The latest dual-core Intel Core i5 processors come as standard on Mac mini. Choose a 2.3GHz or 2.5GHz dual-core Intel Core i5, or configure Mac mini with an even faster 2.7GHz Intel Core i7. With up to 2x the performance of the previous generation, Mac mini keeps up with computers twice its size.

When you’re using processor-intensive applications, Turbo Boost 2.0 increases the clock speed up to 3.4GHz. Hyper-Threading lets each core run two threads, so OS X multitasks even more efficiently. And an integrated memory controller connects fast 1333MHz memory directly to the processor, so it gets straight to work on your data. In short, Mac mini is a little box of vroom.

The 2.5GHz Mac mini features a discrete AMD Radeon HD graphics processor with 256MB of GDDR5 memory. That brings up to twice the power to graphics-intensive applications and gives you a super-responsive gaming experience.² The Intel HD Graphics processor in the 2.3GHz Mac mini delivers plenty of power for everyday tasks like managing photos and editing HD video.

Mac mini features a 3.6cm-thin seamless unibody enclosure carved from a single, solid block of aluminium. It’s created using computer numerical control, or CNC, machines — the same kind used by the aerospace industry to build mission-critical spacecraft components. This ensures absolute precision of every component of the Mac mini enclosure. Not to mention a stunning aluminium fit and finish that will make any desk proud.

The power supply is built directly into Mac mini. So there’s no bulky brick, and there are fewer cables to connect. A removable panel on the bottom makes upgrading the memory completely painless. And once you’re inside, you’ll see how clean and organised Mac mini is. With attention paid to the tiniest details. Like the air intake vent. It’s practically invisible. And when the fan is running, you’ll barely hear it. Mac mini is full of big ideas.

Built-in Thunderbolt technology lets you daisy-chain up to six Thunderbolt peripherals, including the new Apple Thunderbolt Display, to a single port. It also supports Mini DisplayPort peripherals you might already have, including the Apple LED Cinema Display. The HDMI port lets you connect Mac mini to your HDTV with a single cable. And a built-in SDXC card slot makes speedy work of transferring photos and videos from your digital cameras.

Mac mini is designed without an optical disc drive. Because these days, you don’t need one. It’s easier than ever to download music and films from the iTunes Store. And you can download apps from the Mac App Store with a click. So what did we do with all the extra space? We squeezed in more powerful processors, advanced graphics and Thunderbolt technology. And removing the optical drive gave us room to do one more thing with Mac mini: lower its price. If you still want to burn discs, consider the external MacBook Air SuperDrive, which connects to Mac mini with a USB cable.