Apple today unveiled the new Mac mini with the Intel Core Duo processor, delivering performance up to four times faster than its predecessor and providing even greater expansion in the same innovative and incredibly compact design.* Starting at just $599, the Mac mini is the most affordable way to enjoy iLife ’06, the next generation of Apple’s award-winning suite of digital lifestyle applications, and features the Apple Remote and Front Row so you can play your music, enjoy your photo slideshows, watch your DVDs, iMovies, music videos and television shows from across the room.
“With the new Mac mini, Apple has now moved 50 percent of its entire product line to Intel within 60 days—a record transition,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing in the press release. “The new Mac mini is now up to four times faster with the Intel Core Duo, includes even greater expansion in the same incredibly compact design, and is the most affordable way to enjoy Front Row and iLife ‘06.”
Featuring the next generation of Apple’s breakthrough Front Row media experience, the new Mac mini gives customers a simple way to enjoy their digital lifestyle content on the Mac mini including music, photos and videos from across the room using the Apple Remote. With the latest version of Front Row, customers can now effortlessly access shared iTunes playlists, iPhoto libraries and video throughout their home via Bonjour, Apple’s zero configuration wireless networking built into Mac OS X.
The new Mac mini offers a completely new system architecture for performance up to four times as fast as the previous Mac mini, including a 667 MHz front-side bus and 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM memory expandable to 2GB. With the latest high-performance connectivity options, every new Mac mini now includes built-in 10/100/1000 BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet for high-speed networking, built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11g WiFi for fast 54 Mbps wireless networking, built-in Bluetooth 2.0+EDR (Enhanced Data Rate) and a total of four USB 2.0 ports, twice as many as the previous generation. Mac mini includes a DVI interface and a VGA-out adapter to easily connect to a variety of displays, including many of today’s most popular flat panel televisions, and now features both analog and digital audio outputs to easily connect to a home stereo.
The new Mac mini includes iLife ‘06, the next generation of Apple’s award-winning suite of digital lifestyle applications featuring major new versions of iPhoto, iMovie HD, iDVD, GarageBand and introducing iWeb, a new iLife application that makes it super-easy to create amazing websites with photos, blogs and Podcasts and publish them on .Mac for viewing by anyone on the Internet with just a single click. All the iLife ‘06 applications are Universal applications that run natively on the new Intel-based Mac mini for maximum performance.
Every new Mac mini comes with the latest release of the world’s most advanced operating system, Mac OS X version 10.4 “Tiger” including Safari, Mail, iCal, iChat AV and Front Row, running natively. Mac OS X Tiger includes an innovative software translation technology called Rosetta that lets customers run most Mac OS X PowerPC applications seamlessly.
The new Mac mini is shipping today and will be available through the Apple Store, Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers.
The new 1.5 GHz Mac mini, for a suggested retail price of $599 (US), includes:
• 1.5 GHz Intel Core Solo processor
• 512MB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM, expandable up to 2GB
• a slot-load Combo (DVD-ROM/CD-RW) drive
• 60GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm
• Intel GMA950 graphics processor
• built-in AirPort Extreme wireless networking & Bluetooth 2.0+EDR
• Gigabit Ethernet (10/100/1000 BASE-T)
• four USB 2.0 ports
• one audio line in and one audio line out port, each supporting both optical digital and analog
• DVI-out port for external display (VGA-out adapter included, Composite/S-Video out adapter sold separately)
• Infrared Apple Remote.
The new 1.66 GHz Mac mini, for a suggested retail price of $799 (US), includes:
• 1.66 GHz Intel Core Duo processor
• 512MB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM expandable up to 2GB
• a slot-load 8x SuperDrive™ with double-layer support (DVD+R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
• 80GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm
• Intel GMA950 graphics processor
• built-in AirPort Extreme wireless networking & Bluetooth 2.0+EDR
• Gigabit Ethernet (10/100/1000 BASE-T)
• four USB 2.0 ports
• one audio line in and one audio line out port, each supporting both optical digital and analog
• DVI-out port for external display (VGA-out adapter included, Composite/S-Video out adapter sold separately)
• Infrared Apple Remote.
Build-to-order options and accessories include up to 2GB DDR2 SDRAM, 80GB, 100GB and 120GB Serial ATA hard drives, iWork ’06 (pre-installed), AirPort Express and AirPort Extreme Base Station, Apple Wireless Keyboard, Apple Wireless Mouse, Apple USB Modem and the AppleCare Protection Plan.
See the new Mac mini here.
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Related MacDailyNews article:
Old Apple Mac mini G4 vs. new Mac mini’s graphics and video specs – February 28, 2006
There is a firewire port on these. At least in the photos on apple.com. Now, my question is: Steve said it will hook up to televisions. Is that in place or in addition to your regular display?
Prices increased on this baby to 600, the faster model 800, essentially its taken the place of the eMac, but no screen. I guess its ok, but we need more variety.
But I wanted it to toast my bagels too!
Yet again uk customers ripped off. How does the currency conversion over there
Boo.
