Apple on Tuesday introduced a brand new Mac desktop called Mac Studio, which comes as an alternative between the Mac mini and the Mac Pro aimed at professional users. However, as the company approaches its two-year deadline to complete the transition to Apple Silicon, it seems that the Intel Mac mini will be around for a bit longer.
Right after the event, customers noticed that the Intel Mac mini is still available in the lineup. Starting at $1,099, it comes with a six-core Intel Core i5 processor, Intel UHD Graphics 640, 8GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD. By comparison, the entry-level model of the Mac mini with M1 offers eight CPU cores, 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD for $699.
The exact reasons why Apple kept the Intel Mac mini around are unknown, as the company discontinued the 27-inch iMac – which was also still sold with an Intel processor until today. One possible theory is that the company still wants to offer a machine to developers and users relying on software that hasn’t yet been updated to work with Apple Silicon.
It’s worth noting that customers can even customize the Intel Mac mini at Apple with an Intel Core i7 processor, up to 64GB of RAM, and 2TB of storage.
The Mac Pro, which is also based on Intel processors, is the only other Intel Mac that is still available for now, although Apple has already confirmed that it will be updated with an Apple Silicon chip soon.
Read also:
- Apple announces new ‘Mac Studio’ desktop computer powered by M1 Ultra chip with expanded I/O
- Apple announces new $1599 27-inch 5K Apple Studio Display, featuring Center Stage webcam
