- Ships in Amazon Frustration-Free Packaging
- 2.53GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor
- 320GB SATA Hard Drive, DVD SuperDrive, 4GB 1066MHz DDR3 SDRAM
- NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics
- Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard Operating System
Product Description
Theres nothing like Mac mini. At just 6.5 inches square and 2 inches tall, its designed to take up far less room and use far less energy than any other desktop computer. Mac mini was engineered to fit a lot of computer into a little space. Its powered by an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, with advanced NVIDIA graphics and fast DDR3 memory. Theres plenty of storage space up to 500GB1 for just about anything. And it comes with Mac OS X Snow Leopard, the worlds most advanced operating system. Who knew something so small could be so huge? Mac Mini- 2.53GHz/ 320GB HD plus NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics Mini-DVI to DVI Adapter 110W power adapter and power cord Install/restore DVDs Printed and electronic documentationAmazon.com Product Description
Upgraded with a faster 2.53 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, Apple’s innovative Mac mini desktop is a great choice for home computing tasks and creating a digital media hub. It fits everything that makes a Mac a Mac inside an elegant 2-inch-tall, 6.5-inch square–just add your own keyboard, mouse, and display. The Mac mini also includes excellent video processing power from the integrated NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics chip, an ultra-fast FireWire 800 port, and dual video outputs–a Mini DisplayPort and a Mini-DVI port.
Inside its 2-inch-tall, 6.5-inch-square anodized aluminum enclosure, the Mac mini houses the fast Intel Core 2 Duo processor. |
![]() |
![]() |
Officially, Mac mini is a desktop computer. But because it can go places no other desktop can go, it’s been used everywhere from boats to server rooms, as the heart of an entertainment center–and even to power robots. Small, elegant, and unassuming, it has a sleek, anodized aluminum case and clean, white surface.
Continuing Apple’s commitment to the environment, the Mac mini exceeds current Energy Star 5.0 requirements by consuming less than 14 watts when idle 45 percent less power than the previous generation. It’s also made from highly recyclable aluminum, uses PVC-free internal components and cables, contains no brominated flame retardants, and even features smaller packaging.
It comes pre-loaded with Apple’s Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard operating system–an operating system custom-designed for the advanced technology inside–and it also comes with the iLife ‘09 suite of applications, including iPhoto, iMovie, Garageband, and iTunes.
Key Specifications
- Faster 2.53 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor helps you breeze through everyday tasks such as emailing, web browsing, and working with documents, spreadsheets, and presentations in iWork or Microsoft Office for Mac (both sold separately).
- 320 GB hard drive (5400 RPM)
- 4 GB installed RAM (1066 MHz DDR3; maximum capacity)
- NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics processor (with 256 MB of DDR3 SDRAM shared with main memory) for an outstanding everyday graphics experience
- 8x slot-loading SuperDrive with double-layer DVD support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
- Wi-Fi wireless networking (based on 802.11n specification; 802.11a/b/g compatible)
- Gigabit Ethernet wired networking (10/100/1000BASE-T)
- Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR (Enhanced Data Rate) for connecting with peripherals such as keyboards, mice and cell phones
- Dual video output options with Mini DisplayPort and Mini-DVI (includes Mini-DVI to DVI Adapter; optional Mini-DVI to VGA Adapter)
- Built-in mono speaker
- Combined optical digital output/headphone output (also includes line-in/microphone jack)
- Dimensions: 6.5 x 6.5 x 2 inches (WxDxH)
- Weight: 2.9 pounds
What’s in the box
Mac mini; Mini-DVI to DVI Adapter; 110W power adapter and power cord; install/restore DVDs; printed and electronic documentation
Limited Warranty And Service
The Mac mini comes with 90 days of free telephone support and a one-year limited warranty. Purchase the AppleCare Protection Plan to extend your service and support to three years from your computer’s purchase date. Only the AppleCare Protection Plan provides you with direct telephone support from Apple technical experts and the assurance that repairs will be handled by Apple-authorized technicians using genuine Apple parts.
Key Features
![]() |
Intel Core 2 Duo Processor
Experience improved energy efficiency and improved multitasking with the 2.53 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, which also offers an ultra-fast 1066 MHz front-side bus (FSB) and a large 3 MB L2 cache. (An L2, or secondary, cache temporarily stores data; and a larger L2 cache can help speed up your system’s performance. The FSB carries data between the CPU and RAM, and a faster front-side bus will deliver better overall performance.)
The hafnium-infused circuitry–which reduces electrical current leakage in transistors–conserves even more energy. With a substantial 3 MB of shared L2 cache, data and instructions can be kept close to the two processor cores, greatly increasing performance and allowing the entire system to work more efficiently. And, because the processor cores share the L2 cache, either can use the entire amount if the other happens to be idle.
