#2011 MAC MINI VERY SLOW WITH NMBERS MAC OS X#

In a nod to the 2009 line, the Mac mini is again available in two models, with the less-expensive mini starting at $599. Though the iMac is clearly Apple’s flagship desktop, the 2011 Mac mini is quintessential Apple: beautiful, well-engineered, forward-looking, and powerful enough for most, with at least one design decision that will leave some people wondering, “Why?” Which is to say that, like most Apple products, the new mini is compelling, but it won’t appeal to everyone.

#2011 MAC MINI VERY SLOW WITH NMBERS MAC OS X#

The latest version of the Mac mini, officially called the Mac mini (Mid 2011) and released along with Mac OS X 10.7 (Lion), sticks with last year’s design, but it gets a price cut while overhauling what’s inside.

It also came with a higher price tag: The least-expensive 2010 mini clocked in at $699. But while the design of the 2010 mini was a dramatic change, that model received mainly modest upgrades on the inside: a moderately faster processor and a better graphics chip.

With the Mac mini (Mid 2010), released in June 2010, Apple gave its smallest Mac an aesthetic overhaul, replacing the chunky, aluminum-and-white-plastic 2009 model with a sleek, aluminum-unibody model that was easier to upgrade, felt rock-solid, and sported an SD-card reader and an HDMI port (the latter pleasing AV buffs immensely).

2011 mac mini very slow with nmbers