Mac mini 2018

Mac mini 2018

Mac mini

Discontinued
Released: October 30, 2018Discontinued on: November 10, 2020
United States: US$799Japan: ¥89,800

Overview

The Apple Mac mini "Core i3" 3.6 (Late 2018/Space Gray) is built with a 14 nm "Coffee Lake" 3.6 GHz Intel "Core i3" (8100B) processor, which has four independent "cores" on a single chip and a 6 MB shared level 3 cache. It comes with 8 GB of user-upgradable 2666 MHz PC4-21300 SDRAM, onboard PCIe-based SSD storage of 128 GB or 256 GB (with 256 GB becoming standard from March 18, 2020), and an integrated Intel UHD Graphics 630 processor that utilizes system memory.


Its connectivity options include four Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports, two USB 3.1 ports, an HDMI 2.0 port, Gigabit Ethernet (upgradable to NbaseT/10 Gigabit Ethernet at purchase), 802.11ac Wi-Fi (compatible with 802.11a/b/g/n), Bluetooth 5.0, and a 3.5 mm headphone jack.


When compared to its much older predecessor, this model shares a similar form factor but is distinguished by its dark "Space Gray" finish. It boasts a significantly more advanced processor and system architecture, along with updated, modern connectivity. A key feature is its user-upgradable RAM, although the storage is not upgradable.


By default, all Mac mini systems are sold without a display, keyboard, or mouse, but a wide range of compatible options from Apple and third parties are available.

Evaluation

The late 2018 Mac mini with a Core i3 processor was a long-awaited and well-received update, transforming the machine into a surprisingly powerful and versatile desktop.[[5](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fvertexaisearch.cloud.google.com%2Fgrounding-api-redirect%2FAUZIYQGcLsTe65fd1izAza8WREuTNl0M1Zi5uy_MehZKwbH6priZVckX7gv1MwLYvY0xpvH1X1rHsGUXWXMqCn2ToZVtp9xpUq-cVEixZy0RwRZiZH4ScLLL_aJ5a5pcOkHhoWP3NF2Gjp0VcJCGSvlawf_YIQ%3D%3D)] Despite being the entry-level model, its quad-core i3 processor delivered performance on par with or better than previous generation i5 models, making it a capable workhorse for many users.[[4](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fvertexaisearch.cloud.google.com%2Fgrounding-api-redirect%2FAUZIYQE7DRDpN3CWRTMcWnF2qceUb3Mac98CPa10NuIrXySEzWwVHMyfbUFzLjAHYiCO4BxBKLwBGOZ91F65fZJs6ngkfYNQodAedsiRD_UHI3fvTGsYGnOGQXc1vLvJfdLV4fLUduHv_2w67_TQUhBVwe_CvyiQjxtYhcxyMyZt8JnVdffZnXOstw2c)] The inclusion of four Thunderbolt 3 ports was a game-changer, offering immense expandability for eGPUs, high-speed storage, and multiple displays.[[2](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fvertexaisearch.cloud.google.com%2Fgrounding-api-redirect%2FAUZIYQG2BZ0VgZTBzS_QZTLmGMruH2sD0W4FAmmWZci_tWbbuxjEmk5QE46ux2fYGnTY-KW064Ju3OAoTge4uyxZ6Jr32Spyu80x6L3Gd73sUc5zkxtVm48jkkPh4gnsHn-O_icIzRCl6-zewIh-_RM7VdNptw6XuaafRhxl8yT90YkZ)] It also featured user-upgradable RAM, a welcome feature for those looking to save on Apple's high memory upgrade costs.[[5](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fvertexaisearch.cloud.google.com%2Fgrounding-api-redirect%2FAUZIYQGcLsTe65fd1izAza8WREuTNl0M1Zi5uy_MehZKwbH6priZVckX7gv1MwLYvY0xpvH1X1rHsGUXWXMqCn2ToZVtp9xpUq-cVEixZy0RwRZiZH4ScLLL_aJ5a5pcOkHhoWP3NF2Gjp0VcJCGSvlawf_YIQ%3D%3D)] However, the starting price saw a significant jump, and the base 128GB SSD was considered too small for many users, pushing the effective cost even higher for a practical configuration.[[3](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fvertexaisearch.cloud.google.com%2Fgrounding-api-redirect%2FAUZIYQGLzoPGVKjWfiy24QPb-dCbNr2m-KjO-pFmQJcOYURtma3A2DQKSkD270frJl4MydReQTcx86Gz7GjwqU-X7FcXzz-rntbNFoBjmfwl8PhVPasRRn4oX-aK4H-RBcorJptAf1zC_91LA7okR4tS294d83KbEvsmLiFbmtaq9OoBgtGW8w%3D%3D)][[4](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fvertexaisearch.cloud.google.com%2Fgrounding-api-redirect%2FAUZIYQE7DRDpN3CWRTMcWnF2qceUb3Mac98CPa10NuIrXySEzWwVHMyfbUFzLjAHYiCO4BxBKLwBGOZ91F65fZJs6ngkfYNQodAedsiRD_UHI3fvTGsYGnOGQXc1vLvJfdLV4fLUduHv_2w67_TQUhBVwe_CvyiQjxtYhcxyMyZt8JnVdffZnXOstw2c)] The soldered-on storage was also a notable drawback, limiting future internal upgrades.[[5](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fvertexaisearch.cloud.google.com%2Fgrounding-api-redirect%2FAUZIYQGcLsTe65fd1izAza8WREuTNl0M1Zi5uy_MehZKwbH6priZVckX7gv1MwLYvY0xpvH1X1rHsGUXWXMqCn2ToZVtp9xpUq-cVEixZy0RwRZiZH4ScLLL_aJ5a5pcOkHhoWP3NF2Gjp0VcJCGSvlawf_YIQ%3D%3D)]

