page_title: Mac Mini
section_title: 4th generation (USB-C)
hierarchical_section_title: Mac Mini / 4th generation (USB-C)
caption_attribution_description: Deutsch: Rückseite des Mac mini 2018 mit allen Anschlüssen
context_page_description: The Mac mini is a desktop computer made by Apple Inc. It is one of four desktop computers in the current Macintosh lineup, serving as an alternative to the all-in-one iMac, and sitting below the performance range iMac Pro and Mac Pro.
  The Mac mini is Apple's only consumer desktop computer since 1998 to ship without a display, keyboard, or mouse. Apple initially marketed it as BYODKM, pitching it to users switching from a traditional PC running operating systems such as Microsoft Windows. It uses many laptop components to achieve its compact size.
  The Mac mini was introduced in January 2005, using PowerPC G4 processors. The second-generation Mac mini, introduced in February 2006, carried over the design of the PowerPC version, but used Intel Core processors and other upgraded components, and made wireless connections such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi standard.
  The third-generation Mac mini, introduced in June 2010, brought a thinner unibody aluminum case and an HDMI port, more readily positioning it as a home theater device alternative to the Apple TV. Later revisions added Thunderbolt and Intel Core i5 and i7 processors.
context_section_description: On October 30, 2018, Apple announced a fourth generation Mac mini with Intel Coffee Lake processors, the T2 series chip used to manage the security of the device, Bluetooth 5, four USB-C 3.1 gen 2 ports that support Thunderbolt 3, two USB 3.0 Type-A ports, and HDMI 2.0. PCIe-based flash storage is standard with no option of a hard disk drive. The storage was changed to a baseline 128 GB, with a maximum of 2 TB. The RAM was increased to a baseline of 8 GB, and a maximum of 64 GB of SO-DIMM DDR4. The chassis is mostly a carryover from the previous generation, measuring the same dimensions, though is only available in a darker "space gray" finish. This generation removes the SD card reader, SATA drive bay, IR receiver, optical S/PDIF (TOSLINK) audio out, and audio in. macOS Catalina added support for Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision, and HDR10. In March 2020 Apple doubled the default storage in both base models.
  On June 22, 2020, Apple released the A12Z-based Developer Transition Kit in a Mac mini enclosure for developers, which is the first Mac to use an ARM processor. Available in a single configuration, this version comes with 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB of storage. Thunderbolt 3 support is removed as well, replaced with two USB-C ports.
caption: Back panel of a 2018 Mac mini. From left to right, first row: power button, AC power supply plug, Gigabit Ethernet, 4 Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C 3.1 Gen 2), HDMI 2.0, 2 USB 3.0 Type-A. Second row: ventilation holes, audio out
exif: {"Image Orientation": "Horizontal (normal)", "Image XResolution": "72", "Image YResolution": "72", "Image ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Image YCbCrPositioning": "Centered", "Image ExifOffset": "102", "Thumbnail Compression": "JPEG (old-style)", "Thumbnail XResolution": "72", "Thumbnail YResolution": "72", "Thumbnail ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Thumbnail JPEGInterchangeFormat": "286", "Thumbnail JPEGInterchangeFormatLength": "6805", "EXIF ExifVersion": "0221", "EXIF ComponentsConfiguration": "YCbCr", "EXIF FlashPixVersion": "0100", "EXIF ColorSpace": "sRGB", "EXIF ExifImageWidth": "4032", "EXIF ExifImageLength": "3024", "EXIF SceneCaptureType": "Standard"}