Mac mini gets updated with Haswell processors, faster WiFi and Thunderbolt

The smallest Mac of all has received a list of upgrades. Fans of the Mac mini will welcome the fourth generation Intel Core processors, new integrated graphics that are up to 90 percent faster, 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Thunderbolt 2 capabilities as well as Intel Iris Graphics in the same small form factor.

The Mac mini has long been favoured as the entry model to the OS X ecosystem and has been used in a variety of ways as a desktop PC, in server clusters, as dedicated headless computer and now has more power for various use cases.

“People love Mac mini. It’s a great first Mac or addition to your home network, and the new Mac mini is a nice upgrade packed into an incredibly compact design,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “With the latest CPU and graphics, faster Wi-Fi, two Thunderbolt 2 ports, OS X Yosemite, and starting at just $549, the new Mac mini is the best value ever.”

The new Mac mini delivers new levels of graphics performance, expandability and connectivity. New integrated Intel HD Graphics 5000 and Intel Iris Graphics deliver up to 90 percent faster graphics performance than the previous generation. This helps close the gap between the Mac mini and the iMac lines as well.

Mac mini now includes two Thunderbolt 2 ports, each delivering up to 20Gbps of bandwidth to each port, as well as next-generation 802.11ac Wi-Fi that is up to three times faster when connected to an 802.11ac base station. Apple says the Mac mini is still the world’s most energy efficient desktop, exceeding Energy Star 6.1 requirements by seven times the standard and consuming as few as 6 watts of power at idle.

Mac mini comes in three standard models: a 1.4 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 with Turbo Boost speeds up to 2.7 GHz, 4GB of memory, Intel HD Graphics 5000 and a 500GB hard drive starting at a suggested retail price of $549 (CAD); a 2.6 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.1 GHz, 8GB of memory, Intel Iris Graphics and a 1TB hard drive starting at suggested retail price of $749 (CAD); and a 2.8 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.3 GHz, 8GB of memory, Intel Iris Graphics and a 1TB Fusion Drive starting at a suggested retail price of $1,079 (CAD). Customers can order Mac mini through the Apple Online Store (www.apple.ca).