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February 9, 2007
A Review of the Apple Mac mini 1.66 GHz Intel Core Duo (Late 2006) MA607LL/A
By Michael Bean
Introduction
In September of 2006, Apple updated the Mac mini line by providing the low end model with a 1.66 GHz Intel Core Duo processor ($599). That improvement moved the entire Intel Mac mini line to a Core Duo processor. This article will examine the performance characteristics of the Intel Mac mini 1.66 GHz and discuss some of the upgrade options that are available for it.
What's Included?
The stock Apple Mac mini 1.66 GHz hardware includes an Intel Core Duo "Yonah" 1.667GHz socket 479 processor with an L2 2MB shared cache, a 667MHz front side bus, two 256MB 200-pin PC2-5300 (667MHz) DDR2 SDRAM memory modules, a 60GB 5400 RPM SATA 2.5" hard drive and a slot loading combo drive (DVD-ROM/CD-RW). The Mac mini video is powered by an Intel Graphics Media Accelerator (GMA) 950 with 64MB of DDR2 SDRAM shared with the main memory. The enclosure is 6.5" wide by 6.5" deep and 2" high and weighs 2.9 pounds. The Mac mini provides 10/100/1000 BASE-T gigabit ethernet, a FireWire 400 port (8 watts), DVI/VGA video out, four USB ports, audio in/out ports, built-in 54-Mbps AirPort Extreme Wi-Fi (802.11g) and built-in Bluetooth connectivity. An Apple remote is also provided along with an external power supply.
Software provided with the Intel Mac mini includes Mac OS X v10.4 Tiger, iLife ’06 (includes iTunes, iPhoto, iMovie HD, iDVD, iWeb, GarageBand), Front Row, Big Bang Board Games, Comic Life, Omni Outliner and Apple Hardware Test. The MSRP for the Mac mini 1.66 GHz model MA607LL/A is $599.
667MHz DDR2 SDRAM
The standard Mac mini configuration includes 512MB of 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM (PC2-5300) memory. Two memory modules are installed in the Intel Mac mini. This allows the motherboard chipset to run in dual channel mode. In theory, if different sized memory is installed in the Intel Mac mini there should be a slightly measurable performance loss. The Mac mini Intel GMA 950 video processor shares the memory on the motherboard which will impact performance as well.
In order to determine how the Intel Mac mini would perform with the stock 512MB memory configuration versus a single 1GB, 1.25GB and two 1GB modules Xbench 1.3 was used. The idea behind this memory test was to see what performance impact could be recorded with Xbench when running an Intel Mac mini with a single memory module or with unequal sized modules compared to a dual 256MB or a dual 1GB configuration. The results are provided in the table below.
Intel Mac mini 1.66 Memory Performance
| Xbench 1.3 |
Mac mini 1.66
2GB Dual 2x1GB |
Mac mini 1.66
1.25GB 256MB & 1GB |
Mac mini 1.66
1GB Single Chip |
Mac mini 1.66
512MB Two 256MB |
| Memory Test |
100.24
|
91.39
|
91.45
|
95.03
|
| Fill |
4623 MB/sec
|
4620 MB/sec
|
4601 MB/sec
|
4613 MB/sec
|
| Copy |
2136 MB/sec
|
2158 MB/sec
|
2228 MB/sec
|
2074 MB/sec
|
| System Score |
94.37
|
91.39
|
90.42
|
93.94
|
Based on the Xbench results, the Mac mini overall memory test indicates that installing two identically sized memory modules provides approximately a 4% memory performance advantage. Quartz Graphics performance is also slightly improved with two chips installed. In addition, the overall Xbench system score is approximately 3% higher when two identically sized memory modules are installed. These tests seem to indicate that when the motherboard chipset is operating in dual channel mode an Intel Mac mini should enjoy a measurable performance benefit.
Benefit of Additional Memory
If the Intel Mac mini is primarily used for light computing duties, such as email and web browsing the standard 512MB memory configuration may work fine. However, if high memory-usage multimedia applications or non-universal programs are utilized the user may notice that the performance of the Intel Mac mini seems to slow. This is usually a result of insufficient memory being available which may cause a portion of the hard disk to be used for virtual memory. The amount of memory being used by the Mac mini can be discovered by opening the Activity Monitor found in the Utilities folder.
