Mac Mini M1

About the Mac Mini M1

The Apple Mac mini (M1, 2020) is a compact desktop computer that can be used as a highly capable Roon Core or music server, but it is not an audio-specific streamer and does not ship as a dedicated 'Roon Core' product from Apple. It features the Apple M1 system-on-a-chip with an 8-core CPU (4 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores), an 8-core GPU, and a 16-core Neural Engine, paired with 8GB of unified memory configurable at purchase to 16GB. Internal storage is a fast SSD, offered from 256GB and configurable up to 1TB or 2TB, making a 1TB configuration suitable for housing large local music libraries. Connectivity includes Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), Bluetooth 5.0, two Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports, two USB-A ports, HDMI 2.0, Gigabit Ethernet (configurable to 10Gb Ethernet), and a 3.5 mm headphone jack for audio output. Its small footprint and silent operation make it popular in HiFi setups as a powerful, reliable general-purpose computer that can run Roon Server or other music-management software, but any such use depends on user-installed software and is not a factory configuration.