Hardware 2.0

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

Apple updates Mac mini, adds faster CPU and graphics, Thunderbolt port

By Adrian Kingsley-Hughes | July 20, 2011, 7:28am PDT

Summary: It seems to be Apple’s day for upgrades - with the diminutive Mac mini getting a refresh.

It seems to be Apple’s day for upgrades - with the diminutive Mac mini getting a refresh.

The Mac mini starts at $599 and comes with a 2.3GHz Core i5 processor, 2GB of RAM (4GB/8GB available as options), 500GB hard drive and Intel HD Graphics 3000. Shell out $799 and you get a 2.5GHz Core i5 CPU (optional 2.7GHz), 4GB of RAM (8GB optional) and AMD Radeon HD 6630M graphics.

One thing to note though - Apple has removed the optical drive from the new Mac mini.

Both models come with Thunderbolt port that supports 2560×1600 resolution, HDMI that supports 1920×1200 and an HDMI-to-DVI adapter.

Starting at $599, the new Mac mini will be available for order today and will be in stores tomorrow.

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Topics

Apple Macintosh, Apple Intel Mac Mini, Apple Inc., CPU, Thunderbolt, Graphics, Desktops, Hardware, Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes is an internationally published technology author who has devoted over a decade to helping users get the most from technology.

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RE: Apple updates Mac mini, adds faster CPU and graphics, Thunderbolt port

ssaha 21st Jul

@jasonmooney G3 mini? Did I miss something? the original mini had a G4.

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A lot to do about nothing.

ye Updated - 20th Jul

It seems to be Apples day for upgrades...

Story after story about minor hardware upgrades. Amazing how the press fawns all over Apple for what every other manufacturer does.

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RE: Apple updates Mac mini, adds faster CPU and graphics, Thunderbolt port

Jayton 20th Jul

@ye In the words of GOD aka Stevie J "It's Amazing!"

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RE: Apple updates Mac mini, adds faster CPU and graphics, Thunderbolt port

msalzberg 20th Jul

@ye

If you and all the others who bemoan the existence of these articles stop reading them (and you know what they're about by the headlines), people will stop writing them.

And yet here you are, not only reading but responding.

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Obviously you missed the part I quoted. Or the meaning escaped you.

ye 20th Jul

@msalzberg: Either way it doesn't bode well for you.

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RE: Apple updates Mac mini, adds faster CPU and graphics, Thunderbolt port

msalzberg 20th Jul

@ye

No, the meaning has completely escaped me. All I read was "whine, whine, whine."

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I too find it very interesting

toddybottom 20th Jul

@ye
There seem to be about 4 bloggers on ZDNet who obviously don't read anything written by any other blogger. Did we really need ZDNet to post 4 identical blogs about Apple's quarterly results? It would have been different if there had been 4 different analyses of those results but all 4 were basically an exact copy of each other.

Ditto for these Mac upgrades. Does ZDNet really find it useful to post the same spec sheet 4 times? Couldn't ZDNet bloggers see that what they are about to post has already been posted nearly word for word and either write something unique on the subject or simply resist the urge to post anything at all?

Then again, ZDNet is incapable of moderating these forums by removing blatantly off topic and insulting posts so maybe we shouldn't be surprised that this lack of attention to detail is so widespread here.

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RE: Apple updates Mac mini, adds faster CPU and graphics, Thunderbolt port

doh123 20th Jul

so they finally offer a GPU for a Mini, and they decide to waste their time with something so low end? They'll probably try to take it as proof people don't want a GPU in a mini when the sales are bad... when it will just bet hat people don't want to pay extra for a junk GPU when the basic stuff they want to do runs fine on a HD 3000, and if they want a GPU, they want something better than a Radeon 6630 256mb ...

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RE: Apple updates Mac mini, adds faster CPU and graphics, Thunderbolt port

gladlock 20th Jul

@doh123 So, which model do you think will be better than running 1080p videos? The basic Mini - 2.67GHz Dual Core i7 w/ Radeon 6630 or the Mini Server - 2GHz Quad Core i7 w/ Intel 3000?

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RE: Apple updates Mac mini, adds faster CPU and graphics, Thunderbolt port

BillDem 20th Jul

@doh123 Totally agree. Plus, they removed the DVD drive when all the HTPC hopefuls were begging to get a Blu-ray upgrade someday. *sigh* At least they didn't remove the HDMI port. The only real uptick is the Thunderbolt port.

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RE: Mac Mini

Userama 20th Jul

Recently got a Mini to use as a dedicated DVR/DVD player. I'm sure glad I got one while it still had the DVD drive, since I've been using it to convert old family VHS tapes to DVD. Yeah, you can use an external optical drive with the new one, but having it built in is more compact and convenient.

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RE: Apple updates Mac mini, adds faster CPU and graphics, Thunderbolt port

ivanjee 20th Jul

@Userama
I agree because I need the drive to play DVDs and rip CDs that I've bought. I prefer to have my original movies and songs in discs. Apple tries to sell everything (software, movies, songs ... via App store). Consumer will have less choice. This is not good.

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RE: Apple updates Mac mini, adds faster CPU and graphics, Thunderbolt port

jasonmooney 20th Jul

I guess I missed it when the Mini had it's SuperDrive removed. I was excited with the price point until I realized it didn't include a cd-rom drive. I'd hate to keep the old G3 Mini to use as a cd-rom server, or purchase a USB SuperDrive.