When the System Memory tab is selected, users can see how much memory is being utilized by the computer at the bottom left of the activity window. In the example above, 1.23GB is being used by an Intel Mac mini with 2GB of memory installed. If the Page ins/outs displays a zero for the outs, then the memory modules are being utilized to handle the computing load. However, once virtual memory is required this activity will be displayed in the Page outs field.
I found that running Windows XP using Parallels Desktop or Boot Camp was difficult with less than 1GB installed and very nice with 2GB. Running multiple applications at the same time and manipulating large files also works much better with more memory. While the Intel Mac mini can function with 512MB of memory, it becomes more responsive once additional is memory installed. Most Intel Mac mini users will find installing between one and two GB(s) of memory works very well. Energy conscious users will be happy to learn that when using the Intel Mac mini with 2GB of memory the energy requirements are only increased by approximately 2 watts.
Installing Memory
If you purchase the Mac mini directly from Apple a 1GB memory option is available for an additional $75 and a 2GB configuration is $250 more. The 1GB option provides an adequate amount of memory for most users at a reasonable price. From my experience, upgrading the Mac mini to a 1GB memory configuration after the original purchase is usually more expensive. When calculating the cost of a memory upgrade after the original purchase users should also consider install fees if they are unable to perform the upgrade themselves.
I called the Chandler Apple store to see what they would charge to install additional memory in an Intel Mac mini after the original purchase. They quoted me $300 for two 512MB modules or $600 for two 1GB memory modules. These prices might cause users to look for other options. I certainly did. I wanted quality memory that would perform well with a lifetime guarantee but not cost a fortune. Trans International memory was my choice based on their quality and service. I have installed lots of Trans International memory over the years and it has always performed well. Their current pricing is $48 for an Intel Mac mini 512MB module, $98 for a 1GB module or $188 for a 2GB kit (2x1GB).
At $188 for a 2GB upgrade consisting of two 1GB modules or $96 for a 1GB upgrade using two 512MB memory modules, upgrading the amount of memory in the Intel Mac mini becomes affordable for existing owners. However, this price does not include installation. Users will need to install the memory themselves or find someone to help them with the install.
Intel Mac mini users that are interested in learning how to install additional memory can read an Illustrated Intel Mac mini Take Apart Guide posted at the Applefritter.com web site. In addition, OWC has a video tutorial posted online for Intel Mac mini users.
Installing memory in the Intel Mac mini is not as easy as most other Macintosh models. The difficult part is opening the Intel Mac mini case with a sharp putty knife. The guides listed above provide a good explanation of the entire process. Once the Mac mini is open, the next step is to release the wireless antenna and remove the four small screws in each corner. Next, disconnect the small black wire in the front on the right side. The next step is to disconnect the storage daughter card (which is seated in a connector on the motherboard) by pulling it straight up for about an inch or so and then the plastic drive frame can be hinged back. At that point, it is easy to access the memory modules which are shown in the image below.
There are two memory modules in the front of the Intel Mac mini that can be released using the clips on the sides of the memory. Once the original memory modules are removed, the new memory is installed and the Mac mini is reassembled. Be careful to place the antenna wire back in the correct notch when reassembling the Mac mini and don't forget to reconnect the small black wire in the front. If you do, the fan will run at full speed. Ground yourself to protect the computer's electronics from static electricity. Users that are able to install the memory themselves can save money and will have more memory upgrade options available to them.
Core Duo T2300 ProcessorThe Apple Intel Mac mini 1.66GHz utilizes an Intel Core Duo model T2300 "Yonah" 1.667GHz 2 x 1MB L2 cache processor with a 479 socket. The Core Duo T2300 (1.66 GHz) and the T2400 (1.83 GHz) processors are both available in the Apple Mac mini line. The Core Duo processor provides dual-core performance with very low power consumption. It is optimized for multi-threaded applications and multitasking which allows Mac OS X users to perform several tasks at once. The Intel Mac mini processor is a strong performer. It provides a significant processing upgrade over the previous PPC Mac mini models while still maintaining optimal energy efficiency.