A price INCREASE? It’s nudging up against the iMac now, once you get the monitor, kb, mouse. And definitely doesn’t bode well for the intel iBook price expectation.
Memory can be expanded to 2GB.
Says so in the article.
I don’t care if it has integrated video or not, it’s a low end system. Find me a low end name brand PC under $800 that doesn’t have the exact same thing. If you want/need a real graphics card, get an iMac or Power Mac.
It’s not simply that they upped the price $100, but more that they no longer offer the Mac mini without Airport Extreme and Bluetooth 2.0. They used to offer a $499 model without wireless options, and added the wireless options for about $100.
Now you have to pay extra to have wireless, whether or not you want it. It’s pretty much built into the Intel chipset, so this is not surprising. Integrated poopy graphics are also built into the chipset.
The only surprising thing is that Apple is offering an underclocked Core Solo, and that they are overcharging for the Core Duo upgrade ($100 extra rather than $50 at Dell).
I wanted one. But integrated graphics? ARGH.
I wonder how the 1.42 PPC stacks up against the solo 1.5 x86 for performance?
If I’m to believe all the talk on this website from pre intel days, the PPC should kick ass . . .
MDN word . . .trying. . . .trying to figure this out.
SHARED VIDEO MEMORY?!?!?!
Intel GMA950 graphics processor with 64MB of DDR2 SDRAM shared with main memory
In the past Apple products were better than the Wintel world. Now we get cheap Wintel crap with OS X on it
MS: “value” as in where’s the value?
Bullshit. We’ve been laughing at integrated graphics for years. This thing costs MORE ? Just crazy.
Integrated graphics…:( Of course this wasn’t going to be everything we hoped for, but to downgrade the GPU is a really bad move. I hope that, as the Core prices start to fall, Apple will reintroduce dedicated graphics and maybe even sell a $499 base model again. My biggest fear right now is that the new iBooks will have integrated graphics.
It’s Apple , You always pay extra at first
Well, as much as I hate to see it, integrated graphics was the only way they were going to get the video boost the mini needed and keep it as small as it is. It ain’t easy to stuff 10 lbs of sh*t into a 5 lb bag. The max memory is 2 gigs which should be a pretty decent performer. I can’t say that I’m totally blown away by this product but I’m not disappointed and it’s way better than the first mini.
anyone know if the cpu is zif? ie removable? ergo can I put a core duo cpu in my core solo socket?
$800.00 for the better model (boo on the Core Solo), memory upgrade required for any kind of good performance (especially if using Rosetta), Intel integrated graphics, and, if you don’t already own either you need a dispay and a keyboard.
I’d recommend to anyone to just get an Intel iMac 17″
While the Mac mini is improved, it is too close in price point (the Core Duo model) to the iMac 17″ – for $400.00 more you get a 17″ wide screen display, dedicated graphics card, keyboard, and a faster larger HD. Hmmmmmmmmmmm. I suppose it will find it’s way into peoples hands who already have displays and keyboards, but I still think it is too close in price point to the iMac 17″.
Underwhelming is right. This explains why the invite was so sparse and only used generic adjectives like “fun” and “new” to describe the products. But of course, the invite was over-hyped. How could Apple actually deliver on this when we thought the invite was some type of secret code hinting at an amazing new life-changing device with PDA, cellphone, and iPod functionality that would end world hunger, cure cancer, and let you simultaneously stream your music, photos, and movies to anyplace in your living room or on the planet? In any case, the consumers might not care about the integrated graphics, but the price increase will surely be noticed. Both are real bummers.
Yeah, what’s with the graphics?
Yeah, it IS a low-end system, POOR (MDN Magic Word), I’d say.
BUT… Ay yi yi! Crappola!
Still, it’s rather tempting, especially since my 1999 vintage DVD player could stand replacement.
Just think… Call of Duty on a wide screen TV? Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm…………
i have to say, i’m a little bummed. i had my hopes set on a tivo-like (but better) DVR with the ability to buy movies from front-row. i hope it comes soon!!! i want it!!
Integrated video w/ shared RAM? This thing sounds so PeeCee. WTF is Apple turning into? iMean the lowly Mac Mini G4 had dedicated video & RAM, this is really a step backwards.
Rory – “My biggest fear right now is that the new iBooks will have integrated graphics.
Rory say it isn’t so! That’s a legitimate concern. Hopefully, it will not happen. Time will tell.
Do Intel Macs run Classic? I have legacy apps (eg Bentley Microstation) I need to use. I don’t fancy spending thousands of pounds buying/learning Autocad on a poxy PC. I suggest Apple uses some of it’s several billion $ in cash to subsidise the porting of credible enterprise software onto the Mac platform to kick-start the corporate/ business markets into revising their attitude towards Macs.
Ignorant question:
What’s the deal with integrated video whatchamacallit? Why’s that so bad? This is a sincere question.
sorry, this is not my idea of ‘progress’:
so you get a new processor (not necessarily much of an improvement in real-world performance), shared graphics memory (embarassing) and a price rise. someone will have to point out what i am missing as i cannot see an up-side.
MW : best, as in this cannot be their best, surely?