If you're still fixated on the beauty here, our honest recommendation is to pick up last year's model as it inevitably drops in price (and in turn, increases in value). We've been looking long and hard for an ideal use-case for this guy, and sadly, we've yet to find it.

The Mac mini is finally starting to look like a decent desktop computer. Bumping it up from a Core 2 Duo to a Core i5 makes a big difference in performance and competitiveness...In short, the new Mac mini is a strong update that brings a lot more credibility to Apple's entry-level Mac. The decent...

Without an optical drive, the 2011 mini may not be quite as versatile, but Core i5 processors mean that, for the first time, the mini is a serious performer...On the other hand, those who need great graphics performance won’t find it here, and the loss of an optical drive is likely to scare off...

Apple’s newest Mac mini is the best yet, thanks to a lower price tag and processor updates that deliver big CPU performance boosts...If you’re looking for a fairly future-proof home theater PC, or a low-cost, moderately powered workstation...this is the Mac for you.

Apple's new $799 Mac Mini demands that you abandon disc-based media, and that you surround it with potentially expensive extra hardware to realize its full benefits. It makes most sense for committed Mac users, those who need it for a specific niche-case, or for those who value design over...

The 2011 Apple Mac mini's Sandy Bridge processors are much more capable than the Core 2 Duos they replace, and the Thunderbolt port is sure to show its worth over time. With HDMI video-out alongside Thunderbolt, the Mac mini is still a useful media centre computer even without Front Row.