If you utilize Hardware Monitor to examine the CPU clock frequency of the Intel Mac mini 1.66 GHz, you will see that the Core Duo T2300 automatically reduces the CPU clock frequency from 1667 MHz to 1000 MHz when idle. This energy saving design allows the Mac mini to utilize less power and stay cooler during periods of low activity. Once the processor has work to perform the clock frequency returns to 1667 MHz.
Hardware Monitor also displays the CPU core temperatures of the Intel Mac mini Core Duo along with the fan speed, CPU voltage and the hard drive temperature.The Intel Mac mini Core Duo 1.66GHz processor reached temperatures as high as 180 degrees Fahrenheit during an hour backup session using Retrospect. Retrospect utilized approximately 50% of the available processor cycles during the backup process. Switching the backup application to SuperDuper instead, reduced the CPU usage significantly which resulted in 30 degree lower CPU temperatures while creating the same bootable backup. I found that when MenuMeters displays CPU activity of 50% or more for each processor for an extended period of time, this will usually elevate the Mac mini Core Duo CPU temperatures to approximately 170-180F. These temperature levels are quite warm yet the Mac mini fan speed did not exceed 1850 RPM. During these tests the processor heat did not impair the performance of the Mac mini.
Since the release of the Core Duo, Apple has upgraded the iMac, MacBook and MacBook Pro computers to the newer Intel Core 2 Duo processor. As of the date this article was written, the Apple Intel Mac mini is the only computer that Apple stills sells with the Intel Core Duo processor. Some users are not waiting for Apple and have already installed an Intel Core 2 Duo processor inside their Mac mini. The Core 2 Duo processor can provide a nice processor boost to the Intel Mac mini.
There are several sources of information available on how to upgrade the Intel Mac mini with a Core 2 Duo processor. Interested users may want to read the Mac Mini Monster (Phase 1) article, the Mac Mini Intel Core Duo Upgrade Guide, the xlr8yourmac articles concerning Mac Mini Core 2 Duo CPU Upgrades, watch the MacBidouille video of upgrading an Intel Mac mini and read the Hardmac.com Mac mini processor upgrade guide.
The Intel Mac mini can be upgraded with a Core 2 Duo processor as it utilizes the same Intel Mobile Processor mPGA479M socket as the Core Duo. Possible Core 2 Duo processor upgrades that will work in the Intel Mac mini include:
Intel Core 2 Duo T5500 Merom 1.66GHz 2M shared L2 cache
Intel Core 2 Duo T5600 Merom 1.83GHz 2M shared L2 cache
Intel Core 2 Duo T7200 Merom 2.0GHz 4M shared L2 cache
Intel Core 2 Duo T7400 Merom 2.16GHz 4M shared L2 cache
Intel Core 2 Duo T7600 Merom 2.33GHz 4M shared L2 cache
Currently, the most cost effective upgrade seems to be the Core 2 Duo T7200 as it is just under $300 while the faster processors are considerably more. Hardmac has posted an article that provides comparison performance results for the T5600 and the T7600 Intel Core 2 Duo processors mounted inside an Intel Mac mini. This information is very helpful for users trying to determine which Core 2 Duo model to choose for their upgrade and how it might perform.The argument against upgrading the Intel Mac mini CPU is that the new processor may cost half as much as the original purchase price of the Mac mini or more and it may not feel like it runs 50% faster with normal desktop usage. However, there are Mac mini owners that like to tinker with speeding up their computers and the cost analysis is usually not the chief concern. Some users report that the fans are more active with a faster Core 2 Duo processor installed. Hardmac tests indicate that the Core 2 Duo creates more heat and they installed the SMC Fan Control application to increase the Mac mini fan speed to 2400 RPM.
In all cases, users should expect this type of processor upgrade will void the Apple warranty and making this alteration is totally at your own risk. At todays prices, I don't believe that an Intel Core 2 Duo processor upgrade provides an effective cost/performance ratio for my use. However, as Intel processor prices drop further it will be more tempting. A faster Core 2 Duo upgrade would certainly improve the speed of encoding audio and video.
The use of an Intel processor in the Apple Mac mini provides users with the ability to upgrade to faster Intel processors which can extend the life of the product. Macintosh computer users have had few upgrade options in the past. However, a socketed CPU that works with an entire line of Core 2 Duo processors opens the Intel Mac mini to a new world of possible upgrades.
