2.5 GHz Mac mini

1. Arstechnica.com

AnandTech.com has a detailed review of the Mac mini. Ryan Paul says the updated mini is a great addition to the Apple lineup and it's finally "starting to look like a desktop computer" rather than a simple HTPC, thanks to the addition of the Intel Core i5 processor. Don't misunderstand him; Paul says it's still a great HTPC if you can look past the lack of an optical drive capable of playing Blu-ray discs.

Review: Ars Reviews the 2011 Mac mini as an HTPC, Ryan Paul, Aug. 9, 2011

2. PCMag.comDetails/Subscribe

PCMag.com gives an Editors' Choice award to the latest Mac mini. Joel Santo Domingo writes that the combination of the Intel Core i5 CPU and the AMD Radeon GPU make the Mac mini the best performer in the compact class.

Review: Apple Mac Mini (Thunderbolt), Joel Santo Domingo, July 22, 2011

3. MacworldDetails/Subscribe

The 2011 Mac mini earns 4 mice (out of 5) from Macworld. Dan Frakes says he loves that the RAM is easily accessible via a bottom panel, and he gives the performance boost from the then-new Intel processor high marks. However, the Frakes says that the 21.5-inch iMac would be a better buy for people who don't already own peripherals for the Mac mini.

Review: New Mac minis Deliver Serious Performance, Dan Frakes, Aug. 3, 2011

4. CNET

The 2011 version of the Mac mini earns a 3-star rating (out of 5) from CNET. Rich Brown says he is happy to see that the internal components have resulted in a nearly two-fold performance boost over past versions. However, he questions the mini's overall value compared to Windows-based options, as well as Apple's decision to get rid of the optical drive.

Review: Apple Mac Mini (2.5GHz Core i5, Summer 2011), Rich Brown, July 20, 2011

5. Engadget.com

Reviewer Darren Murph likes the oomph provided by Intel Sandy Bridge processor, but there's a lot he doesn't like about the Mac mini. Murph grouches that the internals aren't easily accessible and yearns for a USB 3.0 port to match up with the new Thunderbolt connection, but most of all, he takes Apple to task for the lack of an optical drive: "Spiking the optical drive? On a desktop computer? It's a terrible, terrible decision, and the truly ludicrous part is that Apple didn't even shrink the size of the chassis to make up for it," Murph writes.

Review: Mac mini Review (Mid 2011), Darren Murph, July 25, 2011

6. MacLife.comDetails/Subscribe

Ray Aguilera's write-up of the Mac mini shares space with a review of the 11-inch MacBook Air. In the brief space available, Aguilera doesn't sound thrilled with the desktop. He reports only decent results in benchmark testing, and he says he is greatly disturbed by the lack of an optical drive. "Apple has taken what was once a great option for your living room, and turned it into the barest of bare-bones Macs," Aguilera says.

Review: 2.3GHz Core i5 Mac Mini & 1.6GHz Core i5 MacBook Air Review, Ray Aguilera, Aug. 10, 2011

7. TechRadar.com

Ian Osborne gives the Mac mini a 4-star rating (out of 5) at this British site. Osborne likes the Sandy Bridge processor and Thunderbolt port, and he praises the thin and stylish design, but he dislikes Apple's decision to ditch the optical drive and says the customization options are too expensive.

Review: New Apple Mac mini 2011 Review, Ian Osborne, Aug. 2, 2011

8. PC Pro

Graham-Smith calls the Mac mini "an elegant, efficient and capable" option for users looking for a low-end PC. In a sidebar, however, he implies that its days as a great HTPC are over, thanks to the missing optical drive, the high cost of additional hard drive space and the removal of the Front Row feature from the Mac OS X Lion operating system.

Review: Apple Mac mini Review, Darien Graham-Smith, Aug. 11, 2011

9. Expert Reviews

Kat Orphanides touches on most of the major highlights and lowlights of the Mac mini in this brisk two page review, but none of them in depth. She reports decent, but not great, results when conducting benchmark and gaming tests, but says the desktop feels fast and snappy nonetheless. She notes that the lack of an optical drive and upgrade options will sit poorly with some people, as will the small hard drive and relatively big price tag.

Review: Apple Mac mini (Mid 2011) Review, Kat Orphanides, July 22, 2011

10. T3.com

This written T3.com review of the Mac mini suffers from the same brusqueness as this British site's video critiques. Reviewer Ian Osborne doesn't particularly like the loss of the optical drive, but he calls it a "fair swap" for the Thunderbolt port. He's also impressed by the power provided by the Intel Core i5 processor.

Review: Apple Mac mini 2.5GHz Core i5 Review, Ian Osborne, Aug. 2, 2011