On October 30, 2018, Apple debuted an updated Mac mini. The Cupertino kids did an admirable job updating the product, and the new price ($799, previously $499) seemed within normal Apple tolerances.
But the devil is in the specs.
If this is a desktop computer, the entry level specs aren’t impressive. And once you bump the options into mid-level desktop territory, you’re in for sticker shock.
In my opinion, a desktop computer serves as a desktop with these minimum specifications: A Core i5, 8 GB RAM, and 1 TB storage.
Let’s compare’s Apple entry level device with something more serviceable:
| Mac mini (entry level) | Mac mini (desktop minimum) |
| Core i3 (4 core) | Core i5 (6 core) |
| 8 GB RAM | 8 GB RAM |
| 128 GB SSD | 1 TB SSD |
| $799 | $1,699 |
Bumping the specs in just 2 areas adds $900 to the cost. Does upgrading a processor and solid-state storage really cost more than two entry level Mac mini devices?
I had hoped that the cost with the upgrades I sought would have been $1,199. If it had, I’d have placed my order.
Apple gives lip service to creating devices that provide the experience its customers desire. That gets interpreted as lip service when you look at the paltry entry level specs.
C’mon, Apple. You shouldn’t seek to fleece your customers to provide the expected “experience” you propose.
UPDATE … At the end of last summer (2019), I pulled the trigger on a Mac mini. I bought an Apple refurbished model with an i7 processor, 16 GB of RAM, and 1 TB of storage. The savings was close to $400 from new retail. Not bad.
Still, I feel Apple continues to offer utterly lacking storage options in its base Mac models. Living with 128 GB or even 256 GB of storage is not an acceptable “experience.” Solid state storage costs have dropped dramatically, and Apple should offer better base options to its customers.