Mac mini Late 2014

The Apple Mac mini "Core i5" 1.4 (Late 2014/Aluminum Unibody) is powered by a 22 nm "Haswell" 1.4 GHz Intel "Core i5" (4260U) processor, featuring two independent "cores" on a single chip and a 3 MB shared level 3 cache. It has 4 GB of onboard 1600 MHz LPDDR3 SDRAM, which could be increased to 8 GB or 16 GB at the time of purchase but is not user-upgradable. The system includes a 500 GB hard drive and an integrated Intel HD Graphics 5000 processor that shares system memory.

Connectivity comprises two Thunderbolt 2 ports, four USB 3.0 ports, an HDMI port, Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11ac Wi-Fi (compatible with 802.11a/b/g/n), and Bluetooth 4.0, in addition to an SDXC card slot.

Visually identical to its predecessor, this model benefits from a more advanced architecture, improved graphics, Thunderbolt 2 support, and faster Wi-Fi. However, it also has some drawbacks, including a slower processor clock speed, the removal of Firewire support, RAM that is no longer upgradable, and the inability to support two 2.5" drives.

All Mac mini systems are configured by default without a display, keyboard, or mouse, but numerous Apple and third-party options are available for purchase.

The entry-level 1.4GHz Mac mini from late 2014 was positioned as the most affordable way to get a new Mac, but this came with significant compromises.[[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)] While it handled basic productivity and entertainment tasks with ease, its performance was not groundbreaking, scoring lower than some competing mini PCs.[[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)] A major point of criticism was the soldered-on RAM, which eliminated the possibility of future user upgrades, a significant departure from previous models.[[1](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fvertexaisearch.cloud.google.com%2Fgrounding-api-redirect%2FAUZIYQGWl9Ml0_4j6jN-BW6JYqYxPVEYQZkb3bf9As871OfUTvPO8JG4Jvq07ktu1aj69onpljXPOHktiuLSinTJd18lbHgUPE67TtrwIroN-_YKHNnxa9WbnyC4SZhe-U97BQt_kd6Pu7nclQ%3D%3D)] This decision, coupled with a slower processor compared to the 2012 models, made it a less appealing option for power users.[[1](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fvertexaisearch.cloud.google.com%2Fgrounding-api-redirect%2FAUZIYQGWl9Ml0_4j6jN-BW6JYqYxPVEYQZkb3bf9As871OfUTvPO8JG4Jvq07ktu1aj69onpljXPOHktiuLSinTJd18lbHgUPE67TtrwIroN-_YKHNnxa9WbnyC4SZhe-U97BQt_kd6Pu7nclQ%3D%3D)] The move to Thunderbolt 2 and 802.11ac Wi-Fi were welcome updates, but the loss of FireWire and quad-core options disappointed many long-time fans.[[1](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fvertexaisearch.cloud.google.com%2Fgrounding-api-redirect%2FAUZIYQGWl9Ml0_4j6jN-BW6JYqYxPVEYQZkb3bf9As871OfUTvPO8JG4Jvq07ktu1aj69onpljXPOHktiuLSinTJd18lbHgUPE67TtrwIroN-_YKHNnxa9WbnyC4SZhe-U97BQt_kd6Pu7nclQ%3D%3D)][[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)] It was ultimately seen as a capable, if limited, machine for those prioritizing the macOS experience over upgradability and raw power.[[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)][[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)]