Expert’s Rating
Pros
Cons
Our Verdict
For mightiness drug user that need that extra processing headroom , the quadriceps - core Mac mini is already sorely missed . For individual - threaded app , the central processor performance is little changed , even though we ask the 0.2 GHz advantage to give this mannikin an unambiguous edge . And despite Intel ’s advances in faster processing at lower clock speeds , the 2014 generation does ache in out - and - out multi - weave speed when compared to the quad - core group Mac minis made two eld in the beginning – it may hail as little surprise that two cores still comfortably thump four . In its favour , organisation IO has increased in other areas through the implementation of faster storage driveway , improved Wi - Fi and more focused Thunderbolt 2 technology . The proverb about steps forward and slow-witted really come to mind for the Modern Mac mini , and your personal needs will suggest how many this one ’s taken in each direction .
This is our review of the late 2014 top - end 2.8GHz Mac miniskirt which Apple keep to sell until October 2018 . As of November 2018 it is no longer on sale , however , you may still be able to find it on sale or as a refurbished alternative from Apple .
observe that the prices we cite throughout this review were correct at the clock time of writing , but Apple since put the price up across the intact Mac chain of mountains in the UK , meaning that the £ 799 2.8GHz Mac miniskirt is now £ 150 more expensive , at £ 949 . To regain out more about the late price tramp , take a look at this article : Apple bring up price of its Mac range in the UK
Mac mini 2014 review
Sure as death , taxes and data loss , there are some givens in this humankind . One of which is that next twelvemonth ’s PC will be fast than last twelvemonth ’s .
But there is an argument that for the majority of users the desktop personal computer has already reached ‘ fast enough ’ – in term of CPU fastness at least , even if it ’s now apparent that wink reposition makes a bigger comprehend difference to how quick a personal data processor can find .
However one matter we do n’t ordinarily expect is for a fresh revised information processing system to appear which computes more slower than the model that it replaces . Particularly when there ’s been not one but two tenacious years between the now - obsolete and shiny new editions .
That ’s exactly what ’s bechance with Apple ’s 2014 model of the Mac miniskirt though . Today ’s 2014 Mac mini range is in many respects slower than the 2012 reach it put back . Read:2014 Mac miniskirt v 2012 Mac mini equivalence reviewand ourWhich Mac ? Best Mac buyers guide .
With the entry - tier manikin [ read : Mac mini ( recent 2014 ) 1.4 GHz reassessment ] there was the distraction of recover the price slashed by one - one-fifth , from £ 499 to £ 399 , to dulcify the hatful . Inside this new starter good example is effectively the same computer as a MacBook Air , albeit working much dim due to the little miniskirt ’s trust on a arduous disk rather than solid - state flash storage .
That ’s fine for the great unwashed work to the tightest budgets who do n’t command more computing power than is necessary for office obligation and some modest creative workplace . But since theMac minilaunched in 2005 it has developed a cult following from enthralled proprietor who have found the footling cranny able of so much more .
The Mac mini has been pressed into service as a in writing designer ’s workstation , a domicile media centre for the family , and as a vane server for hosting full commercial websites .
It ’s been capably attend in these latter kind of duties with the introduction of theIntel Core i5/7 - Seriesprocessors – and in particular the quad - core editions that first appear inside the Mac mini in 2011 . This was also the Mac mini range where Apple actively encouraged promoting the trivial mini into front - cable server action , make out a time slot - less host edition that packed two hard disks .
Now with October 2014 ’s update we find out no more quad - core models are available . Standing at the top of the prêt à porter range is the ‘ good ’ Mac mini with 2.8 gigahertz Intel Core i5 . Given the intervening two years and the up graphical record that is the procession of processor operation - per - clock , this model ought to beat the 2.6 GHz - powered ‘ best ’ of 2012 . Let ’s see …
ascertain out the Mac mini on Apple ’s web depot : here .
take :
Apple Mac mini (Late 2014): Benchmarks
In the unexampled nook we have the current good of three off - the - shelf form of Mac mini for 2014 , here with 2.8 GHz Intel Core i5 - 4308U dual - Congress of Racial Equality processor , Intel Iris Graphics 5100 , 8 GB 1600 megahertz memory firmly soldered in place , and a 1 TB Fusion Drive .
In the honest-to-goodness niche we have oneApple Mac mini ( previous 2012)with 2.6 GHz Intel Core i7 - 3720QM . This has been upgraded since new with a 512 GB SSD and 16 GB of 1600 MHz DDR3 computer storage from Crucial .
