Apple Mac mini (M1)

Apple · Mac mini

Mac mini (M1)

Released November 2020

The first Apple Silicon Mac mini is a compact M1 desktop for home and office work, with up to 16 GB of unified memory and support for two displays.

Model history · 12 models, 2005–2020
  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)Compare
  11. 2018Mac mini (2018)Compare
  12. 2020Mac mini (M1)
Type
Compact
Processor
Apple M1
Memory
8 GB – 16 GB
Storage
256 GB – 2 TB
Screen
–
Weight
1.2 kg

What reviewers say

Reviewers praise the speed and value of the first M1 desktop and its compact enclosure. Both flag the reduced Thunderbolt connections and display support compared with the Intel model. Tom's Guide also encountered Bluetooth connection problems during testing.

From macworld.com and tomsguide.com

Performance

Processor
Apple M1
CPU cores
8
Graphics
8-core GPU
Memory
8 GB or 16 GB
Storage
256 GB to 2 TB
CPU
8-core CPU with 4 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores
GPU
8-core GPU
AI engine
16-core Neural Engine
Storage type
SSD, configurable to 512 GB, 1 TB or 2 TB

Display

Screen
None built in

Connections

Ports
2 × Thunderbolt 3, 2 × USB-A, HDMI, Ethernet, headphone jack
Ethernet
1 Gb/s
External displays
Up to 2
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi 6
Bluetooth
5.0
Back ports
Two Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports with DisplayPort, Thunderbolt 3 and USB 4 up to 40 Gb/s, and USB 3.1 Gen 2 up to 10 Gb/s; two USB-A ports up to 5 Gb/s; HDMI; Gigabit Ethernet, configurable to 10 Gb Ethernet; 3.5 mm headphone jack
External displays
One display up to 6K 60 Hz over Thunderbolt and one up to 4K 60 Hz over HDMI, simultaneously
Speakers
Built-in speaker; HDMI multichannel audio output

Design and power

Type
Compact
Weight
1.2 kg
Width × depth × height
197 × 197 × 36 mm
Operating system
macOS
Power supply
Built-in; 100–240 V AC, 50–60 Hz; maximum continuous power 150 W
Noise
5 dBA sound pressure at idle and during Apple's wireless web test (operator position)
Materials
100% recycled aluminium enclosure
Colours
Silver
In the box
Mac mini, power cord

Configurations

ProcessorMemoryStorage
Apple M18 GB256 GB
Apple M116 GB256 GB
Apple M18 GB512 GB
Apple M116 GB512 GB
Apple M18 GB1 TB
Apple M116 GB1 TB
Apple M18 GB2 TB
Apple M116 GB2 TB

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Two USB-A ports alongside Thunderbolt and HDMI
  • Supports a 6K display and a 4K display simultaneously
  • Optional 10 Gb Ethernet

Cons

  • Limited to 16 GB of unified memory
  • Two Thunderbolt ports, with no front connections
  • Keyboard, mouse and display are sold separately

Closest rivals

Model
TypeProcessorMemoryStorageScreenWeightReleased
All-in-oneApple M18 GB – 16 GB256 GB – 2 TB24″4.46 kgMay 2021
CompactApple M2 or M2 Pro8 GB – 32 GB256 GB – 8 TB–1.18 kgJan 2023
CompactIntel Core i3, i5 or i78 GB – 64 GB128 GB – 2 TB–1.3 kgNov 2018

Previous model: Mac mini (2018). Newer model: Mac mini (M2 or M2 Pro).

Sources

  1. support.apple.com/en-gb/111894
  2. apple.com/uk/newsroom/2020/11/introducing-the-next-generation-of-mac
  3. macrumors.com/2020/11/10/apple-m1-macs-available-to-order

Photo: cdsassets.apple.com

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