Apple Mac mini "Core 2 Duo" 2.66 (Late 2009) Specs

Identifiers: Late 2009 - BTO/CTO - Macmini3,1 - A1283 - 2336

All Mac mini Models | All 2009 Models | Dynamically Compare This Mac to Others

The Mac mini "Core 2 Duo 2.66 (Late 2009) technically is a "build-to-order" configuration of the Mac mini "Core 2 Duo" 2.53 (Late 2009), but also is documented as a separate model for reader convenience. Other than processor speed, these two models are identical.

The Apple Mac mini "Core 2 Duo" 2.66 (Late 2009) features a 2.66 GHz Intel "Core 2 Duo" (P8800) processor, a 3 MB on-chip level 2 cache, a 1066 MHz frontside bus, 4 GB of 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM (PC3-8500) memory, a 320 GB Serial ATA hard drive, a slot-loading 8X double-layer "SuperDrive", and a NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics processor with 256 MB of memory shared with the system.

Connectivity includes Mini-DVI and Mini DisplayPort, a Firewire "800" port, five USB 2.0 ports, combined "optical digital audio input/audio line in" and combined "optical digital audio output/headphone" minijacks, a 10/100/1000Base-T Gigabit Ethernet port, and built-in AirPort Extreme (802.11a/b/g/n) and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR.

Late 2009 Mac mini models have the internal components enclosed in a tiny and elegant 2.9 lb, 6.5 inch square, two inch tall case with a built-in speaker and an external power supply. All Mac mini systems ship without a display, keyboard, or mouse, but numerous Apple and third-party options are available.

Also see: What are the differences between the "Late 2009" Mac mini "Core 2 Duo" configurations? What are the differences between these Mac mini models and the models replaced?

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• Tech Specs
• Ports
• Global Original Prices
• Popular Q&As

Tech Specs

Click on a category for related details. The most commonly needed info is "open" by default, but all info is important. Asterisks (*) reference data in details fields.

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Introduction Date:

October 20, 2009

Discontinued Date:

June 15, 2010

Details:

The "Introduction Date" refers to the date a model was introduced via press release. The "Discontinued Date" refers to the date a model either was replaced by a subsequent system or production otherwise ended. Also see: All Macs introduced in 2009.

Processors:

1 (2 Cores)

Architecture:

64-Bit

Details:

Also see: All models with a 64-Bit processor courtesy of EveryMac.com's Ultimate Mac Sort.

Geekbench 2 (32):

3700

Geekbench 2 (64):

4025

Details:

Geekbench 2 benchmarks are in 32-bit and 64-bit modes, respectively. These numbers reflect an average of user provided 32-bit and 64-bit results as submitted to the Geekbench website. Higher numbers are better. You also might be interested in reviewing all 32-bit and 64-bit Geekbench 2 user submissions for Macs with the Macmini3,1 Model Identifier, which may include multiple models. To dynamically compare Geekbench 2 results from different Macs side-by-side, see EveryMac.com's Ultimate Mac Comparison.

Geekbench 3 (32):

1449

Geekbench 3 (32):

2553

Details:

These Geekbench 3 benchmarks are in 32-bit mode and are for a single processor core and all processor cores, respectively. Both numbers reflect an average of user provided results as submitted to the Geekbench website. Higher numbers are better. You also might be interested in reviewing all 32-bit single core and multicore Geekbench 3 user submissions for Macs with the Macmini3,1 Model Identifier, which may include multiple models. To dynamically compare 32-bit Geekbench 3 results from different Macs side-by-side, see EveryMac.com's Ultimate Mac Comparison.

Geekbench 3 (64):

1578

Geekbench 3 (64):

2812

Details:

These Geekbench 3 benchmarks are in 64-bit mode and are for a single processor core and all processor cores, respectively. Both numbers reflect an average of user provided results as submitted to the Geekbench website. Higher numbers are better. You also might be interested in reviewing all 64-bit single core and multicore Geekbench 3 user submissions for Macs with the Macmini3,1 Model Identifier, which may include multiple models. To dynamically compare 64-bit Geekbench 3 results from different Macs side-by-side, see EveryMac.com's Ultimate Mac Comparison.