Product Info

Product Info Table
Model IDMacmini8,1
Apple Model NoA1993 (EMC 3213)
Apple Order NoMRTR2LL/A
Apple Subfamily2018

Price

Price Table
Original Price (US)US$799
United StatesUS$799
AustraliaA$1249
Austria€899
Belgium€899
BrazilR$6.999
CanadaC$999
ChinaRMB 6,499
DenmarkDKK 6,999
Finland€919
France€899
Germany€899
Hong KongHK$6,499
IndiaRs 75,900
IndonesiaRp 12,970,000
Ireland€919
Italy€919
Japan¥89,800
KoreaKRW 1,060,000
Luxembourg€869,29
MalaysiaRM 3,449
MexicoMXN $19,499
Netherlands€899
New ZealandNZ$1449
NorwayNOK 8.990
Portugal€919
SingaporeS$1179
Spain€899
SwedenSEK 9.995
SwitzerlandCHF 929
TaiwanNT$26,900
ThailandTHB 27,900
The PhilippinesPHP 49,990
United Kingdom£799
VietnamVND 21,190,000

Pricing Extras

Pricing Extras Table
Est. Current RetailUS$350-US$500

Body

Body Table
Form FactorMac mini Space Gray
Case TypeCuboid
Dimensions1.4 x 7.7 x 7.7 in / 3.6 x 19.6 x 19.6 cm
Avg. Weight2.9 lbs / 1.3 kg

Platform

Platform Table
Processor TypeCore i3 (I3-8100B)
Processor Speed3.6 GHz
Processors1 (4 Cores)
Custom Speeds3.2 GHz (Core i7)
Architecture64-Bit
System Bus Speed8 GT/s
Cache Bus Speed3.6 GHz (Built-in)
L1 Cache32k/32k x4
L2/L3 Cache256k x4, 6 MB
FPUIntegrated
ROM/Firmware TypeEFI
EFI Architecture64-Bit
Geekbench 2 (32)10198
Geekbench 2 (64)10822
Geekbench 3 (32)11732
Geekbench 3 (64)13328
Geekbench 4 (SC)4671
Geekbench 4 (MC)13828
Geekbench 5 (SC)911
Geekbench 5 (MC)3265

Memory

Memory Table
Standard RAM8 GB
Maximum RAM64 GB
RAM TypePC4-21300 DDR4
Min. RAM Speed2666 MHz
RAM Slots2

Storage

Storage Table
Standard Storage128, 256 GB SSD
Storage InterfaceOnboard (PCIe)
Storage DimensionsSoldered
Standard OpticalNone

Display

Display Table
Display Support2-3 Displays
Resolution Support5120x2880
2nd Display SupportDual/Mirroring
2nd Max. Resolution4096x2160
Video CardIntel UHD Graphics 630
Standard VRAM1.5 GB
Maximum VRAM1.5 GB
VRAM TypeIntegrated
Video (Monitor)4 (Thunderbolt 3/USB-C), 1 HDMI 2.0

Audio

Audio Table
Headphone1
Sound OutNone

Connectivity

Connectivity Table
USB2 (3.0)
USB Ports2 (3.0)
Ethernet1 (RJ-45)
Standard Ethernet10/100/1000Base-T

Wireless Connectivity

Wireless Connectivity Table
Standard AirPort802.11ac
Standard Bluetooth5.0

Power

Power Table
Power1

Software

Software Table
Pre-Installed MacOSX 10.14 (18A2063)
Maximum MacOS15.x (Sequoia)
Windows SupportBoot/Virtualization
Minimum Windows10 (64-Bit)
Maximum Windows10 (64-Bit)

Upgrades

Upgrades Table
Processor UpgradeSoldered