Apple Mac Mini (2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 120GB, Winter 2009)
Manufacturer: Apple Part number: MB463LL/A
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Product series
- Accessories
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- While we're still impressed with the Mac Mini's ability to pack so much into a tight package, Apple can't get away from its PC competitors that offer more features for less money. If saving space and the Mac OS are dominating factors, then the new Mac Minis are a viable option, but your dollar will stretch much further with a budget Windows desktop.
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Where to buy
| store | customer rating | inventory | tax & shipping | price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| eBay | ![]() | In stock | Enter zip code to get total price: Price +Tax +Shipping =Total price | as of 11/10/2009 |
CNET editors' review
Apple Mac Mini (2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 120GB, Winter 2009) price range: $625.00
- Reviewed by: Justin Yu
- Edited by: Rich Brown
- Reviewed on: 03/04/2009
The good: Competitive Nvidia G9400M graphic chip; includes updated iLife '09 suite; energy efficient; space-saving chassis retains distinct design.
The bad: Similarly priced PCs offer increased functionality for more than $100 less; phone support only lasts 90 days from purchase.
The bottom line: While we're still impressed with the Mac Mini's ability to pack so much into a tight package, Apple can't get away from its PC competitors that offer more features for less money. If saving space and the Mac OS are dominating factors, then the new Mac Minis are a viable option, but your dollar will stretch much further with a budget Windows desktop.
Apple breathed fresh air into its line of Mac Minis, whose specs haven't changed since an update in August 2007. With this $599 model, Apple adds significantly improved Nvidia graphics, a new 2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, and a larger hard drive. Those changes are welcome, and we're also impressed by the Mac Mini's power efficiency, as well as its ability to handle multiple programs at once. We still take issue with the Mac Mini's overall value. The Mac Mini remains a distinctive-looking computer and it has more than a few useful features. We can easily imagine it in a light-duty work role. But if your goal for a lower-cost desktop is core hardware bang for the buck, you're better off with a more well-rounded Windows system.
In terms of design, there's not much here for fans of the previous Minis to get excited about. The case is made of the same aluminum housing and white plastic top, and the only minor differences in the rear panel are an additional USB port (bumping the total up to five), a single FireWire 800 port, a Mini DVI input, and Mini DisplayPort input. That display-standard change is actually significant because it lets the Mac Mini support two displays for the first time, and the internal hardware is also powerful enough to drive a 30-inch, 2,560x1,600 LCD.
At the moment, Apple's 24-inch LED Cinema Display is the only monitor that will connect to a Mini DisplayPort input without an adapter. A mini DVI to single-link DVI adapter comes in the Mac Mini box, and Apple sells a variety of other adapters for both inputs, with prices ranging from $19 to $99.
| Apple Mac Mini (2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo 120GB) | Acer Aspire X1700-U3700A | |
| Price | $599 | $480 |
| CPU | 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo | 2.4GHz Intel Pentium Dual CPU E2220 |
| Memory | 1GB 1066MHz DDR3 SDRAM | 4GB 800MHz DDR2 SDRAM |
| Graphics | 128MB (shared) NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics integrated graphics chip | 128MB (shared) NVIDIA GeForce G100 integrated graphics chip |
| Hard drives | 120GB, 5,400rpm | 640GB, 7,200rpm |
| Optical drive | dual-layer DVD burner | dual-layer DVD burner |
| Networking | Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11n wireless networking, Bluetooth | 10/100Mbps Ethernet LAN |
| Operating system | Mac OS X v10.5.6 | Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 (64-bit) |
For $599, the baseline Mac Mini nets you a 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with the aforementioned integrated graphics chip, 1GB of DDR3 RAM, a puny 120GB hard drive running at 5,400rpm, a dual-layer DVD burner, and built-in 802.11n wireless networking. You need to add a monitor, a keyboard, and a mouse, as well to build out a complete setup. In comparison, the Acer X1700 slimline PC cuts the price down to $480 for a faster processor speed, three times more RAM, and a staggering 520 added gigabytes of storage space--at 7,200rpm to boot. The Acer lacks the Mac's good looks and wireless networking, but the Acer's hardware becomes even larger when you consider expansion possibilities, both inside and out.
