Apple - Mac mini - Intel Core i5 (2.6GHz) - 8GB Memory - 1TB Hard Drive - White

I already have a nice monitor, so I decided to get a Mac mini for my next computer. I debated about which model to get and settled on the mid-level late 2014 model. I've heard people complain about it not being upgradeable and that the 2012 models are more powerful. However, I'm not interested in upgrading it, and this particular model has as much power as I need. It comes with Yosemite already loaded on it and has performed well so far. I originally thought about going with the Fusion Drive model, but this model has been very snappy so far and is plenty fast for me. For $200 more than the base model, you get twice as much RAM, a twice as large hard drive, and a much better processor. There are always more powerful computers out there, but this one does what I want without breaking the bank.

I bought this after selling my 2011 Mac mini. Paid a few hundred for this, as they hold there value. On with the pros: this models cpu is dual core that is HYPERTHREADED, meaning it can act synthetically like a quad. I noticed in system monitor under cpu "4" processor monitors. Unlike a quad core which would show "8" processor monitors. The ram is adequate is does load a lot of apps programming into memory since its a spinning drive. So 8gb is bare minimum I'd recommended. I ran several, benchmarks comparing 2012 and 2013 MacBook pro' retinas short and simple this is faster overall according to a sun spider score of 138 in safari on the mac mini 2014 2.6ghz. Cons Yosemite has glitches and bugs as of November 1st 2014. Best Buy doesn't sell the ssd version which would basically increase app/startup times because the faster solid-state drive. However, be prepared to pay over 1k for that luxury. Also, carefully decided on your requirements out of this device, as your initial purchase the mini now soldiers its RAM onto the motherboard, and your hard drive its surgical to replace from what I've read. Bummer with the very limited aftermarket/upgrade options without tearing the whole system apart (harddriveonly) remember as Ram is soldered onboard. i'm overall impressed with the performance of a regular hard drive that's all that Best Buy offers coming from 99% of my machines using solid-state disk the wait time isn't that bad. If they offered the $1000 version I would've definitely got it which includes a hybrid 128gb ssd drive with a normal drive. I read all the reviews on this site and have to say negative reviews were from no one who actually had units in their hands performing tests before making assumptions. I give it a solid thumbs up, I just wish Best Buy would offer the higher end model. If you're on the fence try it before you buy it, I feel its worth it. If you're on the fence about hard drive speed being an issue i find it is sufficient, although ssd would def be better. Also note that this model does output 4k to the TV/monitor if you have a 4K TV/monitor. Try it before saying it's terrible trust me.

I purchased the 2.6GHz, 1TB HD for my parents. Coupled with an AOC 27 inch monitor, and a basic Logitech wireless keyboard/mouse. The setup works like a Champ! I used Apple Care to setup for parents. Both Mom and Dad have different Apple User ID's on this computer to interface with each of their iPhone and iPad. Both are very happy with the upgrade from their clunky Microsoft computer. After some initial training, they are off to the races. My folks who are both 70 have a renewed interest in learning how to drive the new Apple computer. They don't feel like they have to manage as much as their previous PC. Simple is good for my folks. My impression after purchasing and using the 27 inch Mac with 3.3GHz and 2TB fusion drive, I thought the 2.6 GHz Mac Mini was a great alternative for the dollar! Don't get me wrong, the 27 inch Mac is a fast computer, but the Mac Mini would have satisfied my simple needs of basic family photo library and simple video editing, web surfing and basic consumer programs. I'm very happy with all of my Mac gear.

Find a 2012 quad core i7 while you still can! Apple released this 2014 Mac Mini and here are the things you can no longer do: - Upgrade the RAM yourself. People will say that Mac Mini's are not for people who like to tweak their machines but the 2011 and 2012 Mac Mini's actually had a removeable door and instructions on apple.com showing you how to replace and upgrade RAM chips yourself. It was as easy as changing the batteries in your remote control. - You can no longer add a second drive. Many people were able to build their own fusion drives or have one magnetic drive and one SSD. This was for advanced tweakers, but still relatively easy for someone who can following 10 steps from a website. Yes, you can pay Apple $1399 for a built to order 16GB of RAM + 1TB fusion drive Mac Mini with i7 dual core. But here is an important specification you can not pay for. The 2012 Mac Mini had a i7 Quad Core processor option. You can no longer order a Quad Core processor in the 2014 model at any price. What does this mean? If you do any CPU intensive tasks like run Virtual Machines, CAD, Photoshop, etc The 2014 model is 50% slower than the 2012 model when running multi core applications. Now for the good. The Iris and Intel 5000 GPU are a slight step up from the 2012 model Intel 4000 GPU. Apple also dropped the Firewire port for a second Thunderbolt port. (Some may still need firewrre, so beware) WiFi speeds have been improved with 802.11ac support if you have a 802.11ac airport/wifi router. I can not recommend this machine except for the most basic tasks. One can only hope Apple will make some adjustments from the outcries in the follow up model.

The "new" Mac Mini is a major downgrade compared to the last release back TWO YEARS AGO. You can no longer upgrade the RAM yourself - it is soldered in. So you have to pay Apple $200 for an extra 8gb of RAM when you buy it. There is no quad core cpu available. And if you want anything even remotely close to a good CPU, you have to pay an extra $300 JUST to upgrade to an i7. This product is such a let down, have been waiting for over a year to upgrade to the new model and now it looks like my time has been wasted. If you wanted to, I guess you could pay $1500 to max out one of these things, but paying that much money for a low to mid-range performing computer is pretty dumb.

I had a Apple Computer that I spent around $2500 on and I wanted a bigger screen for less cost then the entire computer system. After doing a little research I came across the system and it was really nice because it was compatible with a flat screen TV that I already had. You can have the whole Apple experience for under $700.

Can browse the web, check email and run any Mac App all while recording and or viewing over the air TV

I love the unit. just can't upgrade Ram anymore. I don't get why Apple would do this. Also, no more quad core processor. Don't get me wrong, the unit is excellent. And does what it is suppose to, but if you were waiting for the refresh of the mini, and got this news, I can understand why many are upset. But I use mine as a small server for media and as a build server for my iOS projects. Works Excellent!!!