The new Mac mini is serviceably better than its predecessor, but you still have to temper your expectations with reality. 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. Graphics remain integrated, rather than discrete. 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. That means that the Mac mini fully supports Handoff with iPhones and iPads equipped with iOS 8.1 or later, so you can do things like read a web page on your iPad then go to your Mac mini and pick up right where you left off. Gigabit Ethernet remains an option for you if you prefer a hard-wired connection or need to use one for security reasons.īluetooth 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.Īlong with the faster Thunderbolt 2 on the outside of the Mac mini, it now has faster Wi-Fi on the inside. If you're environmentally concerned, or just worried about your electric bill, that's probably a good tidbit to tuck away, especially if you're upgrading from an older and less efficient computer. It consumes a scant 6 watts at idle and 11 watts under load. The Mac mini is now the world's most efficient desktop computer, according Apple. Going from Intel's third-generation "Ivy Bridge" Core processor to a fourth generation "Haswell" processor isn't a huge overall CPU performance bump for the Mac mini, though there are certainly some performance and efficiency improvements worth noting. One way or the other, be careful when you're buying your Mac mini to make sure that it has enough RAM for your needs, because you're stuck with what you have. And there's a 16 GB option for people who need it. 8 GB, included on the mid-range and high-end models, is more than sufficient. RAM can affect the performance of your computer - more RAM enables you to have more applications and larger documents open in memory simultaneously, without having to worry about your Mac "paging out" virtual memory to disk, which can slow things way down. But DIYers - especially those who feel that Apple charges too much for RAM - and IT pros have been especially vocal about the change.
RAM is now soldered on the main logic board.Īccording to Apple, few Mac mini owners ever open their computer to put in more RAM, so this change shouldn't be a huge issue for many potential customers interested in Apple's least expensive Mac model. The Mac mini no longer has user-upgradable memory sockets. One other notable change is evident when you flip the Mac mini over: The bottom plate, which could be twisted to be removed, revealing accessible DIMM sockets for memory upgrades, is now fixed. The Mac mini no longer has user-upgradable memory sockets - RAM is now soldered on the main logic board. The Mac mini still comes equipped with an infrared port on the front: A handy feature for people who are using their Mac mini as a media server in the living room or entertainment center, and who want to use a wireless remote control like the one included with the Apple TV. That's right, the tiny Mac mini now sports a faster high-speed peripheral interface than the iMac (save the new Retina 5K iMac model). In its place is a second Thunderbolt port. One notable change on the back of the Mac mini is the absence of FireWire 800. A year and a half later, the Haswell Mac mini is finally here, and with it comes a host of changes to the product line, even if the box looks mostly the same on the outside. In 2013 the first Macs based around Intel's fourth-generation Core processor (the "Haswell" chip) began to appear, and many of us wondered when Apple would get around to refreshing the Mac mini.
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