Okay, for $800 you get...
- 3.6GHz quad‑core 8th‑generation Intel Core i3 (+$300 for a 3.2GHz i7)
- 8GB 2666MHz DDR4 (+$200/$600/$1400 for 16GB/32GB/64GB)
- Intel UHD Graphics 630
- 128GB SSD storage (+$200/$400/$800/$1600 for 256GB/512GB/1TB/2TB)
- Gigabit Ethernet (+$100 for 10Gbps)
For $1100 you get...
- 3.0GHz 6‑core 8th‑generation Intel Core i5 (+$200 for a 3.2GHz i7)
- 8GB 2666MHz DDR4 (+$200/$600/$1400 for 16GB/32GB/64GB)
- Intel UHD Graphics 630
- 256GB SSD storage (+$200/$600/$1400 for 512GB/1TB/2TB)
- Gigabit Ethernet (+$100 for 10Gbps)
So, basically, you get an i5 and an extra 128GB of storage for the extra $300 between the two models.
Additional tech specs here:
https://www.apple.com/mac-mini/specs/
They're sexy little things, but too little too late for me, since I gave up waiting for a true successor to my 2011 BTO Mac mini (that benchmarked about as good as the 2014 models) and finally just built my own SFF PC. Also, with all the shots they were firing at Intel (e.g. the new iPad Pro is more powerful than 92% of mobile PCs sold in the last year, including Intel i7 models) and Microsoft (e.g. the new iPad Pro has graphics that match those of an Xbox One S in a device that's 90% smaller) today, I wouldn't be surprised if this is the last Mac mini to feature Intel chips.
Oh, also of note, the RAM is once again user upgradeable instead of being soldered in, so you don't have to pay Apple's obscene markup on DIMMs. I'd wager the SSD is user upgradeable as well and that iFixit will have a guide posted for doing so within the month, but having done so before in my 2011 Mac mini, it's definitely a precision operation that is not for the average user.
