Apple desktop upgrades

Kenneth Hynek • 3rd Mar 2009 • The Sciences, Computers
9400M, Apple, Canada, Core 2 Duo, Cupertino, DVI, iMac, Mac Mini, Mac Pro, NVIDIA, Quake 4, USB

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Apple announced upgrades to all of their desktop computer models today, which is cool in and of itself (maybe it’s just me, but I find Apple announcements exciting — it’s always fascinating to see what the people at Cupertino have come up with).

The Mac Pro continues to be an expensive powerhouse, the iMac likewise gets a real performance boost. But the real surprise — well, half a surprise, given that there’s been a lot of rumour floating around — is the upgrade to the Mac Mini, the pint-sized “budget” desktop model that Apple has been neglecting of late.

I say “budget” because the darn thing is now, with this latest upgrade, actually quite a powerful little unit:

The updated Mac mini is just as rumors foretold: Core 2 Duo processors running at 2.0 or 2.26 GHz, NVIDIA 9400M graphics, and 120GB, 250GB, or 320GB 5400 RPM drive options. It also features the same port array as recently leaked photos have shown. Surely there is someone who can explain to us the logic of having both Mini-DisplayPort and Mini-DVI ports—we’ll let you know if we can get a statement from Apple. And yes, the Mac mini does in fact now have five USB ports. Five! The Mac mini starts at the same $599 as the previous model.

That translates into a $729 base price in Canada, which is still a steal of a deal for something that, per Apple’s boasting, should be able to run Quake 4 at upwards of 40 frames per second.

Of course I want one!