Apple today announced that the Mac mini, the world’s most energy efficient desktop, is now faster, offers more storage and comes standard with double the memory. Starting at $599, the entry level Mac mini features a faster 2.26 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor and 2GB of DDR3 1066 MHz memory, a 160GB hard drive, five USB 2.0 ports, FireWire 800, NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics and a SuperDrive.
The $799 Mac mini features a 2.53 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 4GB of memory and a larger 320GB hard drive. Apple now offers a $999 Mac mini that is specially configured with Mac OS X Snow Leopard Server.
Mac mini with Snow Leopard Server features two 500GB hard drives for a total of 1TB of server storage in the tiny 6.5-inch square by 2-inch tall Mac mini enclosure.
Mac mini with Mac OS X Snow Leopard Server is available from the Apple Store and Apple’s retail stores.
More info here.
YEAH BABY! FIRST! Glad to see the Minis get updated! Must get a new one, to have see!
The server option is AWESOME!!
So if I can go out DVI and convert to HDMI, why would I ever consider AppleTV?
I wanna get a Mini Server. The server OS alone costs $499. That is an awesome deal for $999 or $949 with a government employee or student discount.
Drool…
It’s funny to look back at my first iMac and look now at this monolith of beauty and power. Time sure flies… Getting the mouse for my son’s laptop asap. Nice job Apple!
The Mac Mini Snow Leopard Server is well the Mac Mini I’ve been wanting for.
Why are Apple’s UK prices such a rip-off? According to the currency converter widget on my Dashboard, $599 = £363.69. So why do we have to pay £499 for the cheapest Mac mini? That’s about 25% more – it can’t cost that much to ship it!
Maybe that is what Apple is putting into the new server farm they are making. More likely these are servers that any small company or non profit group can afford. I could get one for the church’s archives. I will look at these later today.
Does the Mac Mini Server have hardware RAID support for those internals? If so, I am sold.
I wonder if the SL Server Mac mini is Apple’s way of testing the home server market? Maybe we can expect some kind of storage device from them in the future. I only wish there were 2 FW800 ports on the Mac mini and possibly an HDMI port.
I guess with no HDMI port, the Apple TV lives on for now.
I’m definitely thinking about a Mac mini Server and attaching a Drobo or Drobo Pro to it for my home server.
“Why are Apple’s UK prices such a rip-off?”
How much of the UK price is VAT?
The US price doesn’t include tax, and IIRC UK and Canadian prices do.
@ nighthealer
One word (or acronym) VAT. In US and Canada prices are quoted without sales tax and when it is applicable it is usually lower than in UK. in UK it is 15%. Add some EX risk costs, other fees and 25% sounds about right.
Steve – you were first just by few seconds. BTW in Canada prices are without sales tax (at least in Alberta they are).
Mac mini server…… SLICK!!!!!
A DVI to HDMI adaptor and it’ll handle all the non-Blu-Ray and DVD content for my HDTV… Brilliant!!!
We’ve been using the original Mini with Leopard Server to back-up all the machines in our workgroup using Time Machine. It works OK but it’s just slow. With all the new speed and FW800 (which will work with any number of standalone hardware RAID boxes) this new one will be a rockin’ little server without all the heat and noise issues of larger units.
Way 2 go Apple!
There is one more thing apple did introduce today – and it seems that no one did notice it
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”wink” style=”border:0;” /> even MDN
it is a new apple remote see yourself:
http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC377LL/A?mco=MTM0MTE1MDA
@Rev. Dr.
I can think of a few. 1) overscan issues with the TV requiring not-so-straight-forward utilities such as SwitchResX, 2) keyboard and a mouse are awkward from a couch, 3) you’ll do allot of squinting (unless your couch is close to your TV or your TV is HUGE), 4) $$.
Apple hit the small business jackpot with the Mac Mini Server. For $1000 you get a server box with good specs and relatively simple to use server software with unlimited client licenses. Add a RAID box thru the 800 FW connection when you need it and you got yourself a nice system for a small office.
I’ll be getting one of these puppies in the next few weeks to replace my old Mirror-Doored box that is running Leopard Server in my 7-person office.
Of course, the IT guys will say it is crap and you can get a Windows Small Business Server setup for a comparible price and Windows server is more capable and expandable and no one uses Apple servers, etc., etc., etc.
To which I reply: with an Apple server I don’t need you, asshole!
I know several people who’ve already been using a Mac Mini for a server. I guess Apple noticed.
-jcr
with an Apple server I don’t need you, asshole!
That’s the same thing that the Cobalt server customers used to say before Sun bought them and botched that product line. I wonder how the pricing compares?
-jcr
I like the server Mac mini with no optical drive slot.
And at the low end, now with a reasonable 2GB of RAM standard (plus slightly faster speed and more storage), that model is an ideal starter Mac for a switcher.
If I have a G5 imac, and I buy the mini….
Can I use my G5 imac screen with the mini?
At least I could do someth’n with my G5. Anyone know for sure?
I stand corrected. Didn’t expect a quad-core 27″ iMac (it probably had to be that big for the heat sinks), and thought the new multi-touch mouse and the new plastic macBook would get a bigger fanfare. The new remote still sacrifices a little too much functionality for my taste.
The big iMac really puts some pressure on the low-end quad-core Mac Pro. For a lot less money you are adding a large display. I know there are some advantages to the chipsets and support hardware (particularly RAM), but there is a significant temptation to ‘down-grade’ from my 5-year-old dual 2.5Ghz G5 tower (and 10-year-old cinema display) to a new iMac. I guess I’ll wait until February to see what the new Pros look like. Maybe.
Only thing I’d still like to see on a Mac mini that would make it the perfect home server is an eSATA connector. The form factor of the Mac mini is just begging for external storage and having to use FW800 is not optimal. An eSATA connector would solve those issues.
Would like to buy a server, but can someone help me as to what I can do with it in my home? Thanks!