Intel-Based Mac Mini
Processors
The current Mac Mini uses a dual-core 64-bit "Penryn" Intel Core 2 Duo processor that runs at 2.4 or 2.66 GHz. Each CPU has a 3 MiB on-chip L2 cache that is shared between the two cores. Previous revisions used "Merom"-based Core 2 Duo and "Yonah"-based Core Duo and Solo chips.
While the Mac Mini G4 contained a separate graphics processor, all revisions of the Intel-based Mac Mini contain integrated GPUs. In Apple's early marketing of the Mac Mini G4, it touted the superiority of the use of a discrete ATI Radeon 9200 32 MiB graphics card over the integrated graphics included in many budget PCs.[27] The Intel GMA that was built into the Mac Mini was criticized for producing stuttering video, despite supporting hardware accelerated H.264 video playback, and disappointing frame rates in graphics-intensive 3D games.[28] However, the Nvidia GeForce 320M in the current model is considered the fastest integrated graphics processor on the market today, and touted by Apple to be twice as fast as the Nvidia GeForce 9400M used in previous models.
[edit]Memory
Unlike the Mac Mini G4, the Intel-based Mac Mini contains two slots for random access memory, which allows dual channel data rates. The original Intel-based Mac Mini uses 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM, while models beginning with the early 2009 revision uses 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM. The current mid 2010 revision supports up to 8 GiB of memory. The current model also features a removable bottom panel, so that the memory can be replaced by the user. Since the integrated graphics processor does not have its own dedicated memory, the system dedicates some of the main system memory for it.
[edit]Storage
The Intel-based Mac Mini moves away from the previously used Ultra ATA/100 to the newer Serial ATA interface, which offers a maximum 3 Gbit/s transfer rate however, all of the Intel Mac mini's have been limited to 1.5 Gbit/s even though the SATA standard supports a transfer of 3 Gbit/s. All models continue to use 2.5-inch hard drives as opposed to the 3.5-inch drives used in standard desktops. A server edition of the Mac Mini was introduced in October 2009, which omits the optical drive in favor of a second hard drive for a total of 1 TB of storage. A Combo drive was initially offered as standard, with the SuperDrive being an option, but currently, all models that have an optical drive contain the SuperDrive as standard. The standard version of the Mac (without Server) comes with a 300 GB or on 2.66 GHz 500 GB of storage.
[edit]External connectivity
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 | THIS IMAGE shows the rear panel of three generations of the Mac Mini:
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The original Intel-based Mac Mini includes four USB 2.0 ports and one FireWire 400 port. Networking is supported with a built-in Gigabit Ethernet port and an integrated802.11b/g AirPort card. Bluetooth was also made standard. External displays are supported through a DVI port. While the Mac Mini G4 supports only analog audio output, the Intel-based Mac Mini has separate Mini-TOSLINK/1/8" (3.5 mm) mini-jacks that support both analog audio input and output as well optical digital S/PDIF input and output.
The I/O ports were changed with the early 2009 revision. A fifth USB 2.0 port was added and the FireWire 400 port was replaced with a FireWire 800 port. The AirPort card was upgraded to 802.11a/b/g/draft-n and later to 802.11a/b/g/n. Bluetooth was also upgraded from 2.0 to 2.1. Instead of a single full-size DVI port, a mini-DVI port was added along with a Mini DisplayPort connection, which allows dual display support. Unlike the DVI port, the Mini DisplayPort supports external displays with a resolution up to 2560 × 1600, which allows use of the 30-inch Cinema Display with the Mac Mini. As of this revision, the Apple Remote is no longer included with the Mac Mini.