History of Mac Mini in Timeline
The Mac Mini is a small form factor desktop computer from Apple, serving as the entry-level Mac desktop. It is sold without a display, keyboard, or mouse, a strategy encapsulated by the slogan "BYODKM" (Bring Your Own Display, Keyboard, and Mouse). This approach allows Windows users to switch to macOS while reusing existing peripherals, offering a more affordable entry point into the Apple ecosystem.
January 2005: Mac Mini G4 Introduction
In January 2005, the Mac Mini G4 was introduced alongside the iPod shuffle at the Macworld Conference & Expo. Apple CEO Steve Jobs marketed it as "The cheapest, and most affordable Mac ever".
2005: Graphics Processor
In 2005, the ATI Radeon 9200 graphics processor (GPU) with 32 MB of DDR SDRAM was supplied as standard for the Mac Mini G4. In the final 2005 model, Apple added a high-end option of 64 MB VRAM.
2005: Original Release
Since its original release in 2005, the Mac Mini was the company's only consumer computer that shipped without a paired display, keyboard, and mouse. It was initially advertised as "BYODKM" (Bring Your Own Display, Keyboard, and Mouse).
February 2006: First Intel Mac Mini Announcement
In February 2006, Apple announced the first Intel Mac Mini, based on the Intel Core Solo and Duo CPUs, which was reported to be four times faster than its predecessor, the PowerPC G4.
February 2006: Apple switches to Intel Core Solo CPU
In February 2006, Apple transitioned to an Intel Core Solo CPU for the Mac Mini.
2006: CPU Upgrade
In 2006, The 2006 Mac Mini models were fitted with 32-bit Intel Core Solo or Duos, CPUs that is upgradable with the 64-bit Core 2 Duo processors.
2007: 2007 models CPU upgrade
In 2007, the 2007 Mac Mini models were fitted with 32-bit Intel Core Solo or Duos, CPUs that is upgradable with the 64-bit Core 2 Duo processors.
October 2009: Updated Server Version Release
In October 2009, an updated server version of the Intel Mac Mini was released, marketed as an affordable server for small financial and academic uses. This model omitted the optical drive and used a hard drive instead.
2009: Introduction of server version
In 2009, Apple offered a server version of the Mac Mini bundled with the Server edition of the OS X operating system.
2009: CPU soldered onto logic board
In 2009, Mac Mini models manufactured in and after 2009 had their CPUs soldered onto a logic board, preventing its upgradability.
2009: Performance issues correction
In 2009, the Early and Late models corrected these performance issues with an improved Nvidia GeForce 9400M chipset.
2009: I/O ports changes
In 2009, the I/O ports were changed with the early 2009 revision, adding a fifth USB 2.0 and swapping the FireWire 400 port for a FireWire 800 port.
June 2010: Mac Mini Redesign
In June 2010, Apple redesigned the Mac Mini, giving it a more compact, thinner unibody aluminum case that has an internal power supply, an SD card slot, a Core 2 Duo CPU, and a HDMI port.
2010: Redesign
In 2010, Apple redesigned the Mac Mini.
2010: Chassis carryover
In 2010, The chassis is a carryover from Mac Minis released between 2010 and 2014
2010: Addition of HDMI port
In 2010, the Mac Mini added a HDMI port, simplifying connections to high-definition televisions and home theater AV receivers. The HDMI port supported video resolutions of up to 1080p and eight-channel, 24-bit audio at 192 kHz, as well as Dolby Surround 5.1 and stereo output.
2010: Mac Mini Server without optical drive
In Mid-2010, the Mac Mini Server was the only model without an optical drive, which was replaced with a second hard drive.
2010: Similarity to models
The silver finish is similar to that of the models released from 2010 to 2014.
June 2011: OS X Server available from Mac App Store
In June 2011, Apple's OS X Server package, including component applications like "Server App" and "File Sharing", became available from the Mac App Store for other Macintosh computers.
July 2011: Hardware Update Announcement
In July 2011, Apple announced a hardware update for the Mac Mini, including a Thunderbolt port, dual-core Intel Core i5 and 4-core i7 CPUs, support for up to 16 GB of memory, Bluetooth 4.0, and either an Intel HD Graphics 3000 or an AMD Radeon HD 6630M. The internal CD/DVD optical drive was removed.
October 2012: Ivy Bridge Processors
In October 2012, Apple updated the Mac Mini line with Ivy Bridge processors, USB 3.0, and upgraded graphics.
2012: 2012 High-End Model CPU
In 2012, the high-end model of the Mac Mini features a 4-core, 8-thread Intel Core i7-3720QM.
October 2014: Haswell Processors and 4K Output
In October 2014, Apple updated the Mac Mini line with Haswell processors, improved graphics, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, 4K output via HDMI and Thunderbolt 2, and replaced the FireWire 800 port with a second Thunderbolt port.
2014: Chassis carryover
In 2014, The chassis is a carryover from Mac Minis released between 2010 and 2014
2014: Added 4K output
In 2014, the Mac Mini model added 4K output capability.