Geekbench 4 (SC):

1633

Geekbench 4 (MC):

2664

Details:

These Geekbench 4 benchmarks are are for a single processor core and all processor cores, respectively. All Geekbench 4 benchmarks are 64-bit. Both numbers reflect an average of user provided results as submitted to the Geekbench website. Higher numbers are better. You also might be interested in reviewing all single core and multicore Geekbench 4 user submissions for Macs with the Macmini3,1 Model Identifier, which may include multiple models. To dynamically compare Geekbench 4 results from different Macs side-by-side, see EveryMac.com's Ultimate Mac Comparison.

Geekbench 5 (SC):

337

Geekbench 5 (MC):

601

Details:

These Geekbench 5 benchmarks are are for a single processor core and all processor cores, respectively. All Geekbench 5 benchmarks for the Mac are 64-bit. Both numbers reflect an average of user provided results as submitted to the Geekbench website. Higher numbers are better. You also might be interested in reviewing all single core and multicore Geekbench 5 user submissions for Macs with the Macmini3,1 Model Identifier, which may include multiple models. To dynamically compare Geekbench 5 results from different Macs side-by-side, see EveryMac.com's Ultimate Mac Comparison.

Processor Speed:

2.66 GHz

Processor Type:

Core 2 Duo (P8800)

Details:

The Intel "Core 2 Duo" (P8800) processor includes two independent processor "cores" on a single silicon chip. Also see: How fast is the "Late 2009" Mac mini "Core 2 Duo" compared to earlier Mac mini models?

Turbo Boost:

N/A

Custom Speeds:

N/A

Details:

N/A

Processor Upgrade:

Soldered

FPU:

Integrated

Details:

The processor is soldered directly to the motherboard. Also see: Is it possible to upgrade the processor in the Intel Mac mini models?

System Bus Speed:

1066 MHz

Cache Bus Speed:

2.66 GHz (Built-in)

Details:

1066 MHz frontside bus.

ROM/Firmware Type:

EFI

EFI Architecture:

64-Bit

Details:

Also see: Does the Intel Mac mini have a ROM or BIOS?

L1 Cache:

32k/32k

L2/L3 Cache:

3 MB (on chip)

Details:

Includes a 3 MB shared "on chip" level 2 cache that runs at processor speed.

RAM Type:

PC3-8500 DDR3

Min. RAM Speed:

1066 MHz

Details:

Supports 1066 MHz PC3-8500 DDR3 SO-DIMMs. Also see: How do you upgrade the RAM in the polycarbonate Intel Mac mini models? How much RAM of what type do they support?

Standard RAM:

4 GB

Maximum RAM:

8 GB*

Details:

By default, 4 GB is installed as two 2 GB modules. *Officially, this model is capable of supporting 4 GB of RAM, but as first reported by MacminiColo, this model unofficially can use 8 GB of RAM. In the US (and many other countries), site sponsor Other World Computing sells memory -- as well as other upgrades -- for this Mac mini. In the UK, site sponsor Flexx sells memory and other upgrades for this Mac mini. In Germany, site sponsor CompuRAM sells memory and other upgrades for this Mac mini. In Australia, site sponsor Upgradeable sells memory and other upgrades for this Mac mini. Also see: Actual Max RAM of All G3 & Later Macs.

Motherboard RAM:

None

RAM Slots:

2

Details:

N/A

Video Card:

GeForce 9400M

VRAM Type:

Integrated

Details:

This model has a NVIDIA GeForce 9400M that shares memory with the system. In Spain, site sponsor iRepairs provides affordable repair and data recovery services. In-person and by mail repair services include the graphics card, power supply, and more for this Mac mini.

Standard VRAM:

256 MB

Maximum VRAM:

256 MB

Details:

*Apple reports that this model has 256 MB of memory shared with system memory. Please note that this is the minimum graphics memory usage but the memory available to MacOS X "may vary depending on graphics needs".

Display Support:

Dual Displays

Resolution Support:

1920x1200*

Details:

*This model simultaneously supports 1920x1200 on a DVI or VGA display using the Mini-DVI port and 2560x1600 on a dual-link DVI display using the Mini DisplayPort (with an optional Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI adapter).

