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Apple Mac mini (Late 2014)

Apple · Mac mini

Mac mini (Late 2014)

Released October 2014

A compact dual-core Intel desktop with two Thunderbolt 2 ports, soldered memory and hard-drive, Fusion Drive or PCIe flash storage options.

Model history · 10 models, 2005–2014
  1. 2005Mac mini (2005)Compare
  2. 2006Mac mini (Early 2006)Compare
  3. 2006Mac mini (Late 2006)Compare
  4. 2007Mac mini (Mid 2007)Compare
  5. 2009Mac mini (Early 2009)Compare
  6. 2009Mac mini (Late 2009)Compare
  7. 2010Mac mini (Mid 2010)Compare
  8. 2011Mac mini (Mid 2011)Compare
  9. 2012Mac mini (Late 2012)Compare
  10. 2014Mac mini (Late 2014)
Type
Compact
Processor
Intel Core i5 or i7
Memory
4 GB – 16 GB
Storage
256 GB – 2 TB
Screen
–
Weight
–

What reviewers say

Reviewers liked the compact, quiet enclosure, everyday performance and faster Fusion Drive storage. Faster Wi-Fi and two Thunderbolt 2 ports were useful additions. Soldered memory restricted upgrades, hard-drive models felt slower, and losing the quad-core option reduced its appeal for demanding work compared with its predecessor.

From macworld.com, arstechnica.com and expertreviews.co.uk

Specifications

Report a wrong or missing spec

Performance

Processor
Intel Core i5-4260U, Intel Core i5-4278U, Intel Core i5-4308U or Intel Core i7-4578U
CPU cores
2
CPU threads
4
Graphics
Intel HD Graphics 5000 or Intel Iris Graphics 5100
Memory
4 GB, 8 GB or 16 GB
Storage
256 GB to 2 TB
CPU
1.4 GHz dual-core Core i5 (Turbo Boost up to 2.7 GHz), 2.6 GHz dual-core Core i5 (up to 3.1 GHz), or 2.8 GHz dual-core Core i5 (up to 3.3 GHz). The two higher models can be configured with a 3.0 GHz dual-core Core i7 (up to 3.5 GHz). Exact processor identities are recorded by Geekbench; Ars Technica tested the Core i5-4278U and Macworld tested the Core i5-4308U.
GPU
Intel HD Graphics 5000 in the 1.4 GHz model; Intel Iris Graphics 5100 in the 2.6 GHz, 2.8 GHz and optional Core i7 models
Memory type
1600 MHz LPDDR3 soldered to the logic board; 4 GB configurable to 8 GB or 16 GB on the 1.4 GHz model, and 8 GB configurable to 16 GB on the higher models. Memory cannot be upgraded after purchase (Ars Technica).
Storage type
1.4 GHz model has a 500 GB 5400-rpm hard drive or 1 TB Fusion Drive. The 2.6 GHz model has a 1 TB hard drive, 1 TB Fusion Drive or 256 GB SSD. The 2.8 GHz model has a 1 TB Fusion Drive, later 2 TB Fusion Drive option, or 256 GB, 512 GB or 1 TB SSD. Core i7 configurations retain the storage choices of their original base model; deduplicated configurations combine these supported choices. Macworld reports the 2 TB Fusion Drive option was added after launch; it is included in Apple's current specification.

Display

Screen
None built in

Connections

Ports
2 × Thunderbolt 2, 4 × USB-A, HDMI, SD card slot, Ethernet, headphone jack
Ethernet
1 Gb/s
External displays
Up to 2
Wi-Fi
802.11ac
Bluetooth
4.0
Back ports
Two Thunderbolt 2 ports up to 20 Gb/s each, four USB 3 ports up to 5 Gb/s, HDMI, SDXC slot, Gigabit Ethernet, separate digital/analogue audio input and headphone/line output; IR receiver
External displays
Up to two displays at 2560 × 1600; native Mini DisplayPort output over Thunderbolt. HDMI supports 1080p at up to 60 Hz, 3840 × 2160 at 30 Hz or 4096 × 2160 at 24 Hz. DVI, VGA and dual-link DVI require the appropriate adapter.
Speakers
Built-in speaker; HDMI supports multichannel audio; supports Apple iPhone headset with microphone
Keyboard and mouse
Power lead; monitor, keyboard and mouse sold separately

