Last Mac mini with Intel chip for Apple now "Vintage"
The last Mac mini generation with Intel processor has reached Apple's pre-stage to obsolete status. This can make things tricky when it comes to repairs.
The Mac mini 2018 was available in gray. It is the last mini generation with an Intel processor.
(Image: Mac & i)
The air is getting thinner for the remaining Intel Macs: the manufacturer is now classifying the Mac mini, which was reissued in 2018, as a "vintage product", as can be seen from a support document on post-warranty services. So far, the change is only listed in the English version of the document; the German version has not yet been updated.
First "vintage", then "obsolete"
Apple generally classifies its products as vintage five years after the end of sale. The company and its service partners will continue to offer repair services and original spare parts for now, but only if they are available. However, in some countries such as France, the company must ensure that services are still available for up to 7 years after the end of sales. At Apple, vintage is the preliminary stage to obsolete status, which takes effect seven years after the end of sales. The hardware is then considered discontinued, original parts and repairs by the manufacturer are no longer available.
On the software side, Apple currently still fully supports the Mac mini 2018, and the current macOS 15 Sequoia also runs on the series. Apple has not announced how long the Mac operating system will continue to be adapted for Intel processors. Whether macOS 16 can be installed on the last Intel Mac mini remains to be seen. The new operating system will be presented in June and is usually released in September or October.
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Intel Mac mini available from Apple until early 2023
The 2018 Mac mini has thus reached vintage status unusually early: Apple has offered the model series in the more powerful variants with Intel Core i5 and Core i7 until the beginning of 2023 – in parallel with the first models with the in-house M chip. This was because the Intel Mac mini supports up to 64 GB of RAM, while the Mac mini with M1 only supports up to 16 GB. The Mac mini, which was recently reissued with an M4 chip, can now also be equipped with up to 64 GB of shared memory –, but only in the version with M4 Pro and for an extra charge of 750 euros.
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