Mac mini PowerPC 7447a (G4) 2005

The Apple Mac mini G4/1.42 is equipped with a 1.42 GHz PowerPC 7447a (G4) processor featuring the AltiVec "Velocity Engine" vector processing unit and a 512k on-chip L2 cache. It came with 256 MB of 333 MHz PC2700 DDR SDRAM (increased to 512 MB after July 26, 2005), an 80.0 GB Ultra ATA/100 hard drive, and a slot-loading 8X DVD/CD-RW "Combo" Drive. A 4X DVD±RW/CD-RW "SuperDrive" was optional before July 26, 2005, and became standard on the US$699 configuration (M9971LL/B) afterward. Graphics are managed by an ATI Radeon 9200 processor (4X AGP) with 32 MB of DDR SDRAM.

Connectivity includes DVI (with a DVI-to-VGA adapter), USB 2.0, FireWire, and a headphone/line out jack. It also supported optional upgrades for AirPort Extreme (802.11g) and Bluetooth. After July 26, 2005, AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth were included as standard, while the modem was removed.

The internal components are cleverly housed in a compact and elegant 2.9 lb, 6.5-inch square, two-inch-tall "cuboid" case with an external power supply. The Mac mini was sold without a display, keyboard, or mouse, but numerous Apple and third-party peripherals were available.

The higher-end Mac mini G4/1.42 was evaluated as a significantly more capable machine than its 1.25GHz counterpart, justifying its higher price for many users. The faster processor and larger 80GB hard drive provided a noticeable performance boost and more breathing room for applications and files. A mid-cycle refresh that increased the base RAM to 512MB and made AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth standard was a huge improvement, addressing the major pain points of the initial release and making it a much better value. While still not a powerhouse for intensive creative work, it was a very competent computer for mainstream users and an even more attractive proposition for those switching to the Mac platform. It was seen as the sweet spot in the original G4 Mac mini lineup, offering the best balance of price and performance.