When Apple introduced the updated M1 Mac Mini, fans of the Intel-based model complained about the lack of a 10-gigabit Ethernet option. The standard Mac Mini only included a basic 1-gigabit connection via Ethernet, and did not even have the 2.5-gigabit option that some PCs now have.

The good news is that a 10 Gigabit Ethernet option is now available. While some may balk at this, those who need faster communication speeds on their Mac Mini will jump at the chance to have 10 Gigabit Ethernet on their new computer. Perhaps the bigger issue is that those who already own the new M1 Mac Mini will have to sell it and buy the updated model.

The upgrade was discovered by Macrumors and follows a previous discovery that revealed an Apple part number for a Mac Mini logic board that supports up to 10 Gigabit Ethernet. It is unclear why Apple did not include this option at launch, but there is a market for it, especially among certain groups.

Also, while this may seem like an expensive upgrade, to be fair to Apple, it really isn't. There are few 10 Gigabit Ethernet cards available as add-in adapters that are cheaper than this, and some are considerably more expensive. Also, this price difference is not likely to matter much to the non-home user target audience.

If you are fortunate enough to have 1 gigabit or better optical broadband, this would be an important update for you; it is the best way to get the fastest possible connection speeds on your Mac, and it would be a great way to get the best possible speeds on your Mac.

However, this is still a niche option. Ethernet typically does not work at 10 Gigabit speeds unless you are using Cat 6A or Cat 8 or a very short cable. For reliable 10 Gigabit, you will need to use a high quality cable that costs $100 or more for a spool of 100 meters.

Another interesting point on this subject is that the M1 Mac can be equipped with 10 Gigabit Ethernet. Perhaps it will reference Apple's new iMac design, but with 10 Gigabit Ethernet and perhaps an updated processor and RAM configuration.