Apple desktop archive
Mac mini history and specs
Every Mac mini in the archive, from the 2005 G4 original sold without a display, keyboard or mouse to the Apple Silicon models, with specs, launch prices and links to full history pages.
8 models2005 first entry2026 latest entry
All models
Mac mini (G4)Apple’s pitch to switchers: a tiny box that let Windows users try the Mac without ditching their monitor and keyboard, for $499.
Mac mini (2012)The 2012 Mac mini became the little Mac people kept: compact, quiet, socketed RAM, a quad-core option and enough ports to become a home server, media box or build machine.
Mac mini (2014)Cheaper but controversial: Apple soldered the memory and dropped the quad-core option, then left the mini untouched for four long years.
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.
Mac mini (M1)The little desktop became an absurd bargain: M1 power and silent efficiency for $699, making it the default budget Mac and a beloved home-server box.
Mac mini (M2 / M2 Pro)Apple dropped the price to $599 and added an M2 Pro option, briefly turning the humble mini into a genuinely powerful little workstation.
Mac mini (M4 / M4 Pro)The mini got radically smaller, a near-cube about the size of an Apple TV, with USB-C ports finally on the front and a 16 GB base.Mac mini (M6 / M5 Pro)Mac mini · 2026
Mac mini (M6 / M5 Pro)The little cube leapfrogs a generation: the base model debuts the all-new M6 with 12 CPU cores, two “super cores” and a dual 16-core Neural Engine, while the step-up model takes the M5 Pro.Browse by year
Last updated: 2026-10-01