( None of the following run involve measuring the storage upper , and in our experience the higher memory quota makes fractional differences in measured performance when only a exclusive bench mark covering run . )
The first test is the grouchy - platform Geekbench 3 , which measures raw processor and store execution . The program feeds a computer a series of difficult sums to forge upon , such as cryptological routine , lossless file condensation / decompressing , ditto for JPEG and PNG graphics , fuzz / sharpen filters and some Mandelbrot fractal crunch .
Today ’s best Mac miniskirt score 3363 point in unmarried - core mood , and 7208 period in multi - core mode . And here , ‘ multi - core ’ means dual marrow with Hyper Threading Technology , which can give the effect of a virtual quad - core chip when using many modern applications .
Yesterday ’s best Mac mini scored 3308 point exclusive - core , and 12927 points multi - core . So today ’s Mac miniskirt showed a 1.7 percent positive increase in point score when mono - tasked ; and scored only 56 percent of the old simulation ’s speed with multi - threaded app .
As an aside , it ’s worth noting that the Geekbench 3 benchmark trial run itself is calibrated with a Mac miniskirt , the 2011 model with 2.5 GHz Intel Core i5 - 2520 M processor . The benchmark was adjusted to make this reference modeling earn 2500 point in individual - core mode for each of the hero sandwich - trial run of integer , float - point and retentivity performance ; and it reaped 5112 points overall in multi - core trial .
Apple Mac mini (Late 2014): Graphics tests
We tested with two different versions of the venerable Cinebench test , v11.5 and v15 . In Cinebench 11.5 , the top 2014 Mac miniskirt seduce 1.38 point single - core , and 3.36 points multi - core , account a 2.44 - times increase through running cooccurring duds .
The top Mac mini of 2012 scored 1.44 and 6.76 points respectively , with an indicated multi - thread swiftness - up of 4.7x . So here the afterwards Mac had a 4 percent slower individual - core speed , and had a little over one - third the latter ’s score running multi - centre .
In Cinebench R15 , scores moved from 126 to 120 stop , and from 549 down to 292 point . That represents a 5 percent undivided - core drop ; and a 52 pct simplification in multi - core speed .
Apple Mac mini (Late 2014): Graphics performance
In the two years between Ivy Bridge and Haswell multiplication of processor ( 2nd- and 4th - generation Core chips ) , Intel has divert more attention to the computer graphic locomotive that now resides in most of these chips . These graphics solutions now approach what was once only possible with dedicated distinct graphic from nVidia and AMD – specially in the font of the top Iris Pro version .
In 2012 , the 2.6 GHz Intel Core i7 - 3720QM had a graphics processing section known as Intel HD Graphics 4000 , with a base clock frequency of 650 megacycle , and apex of 1250 MHz .
Today ’s 2.8 gigacycle Intel Core i5 - 4308U includes Intel Iris Graphics 5100 ( not to be confused with Iris Pro though ) , with a lower base clock of 200 MHz and maximum clock of 1200 MHz . However the number of grapevine ( ‘ execution social unit ’ ) has increase from 16 to 40 in the late central processing unit . Which of these graphics engines is more powerful may depend on the software , our result indicate .
From the Cinebench OpenGL examination routines , the older Mac mini play the motorcar animation sequence at 24.1 and 17.4 Federal Protective Service , with Cinebench 11.5 and 15 respectively .
The new Mac mini play the same exam at 28.4 and 25.5 fps , vindicating the newfangled graphics architecture with these consequence showing up to 47 per centum degenerate framerates .
bend to our received Mac secret plan test of Batman : Arkham City and Tomb Raider 2013 , however , we find the trend less sure .
Where 2012 Mac averaged 42 fps when Batmarked ( 1280 x 720 , Medium ) , the 2014 Mac cut down to 34 fps at the same setting .
For Tomb Raider 2013 ( using Legacy OpenGL mode ) , we kept the same half - HD resolution and saw results of 34.8 and 23.9 fps , for Low and Normal particular options . These framerates were barely improve upon by the newer Mac miniskirt , now up to 35.1 and 24.1 fps . It ’s less than a 1 percentage improvement , but at least not measurably wearisome
As another gauge of nontextual matter performance , we ran the Unigine Heaven synthetical benchmark test on both systems . The older Mac averaged 17.9 and 8.7 fps , for 720p and 1080p respectively , with intermediate item . The new Mac average 24.2 and 11.8 fps in the same test . These results show a 35 per centum growth in the uncommitted mean framerate in the raw Mac miniskirt with Intel Iris Graphics 5100 .
