Apple Mac mini (Late 2009) vs Apple Mac mini (Mid 2011)

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Mac mini (Late 2009) compared with Mac mini (Mid 2011)

	AppleMac mini (Late 2009)	AppleMac mini (Mid 2011)
Overview
Released
Released	October 2009	July 2011
Performance
Processor
Processor	Intel Core 2 Duo P8400, Intel Core 2 Duo P8700 or Intel Core 2 Duo P8800	Intel Core i5-2415M, Intel Core i5-2520M, Intel Core i7-2620M or Intel Core i7-2635QM
CPU cores
CPU cores	2	2 or 4
CPU threads
CPU threads	–	4 or 8
Graphics
Graphics	NVIDIA GeForce 9400M (shared memory)	Intel HD Graphics 3000 or AMD Radeon HD 6630M (256 MB GDDR5)
Memory
Memory	2 GB or 4 GB	2 GB, 4 GB or 8 GB (better)
Storage
Storage	160 GB to 1 TB	256 GB to 1.5 TB (better)
CPU
CPU	2.26 GHz Core 2 Duo P8400 or 2.53 GHz P8700; the lower consumer model offers a 2.53 GHz upgrade, and the higher model offers 2.66 GHz P8800. The server has a 2.53 GHz P8700. Each has two cores, 3 MB shared L2 cache and 1066 MHz frontside bus; exact chip identities cross-checked with EveryMac. The factory matrix keeps the higher model's 4 GB memory and minimum 320 GB drive with the 2.66 GHz option.	Consumer models have a 2.3 GHz dual-core Core i5-2415M or 2.5 GHz dual-core Core i5-2520M, with a 2.7 GHz dual-core Core i7-2620M option only on the 2.5 GHz model. The server has a 2.0 GHz quad-core Core i7-2635QM. Exact CPU identities are cross-checked with EveryMac; the i5-2415M's four threads come from its exact-model sheet because an individual current Intel sheet was unavailable.
GPU
GPU	NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics shares a minimum 256 MB DDR3 memory; available system memory varies with graphics use.	The 2.3 GHz model has Intel HD Graphics 3000 with at least 288 MB shared memory; 2.5/2.7 GHz consumer configurations have AMD Radeon HD 6630M with 256 MB GDDR5. Server configurations have Intel HD Graphics 3000 with at least 384 MB shared memory.
Memory type
Memory type	Two SO-DIMM slots for 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM, 2 or 4 GB in consumer configurations and 4 GB in the server; maker-supported maximum 4 GB	1333 MHz DDR3 memory. The 2.3 GHz model has 2 GB, configurable to 4 or 8 GB; other configurations have 4 GB, configurable to 8 GB. The bottom cover provides access for memory replacement.
Storage type
Storage type	Consumer model offers 160, 320 or 500 GB 5400 rpm Serial ATA hard drives and an 8x SuperDrive with double-layer DVD support. Server has two 500 GB 5400 rpm drives, totalling 1 TB, and no optical drive; the 1 TB configuration represents those two drives, not one 1 TB drive.	The 2.3 GHz consumer model offers a 500 GB 5400 rpm or 750 GB 7200 rpm hard drive. The 2.5/2.7 GHz consumer models additionally offer a 256 GB SSD or a separate 256 GB SSD plus 750 GB hard drive. Server choices are two 500 GB or two 750 GB 7200 rpm hard drives, a single or two 256 GB SSDs, or a separate 256 GB SSD and 750 GB hard drive. Server hard-drive capacities in configurations are the total of two drives (1000/1500 GB), and 512 GB SSD means two 256 GB drives. Mixed SSD/hard-drive combinations are described here rather than assigned one misleading storage type; they are not Fusion Drives.
Expansion slots
Expansion slots	No internal PCI Express expansion slot	No internal PCI Express expansion slot or optical drive; removable bottom cover for memory access. Optional external MacBook Air SuperDrive or DVD/CD Sharing from another computer.
