Not all Apple’s additions offer good
value, but the hardware is as enticing as ever
Apple hasn’t made any aesthetic changes to
its latest Mac mini, but it didn’t need to – it’s still the best-looking small-form-factor
PC on the market. Instead, all Apple’s attentions are on the inside, starting
with Fusion Drive – the SSD and hard disk hybrid that debuted in the 21.5in
iMac (web ID: 378763).
The
Mac mini is the most attractive small-form-factor PC around
The configuration in our review Mac mini is
the same as that PC. A 128GB SSD is used to store the OS and frequently used
applications, while a 1TB hard disk is employed alongside it for less important
apps and files. Over time the system learns which applications and files are
used most often, moving them to the faster SSD, and shifting those that are
rarely accessed back to the hard disk.
We’ve no way of testing it, unfortunately,
since the system is entirely transparent and can’t be configured or turned off.
What we can tell you is that the SSD is rapid: benchmarking with Xbench showed
sequential read and write tests hitting 277MB/sec and 315MB/sec, not far behind
the iMac’s drive, which scored 302MB/sec and 364MB/sec.
It’s worth noting, too, that the Fusion
Drive system isn’t available to Boot Camp users running Windows. And if you
plan on sticking with OS X, it’s a pricey upgrade, available for an extra $300
and then only on the most expensive model.
The other key hardware change sees Apple
replace Sandy Bridge processors with 22nm Ivy Bridge technology. The Core
i7-3720QM in our review model is a quad-core, 2.6GHz part, and it’s the more
powerful of the two high-end chips available in this year’s Mac mini line-up –
the other i7 is a 2.3GHz chip, with a cheaper Core i5 model to round things
off. Our Mac mini scored an impressive 0.93 in our benchmarks, far ahead of the
0.72 scored by the Sandy Bridge Core i5 chip in last year’s machine.
Disappointingly, there’s no longer an
option to specify the mini with a discrete GPU, as there was last year.
Graphics grunt is instead supplied by an integrated Intel HD Graphics 4000
chip, which scored 57fps in our Low quality Crysis test, ruling out intensive,
high-resolution gaming.
Elsewhere it’s business as usual for
Apple’s mini marvel. The flat top, curved corners and familiar Apple logo look
fantastic; as compact desktop PCs go, there aren’t any that look better.
Connectivity is comprehensive, with four
USB ports at the rear, all upgraded to USB 3 this time around, HDMI and
Thunderbolt display outputs, Gigabit Ethernet and FireWire sockets, and SD card
reader and a pair of 3.5mm audio jacks, one of which doubles as an optical
S/PDIF output. Underneath, a circular panel can be removed, revealing the
mini’s two memory sockets. It will take up to 16GB of DDR3 RAM, although we’d
counsel against upgrading at the point of sale – going from 4GB to 16GB adds a
hefty $360 in the Apple Store.
Despite
its small size, the Mac mini’s connectivity is comprehensive, with four USB 3
ports, HDMI and Thunderbolt outputs
At $1,430, our Fusion Drive-equipped Core
i7 review model is equally silly money, but Apple’s lowest-specification model
is much better value. At $749, it costs $45 less than last year’s base model,
and its Core i5 processor is quicker and more efficient. For anyone after a
small, capable desktop PC, there isn’t anything that comes close to packing in
as much power into as elegant a chassis as this. Plus, for anyone hankering
after the OS X experience, it’s the cheapest way to get on board.
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Information
§ Price:
$1,199
§ Ratings:
4/6
§ Supplier:
www.apple.com
Specifications
§ Desktop
type: Small form factor
§ Operating
system: Mac OS X
§ CPU
brand: Intel
§ CPU
family: Sandy Bridge
§ Base
CPU model: Core i5-2410
§ Graphics
type: Optional
§ Integrated
GPU model: HD Graphics 3000
§ Base
RAM size: 2 GB
§ Base
storage capacity: 500 GB
§ Optical
drive: No
§ Wi-Fi:
Yes
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