March 2021 • Macworld 29What are the specifications? Apple
sells three Mac mini models:£699 model: Apple 8-core M1 system
on a chip with 8GB of memory, an
8-core GPU and a 16-core Neural
Engine; 256GB SSD
£899 model: Apple 8-core M1 system
on a chip with 8GB of memory, an
8-core GPU and a 16-core Neural
Engine; 512GB SSD
£1,099 model: 3GHz 6-core Core
i5 (eighth generation) CPU, 8GB
of memory, integrated Intel UHD
Graphics 630 GPU, 512GB SSD.The Mac mini does not include a
display, keyboard or mouse, so you’ll
have to provide your own – or you can
customize your order to include these
devices as extra-cost options.
Since the Mac mini lacks an optical
drive, you need to buy an external
USB optical drive if you want to read
or burn CDs and DVDs.How do I connect stuff? Like Apple’s
other Macs, the Mac mini has Wi-Fi
and Bluetooth. The £699 and £899
M1-based Mac minis have two
Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports, while the
£1,099 Intel-based Mac mini has
four Thunderbolt 3/USB-C ports. All
Mac minis have two USB-A ports, an
HDMI 2.0 port, a headphone jack and
a gigabit Ethernet port.
To connect a display, you can use
the HDMI port or a Thunderbolt port.
You might have to buy an adapter
if your display doesn’t have either
HDMI or a port that can connect to
Thunderbolt.How fast is it? The £699 and £899
M1-based Mac minis are very fast. In
fact, they are as fast as the 13in M1
MacBook Pro. As of this writing, the
£699 M1 Mac mini gives you the best
performance for the price of any Mac
that Apple offers. It’s impressive.
The £1,099 Intel-based Mac mini
offers good speed,
but it’s not as
fast as the M1
models. The
Intel model
is the only
one that
allows you to
The mini is an excellent machine for most Mac users. install 32GBMarch 2021 • Macworld 29Whatarethespecifications?Apple
sellsthreeMacminimodels:
£699model:Apple8-coreM1system
ona chipwith8GBofmemory,an
8-coreGPUanda 16-coreNeural
Engine;256GBSSD
£899model:Apple8-coreM1system
ona chipwith8GBofmemory,an
8-coreGPUanda 16-coreNeural
Engine;512GBSSD
£1,099model:3GHz6-coreCore
i5(eighthgeneration)CPU,8GB
ofmemory,integratedIntelUHD
Graphics 630 GPU,512GBSSD.
TheMacminidoesnotincludea
display,keyboardormouse,soyou’ll
havetoprovideyourown– oryoucan
customizeyourordertoincludethese
devicesasextra-costoptions.
SincetheMacminilacksanoptical
drive,youneedtobuyanexternal
USBopticaldriveif youwanttoread
orburnCDsandDVDs.
HowdoI connectstuff?LikeApple’s
otherMacs,theMacminihasWi-Fi
and Bluetooth. The £699 and £899
M1-based Mac minis have two
Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports, while the
£1,099 Intel-based Mac mini has
four Thunderbolt 3/USB-C ports. All
Mac minis have two USB-A ports, an
HDMI 2.0 port, a headphone jack and
a gigabit Ethernet port.
To connect a display, you can use
the HDMI port or a Thunderbolt port.
You might have to buy an adapter
if your display doesn’t have either
HDMI or a port that can connect to
Thunderbolt.How fast is it? The £699 and £899
M1-based Mac minis are very fast. In
fact, they are as fast as the 13in M1
MacBook Pro. As of this writing, the
£699 M1 Mac mini gives you the best
performance for the price of any Mac
that Apple offers. It’s impressive.
The £1,099 Intel-based Mac mini
offers good speed,
but it’s not as
fast as the M1
models. The
Intel model
is the only
one that
allows you to
The mini is an excellent machine for most Mac users. install 32GB