Fujitsu 60GB MHV2060BHPL
The standard Mac mini 1.66GHz utilized in this review shipped with a Fujitsu 60GB model MHV2060BHPL 2.5" SATA hard drive installed. This SATA 2.5" 5400 RPM hard drive formats to 55.89GB and provides an 8MB cache. The hard drive is quiet and rated with a typical acoustical noise level of 28 dBA at one meter when idle. The SATA hard drive is connected to the Intel ICH7 mobile advanced host controller interface which works with the Direct Media Interface to provide concurrent traffic and isochronous transfer capabilities.The standard 60GB internal 2.5" SATA hard drive that ships with the Intel Mac mini 1.66 GHz model can be upgraded with a larger faster hard drive. When purchasing a Mac mini 1.66 GHz from Apple an 80GB hard drive is available for an additional $50, a 120GB for $150 and a 160GB hard drive for $250. Users can also upgrade the internal Intel Mac mini hard drive on their own. Hard drive models that look like excellent candidates for a Mac mini upgrade include:
Hitachi Travelstar 7K100 100GB 7200 RPM 2.5" SATA
Hitach Travelstar 5K160 160GB 5400 RPM 2.5" SATA
Western Digital Scorpio WD1600BEVS 160GB 5400 RPM 2.5" SATA
Toshiba MK2035GSS 200GB 4200 RPM 2.5" SATA
Barefeats has posted an article that displays the performance results of several 2.5" hard drives with the MacBook Pro. These hard drives should perform similarly with the Intel Mac mini. The 2.5" SATA hard drives in the article can be mounted inside the Intel Mac mini to expand storage capabilities. The results of the Barefeats tests indicate that the Hitachi Travelstar 7K100 100GB 7200 RPM SATA 2.5" hard drive may be the fastest hard drive when the Mac mini has less than 60GB of data stored on it. However, once the hard drive has more than 74GB of data on it the larger hard drives start to perform a little better than the 100GB hard drive as they are less full. Personally, I think the Hitachi Travelstar 5K160 provides a nice value option as it offers 160GB of space for only $20 more than the 100GB Hitachi Travelstar 7K100. The 5400 RPM hard drives run cooler and use a little less energy. Another older 2.5" hard drive performance article worth reading is posted at Storagereview.com. It provides extensive comparisons of several different hard drive models.
The 2005 Storagereview.com article rated the 80GB Western Digital Scorpio model WD800VE as one of the slowest 2.5" hard drives it tested. Since barefeats has already posted performance data on the Hitachi models, AMUG tested a Western Digital Scorpio 160GB model WD1600BEVS inside the Intel Mac mini. Based on DiskTester results, the performance data provided by the Digital Scorpio 160GB 2.5" SATA hard drive is similar to the Hitachi 160 GB. Quick Bench 3.0 results indicate that the Western Digital Scorpio 160GB provides a Random Read performance score of 53.6MB/sec and Random Write performance of 35.2MB/sec. The Western Digital Scorpio 160GB provides 148.67 GB once formatted. It runs quiet with a temperature of 107.6 degrees Fahrenheit while idle and 120 degrees when backing up data for 40 minutes. It uses approximately one more watt of power than the stock Fujitsu 60 GB, while providing 92.78 GB of additional hard disk space. Installing the 160GB Western Digital Scorpio model WD1600BEVS inside the Intel Mac mini 1.66 GHz provides improved performance while maintaining a quiet computing environment.
External HD Options
Installing a new internal hard drive inside the Intel Mac mini may require more effort than some users are willing to donate to the project. Another option is to purchase an external FireWire or USB 2.0 enclosure and use it to add storage capacity to the Mac mini. An external FireWire or USB 2.0 enclosure also provides an excellent platform for backing up the users data. The Intel Mac mini can boot from both FireWire 400 and USB 2.0 external hard drives. One FireWire 400 port and three USB 2.0 ports 
are easily accessible on the rear of the Intel Mac mini for this purpose. External Mac mini enclosures that users may want to consider include the WiebeTech Maxelerate ($49.95) and the NewerTech miniStack V2 FireWire/USB2.0 enclosure kit ($69). These enclosures are built to accept a 3.5" PATA hard drive that is provided by the user or the enclosure can be purchased with a hard drive pre-installed. These external hard drive solutions look great with the Mac mini while also providing a fan for cooling the hard drive. Adding an external FireWire 400 hard drive to the Intel Mac mini is the easiest way to expand its storage capabilities.
