Apple is temporarily closing more stores due to COVID-19
The move affects retail locations in Georgia, North Carolina and Texas.
Apple Mac mini (late 2012)
86
Engadget Review
The new mini brings USB 3.0, twice the standard RAM and optional hybrid storage. All told. you won't find another desktop this small, this powerful and this inexpensive.
Joseph VolpeNovember 09, 2012
Pros
- Attractive and compact designHigh-speed Thunderbolt and USB 3.0 portsFusionDrive hybrid storage works intelligentlyAffordable price for the specs
Cons
- Intel HD 4000 GPU not ideal for true desktop gamingStill lacking optical drive
Apple
Mac mini
Engadget
86
Critics
10 reviews83
AVERAGE CRITIC SCORE
Users
20 reviews86
AVERAGE USER SCORE
View All Critic & User Reviews
Apple Mac mini (late 2012)
- Critic Reviews (10)
- User Reviews (20)
- 83AVERAGE CRITIC SCORE10 ReviewsGizmodo70Mac Mini Review: Apple’s Tiny Computer Is FinallIf you're OK with a Mac whose specs are less than top of the line, and don't want the design grace of an all-in-one iMac, the answer is absolutely yes. This is a small, fast, affordable thing. But be warned: you will find the rear-positioned jacks a rear pain.PC Mag90Apple Mac mini (Late 2012)The Apple Mac mini (Late 2012) is Apple's best yet, packing as much punch into its compact chassis as a full-size desktop, and offering the sizable, speedy Fusion drive.Ars Technica80Review: The Mac mini takes the Ivy Bridge to FusioWhatever the use, the littlest Mac benefits greatly from its Ivy Bridge updates, and we're glad to see its continued presence in the Mac lineup.Engadget90Mac mini review (2012)At the end of the day, the mini is destined to sit outside of Apple's public limelight like all the models that have come before it. It's the company's jack-of-all-trades, but a shining star for those in the know.CNET80A strong, new Mac Mini, with or without FusionWith or without its new Fusion hybrid drive, Apple finally has a Mac Mini that competes well against mainstream Windows PCs in the same price range.Macworld80New Mac mini offers an attractive bang for the bucThe least expensive Mac available today, the $599 Mac mini, has made its own performance strides and continues to be an affordable option for anyone wanting the Mac experience without paying a high premium.Pocket-Lint80Apple Mac mini (Late 2012) reviewIntel graphics issue aside, we've enjoyed our time with the Mini. It really is powerful enough for most computer use. You could use this as your work PC all day, and never struggle with slowdowns or crashes. It's also prettier and smaller than almost any Windows-based PC you can buy...Digital Versus80Apple Mac mini (2012) ReviewEven after losing its dedicated graphics card (which makes it basically useless for gaming), the 2012 Mac mini is still one of the most powerful mini-computers around. And the design is still as stylish and well-built as they come.T3100Mac Mini 2012 reviewSmall and powerful, there’s little the Mac Mini can’t do for general users and a lot it can do for pro users with a few upgrades through a RAM and Fusion Drive boost.TechRadar80Apple Mac mini reviewThe late 2012 Mac mini refresh brings welcome improvements, but no real surprises. The step up to the new Ivy Bridge processors was inevitable, but the benefits they give us aren't to be taken lightly.
- 86AVERAGE USER SCORE20 ReviewsEngadget Reader90September 26, 2014Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!I’ve had the Mac mini( the base model), since 2013 . I bought it primarily to use for writing papers for graduate school , to surf the web , to listen to music and some light gaming . This is my first Mac and coming from Windows the transition was not very difficult . I love My Mac compared to Windows to quote the great late Steve Jobs in†it just works “ .I had the mini for almost 2 years and have never had any issues! I can’t say the same with my previous Windows PC’s or laptop experiences .The mini ‘s form factor is ascetically pleasing to the eye and small form factor takes very little space on your desk .I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to make the the switch from Windows that is not a gamer . I’ve upgraded to 16 GB and next year I plan to add an SD hard drive to ensure my mac mini will last for many more years .Engadget Reader90February 16, 2014Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!The best in its category. We highly recommend it. - EngadgetEngadget Reader90January 9, 2014Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!The best in its category. We highly recommend it. - Engadgetkiriakosa90January 3, 2014Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!The best in its category. We highly recommend it. - EngadgetEngadget Reader80December 2, 2013Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!I use it as a media center as well as a daily computer hooked up to my 47" TV. As a media center it performs great (as long as your collection is digital) and as a daily computer it works for all my needs and with an upgraded memory it can handle intensive tasks (photoshop and video editing).Engadget Reader90November 27, 2013Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!The best in its category. We highly recommend it. - EngadgetEngadget Reader80November 2, 2013Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!it is the best computer for just small dollar, its color grey and it is small. this bugger can have 16gb of ram, imagine that!Engadget Reader90October 21, 2013Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!The best in its category. We highly recommend it. - EngadgetEngadget Reader90October 8, 2013Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!The best in its category. We highly recommend it. - EngadgetEngadget Reader90August 31, 2013Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!Excellent