New 2014 Mac mini models ship with soldered, non-user upgradeable RAM
According to Macminicolo's Brian Stucki, the new Mac mini is a "nice upgrade" over previous models, but there are a few drawbacks potential buyers should know about before hitting the "purchase" button.
The biggest detractor in the 2014 Mac mini is the RAM, which is soldered to the motherboard and no longer user replaceable. Apple has lowered the price on the RAM upgrades and bumped the default RAM on the higher end models to 8 GB as consolation. Buyers should choose their memory configuration carefully, since it cannot be changed.
While the RAM is no longer upgradeable, Stucki confirms the hard drive can be replaced with some effort. Users have to deal with tamper-proof screws and will void their warranty with the upgrade, but the upgrade at least is possible.
The new Mac mini is available now with a starting price of US$499 for a model with a 1.4GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor, 4 GB RAM and 500 GB hard drive. A middle tier model with a 2.6GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor, 8 GB RAM and 1 TB hard drive ships for $699, while a 2.8GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor, 8 GB RAM and 1 TB Fusion drive costs $999.
