Mac mini 2018

The Apple Mac mini "Core i5" 3.0 (Late 2018/Space Gray) is built around a 14 nm "Coffee Lake" 3.0 GHz Intel "Core i5" (8500B) processor, featuring six independent processor "cores" on a single chip and a 9 MB shared L3 cache. It comes with 8 GB of user-upgradable 2666 MHz DDR4 PC4-21300 SDRAM, onboard PCIe-based SSD storage of 256 GB or 512 GB (with 512 GB becoming standard from March 18, 2020), and an integrated Intel UHD Graphics 630 processor that shares system memory.

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 (802.11a/b/g/n compatible), Bluetooth 5.0, and a 3.5 mm headphone jack.

Compared to its much older forerunner, this model maintains a similar appearance, aside from its dark "Space Gray" color. However, it incorporates a far more advanced processor and system architecture, along with more modern connectivity. It also features user-upgradable RAM, although the storage is not upgradable.

All Mac mini systems are sold by default without a display, keyboard, or mouse, but numerous Apple and third-party accessories are available.

The late 2018 Mac mini with a 3.0GHz 6-core Core i5 was a powerful and versatile update that appealed to a wide range of users, from home media enthusiasts to professional developers.[[4](https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&q=https%3A%2F%2Fvertexaisearch.cloud.google.com%2Fgrounding-api-redirect%2FAUZIYQE7DRDpN3CWRTMcWnF2qceUb3Mac98CPa10NuIrXySEzWwVHMyfbUFzLjAHYiCO4BxBKLwBGOZ91F65fZJs6ngkfYNQodAedsiRD_UHI3fvTGsYGnOGQXc1vLvJfdLV4fLUduHv_2w67_TQUhBVwe_CvyiQjxtYhcxyMyZt8JnVdffZnXOstw2c)][[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)] Its most lauded feature was the inclusion of four Thunderbolt 3 ports, which offered incredible expansion possibilities for eGPUs, high-speed storage, and multiple displays.[[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 move to a six-core processor provided a significant performance boost, making it a far more capable machine than its predecessor.[[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)] Another welcome return was user-upgradable RAM, allowing for more affordable memory expansion.[[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)] However, the update came with a significant price increase, making it a less accessible entry-level Mac than before.[[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 soldered-on SSD also meant storage could not be upgraded internally, a notable limitation for a 'pro' targeted machine.[[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)]