Thanks to its accessible case interior, the Acer system provides room for a dedicated half-height graphics card, along with a spare full-size hard-drive bay and a 1x PCI Express slot. On the outside, its prospects improve even more. Its HDMI video output is more living-room-friendly than the Mac Mini's mini DisplayPort out is, and it also needs no special adapter to connect to a television. Its eSATA input also offers nearly four times the data bandwidth and twice the transfer speed of the Mac Mini's FireWire 800 jack. Those features all give the less expensive Acer more flexibility as either an office or a living room PC, with the potential to add features down the road. In comparison, Apple's traditional closed-box system looks decidedly rigid.
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
(Longer bars indicate better performance)
| Rendering multiple CPUs | Rendering single CPU |
We have mixed feelings about the Mac Mini's benchmark performance. On the one hand, it came in behind the Acer system on three of our four application tests. That's hard to forgive, considering the Mac Mini's higher price tag. The outlier comes in a multitasking environment, where we suspect OS X continues to provide Macs with an advantage by requiring fewer system resources than Windows Vista. We imagine more people will use low-cost desktops for basic word processing, Web surfing, and e-mailing than ripping through large-batch media-file conversions, so though we wish the Mac Mini's performance was more balanced, if we had to pick one area for the Mac Mini to excel, multitasking seems most appropriate.
The Mini's gaming performance is also to its credit, considering the older model's near-total inability to render a 3D image. Thanks in large part to the new Nvidia graphics chip, we were able to run Quake 4 at 1,600x900 at decent image quality with minimal lag. Our gameplay experience wasn't entirely seamless, and more recent games will surely provide a larger challenge. But as a budget gaming system, the Mac Mini is at least respectable.
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
| Load | Idle |
While we might have some doubts about the Mac Mini's performance, its power efficiency is highly encouraging. We hooked both the Acer and the Mac Mini to a Watts Up power meter and tested both systems' consumption at idle with a few basic apps open, and under load while playing Quake 4. Happily, our results fell in line with Apple's claims: when the system is powered on but idle, the Mac Mini only used only 15.4 watts compared with Acer's demanding 70.9. The Mac Mini also saved a relative amount of energy under load, consuming only 28.3 watts during our Quake 4 session, as opposed to the Acer's 95.6. Needless to say, the savings are notable. We're still refining our power-consumption testing, and we have some concerns about accuracy at low wattages. But with such a large gap, we feel comfortable saying that compared with other low-cost systems, we expect you will save a few bucks on your yearly electric bill.
Even though we have questions about the Mac Mini's hardware value, Apple helps close the gap by including its iLife '09 application suite with every new Mac Mini. We're also glad to see the mini DVI-to-single-DVI dongle mentioned above, but as usual with the Mac Mini, there's no mouse or keyboard. We're also disappointed that Apple left off the tiny Apple Remote this time around. You can add an Apple keyboard and mouse set for $98, and the Remote for an extra $20. Other options from Apple for the Mac Mini include a faster 2.26GHz CPU for an extra $150, and more RAM and larger hard drives, both for reasonable prices.
Per usual, Apple supports the new Mac Mini with its standard coverage, including one year of parts-and-labor coverage and access to all of the extra goodies that come along with Apple Store Genius support. The Apple Web site also provides a portal for extra support, including rebate information and online-service assistance, but e-mail support is only available for iTunes store and Apple photo services only. We're also still disappointed by the diminutive 90-day technical support over the phone--most PCs allow for a year of free phone calls under the one-year umbrella, some even offering 24-7 service.
Find out more about how we test desktop systems.
System configurations:
Apple Mac Mini
Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard; 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo; 1GB 1067MHz DDR3 SDRAM; 128MB (shared) Nvidia GeForce 9400 integrated graphics chip; 120GB 5,400rpm hard drive.
