Mac mini · Retina & Beyond · 2018
Mac mini (2018)
After four years of neglect the mini returned with serious power, up to six cores and (welcome!) socketed RAM again, becoming a favourite for home servers and dev boxes.
A long-awaited overhaul: up to six cores, user-upgradeable RAM, in space grey.
Mac mini (M1) (2020)
Mac mini (2018): key facts
When was the Mac mini (2018) released?
The Mac mini (2018) arrived on November 7, 2018. Apple discontinued it in November 2020.
How much did the Mac mini (2018) cost?
The Mac mini (2018) launched at $799 in 2018, about $999 in today’s money (approximate, US CPI).
What specs stand out?
Key specs: Intel Core i3/i5/i7 at 3.60 GHz, 8 GB RAM, 128 GB storage, External display.
Why does the Mac mini (2018) matter?
A long-awaited overhaul: up to six cores, user-upgradeable RAM, in space grey.
Full specifications
| CPU | Intel Core i3/i5/i7 · 3.60 GHz |
|---|---|
| Cores | 6 |
| Memory (RAM) | 8 GB (up to 64 GB) |
| Storage | 128 GB |
| Display | External |
| GPU | Intel UHD 630 |
| Ports | 4× Thunderbolt 3, USB-A, HDMI, 10GbE option |
| Weight | 1.3 kg |
| Dimensions | 19.7×19.7×3.6 cm |
| Operating system | macOS 10.14 Mojave |
| Released | November 7, 2018 |
| Discontinued | November 2020 |
| Launch price | $799 |
How the Mac mini (2018) compares to today
A 16 GB Apple Silicon MacBook Pro has about 2.0× more memory than this device shipped with.
At 3.60 GHz, the clock is roughly 0.9× slower than a single performance core of a 16 GB Apple Silicon MacBook Pro, and that is before counting cores, width and IPC.
This held about 32,800 modern phone photos, a respectable library even today.
Launched at $799 in 2018, about $999 in today’s money (approx., US CPI).
Method note: clock comparisons use frequency only; price conversions use US CPI.
Sources
Specs checked against Apple technical specifications archive, EveryMac, Mactracker, Wikimedia Commons image credits.
Did you know?
Stacks of them quietly power render farms and CI clusters worldwide.
Related Mac mini models
Open the Mac mini (2018) in the interactive archive →
Last updated: 2026-08-11