2nd Display Support:

Dual/Mirroring*

2nd Max. Resolution:

2560x1600*

Details:

*This model simultaneously supports 1920x1200 on a DVI or VGA display using the Mini-DVI port and 2560x1600 on a dual-link DVI display using the Mini DisplayPort (with an optional Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI adapter).

Standard Storage:

320 GB HDD

Std. Storage Speed:

5400 RPM

Details:

This model also could be equipped with a 500 GB hard drive for an additional US$100. Also see: How do you upgrade the hard drive in the Intel Mac mini models? What type of hard drive do they support? Is it possible to replace the optical drive with a second hard drive? In the US (and many other countries), site sponsor Other World Computing sells storage upgrades for this Mac mini. In the UK, site sponsor Flexx sells storage upgrades for this Mac mini. In Australia, site sponsor Upgradeable sells storage upgrades for this Mac mini. Also see: SSD Compatibility Guide for All G3 & Later Macs.

Storage Dimensions:

2.5" (9.5 mm)

Storage Interface:

Serial ATA (3 Gb/s)

Details:

This model supports a single SATA II (3 Gb/s) 2.5" hard drive or SSD that is up to 9.5 mm thick.

Standard Optical:

8X DL "SuperDrive"

Standard Disk:

None

Details:

Apple reports that the slot-loading 8X double-layer SuperDrive "writes DVD+R DL and DVD-R DL discs at up to 6x speed, writes DVD-R and DVD+R discs at up to 8x speed, writes DVD-RW discs at up to 6x speed, writes DVD+RW discs at up to 8x speed, reads DVDs at up to 8x speed, writes CD-R and CD-RW discs at up to 24x speed, reads CDs at up to 24x speed." This model uses an SATA connector for the optical drive. Also see: What are the capabilities of the optical drive provided by the Mac mini "Core" models? Which can read and write dual-layer DVDs? Site sponsor Other World Computing offers a "Data Doubler" mounting kit that may be of interest. It makes it simple to install a second hard drive or SSD in the optical drive bay of this Mac mini.

Standard Modem:

None

Standard Ethernet:

10/100/1000Base-T

Details:

N/A

Standard AirPort:

802.11a/b/g/n

Standard Bluetooth:

2.1+EDR

Details:

AirPort Extreme (802.11a/b/g/n) and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR standard.

USB Ports:

5 (2.0)

Firewire Ports:

1 (800)

Details:

Five 480-Mbps USB 2.0 ports, one Firewire "800" port.

Expansion Slots:

None

Expansion Bays:

None

Details:

In the US (and many other countries), site sponsor Other World Computing sells a wide variety of external expansion options and hand-picked accessories like external storage, stands, keyboards, cables, adapters, speakers, and more for this Mac mini.

Incl. Keyboard:

None

Incl. Input:

None

Details:

No Mac mini systems ship with a keyboard or mouse.

Case Type:

Cuboid

Form Factor:

Mac mini

Details:

Uses a tiny and elegant 6.5 inch wide, 6.5 inch deep, and 2 inch tall case.

Apple Order No:

BTO/CTO

Apple Subfamily:

Late 2009

Details:

As this model technically is a custom configuration of the Mac mini "Core 2 Duo" 2.53 (Late 2009), it does not have its own order number.

Apple Model No:

A1283 (EMC 2336)

Model ID:

Macmini3,1

Details:

Please note that these identifiers refer to more than one model. Also see: All Macs with the A1283 Model Number, the 2336 EMC Number, and the Macmini3,1 Model Identifier. For more about these identifiers and how to locate them on each Mac, please refer to EveryMac.com's Mac Identification section.

Battery Type:

N/A

Battery Life:

N/A

Details:

N/A

Pre-Installed MacOS:

X 10.6 (10A432)

Maximum MacOS:

X 10.11.6*

Details:

*This system can run the last version of OS X 10.8 "Mountain Lion", OS X 10.9 "Mavericks", and OS X 10.10 "Yosemite", as well as OS X 10.11 "El Capitan," although advanced features like AirDrop, AirPlay Mirroring, and Power Nap are not supported. It does support "OpenCL" and Grand Central Dispatch introduced with Mac OS X 10.6 "Snow Leopard," although it is not supported booting in 64-bit mode when running this version of the operating system. It is not supported running macOS Sierra (10.12) or subsequent versions of the macOS at all. Please note that OS X "Lion" 10.7 and subsequent versions of OS X are not capable of running Mac OS X apps originally written for the PowerPC processor as these operating systems do not support the "Rosetta" environment. To run PowerPC applications on this Mac, it will be necessary to use Mac OS X 10.6 "Snow Leopard." Also see: Which Macs are compatible with OS X El Capitan (10.11)? What are the system requirements? Which Macs support which features?

