New Mac Mini Review

The new Mac mini.
Now up to 2x faster, it’s mini in size only.

   Mac mini is even more of a powerhouse, thanks to new dual-core Intel Core i5 and i7 processors, discrete AMD Radeon HD graphics, and ultrafast Thunderbolt technology. It also comes with OS X Lion, the world’s most advanced desktop operating system. And Mac mini with Lion Server now features a quad-core Intel Core i7 processor for incredible performance. But it’s as easy as ever to set up and run.

When the Mac mini first arrived on the scene, it was in many ways a tool for Apple to attract Windows users and get them to switch to Apple. Since then, it's still been an occasional switcher tool but is now increasingly used for home theaters and servers. With a Core i5 and even optional dedicated graphics in the 2011, the tiny computer is poised to grow even larger. But will the lack of an optical drive set it back? Read our 2011 Mac mini review to find out.

Since then, it has still played that role, and continues to be sold without peripherals. It has also evolved into what many consider to be the ideal home theater PC. The latest iteration of the Mac mini has now arrived, and not without controversy. It takes a huge leap forward in speed with Intel’s second-generation Core-series processors. The 2.5GHz Core i5 Mac mini we've reviewed also sports a first for discrete graphics chip that opens the door to gaming for the first time. But without an optical drive, it's a major gamble on the future of software and that price trumps a DVD drive.

Design and expansion

The Mac mini itself is classic Apple. It revolves around a minimalist, industrial design with a now seamless unibody enclosure borrowed from the previously server-only edition; it's one of the few small form factor computers that looks attractive, not just functional. Underneath the device is a circular cover that is designed to be twisted off to allow you to upgrade the RAM yourself. While we'd like to have the option to more readily replace the hard drive, having quick access to the memory is still appreciated. More adventurous owners can upgrade the drives if they like, although there's a good chance you'll void your warranty in the process as you empty a large part of the case.

On the back, the user is greeted by the same array of ports as on the 2010 model, with one major excpetion. There are four USB 2.0 ports -- USB 3.0 sadly remains missing -- as well as a FireWire 800 port, an SDXC card slot, audio out and line in jacks, and an HDMI port. In place of the pure Mini DisplayPort, however, is the Apple- and Intel-developed Thunderbolt port. While there's not as much expansion as on a tower PC, it's surprisingly good at accommodating most home users and even pros. Who'd have thought just a year ago that a Mac mini could handle an external, multi-disk array of solid-state drives as well as if it were inside the computer?

Performance: objective and subjective testsThe 2.5GHz Mac mini is well equipped to be a solid everyday computer, at least on paper. Apple claims that the 2.5GHz model outperforms the model it replaces by nearly double in both processing and graphics performance. After all, like the previous MacBook Air line, the previous Mac mini range was still lopsided but is now theoretically well-balanced for the price and the tiny design.

                                           NO MORE OPTICAL DRIVE

And lastly, I can’t end this section without calling out the mini’s lack of an optical drive one more time. I’ve dinged Apple for not putting Blu-ray drives in its machines in every single Mac review I’ve written over the last few years, and it appears Cupertino’s finally upped the ante by just eliminating optical media entirely — yes, the Air’s never had an optical drive, but until this last revision it was never a credible primary machine. With the new Air and now the mini, it’s a bit more serious: Apple definitely expects some people will use these machines as their only computers, and no optical drive means the company is fully committed to the idea that everything — music, movies, and now apps and even OS upgrades — will come down your broadband connection. 

Mac mini Key Features

• Dual-core Intel Core i5 processor (2.3GHz model); dual-core Intel Core i5 or i7 processor (2.5GHz model); quad-core Intel Core i7 processor (Mac mini with Lion Server)
• Discrete AMD Radeon HD graphics (2.5GHz model)
• Thunderbolt I/O technology for lightning-fast data transfer and daisy-chaining up to six peripherals, including the new Apple Thunderbolt Display
• Removable panel that makes adding memory quick and easy
• Works with almost any display, keyboard, and mouse
• HDMI port and included HDMI to DVI Adapter for connecting your HDTV
• OS X Lion

Summary

   Unlike the new MacBook Air, the new processors in the Mac mini don’t suddenly make it a dramatically different kind of product; if the new Air with Lion represents Apple’s vision of what traditional computing should look like in 2011 and beyond, the new mini is more like a concession to the idea that perhaps not everyone else has quite caught up. It’s a tiny desktop PC that can go anywhere and hook up to nearly anything, and if that’s what you’re looking for you’ll leave extremely happy: the mini offers solid performance in a stunning case that’s unmatched in the industry. Just make sure you spring for a Magic Trackpad — and maybe a standalone Blu-ray player while you’re at it

          For more description see this video