts with a 3.2GHz 6-core Intel Core i5, 8GB of RAM, Intel UHD Graphics 630, and 512GB SSD storage, and may be upgraded to a 3.2GHz 6-core Intel Core i7, 64GB of RAM, up to 2TB of SSD storage, and 10 Gigabit Ethernet capability.

macOS Big Sur

Recently, Apple released macOS Big Sur 11.4 with expanded GPU support, zero-day security fix, more. With this update, the company brought:

​

Apple Podcasts subscriptions are available for purchase via monthly and annual subscriptions

Channels group together collections of shows from podcast creators

​

This release also fixed the following issues:

​

Bookmarks in Safari may get reordered or moved into a folder that can appear hidden

Certain websites may not display correctly after your Mac wakes from sleep

Keywords may not be included when exporting a photo from the Photos app

Preview may become unresponsive when searching PDF documents

16-inch MacBook may become unresponsive when playing Civilization VI.

​

With macOS Big Sur 11.5 Apple brought:

​

Podcasts Library tab allows you to choose to see all shows or only followed shows

Music may not update play count and last played date in your library

Smart cards may not work when logging into Mac computers with the M1 chip

macOS Monterey

During WWDC21, Apple previewed macOS 12 Monterey. On October 25, Apple released Monterey for Mac users. Here are some of its most important features:

​

Shortcuts app now on the Mac;

Revamped FaceTime feature;

Redesigned Safari.

​

You can read more about macOS 12 Monterey here.

​

In the future, Apple will add some features that were postponed like SharePlay, which is already available with iOS 15.1, and Universal Control, which will let users move the mouse and use the keyboard across Macs and iPad seamlessly.

Pricing

Apple Silicon

Intel

Mac Mini Rumors

The 2021 Mac mini, according to Prosser, will have a new external chassis with a "plexiglass-like" reflective surface on the top, in an otherwise aluminum enclosure.