HD PerformanceThe next question most users have is, "How will each of these storage solutions perform with the Intel Mac mini?". To find the answer, DiskTester 2.0 1GB read and write tests were performed using a run area test. Using the command: ./disktester run-area-test --chunk-size 128M --test-size 1G --delta-percent 10 DriveName, put DiskTester to work testing how each hard drive performed when empty, 10% full, 20% full and so on. The table below displays the results.
Intel Mac mini 1.66GHz Hard Drive Performance
 WD Scorpio 160GB WD1600BEVSRTL |
| Area Full | write | read | write | read | write | read | write | read |
| empty | 38.8 | 38.3 | 28.4 | 37.3 | 17.8 | 21.5 | 43 | 43.2 |
| 10% | 37.7 | 38.1 | 28.4 | 37.3 | 17.9 | 20.9 | 41.5 | 42 |
| 20% | 36.7 | 36.8 | 28.4 | 37.3 | 17.9 | 21.5 | 40.4 | 40.5 |
| 30% | 35.6 | 35.5 | 28.4 | 37.2 | 17.9 | 20.8 | 39.1 | 38.8 |
| 40% | 34.7 | 34.9 | 28.4 | 37.3 | 17.9 | 21.5 | 38 | 37.9 |
| 50% | 32.9 | 32.8 | 28.4 | 37.2 | 17.9 | 20.9 | 35.6 | 35.5 |
| 60% | 31 | 31.2 | 28.4 | 37.2 | 17.9 | 21.4 | 33.9 | 34 |
| 70% | 29.1 | 29 | 28.4 | 37.1 | 17.9 | 20.9 | 31.4 | 31.5 |
| 80% | 26.5 | 26.5 | 28.4 | 37.2 | 17.8 | 21.4 | 29 | 28.9 |
| 90% | 23.6 | 23.6 | 28.4 | 37.2 | 17.9 | 20.8 | 25.7 | 25.8 |
| 100% | 19.9 | 19.9 | 28.4 | 32.4 | 17.8 | 21.5 | 22.2 | 22.4 |
| Average | 31.5 | 31.5 | 28.4 | 36.8 | 17.8 | 21.2 | 34.5 | 34.6 |
| MSRP | Included | $49.95+ | $49.95+ | $140 | ||||
| Type | SATA | PATA | PATA | SATA |
The performance data indicates that a FireWire 400 enclosure can provide 28MB/sec write performance and 37MB/sec read performance even as the hard drive becomes full. The internal 60GB SATA hard drive provides faster write performance as long as the hard drive is less than 80% full. However, the FireWire 400 setup provides faster read performance once the internal Fujitsu 60GB is only 20% full.
Using the data from the Barefeats article the Travelstar 100GB 7200 RPM hard drive should provide faster performance that exceeds the speed of the FireWire 400 port. In addition, the Hitach Travelstar 5K160 160GB and the WD 160GB hard drives provide slightly better performance than the standard Fujitsu 60GB while adding another 92GB of internal storage capability. An internal Mac mini hard drive upgrade will require less energy and operate quieter than when using an external FireWire 400 enclosure. This may be a good reason to consider an internal hard drive upgrade for quiet environments.
If the Mac mini included a built-in 3.5" SATA hard drive, higher performance could be obtained. Those users that are interested in running a SATA cable out of the Intel Mac mini for use with a 3.5" hard drive will find the Mac Mini Monster (Phase 2) and the Adding eSATA to your Mac mini articles interesting. The problem with these conversions is that a standard male SATA cable does not fit properly inside the Mac mini. As a result, this setup requires the user to cut the SATA cable to fit and then glue it in place. If a stock cable was available that could be connected securely to the Intel Mac mini SATA bus it would be easier to complete this modification. Better yet, if Apple added an external eSATA port to the Mac mini, this would provide users with an easy way to improve hard drive performance.
