Apple Unveils Newer, Faster, Still Little Mac Mini
Faster. Greener. Still mini.
That’s what the tagline reads in Apple’s newly launched Mac mini webpage. Having been on hiatus, the new Mac mini has been a long time coming.
At an entry price of $599, the Mac mini represents the cheapest way to buy into Apple culture, and now it’s also the most energy efficient method as well. Apple claims that the new Mac mini is “the world’s most energy efficient desktop,” drawing less than 13 watts of power when idle. It should be good on cramped desks as well, measuring 6.5 by 6.5 by 2-inches.
Just like the aluminum unibody MacBooks that were unveiled in October 2008, the new Mac mini utilizes an Intel CPU paired with an Nvidia chipset. Both variants of the new Mac mini will come with a 2.0 GHz Core 2 Duo with 3 MB shared L2 cache, which sits on an Nvidia GeForce 9400M. Also sharing with the MacBooks is a slot-load 8x SuperDrive dual-layer burner, Mini DisplayPort and mini-DVI for video output (adapters sold separately, obviously), built-in AirPort Extreme wireless N, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, gigabit Ethernet. Like in the early leaked images, the Mac mini features a whooping five USB ports – besting the iMac and matching the Mac Pro.
The $599 Mac mini will buy you all of the above with 1 GB DD3, 120 GB 5400 RPM hard drive. Moving to a $799 Mac mini will bump the RAM to 2 GB DDR and a 320 GB 5400 RPM hard drive.
Additional build-to-order options and accessories for the Mac mini include: a 2.26 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, up to 4 GB DDR3 RAM, and 80 GB, 250 GB or 320 GB 5400 hard drives.
The new Mac mini are now shipping and available through the Apple Store and Apple Authorized Resellers.


im guessing 1GB DDR3 and 2GB DDR3, unless apple is sticking ddr1 memory into their machines.
I guess another instance of Mac being Mac for the perception of 'superiority'.
Standard Apple price jacking, nothing new there.
LOL Do they yell "Yippy Kiyay!" too? Sorry was the first thing I thought of when I read the typo.
I kind of agree. Apple charges to much for most of their products. $600 is hardly entry level for a desktop PC. Although, as with most stuff, you're paying for convenience. This Mini is pretty darn small, so you're paying more for that too. Plus the cool "Apple" emblem they affixed to it.
Just be glad they are still using the Core 2 Duo and have not switched to something else.
makes it a little less expensive to buy an apple. basically they lowered the 799 to 599
small cpu speed increase max cpu from 2.0 to 2.25 ghz, why not 2.4 ghz cpu or higher, why is 2 gb memory not standard on entry mini, is 1 gb really useful on 64 bit os, i bet you need 2-4 gb to use the box,
why is largest drive on $799 only 320 gb, and why is the keyboard soo expensive $99. i'm not a mac owner, i would like to get one, but the price is still to high to get just to play with. even on ebay the used ones with older specs basically sell for list price or near list so its not a deal because for a little more you can a new one with better specs.
makes it a better deal because its basically giving me what i had to pay more for less. 2.0 ghz, 1gb, ect used to be part of $799 package and now its part of $599 package, but when i put 2 gb of memory $50 and iworks $50 and keyboard $100 which one needs i was up to $800 on a mac mini which is still too expensive for me. for that amount of money i could build a very high in hackintash or a nice pc. think of what i could buy at dell for $800
are there mac mini owners out there are $599 specs good, or 2gb or even 4gb needed
Scr** the small form factor, I can buy a desktop computer with E8200, P45 board, HD4870 card, 4GB RAM, 640GB HDD, Vista Home Premium 64bit, 22" LCD display, and kbd/mouse - all for the same "799$ Mini-Mac"!
I'll never understand Apple zealots, even though my best friend (and a best-man) is one of "those"
this unit is a macbook without a a screen.
There is no way in hell this thing is the world's most energy efficient desktop computer when there are desktops out there running intel atom processors. Give me a break.