Acer Aspire X1700-U3700A
64-bit Windows Vista Home Premium; 2.4GHz Intel Pentium Dual CPU E2220; 4GB 800MHz DDR2 SDRAM; 128MB (shared) NVIDIA GeForce G100 integrated graphics chip; 640GB 7,200rpm hard drive.
Apple Mac Mini
Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard; 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo; 2GB 1067MHz DDR3 SDRAM; 256MB (shared) Nvidia GeForce 9400 integrated graphics chip; 320GB 5,400rpm hard drive.
Dell Inspiron I530-120B
64-bit Windows Vista Home Premium SP1; 2.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo E7400; 6GB 800MHz DDR2 SDRAM; 128MB (shared) Intel GMA 3100 integrated graphics chip; 750GB 7,200 rpm Seagate hard drive
Gateway DX4200-09
64-bit Windows Vista Home Premium; 1.8GHz AMD Phenom 9100e Quad-Core; 4GB DDR2 SDRAM; 256MB (shared) ATI Radeon HD 3200 integrated graphics chip; 640GB 7,200rpm hard drive.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Apple
- Part number: MB463LL/A
- Description: Mac mini is made from sleek, anodized aluminum with refined, rounded corners and a pearly white cover. But the power of its design is on the inside: the Intel Core 2 Duo processor, advanced graphics, and more, faster memory. And there?s plenty of storage space - for just about anything. Who knew something so small could be so huge?
General
- Type Personal computer
- Product Form Factor Desktop slimline
- Built-in Devices Speaker
- Width 6.5 in
- Depth 6.5 in
- Height 2 in
- Weight 2.9 lbs
- Desktop type Budget desktop system, Small-form-factor PC
Processor
- Type Intel Core 2 Duo 2 GHz
- Multi-Core processor technology Dual-Core
- 64-bit processor Yes
- Installed Qty 1
- Max processors supported 1
Cache Memory
- Type L2 cache
- Installed Size 3 MB
- Cache Per Processor 3 MB
Mainboard
- Data bus speed 1066 MHz
RAM
- Installed Size 1 GB / 4 GB (max)
- Technology DDR3 SDRAM
- Memory speed 1066 MHz
- RAM form factor SO DIMM 204-pin
- RAM configuration features 1 x 1 GB
Environmental Parameters
- Environmental standards EPA Energy Star, EPEAT Gold
- Min operating temperature 50 °F
- Max operating temperature 95 °F
- Operating humidity range 5 - 95%
Storage Controller
- Type 1 x Serial ATA - Integrated
Storage Controller (2nd)
- Type None
Storage
- Floppy drive type None
- Hard Drive 1 x 120 GB - Standard - Serial ATA-150 - 5400 rpm
- Hard Drive (2nd) None
- Hard Drive (3rd) None
Optical Storage
- Type DVD±RW (±R DL)
- CD / DVD read speed 24x (CD) / 8x (DVD)
- CD / DVD write speed 24x (CD) / 8x (DVD±R) / 6x (DVD±R DL)
- CD / DVD rewrite speed 24x (CD) / 6x (DVD-RW) / 8x (DVD+RW)
Optical Storage (2nd)
- Type None
Storage Removable
- Type None
Monitor
- Monitor Type None. - TFT active matrix
Graphics Controller
- Type Integrated
- Graphics Processor / Vendor NVIDIA GeForce 9400M Shared video memory (UMA)
- Video Memory 128 MB DDR3 SDRAM
Audio Output
- Type Sound card - Integrated
Telecom
- Modem None
Audio Input
- Type None
Networking
- Networking Network adapter
- Wireless LAN Supported Yes
- Data Link Protocol Ethernet, IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet, Bluetooth 2.1 EDR, IEEE 802.11n (draft)
- Features AirPort Extreme ready