Combo DriveThe Mac mini 1.66 GHz ships with a slot loading Combo drive (DVD-ROM/CD-RW) that reads DVDs at up to 8x and writes CD-R discs at up to 24x. The Mac mini 1.66GHz that was used for this review has a Matshita model CW-8124 optical drive installed. It is not able to burn DVD or read DVD-RAM discs. I found the combo drive was rather loud when copying CDs but it was able to play a DVD quietly. After the optical drive was done playing the CD it would spin down usually with a slight clunk sound. If the music CD is copied to the hard disk using iTunes, the optical drive is no longer accessed which provides for quiet music playback. System Profiler displays the supported characteristics of the Mac mini 1.66GHz Combo drive in the dialog box below.
SuperDrive
Apple does not offer the Mac mini 1.66GHz model with a SuperDrive. However, the Mac mini 1.83GHz model is sold with a SuperDrive pre-installed. The Apple SuperDrive is a slot loading double-layer device that supports DVD+R DL, DVD±RW and CD-RW formats.
Mac mini 1.66GHz owners that desire a SuperDrive can purchase it separately. The user will need to open the Mac mini to replace the Combo drive with the SuperDrive. The Superdrive Upgrade Kit burns DVDs at up to 8X, Dual Layer DVD at up to 2.4X, 3X DVD-RAM and CDRs at 24x. Another option is to simply use a quality 5.25" DVD burner in an external FireWire enclosure. This setup is usually less expensive and will perform faster than the small slot loading DVD burners.
Mac mini Power Usage
One factor that many Macintosh users may not be aware of is the energy requirements of their particular computer. The Mac mini is one of the most energy efficient computers that Apple has ever produced. As a reference, Apple has posted a tech note disclosing Mac mini Power consumption and thermal output (BTU) information. This section of the review provides results of the AMUG energy performance tests with a Mac mini 1.66 GHz model with 2GB of memory installed. The Kill-a-Watt electricity usage monitor was used to compare the power usage of the Apple Mac mini 1.66 GHz with several other computers. Energy settings are set on "Automatic" when available, to allow the computer to reduce energy needs when it can do so. These measurements only include the computers in their standard shipping configuration. No monitor or additional hard drives are considered in these figures.Power Usage Compared in Watts
| Activity | Mac Pro 2.66 | G5 Quad | G5 Dual 2.0 | Mac mini 1.66 | Mac mini G4 |
| Boot | 160-190 | 228-320 | 172-278 | 22-37 | 23-33 |
| Idle | 160 | 160 | 135 | 20 | 14 |
| iTunes Play | 162-163 | 163-166 | 139-142 | 20 | 15 |
| iTunes RIP | 192-195 | 286-288 | 275-284 | 37 | 33-34 |
| EyeTV 200 | 178-179 | 178-186 | 158-166 | 33-34 | 30 |
| Create MPEG-4/AC3 Frames per second |
195-199 118.15 |
245-322 99.62 |
188-281 69.32 |
37 79.3 |
31 26.67 |
| Create H.264/AAC Frames per second |
214-221 62.60 |
330-339 29.92 |
290-294 15.98 |
37 23.5 |
31 6.24 |
| Halo | 173-183 | 205-309 | 188-284 | 34-37 | 31-33 |
| Sleep | 7 | 17 | 10 | 2 | 2 |
| Off | 1 | 1 | 1 | <1 | <1 |
The Mac mini 1.66 GHz used in the energy tests above has the stock 60GB hard drive, 2GB of memory and the original combo drive installed. While the Mac mini 1.66 GHz has a CPU frequency that is about 20% lower than the PowerMac G5 Dual 2.0 GHz, it is able to compress video to H.264/AAC.mp4 and MPEG-4/AC-3.avi formats faster. That performance is especially remarkable when you consider that the compression occurs with only a fraction of the power required by the original PowerMac G5 Dual 2.0GHz.