Graphics Processor
The Mac mini features the NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics processor for up to five times better graphics performance than its predecessor, and its dual display support can drive two Apple or third-party displays with Mini DisplayPort or DVI connections. The NVIDIA GeForce 9400M shares 256 MB of DDR3 SDRAM with main memory. You’ll notice the difference when you work with high-resolution photos and high-definition video, where graphics-intensive features in iPhoto and iMovie are smoother. And 3D game play–from Spore to Call of Duty–is faster and more responsive.
Wireless Connectivity
The built-in 802.11n wireless networking provides up to five times the performance and twice the range of 802.11g, but it’s also backward-compatible with 802.11a/b/g routers, enabling you to communicate with the a wide variety of Wi-Fi resources. It works seamlessly with the new AirPort Extreme with 802.11n. Use the built-in Bluetooth wireless technology to connect to your PDA or cell phone, synchronize addresses, or download pictures from your cell phone. You can also use a wireless headset for iChat audio chats and VoIP calls as well as quickly share files with a colleague.
![]() |
Pre-Loaded with Mac OS X Snow Leopard and iLife ‘09
![]() |
Every Mac comes with Mac OS X Snow Leopard, the world’s most advanced operating system, and iLife, Apple’s innovative suite of applications for managing photos, making movies and creating and learning to play music. Snow Leopard builds on a decade of OS X innovation and success with hundreds of refinements, new core technologies and out of the box support for Microsoft Exchange. iLife features iPhoto, to easily organize and manage photos; iMovie with powerful easy-to-use new features such as Precision Editor, video stabilization and advanced drag and drop; and GarageBand which introduces a whole new way to help you learn to play piano and guitar.
Installed software
- Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard (includes Time Machine, Quick Look, Spaces, Spotlight, Dashboard, Mail, iChat, Safari, Address Book, QuickTime, iCal, DVD Player, Photo Booth, Front Row, Xcode Developer Tools)
- iLife ‘09 (includes iPhoto, iMovie, GarageBand, iWeb, iDVD)
Environmentally Friendly Design
![]() |
Because Apple designs both hardware and software, we can reduce our environmental footprint in ways others can’t. For starters, a highly efficient power supply reduces the amount of power wasted when bringing electricity from the wall to your Mac. Unlike a lot of PCs, a Mac uses energy-efficient hardware components that work hand in hand with the operating system to conserve power–even between keystrokes.
A Mac also doesn’t contain a lot of toxic materials. All Mac displays are mercury and arsenic free, and the internal components are free of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and brominated flame retardants (BFRs).
![]() |
Efficient Power Supply
Mac mini includes a highly efficient power supply that reduces the amount of power wasted when bringing electricity from the wall to your computer. Lower power consumption reduces energy bills and lessens the environmental impact of greenhouse gas emissions from power plants.
Advanced Power Management
Unlike a lot of Windows-based PC systems, Mac mini uses energy-efficient hardware components that work hand in hand with the operating system to conserve power. Mac OS X spins down hard drives and activates sleep mode. And it balances tasks across both central processors and graphics processors. Mac OS X never misses a power-saving opportunity, no matter how small. It even regulates the processor between keystrokes, reducing power between the letters you type. That’s just one of many ways Apple manages small amounts of power that add up to big savings.
Mac mini is a great example of Apple’s energy-efficient design philosophy. It uses less than 14 watts of power when idle–that’s something no other desktop computer can do.2
ENERGY STAR Qualification
Mac mini meets the stringent low power requirements set by the EPA, giving it ENERGY STAR qualification. ENERGY STAR 5.0 sets significantly higher efficiency limits for power supplies and aggressive limits for the computer’s typical annual power consumption.
















Robin J. Allaman 11:34 am on February 9, 2010 Permalink |
I have had my MacMini for about two years now. Became fed up with the Windows platform a long time ago. This replaced a $3,000 computer and I guarantee it was the best hardware investment I ever made.
Rating: 5 / 5
S. Krueger 12:01 pm on February 9, 2010 Permalink |
Apple Mac mini MC239LL/A
A very good system for individuals with basic computing needs and an excellent base station for the family’s iPhones or iPods. If you are passionate about gaming, you probably aren’t looking here in the first place, and should probably be going with a PC. But for basic games this Mac mini does just fine.
+ iLife `09. A very nice Photo/Video/Music package.
+ Wireless, Bluetooth, FireWire800.
+ No monitor, keyboard or mouse is included. You can use what you have, or purchase whatever you want. You are not paying for items you may not need, or may be replacing with something else.
