After many years without being renewed, Apple seems that he hadn't forgotten both the MacBook Air and the Mac Mini, two models that had not received interest from Apple for a long time. In addition, the launch of the 12-inch MacBook range, placed this device as the natural substitute for the Air model, the entry model to Apple's MacBook range.
With the Mac Mini, three-quarters of the same happened since hadn't received Apple's attention since 2014, last renewal that this Mac received to which we only have to connect the peripherals we want. Finally, the wait is over and we can finally talk about the long-awaited renewal of both devices. Here we show you the details of the new MacBook Air and Mac Mini 2018.
Mac Mini 2018
The Mac Mini range has always been the only option that Apple puts at our disposal for those users who want powerful equipment but want use your own monitor, keyboard and mouse, without having to go through the iMac range. The first models that reached the market allowed us to modify some of the interior components, but with the latest update, 2014, all the components began to be welded, prevented it from being updated as before, a hard blow for those of us who had always opted for this model.
One of the main novelties of the new generation of the Mac Mini is found in the color of the device, which has gone from traditional gray to space gray, color in which the iMac Pro is also available, a color that has attracted a lot of attention from Apple users, users who may have grown tired of the traditional silver color of their products.
Mac Mini 2018 models and prices
Apple offers us two base models.
- Mac Mini, powered by the 3th generation Intel Core i3,6 processor with quad-core 128 GHZ and 8 GB of SSD storage and 4 GB of DDRXNUMX RAM, priced at 899 euros.
We can customize this model and instead of implementing the Intel Core i3 we can opt for the six-core Intel Core i7 (350 additional euros). We can also expand the RAM memory up to 64 GB (1.689 additional euros) as well as SSD storage up to 2 TB (1.920 additional euros).
- Mac Mini, powered by the 5 GHz 3-core 256th-generation Intel Core i8 processor, with 4GB of SSD storage and XNUMXGB of DDRXNUMX RAM. Starting at 1.249 euros.
When it comes to customizing this model, Apple offers us the possibility of implementing the 7th Gen Intel Core iXNUMX (240 additional euros). It also allows us to expand up to 16, 32 or 64 GB, as does the SSD storage space: 512 GB, 1 TB or 2 TB of storage.
Mac Mini 2018 Connections
The new generation of Mac Mini offers us up to 4 Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports, plus two USB-3 connections and an HDMI 2.0 output. Oddly enough, the headphone port is still present in this new generation.
- DisplayPort
- Thunderbolt (up to 40 Gb / s)
- USB 3.1 Gen 2 (up to 10Gb / s)
- Thunderbolt 2, HDMI, DVI, and VGA (requires adapters, sold separately)
- Two USB 3 ports (up to 5 Gb / s)
- HDMI 2.0 port
- Gigabit Ethernet port (configuration option with 10 Gb Ethernet)
- 3,5mm headphone jack
Mac Mini 2018 availability date
Like all the products that Apple has presented in the last keynote, if you were weighing in renewing your old Mac, for a Mac Mini, you can now do it directly through the Apple website, But you will have to wait until next November 7, the date on which the first users who reserve it will begin to receive them.
Another option is to wait for you until next November 7 and go to an Apple Store to buy directly the model that best suits both your budget and your needs.
MacBook Air 2018
Moments before the presentation of the new generation of the MacBook Air, Apple recalled how Steve Jobs introduced this device taking it out of a folio size envelope and leaving all those attending the presentation astonished. Admittedly, Apple did a real job of engineering to reduce the size of a computer to the minimum expression more than 10 years ago. Now it is more than usual to find laptops that fit perfectly inside an envelope, that if, its price is still quite high.
The new generation of MacBook Air, offers us as the main novelty, if we do not take into account the design, retina display, one of the most demanded options by users who have long demanded a renewal of this range. The 13-inch retina screen offers us 3% more colors than the previous generation thanks to the 48 million pixels. The size of the device has also been reduced considerably and offers us a power similar to what we can find in MacBook Pro, saving the distances.
Another novelty that comes from the hand of the MacBook Air, is the incorporating a Touch ID, Touch ID that will take care of protecting access to our equipment at all times. In addition, it is responsible for, depending on the fingerprint used, open the session of both users to which it is associated. To strengthen the security of the MacBook Air, Apple has used the second-generation T2 chip that works hand in hand with Touch ID.
The trackpad has also increased in size, being now 20% larger and compatible with Force Touch. The keyboard has also been completely revamped implementing a butterfly design, that multiplies by four the stability of the keys compared to the traditional scissor mechanism used by the previous generation. Obviously, the keys offer us backlighting to be able to write when the ambient light is scarce.
The MacBook Air 2018 has a weight of 1,25 kg, it is powered by the 5th generation Intel Core iXNUMX, allows us to expand the memory up to 16 GB and the SSD storage space can reach 1,5 TB. As expected, inside we find the latest technology in Wi-Fi wireless networks, but not in terms of the bluetooth version, which is still number 4.2 instead of number 5, a technology that has been around for more than a year in the market.
Autonomy continues to be the strong point of this model, reached, according to Apple, the 12 hours duration, as long as we don't use it to process video or photos. As for connections, thanks to the two Thuderbolt 3 ports (USB-C) we can connect through a single connect, a monitor, storage units, other devices as well as being able to charge it.
MacBook Air 2018 models and prices
As with the Mac Mini, Apple offers us two models, models that we can configure to expand, their capabilities and performance.
- MacBook Air with Intel Core i5, 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage: from 1.349 euros.
- MacBook Air with Intel Core i5, 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage: from 1.599 euros.
Both models allow us expand RAM until reaching 16 GB (240 euros extra), in addition to the storage space, offering versions of 256 GB (+250 euros), 512 GB (+500 euros) and 1,5 TB (+1.500 euros).
Mac Book Air 2018 connections
Following the traditional Apple in recent years, this new model It only offers us two Thuderbolt 3 (USB-C) type connections. On the right side of the device, we find a headphone jack. These are the only three connections offered by the new generation of the MacBook Air 2018.
MacBook Air 2018 availability and colors
Apple offers us the new generation of the MacBook Air 2018 in three colors: gold, silver (the usual) and space gray, all of them without price increase. From today we can reserve the new generation, but we will not be able to enjoy them until next November 7, the date on which Apple will begin to make the first shipments to users who reserve it.