Creating a H.264/AAC.mp4 video file utilizes the most energy for the larger Apple desktop computers in the chart above. It requires about 220 watts on the Mac Pro and 330 watts on the PowerMac G5 Quad. At the same time, the Mac mini was able to process a H.264/AAC.mp4 video conversion with only 37 watts. While the Mac mini 1.66 GHz was 3x slower creating the H.264/AAC.mp4, it also required almost 6x less power. Creating an MPEG-4/AC-3.avi video file was 3x faster on the Mac mini than creating a H.264/AAC.mp4 video file. The Intel Mac mini provides amazing video encoding power for such a tiny computer. I imagine that when the Mac mini is upgraded by Apple to the Intel Core 2 Duo, the CPU performance will be even more impressive.While the Intel Mac mini uses slightly more energy than the PPC G4 Mac mini, it provides more than double the CPU performance. It can create an MPEG-4/AC-3.avi 3x faster, create a H.264/AAC.mp4 video almost 4x faster and only requires about six extra watts to support the improved performance.
The One Weakness
While the Intel Mac mini 1.66GHz provides plenty of upgrade options it has one weakness, its graphics chip. The Intel GMA 950 integrated graphics chip provided inside the Intel Mac mini provides slow performance when playing 3D games and there is no upgrade available to address this issue. While the PPC Mac mini with ATI Radeon 9200 graphics also provides limited gaming capability it actually works better for playing some games like Halo. The new Intel Mac mini GMA 950 has no dedicated video RAM and instead shares memory with the main system board. The Intel Mac mini works very well for playing DVDs, Quicktime movies and HD movie trailers but when playing 3D games, dropped frame rates are very evident. This one weakness makes it hard to recommend an Intel Mac mini to anyone who wants to enjoy 3D games on the Macintosh platform. MacWorld and Barefeats have posted articles about the Mac mini GMA 950 graphics chip worth reading. The bottom line is that Mac 3D games will look better on just about any other currently shipping desktop Macintosh.
The Intel Mac mini excels in every other aspect of its design. It provides an energy efficient option for users that want to enjoy iTunes, iPhoto, email and utilize the web. It also works well as a home media server. The Intel Mac mini can be connected to an HDTV using the DVI port or to an analog TV using the Apple DVI to video adapter (M9267G/A). The Apple Remote and Front Row provide a nice user interface that can instantly convert the Mac mini into a media center component. Fast gigabit ethernet and the Core Duo processor make the Intel Mac mini a strong player on any home computer network.
The beauty of the Intel Mac mini is that it has so many uses and fits almost anywhere. It supports resolutions of up to 1920x1200 using the DVI output, which means that users will be able to connect an Apple 23" Cinema display to this small computer. Big screens and the Intel Mac mini perform amazingly well together. In addition, the Intel Mac mini provides sufficient power to be used as a digital video recorder with the Elgato EyeTV Hybrid or the Miglia TVMini HD. The various upgrade options available for the Intel Mac mini allow users to configure their computer to fit their particular needs.
Pros
Provides 1.66 Core Duo processor.
Intel 479 processor socket provides several upgrade options.
Much faster than the original Mac mini G4 for CPU intensive tasks.
Can compress MPEG-4/AC-3.avi video files using Handbrake at 79 fps.
Can compress H.264/AAC.mp4 video files using Handbrake at 23 fps.
Can be used in a home theatre environment.
Can function as a headless server.
Lowest price Macintosh available.
Supports USB 2.0, Firewire 400.
Supports up to 2GB of memory.
Digital audio input and output.
Built-in AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth.
Front Row software with Apple Remote.
10/100/1000 ethernet port.
Can be used to run Windows.
Fast boot capability.
Small foot print, very quiet operation.
Cons
Slow 3D graphics performance.
No external SATA ports or FW800 support.
Only one FireWire 400 port.
Upgrading internal hard drives and memory should be easier.
Apple Intel Mac mini gets 4 AMUGs out of 5!
The Apple Intel Mac Mac mini 1.66 GHz ($599) provides a quiet computer with a small foot print and plenty of processor power. Upgrading the memory, hard drive, optical drive or adding external storage options can significantly increase the capability of this wonderful little computer. Hopefully, this Intel Mac mini article will help users discover some of the many upgrade options that are available for this awesome little computer.
Company Information:
Apple
1 Infinite Loop
Cupertino, California 95014
Phone: 408.996.1010
http://www.apple.com
Copyright 2007
Arizona Macintosh Users Group, Inc. (AMUG)
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