Apples have a niche market, and like many other niche markets you pay for that.
Studio Hybrid:
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T6400 (2.0GHz/800Mhz FSB/2MB cache)
Operating System:
Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium Edition SP1, 64-Bit
Hard Drives:
160GB SATA Hard Drive (5400RPM)
Optical Drives:
Slot Load CD / DVD Burner (Dual Layer DVD+/-RW Drive)
Video Card:
Intel® Integrated Graphics Media Accelerator X3100
Sound Card:
Integrated Sound Blaster® Audigy™ HD Software Edition
Keyboard and Mouse:
Dell USB Multimedia Keyboard & Optical Mouse
Media Reader:
Dell 7 in 1 Media Card Reader
Is $604 a good price for mac users to try a PC? Apple is for users who like to be limited and pay more for it. The PC's gives you more options to choose from including color and design making a PC user be able to customize their PC to fit their personality. Where as all apple users are the same because all apple computers are the same.
lowest Dell Inspiron 530s $279 (which has hardware comparable to mini $799 and a keyboard which mini does not come with, you have to buy one for an additional $99 for wired one)
Date 3/3/2009 4:55:46 PM Central Standard Time
Catalog Number 29 Retail 19
Catalog Number / Description Product Code Qty SKU Id
Dell Inspiron 530s:
Intel® Celeron® processor 450 (2.2GHz, 800 FSB) ST450H 1 [224-3120] 1
Operating System:
Genuine Windows Vista® Home Basic Service Pack 1 VHB31E 1 [313-5582][420-6436][420-7622][420-8506][420-8873][420-9105][421-0323][463-2282] 11
Office Productivity Software (Pre-Installed):
Microsoft Works 9.0 DWRK9 1 [420-8085] 22
Limited Warranty, Services and Support Options:
1Yr Ltd Hardware Warranty, InHome Service after Remote Diagnosis S111OS 1 [960-3249][982-4330][983-3680][987-3157][987-6238][990-8029] 29
Monitor:
No Monitor N 1 [320-3000] 5
Memory:
2GB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 800MHz- 2DIMMs 2GB82 1 [311-7319] 3
Hard Drives:
320GB Serial ATA Hard Drive (7200RPM) w/DataBurst Cache™ 320S 1 [341-4946] 8
Optical Drive:
16X DVD+/-RW Drive 16DVDRW 1 [313-5365][420-8152] 16
Video Cards:
Integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 3100 IV 1 [320-5878] 6
Sound Cards:
Integrated 7.1 Channel Audio IS 1 [313-2758] 17
Keyboard and Mouse Bundles:
Dell USB Keyboard and Dell Optical USB Mouse EKOM 1 [330-0916][330-3666] 4
Floppy Drive and Media Reader:
No Floppy Drive Included NFD 1 [341-5008] 10
Modem:
No Modem Option N 1 [313-3137] 14
Mouse:
Mouse included with Keyboard purchase N 1 [310-1966] 12
Adobe Software:
Adobe® Acrobat® Reader 9.0 Multi-Language AAREAD 1 [410-1867] 15
Network Interface:
Integrated 10/100 Ethernet IN 1 [430-0412] 13
Labels:
Windows Vista™ Basic VBD 1 [310-8625] 750
Entertainment and Editing Software:
WildTangent Games WLDTNGT 1 [420-9352] 195
Speakers:
No speakers (Speakers are required to hear audio from your system) N 1 [313-2198] 18
Security Software:
McAfee SecurityCenter with anti-virus, anti-spyware, firewall, 30-Days MC930D 1 [410-1160] 25
Dell Digital Entertainment:
No Entertainment software pre-installed NODE 1 [464-9572] 399
DataSafe Online Backup:
Dell Remote Access, free basic service DRAFB 1 [420-9800][993-1919] 813
Datasafe:
Dell Online Backup 2GB for 1 year DOB2GB 1 [420-9518][988-0099][988-7707] 34