- Compliant Standards IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, Bluetooth 2.1, IEEE 802.11n (draft)
Expansion / Connectivity
- Expansion Slots Total (Free) 2 ( 1 ) x Memory - SO DIMM 204-pin
- Interfaces 1 x IEEE 1394b (FireWire 800) - 9 pin FireWire 800, 5 x Hi-Speed USB - 4 pin USB Type A, 1 x Display / video - DVI-Analog - Apple mini-DVI, 1 x Display / video - Output - Apple mini-DisplayPort, 1 x Audio - SPDIF input/line-in - Mini-phone 3.5 mm / TOSLINK, 1 x Network - Ethernet 10Base-T/100Base-TX/1000Base-T - RJ-45, 1 x Audio - SPDIF output/headphones - Mini-phone 3.5 mm / TOSLINK
Printer
- Type None
Miscellaneous
- Cables Included ( 1 pcs.), Mini-DVI-DVI adapter
- Features Security lock slot (cable lock sold separately)
Power
- Power device type Power adapter
- Voltage Required AC 120/230 V
- Power provided 110 Watt
Operating System / Software
- OS Provided Apple MacOS X 10.5
- Software Front Row, Apple iCal, Apple iChat, Apple Safari, Apple Spaces, Apple iTunes, Apple Dashboard, Apple QuickTime, Apple Spotlight, Apple iLife '09, Apple DVD Player, Apple Quick Look, Apple Address Book, Apple Time Machine, Apple Mac OS X Mail, Apple XCode Developer Tools
Manufacturer Warranty
- Service & Support 1 year warranty
- Service & Support Details Limited warranty - 1 year, Technical support - Phone consulting - 90 days
Sustainability
- EPA Energy Star Compliant Yes
- EPEAT Compliant EPEAT Gold
- Greenpeace policy rating (Sept 2009) 4.9
Product series
-

Apple Mac Mini (2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 320GB, Winter 2009)
Manufacturer: Apple
Specs: Intel Core 2 Duo (2 GHz), 2 GB DDR3 SDRAM, 320 GB Standard, NVIDIA GeForce 9400M, EPA Energy Star, EPEAT Gold, Apple MacOS X 10.5, Personal computer
-

Apple Mac Mini (2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 120GB, Winter 2009)
Manufacturer: Apple
Specs: Intel Core 2 Duo (2 GHz), 1 GB DDR3 SDRAM, 120 GB Standard, NVIDIA GeForce 9400M, EPA Energy Star, EPEAT Gold, Apple MacOS X 10.5, Personal computer
Accessories
- Apple AirPort Express Base Station (30910240)222.22
- Apple Wireless Keyboard (30568482)59.99
- Airport Extreme Card (20852328)59.00 - 65.77
- Iomega MiniMax Desktop Hard Drive hard drive - 1 TB - FireWire / Hi-Speed USB (33020464)115.99 - 189.99
- G-Tech G-MINI hard drive - 750 GB - FireWire / Hi-Speed USB (32826514)295.99
- Logitech G19 (33485079)175.99 - 196.99
- Saitek Cyborg Keyboard keyboard (33073269)65.17 - 81.54
- OCZ Alchemy Series Elixir II Keyboard - keyboard (33625258)18.05
- Cherry J86-4400 Vandal-proof Keyboard - keyboard , trackball (33518924)365.66
- Apple Mighty Mouse (31470406)37.77 - 49.00
- Logitech Anywhere Mouse MX (33767206)59.99 - 79.99
- Logitech V220 Cordless Optical Mouse for Notebooks (32481206)24.99 - 29.99
- Logitech Performance Mouse MX (33769469)83.99 - 99.99
- Logitech VX Nano Cordless Laser Mouse (32554802)56.83 - 88.95
- HP Deskjet D1560 - printer - color - ink-jet (33019326)44.00
Manufacturer info
- Apple
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Apple products on Shopper.com
-
- Website: http://www.apple.com
- Address:
One Infinite Loop, Cupertino, CA 95014 - Phone: 1-408-996-1010








