Apple Doubles Storage Capacity of Mac Mini Desktops
by Anton Shilov on March 19, 2020 12:30 PM EST- Posted in
- Desktop
- Apple
- Mac mini
- Coffee Lake
In addition to launching its new MacBook Air and iPad Pro, Apple on Wednesday refreshed its Mac Mini lineup of ultra-compact desktops. This time around, the company doubled storage capacity on systems featuring standard configurations, so the cheapest Mac mini now features a 256 GB SSD.
Apple now offers two base configurations of its Mac mini:
- the entry-level machine featuring Intel’s 8th Generation quad-core Core i3 CPU paired with 8 GB of DDR4-2666 memory and a 256 GB SSD for $799, and
- a mid-range model with Intel’s 8th Generation six-core Core i5 processor accompanied by 8 GB of DDR4-2666 DRAM and a 512 GB SSD for $1,099.
Previously, these systems featured a 128 GB or a 256 GB soldered-down drive, respectively.
Apple’s current-generation Mac mini was originally introduced in late 2018. It is based on Intel’s Coffee Lake CPUs with Intel UHD Graphics 630 as well as the Apple’s T2 security chip for encrypted storage and secure boot.
Apple decided not to upgrade the base of its entry-level systems, so the top-of-the-range configuration can be equipped with a hex-core Core i7 processor, 64 GB of DDR4-2666 memory, a 2 TB SSD, and a 10 GbE port. The highest-performing Mac mini costs $2,999.
All the latest Mac mini PCs have two USB 3.0 Type-A ports, an HDMI 2.0 header, a 3.5-mm audio connector for headsets, and four Thunderbolt 3 ports to connect an external graphics adapter, a storage system, and an Ultra-HD display.
| Apple Mac mini Brief Specifications | ||||
| Mac mini 2018 | ||||
| CPU | Intel Core i3 4C 3.6 GHz 6 MB L3 |
Intel Core i5 6C 3.0/4.1 GHz 9 MB L3 |
Intel Core i7 6C 3.2/4.6 GHz 12 MB L3 |
|
| PCH | ? | |||
| Graphics | Intel UHD Graphics 630 | |||
| Memory | 8 GB DDR4-2666 Configurable to 16 GB, 32 GB or 64 GB DDR4-2666 |
|||
| Storage | 256 GB PCIe SSD Configuratble to 512 GB, 1 TB, or 2 TB SSD |
|||
| Wi-Fi | IEEE 802.11ac Wi-Fi + BT 5 | |||
| Ethernet | 1 GbE or 10 GbE | |||
| Display Outputs | 4 × Thunderbolt 3 | |||
| Audio | 1 × 3.5mm audio out | |||
| USB | 2 × USB 3.0 Type-A (5 Gbps) 4 × USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C (via TB3) |
|||
| Other I/O | HDMI 2.0 | |||
| Dimensions | Width | 19.7 cm | 7.7" | ||
| Height | 3.6 cm | 1.4" | |||
| Depth | 19.7 cm | 7.7" | |||
| PSU | ~ 150 W (internal) | |||
| OS | Apple MacOS | |||
The revamped Apple Mac mini systems with expanded storage are now available directly from Apple.
Related Reading:
- Apple Launches New Mac Mini: Up to 6 Cores, 64 GB RAM, 2 TB SSD, & TB3
- Apple Reveals MacBook Air 2020: 10th Gen Intel Quad-Core and Scissor Keyboard, Starting At $999
- Apple Unveils New iPad Pro: A12Z Bionic, Camera w/ Depth Sensor for AR, Keyboard w/ Trackpad
- Apple’s 2019 Mac Pro Tower Now Available: From $5,999 to $53,000
Source: Apple
Facebook
Twitter
RSS
17 Comments
View All Comments
rnalsation - Thursday, March 19, 2020 - link
The RAM is upgradeable, the SSD and CPU are not.timecop1818 - Friday, March 20, 2020 - link
Nobody needs these with maxed out storage anyway. If the internal ssd gets fucked, all your data is gone and the macmini is basically trash, so people just plug in external usb3 or thunderbolt SSD and just keep OS on the internal drive and no data.hanselltc - Friday, March 20, 2020 - link
No Ice Lake, no AX? lelAdditionalPylons - Friday, March 20, 2020 - link
The CPUs used are more powerful than Ice Lake. Ice Lake for desktop hasn't launched yet.lightningz71 - Friday, March 20, 2020 - link
Wow, just wow. What a jerk move to not even use an M.2 NVME slot for the SSD. There is absolutely no reason in the world that the floorplan of the board wouldn't have handled a short M.2 slot. While there aren't as many options in that length, there ARE options there at least.I can't help but wonder, wouldn't Apple have been better served by using a platform based around the Ryzen 3200g/3400g and maybe even the Athlon 3000, or, going with mobile products, the 3700u/h, 3500u/h, and 3300u? Substantially better graphics support is the low hanging fruit. 8 threads on the top end 3400g/3700u/h outdoes the i7. Yes, the 3200g/3500u/h would have been slower on the CPU side than the i5, but the increase in graphics performance more than makes up for it. The i3 would be a bit faster than the Athlon 3000, but, the 3300u would have been on par, and both would still have had better graphics. All of the Ryzen products offer more storage performance as well.
This was just incredibly low effort...
timecop1818 - Friday, March 20, 2020 - link
apple is in the business of fleecing retards, so onboard non removable storage makes complete sense.they're also in the business of making shit that works (for a very narrow definition of "works", anyway) which means AMD-based shit is out of the question.
Blackbeantaquitos - Friday, March 20, 2020 - link
Another "update". Lol. Here's what you do....If you need MacOS, buy a new old stock iMac for $900. You get a Bluetooth keyboard, mouse, a crappy hard drive and a 4k display. You then go and buy a portable SSD and load MacOS on it, not from that drive and use the internal POS drive as a backup.
1k spent that way gets you a MUCH better desktop system.
You've gotta be a rube to buy these mini's. Terrible value.