Minimum Windows:

XP SP2 (32-Bit)*

Maximum Windows:

7 (32-Bit)*

Details:

*Apple's Boot Camp 4 formally supports the 32-bit versions of Windows XP SP2, Windows Vista, and Windows 7. However, the system does meet Microsoft's minimum requirements for Windows 8 and readers have reported successfully running the 32-bit version of this operating system with appropriate drivers.

MacOS 9 Support:

None

Windows Support:

Boot/Virtualization

Details:

Also see: Are there any third-party programs to run Mac OS 9/Classic applications on Intel Macs? For more on running Windows on Intel Macs, please refer to the exhaustive Windows on Mac Q&A.

Dimensions:

2.0 x 6.5 x 6.5

Avg. Weight:

2.9 lbs. (1.31 kg)

Details:

In inches - height by width by depth, (5.08 cm, 16.51 cm, 16.51 cm).

Original Price (US):

US$849

Est. Current Retail:

US$50-US$100

Details:

Photo Credit: Apple, Inc.

Ports

Click on a category for additional details. The most commonly needed info is "open" by default, but all info is important. The icons correspond with the icons for each port on the computer.

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Video (Monitor):

2*

Floppy (Ext.):

None

Details:

*1 Mini-DVI and 1 Mini DisplayPort. Supports dual simultaneous displays -- 1920x1200 on a DVI or VGA display using the Mini-DVI port and 2560x1600 on a dual-link DVI display using the Mini DisplayPort (with an optional Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI adapter). Includes a Mini-DVI to DVI adapter.

ADB:

None

SCSI:

None

Details:

N/A

Serial (Standard):

None

Serial (Geoport):

None

Details:

N/A

USB:

5 (2.0)

Firewire:

1 (800)

Details:

Five 480-Mbps USB 2.0 ports, one Firewire "800" port.

Modem:

None

Ethernet:

1 (RJ-45)

Details:

External Apple USB Modem (56.6k v.92) offered for US$49. Gigabit Ethernet, AirPort Extreme (802.11g/n), and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR standard.

S-Video Input:

None

S-Video Output:

None

Details:

N/A

Microphone:

None

Sound In:

1

Details:

Combined "optical digital audio input/audio line in minijack."

Sound Out:

1

Headphone:

1

Details:

Single combined "optical digital audio output/headphone out minijack."

Security (Lock):

1

Joystick (PC):

None

Details:

N/A

Power:

1

Power Adapter:

N/A

Details:

100V-240V, 110W maximum.

Global Original Prices

Global original prices for the Mac mini "Core 2 Duo" 2.66 (Late 2009) in 34 different countries and territories follow; organized alphabetically by region.

For global original prices for Intel Macs in one particular country on a single page, please refer to EveryMac.com's Global Original Prices section.

Original Prices - North & South America

Canada:

N/A

Brazil:

N/A

Mexico:

N/A

United States:

US$849

Original Prices - Europe

Austria:

N/A

Belgium:

N/A

Denmark:

N/A

Finland:

N/A

France:

N/A

Germany:

N/A

Ireland:

N/A

Italy:

N/A

Luxembourg:

N/A

Netherlands:

N/A

Norway:

N/A

Portugal:

N/A

Spain:

N/A

Sweden:

N/A

Switzerland:

N/A

United Kingdom:

N/A

Original Prices - Asia

China:

N/A

Hong Kong:

N/A

India:

N/A

Indonesia:

N/A

Japan:

N/A

Korea:

N/A

Malaysia:

N/A

The Philippines:

N/A

Singapore:

N/A

Taiwan:

N/A

Thailand:

N/A

Vietnam:

N/A

Original Prices - Australia & New Zealand

Australia:

A$1309

New Zealand:

N/A

If you have additional original prices for this model, please get in touch. Thank you.

Popular Q&As

Ten of the most popular Q&As about the Mac mini models follow.

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