Apple Mac mini refresh announced, now starts at $499

Today Apple announced several new devices including the new iPads and a new iMac with Retina. The company also unveiled a refreshed version of their budget friendly Mac mini computer, which now starts at $499.

Hardware

The Mac mini is Apple's entry into desktop computers, and while it doesnt come with any major design changes, Apple has refreshed the units with more modern hardware. For starters, Apple has given the computer 4th-gen Intel Core processors, fully supported by either Intel Iris or Intel HD 5000 graphics, depending on which model you end up buying. Then, you have optional PCIe based flash storage, which is a first for a Mac mini. There are two Thunderbolt 2 ports onboard, alongside 4 high-speed USB ports. Wi-Fi has also been boosted up to 802.11 ac, and performs faster than ever before.

Software

On the software side, the new Apple iMac with Retina 5K display comes with Apple's Mac OS X (10.10) Yosemite pre-installed. The latest version of Apple's desktop operating system has been designed with the high-resolution Retina Displays in mind with an interface inspired by the company's mobile platform.

With OS X Yosemite and iOS 8, your devices work together in even smarter ways. Now you can make and receive iPhone calls on your Mac, even if your iPhone is in another room. Send and receive both iMessage and SMS text messages on your Mac. Start an email, document, or browsing session on one device and instantly pick it up on another. And turn on the Personal Hotspot on your iPhone right from your Mac so you can get online in an instant.

OS X Yosemite even comes with a collection of pre-installed apps to help with your productivity and your day to day life. These apps are deeply integrated with Apple's iCloud to ensure your works is seamlessly synced between all your Apple devices.

Pricing and Availability

At $499, it is still probably cheaper to purchase a desktop PC. But it is still the cheapest option for those who want an entry into Apple's desktop computers. You can purchase your new Mac mini directly from Apple.com right now, and it will ship to you within 1 - 3 business days. Store pickup is not available at the time of writing this post, but we assume it will be available soon enough.