The Mac mini Family Tree

All news about Apple

Moderators: Lily Lee, jc_3u, Moderators

Grace Liu
Posts: 537
Joined: 20 Oct 2016 09:33
like: 65

The Mac mini Family Tree

Postby Grace Liu » 18 Jan 2017 10:55

mac-mini-4-up1484525224549.jpg
mac-mini-4-up1484525224549.jpg (35.68 KiB) Viewed 4978 times

"The Mac mini is BYODKM," Steve Jobs said, in front of a crowded and slightly confused audience at Macworld 2005.

"Bring your own display, keyboard and mouse," he continued. "We supply the computer, you supply the rest."

The Mac mini was designed to lure switchers to the platform. A new customer could simply unplug their desktop PC and hook a new Mac mini up to their existing peripherals.

The original machine started at just $499, making the Mac mini the lowest-cost Mac Apple has ever sold.

In September 2005, Apple silently revved the Mac mini to include a faster hard drive and CPU. The high-end model got a better GPU and a nicer SuperDrive.

The Move to Intel

Like the iMac, the Mac mini's move to Intel did not involve a radical redesign. Apple kept the case design intact, while adding two additional USB ports, audio in, Gigabit Ethernet and an infrared port for using the Apple Remote with Front Row.
mac-mini-ppc-front1484524214636.jpg
mac-mini-ppc-front1484524214636.jpg (31.73 KiB) Viewed 4978 times


Mac mini (Server, Late 2009)

In October 2009, Apple introduced a $999 Mac mini that was unlike all other models before it:
macmini-server-091484432519923.png
macmini-server-091484432519923.png (168.18 KiB) Viewed 4978 times

Around back, the Mini picked an HDMI port as well as an SD card slot. While a separate server model remained, the mainstream Mac mini for 2010 was now $699.

2011 to Today

A year later, the Mid 2011 Mac mini brought Thunderbolt, and the removal of the optical drive. Apple brought back the $599 model, and a year later in 2012, the separate Server edition was quietly discounted.
mac-mini-2014-keyboard-low.jpg
mac-mini-2014-keyboard-low.jpg (115.65 KiB) Viewed 4978 times

Currently, the Late 2014 Mac mini is the newest model available. While it may look like the 2011 and 2012 machines, Apple made several changes that have made its smallest Mac noticeably worse:

1. The RAM is no longer upgradable. That bottom panel still comes off, but underneath is just a sheet of metal. Even if it was easy to get to, the memory is soldered to the logic board.
2. There is no longer a quad-core model, even as a build-to-order option. It's dual-core all the way.
3. The second 2.5-inch drive bay has been removed. Putting in a second drive just isn't an option anymore.

The Future of the Mac mini

Users would love to see Apple take the Mac mini and breathe new life into it. The design is a holdover from the days of the optical drive; a theoretical future Mac mini could be much smaller.

As cool as that could be, what I really want is for the Mac mini to be returned to its former glory, as the cheap-but-super-upgradable Mac it once was. Spending even $700 or $800 on a machine and spreading out the upgrade costs is far preferable to many users than spending twice that all at once.

From its humble beginnings as the BYODKM Mac to its role as a server, the Mac mini has been a faithful workhorse for 12 years now. It deserves another chance.

Return to “Apple News”