Apple Mac mini (Mid 2010) vs Apple Mac mini (Mid 2011)

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Mac mini (Mid 2010) compared with Mac mini (Mid 2011)

	AppleMac mini (Mid 2010)	AppleMac mini (Mid 2011)
Overview
Released
Released	June 2010	July 2011
Performance
Processor
Processor	Intel Core 2 Duo P8600 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 320M (shared memory)	Intel HD Graphics 3000 or AMD Radeon HD 6630M (256 MB GDDR5)
Memory
Memory	2 GB, 4 GB or 8 GB	2 GB, 4 GB or 8 GB
Storage
Storage	320 GB to 1 TB	256 GB to 1.5 TB (better)
CPU
CPU	Consumer model has a 2.4 GHz Core 2 Duo P8600, configurable to 2.66 GHz P8800. Server model has a 2.66 GHz P8800. Both have two physical cores, 3 MB shared L2 cache and a 1066 MHz frontside bus; exact identities are cross-checked with EveryMac. Individual current Intel pages were unavailable, so optional chip launch dates and thread figures are omitted.	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 320M integrated graphics with at least 256 MB DDR3 memory shared with main memory	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. Consumer configuration has 2 GB, configurable to 4 or 8 GB; server has 4 GB and supports up to 8 GB. Removable bottom cover provides memory access.	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 models offer a 320 or 500 GB Serial ATA hard drive and an 8x slot-loading SuperDrive supporting double-layer DVD writing. Server has two 500 GB 7200 rpm Serial ATA hard drives (1000 GB total in configurations) and no internal optical drive. No unsupported storage/processor cross-pairings with the server are listed.	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 slots; bottom cover permits memory access	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, 4 × USB-A, HDMI, Ethernet, SD card slot, 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	One Mini DisplayPort, HDMI, four USB 2.0 ports up to 480 Mb/s, one FireWire 800 up to 800 Mb/s, SD card slot, Gigabit Ethernet with jumbo frames and separate digital/analogue audio input and output minijacks. The main DisplayPort count represents Mini DisplayPort; FireWire and line 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 across Mini DisplayPort and HDMI; Mini DisplayPort up to 2560 × 1600, HDMI up to 1920 × 1200. HDMI to DVI adapter included; Mini DisplayPort VGA/DVI 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	Digital/analogue headphone output, multichannel audio over HDMI and support for an Apple iPhone headset with microphone	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
Width × depth × height
Width × depth × height	197 × 197 × 36 mm	197 × 197 × 36 mm
Operating system
Operating system	macOS	macOS
Size and weight detail
Size and weight detail	Consumer model weighs 1.37 kg; server page gives 1.29 kg. Actual weight varies by configuration and manufacturing process; a shared weight is omitted.	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	Internal power supply; AC input 100–240 V, 50–60 Hz single phase; maximum continuous power 85 W	Internal supply; AC input 100–240 V, 50–60 Hz single phase; maximum continuous power 85 W
Noise
Noise	Consumer page's headline gives 14 dBA idle, while its model-specific table gives 13 dB for 2.4 GHz and 15 dB for 2.66 GHz at idle, 14/15 dB during hard-drive access and 20 dB during optical access on the 2.4 GHz model. The server page gives 15 dBA idle. No single value is selected across configurations.	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 enclosure; BFR-free and PVC-free internal cables. Server page says external cables are PVC-free in North America only.	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, HDMI to DVI adapter, power cord, install/restore DVDs and documentation. Consumer includes Mac OS X Snow Leopard and iLife; server includes Snow Leopard Server with an unlimited-client licence.	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.