The event marked the first time that the mini desktop had received an update since late 2012, as the new model was unveiled alongside the iPad Air 2, the iPad Mini 3 and the 27-inch iMac with Retina Display.
Attendees learned that the the starting price of the Mac Mini has dropped to $499, down from $599 in previous years, with no drop off in specifications.
A return to the spotlight
Although it would have been easy for the Mac Mini to have been overshadowed by its more illustrious stable mates, with their technical innovations and record-breaking screen resolutions, commentators have been stirred by the return of the humble Mac Mini to the public consciousness.
Gizmodo has claimed that despite the fanfare surrounding the update, “mostly we’re just glad to see the little computer that could is still alive and kicking.”
It would seem that the Mac Mini retains a special place in the heart of many a tech geek, enjoying a loyal following despite the fact that the general public may be more interested in Apple’s bigger, faster and better machines. The Mac Mini may no longer be the flagship of the Apple fleet, but its capacity for stirring nostalgia is one that cannot be matched by a third-generation iPad Mini.
Check our live coverage of Apple’s iPad Event
Apple Mac Mini’s specifications
Internal specifications include fourth-generation Intel Core processors, known as Haswell, and beefed up integrated graphics courtesy of Intel Iris and HD Graphics 5000.
The 2014 Mac Mini will also offer PCIe-based solid-state drive options, a pair of Thunderbolt 2 ports and support for 802.11ac WiFi connectivity.
The basic model comes with 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. Those that would like faster performance can configure their machine with a top of the range 3.0 GHz dual-core Intel Core i7 processor, up to 16GB of memory, and up to a 1TB PCIe-based flash drive.
Other details were thin on the ground but Apple did claim that the Mac Minis the world’s most energy efficient desktop.
Those of you who want to get your hands on an updated Mini will be pleased to hear that they will begin shipping today, and will come with OS X Yosemite.