Design and power

Type
Compact
Width × depth × height
197 × 197 × 36 mm
Operating system
macOS
Size and weight detail
197 × 197 × 36 mm; 1.19 kg for the 1.4 GHz model, 1.20 kg for the 2.6 GHz model and 1.22 kg for the 2.8 GHz model. Weight varies by configuration and manufacturing process; no common weight is assigned.
Power supply
Integrated power supply; 100–240 V AC, 50–60 Hz; maximum continuous power 85 W
Noise
Apple specifies 12 dBA sound pressure at idle; its acoustic test configuration is the 2.8 GHz Core i5 with 8 GB memory and 1 TB Fusion Drive
Materials
Recyclable aluminium enclosure; BFR-free and PVC-free with regional power-lead exceptions
In the box
Mac mini and power lead; shipped with OS X Yosemite at launch. The current support sheet's macOS Mojave wording reflects a later software update.

Configurations

ProcessorMemoryStorageStorage type
Intel Core i5-4260U4 GB500 GBHard drive
Intel Core i5-4260U4 GB1 TBFusion Drive
Intel Core i5-4260U8 GB500 GBHard drive
Intel Core i5-4260U8 GB1 TBFusion Drive
Intel Core i5-4260U16 GB500 GBHard drive
Intel Core i5-4260U16 GB1 TBFusion Drive
Intel Core i5-4278U8 GB1 TBHard drive
Intel Core i5-4278U8 GB1 TBFusion Drive
Intel Core i5-4278U8 GB256 GBSSD
Intel Core i5-4278U16 GB1 TBHard drive
Intel Core i5-4278U16 GB1 TBFusion Drive
Intel Core i5-4278U16 GB256 GBSSD
Intel Core i5-4308U8 GB1 TBFusion Drive
Intel Core i5-4308U8 GB2 TBFusion Drive
Intel Core i5-4308U8 GB256 GBSSD
Intel Core i5-4308U8 GB512 GBSSD
Intel Core i5-4308U8 GB1 TBSSD
Intel Core i5-4308U16 GB1 TBFusion Drive
Intel Core i5-4308U16 GB2 TBFusion Drive
Intel Core i5-4308U16 GB256 GBSSD
Intel Core i5-4308U16 GB512 GBSSD
Intel Core i5-4308U16 GB1 TBSSD
Intel Core i7-4578U8 GB1 TBHard drive
Intel Core i7-4578U8 GB1 TBFusion Drive
Intel Core i7-4578U8 GB2 TBFusion Drive
Intel Core i7-4578U8 GB256 GBSSD
Intel Core i7-4578U8 GB512 GBSSD
Intel Core i7-4578U8 GB1 TBSSD
Intel Core i7-4578U16 GB1 TBHard drive
Intel Core i7-4578U16 GB1 TBFusion Drive
Intel Core i7-4578U16 GB2 TBFusion Drive
Intel Core i7-4578U16 GB256 GBSSD
Intel Core i7-4578U16 GB512 GBSSD
Intel Core i7-4578U16 GB1 TBSSD

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Two Thunderbolt 2 ports and four USB 3 ports
  • Optional PCIe flash storage or Fusion Drive
  • Compact aluminium enclosure

Cons

  • Memory cannot be upgraded after purchase
  • No quad-core processor option
  • HDMI 4K output is limited to 30 Hz at 3840 × 2160

Closest rivals

Model
TypeProcessorMemoryStorageScreenWeightReleased
AppleMac mini (Late 2012)
CompactIntel Core i5 or i74 GB – 16 GB256 GB – 1 TB–1.22 kgOct 2012
AppleiMac (21.5-inch, Late 2013)
All-in-oneIntel Core i5 or i78 GB – 16 GB256 GB – 1 TB21.5″5.68 kgSept 2013
AppleiMac (21.5-inch, Late 2015)
All-in-oneIntel Core i58 GB – 16 GB256 GB – 2 TB21.5″5.68 kgOct 2015

Previous model: Mac mini (Late 2012). Newer model: Mac mini (2018).

Sources

  1. support.apple.com/en-gb/111931
  2. apple.com/uk/newsroom/2014/10/16Apple-Updates-Mac-mini
  3. browser.geekbench.com/macs/imac-27-inch-late-2013-intel-core-i5-4670-3-4-ghz-4-…
  4. macworld.com/article/667303/mac-mini-2014-review.html
  5. arstechnica.com/gadgets/2014/11/not-the-upgrade-we-were-hoping-for-the-2014-mac…
  6. expertreviews.co.uk/technology/desktop-pcs/mac-mini-2014-review
  7. support.apple.com/en-gb/102852

Photo: cdsassets.apple.com

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