replacement for my pc desktop . Compact, silent , powerful enough for basic tasks I put 16 mb of RAM in it and it is perfect in multitasking . The other side of excellent design and compactness is low upgradeabilityEngadget Reader80August 19, 2013Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!There's a lot to like about this in spite of a few flaws. - EngadgetEngadget Reader60July 25, 2013Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!To be honest, this is one of the worst Macs I've ever bought (and I've bought at least a dozen different Macs for personal use over the years). I had Thunderbolt issues specifically with my Pegasus R6 for the first 8 months (issues that didn't happen with first-gen-thunderbolt-Macs), and at almost the exact same time, the harddrive failed catastrophically while the machine was just sitting there idle. Naturally, Apple replaced it for free, but this mini has been totally the opposite of my recent MacBook Air experience.At the end of the day, it's still better than any PC I've ever used, and now that it's back to full capability, it's seriously fast and useful. I have the quadcore model and added 16GB of memory; it can easily run many VMs directly from the R6 without anything breaking a sweat.Engadget Reader80July 2, 2013Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!Incredibly powerful considering the size, fully loaded it can give most desktops a run for the money (graphics card not considered). The only catch is fully loaded, its not cheap and your stuck with a very low end graphics card.Engadget Reader90June 26, 2013Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!The best in its category. We highly recommend it. - EngadgetEngadget Reader80May 14, 2013Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!Like most people that own apple products I got the mac mini becasue of having the the Ipad,and Iphone It has been fun playing on it and browsing the web on it. The one feature that has been interesting has been the mac app store.The store still needs some apps from the major players to make it even more interesting in my opion, The Twitter app has been nice.I would recommend it I have now given the bootcamp a try and installed windows 7 as there are some applications I need to use that are windows based. I can say that apple is the best windows computer that I have owned. So if you need a pc at a decent price point I say go ahead and get the mac mini.StevenEngadget Reader80April 15, 2013Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!There's a lot to like about this in spite of a few flaws. - EngadgetEngadget Reader90April 2, 2013Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!The best in its category. We highly recommend it. - EngadgetEngadget Reader90March 22, 2013Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!Computer just fine except that the video card cannot be upgraded, but the rest of the parts can beI use the computer. it just ...... I will not say moreEngadget Reader90March 12, 2013Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!The best in its category. We highly recommend it. - EngadgetEngadget Reader90March 10, 2013Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!The best in its category. We highly recommend it. - Engadget
Login to Write a Review
Key Specs
TYPE
Small form-factor
BUNDLED OS
Mac OS
CPU FAMILY
Core i5
PROCESSOR SPEED
2.519
SYSTEM RAM
41
VIDEO OUTPUTS
HDMI
Featured Videos
The future of gaming laptops with ASUS ROG
The future of gaming laptops with ASUS ROG
Google and Microsoft chat accessibility in tech
Google and Microsoft chat accessibility in tech
More from Apple
The next iPhone might have an in-screen fingerprint scanner
Apple is also reportedly testing foldable displays.
Apple is once again extending TV+ free trials
Free trials that were set to end between February and June will now expire in July.
A newsletter a day keeps the FOMO at bay.
Just enter your email and we'll take care of the rest:
Now available on your smart speaker and wherever you get your podcasts:
Apple is reportedly working on a major redesign for the iMac
The company is said to be also working on two new Mac Pro models.
Apple is reportedly considering a podcast subscription service
Spotify and SiriusXM have invested heavily into podcasts, and Amazon's getting into the action.
The best deals we found this week: $30 off Apple's iPad and more
Plus sales on Xbox controllers, Razer peripherals and the Ring Fit Adventure.
Apple will produce Ridley Scott's upcoming Napoleon biopic
'Kitbag' will star Joaquin Phoenix as the French emperor.
The next MacBook Pro may bring back the MagSafe connector
It could lose the touch bar and feature faster processors, multiple sources say.
BMW drivers will be able to unlock cars without touching their iPhone
The automaker is upgrading the BMW Digital Key with ultra-wideband tech.
Samsung's Galaxy S21 vs. the iPhone 12 Pro and the Google Pixel 5
We compare the specs of three flagship devices.
Qualcomm buys a startup founded by former Apple chip designers
It plans to chips created with Nuvia for smartphones, laptops, cars and more.
Apple will build a learning hub in Atlanta as part of its racial equity pledge
It's also opening an Apple Developer Academy in Detroit.
Apple's iPad drops to all-time low of $299 at Amazon
The iPad Air and iPad Pro are on sale right now, too.
2020 was the best year for PC shipments in a decade
The industry shipped 90.3 million units in Q4 2020.
Hyundai and Apple will reportedly sign an electric car deal by March
The Apple-branded cars would be made in the US.
Apple kicks Parler out of the App Store
Apple says the company has failed to implement adequate moderation measures.
Senator asks social networks, carriers to preserve evidence from Capitol riot
Facebook, Twitter and Parler are some of the companies under pressure.