With iPhone 4 pre-order frenzy in full effect at Apple and AT&T stores (and even taking AT&T’s order network down)another new item has quietly had a refresh. Today, Apple released a new version of its compact Mac the Mac Mini with a host of improvements and enhancements.
The new Mac Mini is made out of a solid chunk of aluminum and comes in two flavors:
Regular:
2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
2 GB RAM
320 GB hard drive
$699
Server:
2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
4 GB RAM
Dual 500 GB hard drive
$999
Both models have been updated with NVIDIA GeForce 320M graphics, the same integrated GPU in the MacBook and MacBook Pro. They also sport a new HDMI port (finally) and the “Server” Mac Mini allows you the option to not have an optical drive in favor of an additional hard drive.
Apple has also made the Mini a bit easier to upgrade, at least in terms of adding more RAM. Instead of a completed procedure involving several kinds of tools and a trip to Home Depot, the new mac Mini has simple twist off panel on the bottom to allow for RAM upgrades. No word yet on if this makes it easier to upgrade the hard drive but since the new Mac Mini is available today, word on that should be coming shortly.