TechSpot - PC Technology News and Analysis

Without too much fanfare, Apple has expanded the use of Intel's Core Duo in their new line of Intel-based macs into the Mac Mini. A SFF style machine, the new Minis will come stock with 945GM chipsets, 512MB of DDR2-667, onboard video, wireless and bluetooth, gigE and firewire, making it a suitable media center machine. Light on the RAM and video, it probably won't be anything to write home about in the performance area, but for a SFF design it is pretty decent. It'll use a 1.66GHz or 1.5GHz Core Duo. And, unlike most Apple products, this one can be had for a fairly low price. Even the more expensive version is under $800, and both machines have upgrade paths for the future. As stated in the article, it seems that Apple has moved 50% of their product line over to the Core Duo, for better or for worse.