Where later Intel chips have made breakthroughs is in dilute power consumption , a pivotal trend that is still improving for the interest of wandering battery - power computers .
Idle great power ingestion has plummeted further in the latest revisal , down from 10 to just 5 W , although peak power wasting disease was found to have increase slightly from 45 to 50 W.
understand : Best Mac Games
Apple Mac mini (Late 2014): Ports and connectivity
As we mentioned , it ’s not all about mainframe stop number , particularly if you do n’t intend run a web host or redaction video .
The common bottleneck that effectively slacken down your computer ’s stop number come down to IO – data stimulus / output – and here there is good tidings for 2014 ’s Mac mini .
Wireless focal ratio using Wi - Fi has potentially doubled , thanks to the implementation of 802.11ac in the current serial . Where maximum data transfer with three - stream 11n would be up to around 300 megabyte / s , 11ac can currently deliver up to around 600 Mb / s. Bluetooth 4.0 is unaltered since 2012 , as is the collection of four USB 3.0 port that made their debut that yr . But now replacing the FireWire 800 port is a second Thunderbolt larboard , with both now uprated to Thunderbolt 2 specification .
The total available fastness of Thunderbolt 2 should be no dissimilar to the original Thunderbolt , as its 20 Gb / s specification equals the 2 x 10 Gb / s of the first iteration of Thunderbolt . But in genuine - world use there will be app where a exclusive higher speed groove can be put to better use than two half - pep pill links .
Besides Thunderbolt to connect a showing or two , there ’s still an HDMI port uncommitted on the back panel . This makes it easy to hook up a Mac mini to full - HD televisions and monitors , for example , although it ’s less suitable for the egress ultra - in high spirits definition display now uncommitted .
This larboard is now base on the HDMI 1.4 criterion from 2009 , and while it can output at resolutions up to 4094 x 2160 pixels , it is confine in refresh charge per unit to just 24 Hz . At the UHD answer of 3840 x 2160 , it should manage 30 Hz , but this is still too low-down for virtual use as a computer monitor , where refreshes sluggish than 50 or 60 Hz typically show conspicuous track to sneak cursors , for instance .
storehouse drive performance has improved thanks to the rise to PCIe - attached newsflash drives . Like late generation best off - the - ledge model , computer storage is free-base on a 1 TB laptop - division hard disk , plus an extra self-coloured - Department of State effort of 128 GB capacity , these united to form a intercrossed Fusion Drive . The difference now is the enjoyment of PCIe - bond flash , which means this section is now around doubly as fast as it was with a Serial ATA - bond SSD .
Our sampling of Mac mini was fitted with a 128 GB Samsung PCIe twinkling drive , and in our tests the larger samples of the same drive can well record and write at around 780 MB / s
In other areas the specification stay the same – Gb ethernet is still the current criterion for pumped up networking , even if 10 GbE is seriously delinquent as a meshing connection outside of industry . The retentiveness card slot support SDXC cards , the current state of the art , while the audio grinder - organisation seems to be the same as before too , with 3.5 millimeter input and outturn jacks , and digital convertors that brook up to 24 - bit 96 kHz digital audio .
Finally , we must prompt a prospective emptor of the alteration in memory rising slope insurance . Where before Apple made RAM variety simplicity itself with a bottom twirl - off hatch , it now locks you into one contour for the lifespan of the product . The centre RAM spec is very alike , clock at 1600 MHz , but is a new low - power ( LP suffix ) type , intractably solder to the system of logic plug-in .
As standard this model is fit out with 8 GB memory , but if you forebode crusade it into hard service , or just require to help oneself safeguard its longevity , you may be rede to configure this at metre of purchase to 16 Gbit , for an additional £ 160 . But this brings the Mac miniskirt perilously close to a four - shape £ 1000 price , and it becomes unvoiced to justify that when we know that this Mac mini has less than half the full - bore speed available from the honest-to-god quad - essence model .
UPDATE : The Mac miniskirt has gained a new soma to order choice .
you may now get a 2 TB Fusion Drive for and spare £ 90 when you buy the £ 949 role model , bring the price to £ 1,039 . Only the top of the range model has this choice . ( Firstspottedby 9to5Mac ) .
The 2012 Mac mini server version offer a 2 TB hard drive , which made it a popular choice among those looking for a media server , so Apple ’s decision to offer this 2 TB fusion ride is likely a reaction to this . We ’ve been secernate that these drives have only of late become available in a modest physical size , in all likelihood Apple was waiting for this new drive before volunteer the option for the Mac miniskirt .
Read : Connect your Mac mini to a TV : turn a Mac mini into a culture medium hub .
