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Aluminum "Unibody" Mac mini Q&A
Update Published November 20, 2018
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What type of video system is provided by the Aluminum "Unibody" Mac mini models? Which are integrated and which are dedicated? Can the video be upgraded?
The five different Aluminum "Unibody" Mac mini lines -- the "Mid-2010", "Mid-2011", "Late 2012", "Late 2014" and "Late 2018" models -- have an assortment of different video systems.
Photo Credit: Apple, Inc. (Mid-2010 Aluminum Mac mini)
Most of these Mac mini models have integrated memory, which generally is slower than dedicated graphics available at the same time, but two have dedicated/discreet memory. All of the Aluminum Mac mini models have a video processor that is soldered in place and it cannot be removed or upgraded.
The video processor details for each Aluminum "Unibody" Mac mini model include:
Mac mini |
Subfamily |
Video System |
Type |
Mid-2010 |
GeForce 320M |
Integrated |
|
Mid-2010 |
GeForce 320M |
Integrated |
|
Mid-2010 |
GeForce 320M |
Integrated |
|
Mid-2011 |
HD Graphics 3000 |
Integrated |
|
Mid-2011 |
Radeon HD 6630M |
Dedicated (GDDR5) |
|
Mid-2011 |
Radeon HD 6630M |
Dedicated (GDDR5) |
|
Mid-2011 |
HD Graphics 3000 |
Integrated |
|
Late 2012 |
HD Graphics 4000 |
Integrated |
|
Late 2012 |
HD Graphics 4000 |
Integrated |
|
Late 2012 |
HD Graphics 4000 |
Integrated |
|
Late 2012 |
HD Graphics 4000 |
Integrated |
|
Late 2012 |
HD Graphics 4000 |
Integrated |
|
Late 2014 |
HD Graphics 5000 |
Integrated |
|
Late 2014 |
Iris 5100 |
Integrated |
|
Late 2014 |
Iris 5100 |
Integrated |
|
Late 2014 |
Iris 5100 |
Integrated |
|
Late 2018 |
UHD Graphics 630 |
Integrated |
|
Late 2018 |
UHD Graphics 630 |
Integrated |
|
Late 2018 |
UHD Graphics 630 |
Integrated |
If you would like to have the possibility to upgrade your video card in the future, it historically has been wise to instead consider a Mac Pro model. However, video card upgrades for the failed "Late 2013" Mac Pro are unlikely, as well.
What is the largest display the Aluminum "Unibody" Mac mini models will support? What type of displays do they support? Do they support dual displays? Do they support a 4K/Ultra HD display?
All of the Aluminum "Unibody" Mac mini models are capable of supporting at least two displays. Each can support at least one 2560x1600 display and a second 1920x1200 display, but some models can support two 2560x1600 or larger displays.
The current "Late 2018" Mac mini models -- the Mac mini "Core i3" 3.6 (Late 2018), "Core i5" 3.0 (Late 2018), and "Core i7" 3.2 (Late 2018) -- support "up to" three displays. It can support either two 4K displays at 60 Hz via Thunderbolt 3 and one 4K display at 60 Hz via HDMI 2.0; OR one 5K display at 60 Hz via Thunderbolt 3 and one 4K display at 60 Hz via HDMI 2.0.
The previous "Late 2014" Mac mini models -- the Mac mini "Core i5" 1.4, "Core i5" 2.6, "Core i5" 2.8, and "Core i7" 3.0 -- can support a 4K or Ultra HD display/television at 3840x2160 at a 30 Hz refresh rate or 4096x2160 at a 24 Hz refresh rate via the HDMI port. These models also can support 4K/Ultra HD displays equipped with a DisplayPort using SST (single-stream transport) at 30 Hz.
No earlier Aluminum Mac mini models can support 4K or 5K displays.
The precise resolution support and connector types are easiest to visualize as a chart:
| Mac mini | Primary Display | Primary Connector(s) | Secondary Display | Secondary Connector |
| Mid-2010 | 2560x1600 | Mini DisplayPort | 1920x1200 | HDMI |
| Mid-2011 | 2560x1600 | Thunderbolt | 1920x1200 | HDMI |
| Mid-2011 (6630M*) | 2560x1600 x2* | Thunderbolt* | 1920x1200 | HDMI |
| Late 2012 | 2560x1600 | Thunderbolt | 1920x1200 | HDMI |
| Late 2014 | 2560x1600 | Thunderbolt 2† | 2560x1600 | Thunderbolt 2† HDMI |
| Late 2018 | 5120x2880 | Thunderbolt 3‡ | 4096x2160 | Thunderbolt 3‡ HDMI |
* The higher-end "Mid-2011" Mac mini models -- the Mac mini "Core i5" 2.5 and "Core i7" 2.7 -- have an AMD Radeon HD 6630M graphics processor with 256 MB of dedicated GDDR5 video memory and can support two daisy-chained Thunderbolt displays.
† The "Late 2014" Mac mini models have two Thunderbolt 2 ports and an HDMI port.
‡ The "Late 2018" Mac mini models have four Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C connector) ports and an HDMI 2.0 port.
Also see:
- How do I connect an Aluminum Mac mini to a television?
- What is HDMI?
- What is "Thunderbolt"? Is it an industry standard? What advantages does it offer? Are there any disadvantages?
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