Mac Mini

Mac Mini

Mac Mini (M4, 2024)
Developer	Apple Inc.
Product family	Mac
Type	Compact desktop Server (pre-October 2014 models)
Release date	November 8, 2024; 2 days' time (2024-11-08) (current release) January 22, 2005 (2005-01-22) (original release)
Introductory price	US$499 (original) US$599 (current release)
Operating system	macOS
System on a chip	Apple M series
CPU	Intel Core i3, Core i5 and Core i7, PowerPC G4, Intel Core Solo, Core Duo, Core 2 Duo (previously)
Predecessor	Power Mac G4 Cube
Related	iMac, Mac Pro, iMac Pro, Developer Transition Kit, Mac Studio
Website	www.apple.com/mac-mini/

Mac Mini (stylized as Mac mini) is a small form factor desktop computer developed and marketed by Apple Inc. As of 2022^[update], it is positioned between the consumer all-in-one iMac and the professional Mac Studio and Mac Pro as one of four current Mac desktop computers. Since launch, it has shipped without a display, keyboard, and mouse. The machine was initially branded as "BYODKM" (Bring Your Own Display, Keyboard, and Mouse) as a strategic pitch to encourage users to switch from Windows and Linux computers.^[1]

In January 2005, the original Mac Mini was introduced with the PowerPC G4 CPU. In February 2006, Apple announced a new Intel Core Solo model, the first with an Intel processor. A thinner unibody redesign, unveiled in June 2010, added an HDMI port, and was more readily positioned as a home theater device and an alternative to the Apple TV.

The 2018 Mac Mini model had Thunderbolt, an Intel Core i3, Core i5 or i7 CPU, and also changed the case's default silver for space gray. This model also had solid-state storage and replaces most of the data ports with USB-C sockets. The Apple silicon Mac Mini based on the Apple M1 chip was introduced in November 2020 in the original silver style; the 2018 space gray model remained available as a high-end model with more RAM options until the release of an updated model based on the M2 and M2 Pro chips in January 2023.

In October 2024, Apple redesigned the Mac Mini for the first time since 2010. The new design is much smaller than previous models and features ports on the front and back of the device. The new design debuted with the M4 and M4 Pro chips, with the M4 computers supporting Thunderbolt 5 for the first time.

A server version of the Mac Mini that is bundled with the Server edition of the OS X operating system was offered from 2009 to 2014. The Mac Mini received generally tepid reviews except for the Apple silicon model, which was praised for its compatibility, performance, processor, price, and power efficiencies, though it drew occasional criticism for its ports, speaker, integrated graphics, non-user-upgradable RAM and storage, and the expensive cost to buy associated accessories and displays.