2014: 2014 High-End Model CPU and Graphics
In 2014, the high-end model of the Mac Mini features a 2-core, 4-thread Intel Core i7-4578U and Intel Iris graphics (GT3).
2014: Discontinuation of server version
In 2014, the server version of the Mac Mini was discontinued.
2014: Mac Mini Server hardware discontinued
In the Late 2014 model, the Mac Mini Server hardware was discontinued. However, the macOS Server software package could still be purchased from the Mac App Store.
2014: Similarity to models
The silver finish is similar to that of the models released from 2010 to 2014.
October 2018: Introduction of "space gray" Mac Mini
In October 2018, Apple announced a "space gray"-colored Mac Mini with Intel Coffee Lake series CPUs, the T2 series chip, Bluetooth 5, four Thunderbolt 3 ports, two USB 3.0 Type-A ports, and HDMI 2.0.
2018: External similarity to 2018 Mac Mini
Externally, the Apple silicon Mac Mini is very similar to the 2018 Mac Mini but has a lighter, silver finish.
2018: macOS Server version 5.71 release
In 2018, coinciding with the release of macOS Mojave, Apple shipped macOS Server version 5.71, which stopped bundling open-source services including DHCP, DNS, email, firewall, FTP, RADIUS, VPN, Web, and Wiki. Apple stated customers could receive support for these services directly from open-source providers. Other Apple-proprietary services such as Airport, Calendar, Contacts, Messages, and NetBoot were also removed with no corresponding open-source options.
2018: Supports Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision, and HDR10
In 2018, the Mac Mini model began supporting Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision, and HDR10, and it used the macOS Catalina operating system.
2018: 2018 Mac Mini model
In 2018, the Mac Mini model featured Thunderbolt, an Intel Core i3, i5, or i7 CPU, solid-state storage, and replaced most of the data ports with USB-C.
2018: Legacy I/O Removal
In 2018, the Mac Mini removes legacy I/O such as the SD card reader, SATA drive bay, IR receiver, optical S/PDIF (TOSLINK) audio out, and audio in.
2018: Performance comparison
In 2018, the base Apple silicon Mac Mini has a 3x faster eight-core CPU, a 6x faster GPU, and 15x faster machine learning performance than its predecessor, the 2018 model.
March 2020: Storage Increase
In March 2020, Apple doubled the default storage in both base models of the Mac Mini.
June 2020: Developer Transition Kit Release
In June 2020, Apple released the A12Z-based Developer Transition Kit, a prototype with a Mac Mini enclosure for developers to port their apps to Apple silicon.
November 10, 2020: Apple Announces New Mac Mini with M1 Chip
On November 10, 2020, as part of the Mac transition to Apple silicon, Apple announced a new Mac Mini with the Apple M1 chip.
November 2020: Discontinuation of Core i3 Model
In November 2020, Apple discontinued the Core i3 model of the Mac Mini following the release of the M1 Mac Mini.
November 2020: Introduction of Apple silicon Mac Mini with M1 chip
In November 2020, Apple introduced the Apple silicon Mac Mini, which was based on the Apple M1 chip. However, Intel-based models with more RAM options remained available.
November 17, 2020: Release of Mac Mini with M1 Chip
On November 17, 2020, the Mac Mini with the Apple M1 chip was released, one of the first three Apple silicon-based Macs.
April 20, 2021: 10 Gigabit Ethernet Added
On April 20, 2021, 10 Gigabit Ethernet with Lights Out Management was added as a built-to-order option for the M1 Mac Mini.
January 2023: End of Core i5/i7 Models
In January 2023, Apple discontinued selling the Core i5/i7 models of the Mac Mini.
January 2023: Release of M2 and M2 Pro chip models
In January 2023, Apple released an updated Mac Mini model based on the M2 and M2 Pro chips.
January 17, 2023: Apple Announces Updated Models with M2 and M2 Pro Chips
On January 17, 2023, Apple announced updated Mac Mini models based on the M2 and M2 Pro chips, also including Bluetooth 5.3 and Wi-Fi 6E connectivity. The M2 Pro model includes two additional USB-C/Thunderbolt ports and supports HDMI 2.1.
October 2024: Mac Mini Redesign
In October 2024, Apple redesigned the Mac Mini for the first time since 2010. The new smaller design featured ports on the front and back, and debuted with the M4 and M4 Pro chips, with the M4 Pro computers supporting Thunderbolt 5 for the first time.
October 29, 2024: Apple Introduces Redesigned Mac Mini
On October 29, 2024, Apple introduced a redesigned Mac Mini in a significantly smaller chassis based on the M4 and M4 Pro chips. It features three rear Thunderbolt 4 ports on M4 models or three rear Thunderbolt 5 ports on M4 Pro models, an Ethernet port and HDMI port on the rear, and two USB-C ports and a 3.5mm headphone jack on the front.
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