Display
Screen
Screen	None built in	None built in
Connections
Ports
Ports	DisplayPort, 5 × USB-A, Ethernet, headphone jack	Thunderbolt, 4 × USB-A, HDMI, Ethernet, SD card slot, headphone jack
Ethernet
Ethernet	1 Gb/s	1 Gb/s
External displays
External displays	Up to 2	Up to 2
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi	802.11n	802.11n
Bluetooth
Bluetooth	2.1 + EDR	4.0
Back ports
Back ports	Five USB 2.0 ports up to 480 Mb/s, FireWire 800, Mini DisplayPort, Mini-DVI, Gigabit Ethernet and combined optical digital/analogue audio input and output minijacks. The main DisplayPort count represents Mini DisplayPort; Mini-DVI, FireWire and audio input are described here because the main port list has no fields for them.	Thunderbolt up to 10 Gb/s, FireWire 800 up to 800 Mb/s, four USB 2.0 up to 480 Mb/s, HDMI, SDXC, Gigabit Ethernet and separate digital/analogue audio input and output minijacks. FireWire and the audio input are described here because the main port list has no fields for them.
External displays
External displays	Extended desktop and mirroring; Mini-DVI up to 1920 × 1200 for DVI/VGA, Mini DisplayPort up to 2560 × 1600 using an optional dual-link DVI adapter. Mini-DVI to DVI adapter included; other display adapters optional.	Maker specifies dual display and mirroring; Thunderbolt up to 2560 × 1600 and HDMI up to 1920 × 1200. HDMI to DVI adapter included; Mini DisplayPort adapters optional.
Speakers
Speakers	Built-in speaker; combined optical digital audio output/headphone minijack and optical digital audio input/line-in minijack	Built-in speaker; digital/analogue headphone output, multichannel HDMI audio and support for an Apple iPhone headset with microphone
Keyboard and mouse
Keyboard and mouse	Display, keyboard and mouse purchased separately; Apple Remote optional	Display, keyboard and mouse are purchased separately; Apple Remote and external SuperDrive optional
Design and power
Type
Type	Compact	Compact
Weight
Weight	1.31 kg	–
Width × depth × height
Width × depth × height	165.1 × 165.1 × 50.8 mm	197 × 197 × 36 mm
Operating system
Operating system	macOS	macOS
Size and weight detail
Size and weight detail	–	Consumer models weigh 1.22 kg; the server weighs 1.37 kg. Actual weight varies by configuration and manufacturing process; a shared weight is omitted.
Power supply
Power supply	External 110 W adapter; maximum continuous power 110 W, 50–60 Hz single phase. The UK support sheet publishes 100–120 V only for the US, Japan and South America, so no UK input-voltage figure is inferred.	Internal supply; AC input 100–240 V, 50–60 Hz single phase; maximum continuous power 85 W
Noise
Noise	–	The consumer page's headline gives 16 dBA idle, while its model-specific table gives 13 dB for 2.3 GHz and 15 dB for 2.5 GHz at idle, with 16 dB during hard-drive access. The server page gives 17 dBA idle. Figures depend on configuration and measurement position; no single value is selected.
Materials
Materials	Recyclable aluminium and polycarbonate enclosure; BFR-free and PVC-free internal components; maker limits its external PVC-free cable claim to North America	Recyclable aluminium enclosure; BFR-free. PVC-free except China mainland, Korea and South Africa, where only internal cables are PVC-free.
In the box
In the box	Mac mini, Mini-DVI to DVI adapter, 110 W power adapter and cord, install/restore DVDs and documentation. Consumer model includes Mac OS X Snow Leopard and iLife '09; server includes Mac OS X Server 10.6 Snow Leopard.	Mac mini, HDMI to DVI adapter, power cord and documentation. OS X Lion and iLife included; server adds Lion Server with an unlimited-client licence. Lion Recovery and Internet Recovery support system restoration without a physical install disc.