+ The Mac mini doesn’t have the crapware you find on new PCs, just like all Macs.
+ Quiet
- No HDMI output. You can get a Mini Display Port to HDMI Adapter, however the Macs at this time did not transmit audio data along with video from the Mini-DP. So you need to get audio by other means (audio line-out minijack, USB, FireWire, or a wireless method).
- No commercial Blu-ray playback. This is a Mac OS X issue, not just Mac mini. You can play these, however you need to boot into Windows, have the proper PC-only software, and of course a HDMI monitor.
- Power cord is not firmly attached when connected to case. This is probably a bit picky; however when I was connecting a flash drive to a USB port, the little push of the case unplugged the Mac mini. I know the cord was hooked on something, however it does disconnect from the case quite easily. I’ve now connected a USB extension to the case to avoid this problem.
Overall, I am very pleased with the Mac mini.
Rating: 5 / 5
RealBambi 12:28 pm on February 9, 2010 Permalink |
We have two of cheaper minis at work …. love them! So, when my powerbook died, and I didn’t need a mobile computer, I bought the higher end mini: 4 gigs of ram and 320 gigs of hard drive space and I’m setup. I used a firewire to migrate date from my laptop … programs and all came flying over … voila.
Except for iTunes and their insane licensing policies (I now buy music from Amazon) …. the transition was seamless. Only thing is that Apple no longer includes the VGA adaptor, so had to shell out $30 bucks for that. But you can plug virtually any monitor, keyboard or mouse into it. Mini is the only way to go for a desktop for me.
Rating: 5 / 5
Andrew Goff 2:51 pm on February 9, 2010 Permalink |
I edit movies in Final Cut Pro and iMovie for weddings, documentaries, and even commercials. My Macbook was the early 2009 edition which was really great. However with the need for a bigger monitor and a faster processor for SDHC video editing I decided to sell my macbook and move towards a faster Mac. I looked at the prices for the Macbook Pro at $1,500 and then I looked at the specs for the top model of the Mac Mini and they were the same except you needed to buy a monitor and keyboard. Well I already had a high definition monitor and a macally keyboard and mouse. So this was a no brainier. I am still in shock at how fast the computer is vs it’s size. It is the faster computer that I have owned I would say. I have owned 3.0 GHz computers in the past but it’s the Core 2 Duo processor and the 4 gigs of DDR 3 Ram that make this thing an explosive machine. This mac mini can do anything just about. It is the best deal for a Apple computer right now.
Rating: 5 / 5
Pedro I. Alcocer 3:39 pm on February 9, 2010 Permalink |
The mac mini does it all and then some. I’ve been Mac Mini user since 2007 and just recently upgraded to the later 2009 version. The Migration Assistant had all my data and applications (100 GBs worth) moved from the 2007 Mac Mini (mm2007) running Leopard to the 2009 Mac Mini (mm2009) running Snow Leopard in about 3 hours. I did have to update three applications for Snow Leopard but that was expected and wasn’t a big deal. In all the transition was smooth and much better then transitions to new PCs I did with Windows before 2007.
The performance bump from the mm2007 to the mm2009 is noticeable, especially with video and gaming. Overall the Snow Leopard OS and the upgraded specifications just make for a better “daily driver” experience. That’s not to say that the 2007 was bad, it was great actually and left me wanting more. In summary, it did well as a multi-functioning computer for the last two years but I did need the extra horsepower for work and soft gaming.
Unless you’re a hardcore gamer that needs to be able to play the latest games instantly, there really isn’t a need for a Windows PC at home. If you need Windows then buy VMWare Fusion, I used VMWare Fusion 1 and 2 on the mm2007 and they worked great running Windows XP within Leopard (needed for telecommuting). I upgraded to VMWare Fusion 3 recently for my mm2009 for giggles and it works great too. Soon I’ll be creating a Windows 7 virtual machine with VMWare Fusion 3, why not have the best of both worlds?
Alas, instead of selling my original mm2007 version, I bought the Snow Leopard upgrade disk, completely wiped the hard drive and set-forth to create a Mac Mini Home Theater Media Center. The results have been amazing, I have canceled my satellite TV subscription, that’s 95 bucks I keep in my pocket each month now. Between Netflix Streaming, Hulu.com, Boxee, Plex, EyeTV, and a Terk HDTVa indoor antenna; I can watch anything I use to watch with a paid subscription to satellite TV and record as well for free! (EveTV is a DVR software/hardware system for your Mac, must have!) Oh and the mm2007 is also our home’s print server too.
In summary, I love the Mac Mini and I plan on upgrading again in two years and finding other areas in my home where my current mm2009 could be of service. That’s the future though, for now I’m a very happy Mac Mini user.
Rating: 5 / 5