The 1st generation has no visible screws, reflecting Apple's intention that the computer not be upgraded by the user. The aluminum case, capped with polycarbonate plastic on the top and bottom, has an optical drive slot on the front and the I/O ports and vents for the cooling system on the back. Unlike regular desktops, which use standard-sized components such as 3.5-inch hard drives and full-size DIMMs, the Mac mini uses low-power laptop components to fit into a small case and run without overheating.

The Mac mini was intended as an entry-level computer intended for budget-minded customers. On January 10, 2005, the Mac mini was announced alongside the iPod shuffle at the Macworld Conference & Expo and was described by Apple CEO Steve Jobs at the time as 'the cheapest, most affordable Mac ever'. Ī small form factor computer had been widely speculated and requested long before the release of the Mac mini. The fourth-generation Mac mini, in October 2018, added a darker 'space gray' finish, comes with solid-state storage standard, and replaced most data ports with USB-C.Ī server version of the Mac mini, bundled with the Server edition of the OS X operating system, was offered from 2009 to 2014. Later revisions added Thunderbolt and Intel Core i5 and i7 processors. The third-generation Mac mini, introduced in June 2010, brought a thinner unibody aluminum case and an HDMI port, more readily positioning it as a home theater device alternative to the Apple TV. The second generation Mac mini, introduced in February 2006, carried over the design of the PowerPC version, but used Intel Core processors and other upgraded components, and made wireless connections such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi standard. The Mac mini was introduced in January 2005, using PowerPC G4 processors. It uses many laptop components to achieve its compact size. Apple initially marketed it as BYODKM (Bring Your Own Display, Keyboard, and Mouse), pitching it to users switching from a traditional PC running operating systems such as Microsoft Windows. The Mac mini is Apple's only consumer desktop computer since 1998 to ship without a display, keyboard, or mouse. It is one of four desktop computers in the current Macintosh lineup, serving as an alternative to the all-in-one iMac, and sits below the performance range iMac Pro and Mac Pro.

The Mac mini (stylized with a lowercase 'mini') is a desktop computer made by Apple Inc. November 7, 2018 3 years ago ( ) (current release)

Mid 2011 mac mini specs