The Great (mini) Debate

Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
The fate of the Mac mini has got to be one of the most posted about topics and while a lot of people have predicted an EOL I thought that the latest RSS feed from Apple could point against this...



http://www.apple.com/business/profil...sr=hotnews.rss



It seems unlikely that they would be promoting the fact that author Elliot Aronson's work was done on a mini if it is to be discontinued from the product line?



Maybe nothing, but then, maybe something... I for one hope this is a brief glimmer of hope that the little fella will live on
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 44
    vineavinea Posts: 5,585member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Marc OSX View Post


    The fate of the Mac mini has got to be one of the most posted about topics and while a lot of people have predicted an EOL I thought that the latest RSS feed from Apple could point against this...



    http://www.apple.com/business/profil...sr=hotnews.rss



    It seems unlikely that they would be promoting the fact that author Elliot Aronson's work was done on a mini if it is to be discontinued from the product line?



    Maybe nothing, but then, maybe something... I for one hope this is a brief glimmer of hope that the little fella will live on



    Not much of a debate. AI thought it would be discontinued. Few others did.
  • Reply 2 of 44
    jensonbjensonb Posts: 532member
    There's no reason to EOL the Mac mini concept. They could replace it, but it serves a purpose in the Product Matrix and it has several markets. Also, despite conjecture from analysts, it's very popular, especially for switchers, those building HTPCs (For whom it is the best choice possible if they want a Mac) and people who are tight on space.
  • Reply 3 of 44
    mimacmimac Posts: 872member
    Rumours of the mini's demise were greatly exaggerated (thankfully) and IMHO the mini will (should) not be discontinued but continually developed and may eventually evolve into a total media center, maybe merging with AppleTV.



    It is a great product with many miles left in it yet. I use mine (1.83 Core Duo SD) on a daily basis, It serves me well, supplying my 42 plasma with video (DVD and streaming) plus it is a fantastic music server connected via optical to a decent Onkyo system. 85,000+ songs on an external HD! Frontrow operated via remote and viewed on the plasma never fails to blow my visitors minds when I give them a demo... beat that Dell et al



    Long live the Mac Mini!
  • Reply 4 of 44
    @homenow@homenow Posts: 998member
    A good reason, possibly an indication, not to discontinue it is that of all the Macs sold in the Refirb store online at Apple the Mini seems to spend the least amount of time available on the site. When they are available, especially the newer models, they tend to sell out very quickly. Sometimes in as little as 4 hours from what I have seen. It has been this way at least since January. The Mini's price might not be a bit high, but the refirb price on them seems to be just right.
  • Reply 5 of 44
    trobertstroberts Posts: 702member
    ...Apple's lack of love for it. Apple needs to treat it like a first-class citizen. I am not expecting it to have bleeding-edge hardware or even the fastest processors, but having current hardware is not too much to ask. When it was updated last August it should have also gotten Santa Rosa, for the graphics if nothing else, especially since Apple is trying to push as much of the GUI onto the graphics card as they can.



    When it gets updated it better be a Penryn/Montevina configuration and not a Penryn/Santa Rosa, or God forbid, Merom/Santa Rosa configuration.
  • Reply 6 of 44
    sybariticsybaritic Posts: 340member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by troberts View Post


    Apple needs to treat it like a first-class citizen. I am not expecting it to have bleeding-edge hardware or even the fastest processors, but having current hardware is not too much to ask.



    Agreed. The mini is due for a serious refresh. In addition to the features that others have mentioned I'm looking for a larger (7200 RPM) hard drive. Bring it, Cupertino.
  • Reply 7 of 44
    frank777frank777 Posts: 5,839member
    Almost everyone wants a 7200rpm drive. But that almost guarantees a change in the form factor.
  • Reply 8 of 44
    sybariticsybaritic Posts: 340member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Frank777 View Post


    Almost everyone wants a 7200rpm drive. But that almost guarantees a change in the form factor.



    Probably so, due to heat. In the absence of 7200 drives, let's at least see the hard drive max out at 250 gig.
  • Reply 9 of 44
    MarvinMarvin Posts: 15,310moderator
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Sybaritic View Post


    Probably so, due to heat. In the absence of 7200 drives, let's at least see the hard drive max out at 250 gig.



    7200rpm 2.5" drives are designed for laptops so heat shouldn't be a huge problem. You get 200GB Seagate drives with perpendicular recording for just £85. Apple could offer it as BTO.
  • Reply 10 of 44
    dhagan4755dhagan4755 Posts: 2,152member
    Apple should do a lot of things...



    ...Updating the mini would be a start!

    ...Integrating that power supply into the mini would be a great upgrade.

    ...Combining it with the AppleTV as one complete computer would be phenomenal...



    Regardless, I don't think the mini concept will be going away from Apple's product matrix, as we see Apple's competitors showing prototypes they plan to release soon. If only Apple would get off its butt and update the damn thing...along with its displays!



    C'mon, Apple!
  • Reply 11 of 44
    royboyroyboy Posts: 458member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by DHagan4755 View Post


    Apple should do a lot of things...



    ...Updating the mini would be a start!

    ...Integrating that power supply into the mini would be a great upgrade.

    ...Combining it with the AppleTV as one complete computer would be phenomenal...



    Regardless, I don't think the mini concept will be going away from Apple's product matrix, as we see Apple's competitors showing prototypes they plan to release soon. If only Apple would get off its butt and update the damn thing...along with its displays!



    C'mon, Apple!



    Apple just need a little competition to get them off of their butts.
  • Reply 12 of 44
    Once Vista SP3 comes out, you people are TOAST!
  • Reply 13 of 44
    sybariticsybaritic Posts: 340member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Marvin View Post


    7200rpm 2.5" drives are designed for laptops so heat shouldn't be a huge problem.



    You're right, which makes one wonder if Apple purposely "cripples" the mini—a matter that surely has been discussed ad nauseam elsewhere.
  • Reply 14 of 44
    frank777frank777 Posts: 5,839member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by DHagan4755 View Post


    Apple should do a lot of things...



    ...Integrating that power supply into the mini would be a great upgrade...



    I don't understand the constant harping about the power supply. Leaving it outside reduces heat and the chance of a malfunction frying your logic board. It also sits out of sight, so there's no real reason to increase the Mini's size just to accommodate it.



    I say give the Mini a 7200rpm drive, a 4GB RAM limit and graphics to drive the 30" screen.



    That's all it needs.
  • Reply 15 of 44
    jasonfjjasonfj Posts: 567member
    I'm so ready to get a Mini to use as a media center to sit under my tv, and also as a backup to my MacBook Pro (since I work from home).



    I'm amazed at how well these machines hold their value on eBay - seems you pay as much on older machines as new.
  • Reply 16 of 44
    guinnessguinness Posts: 473member
    I really like my Mini, but it's in desperate need of a lot of things:
    • A better GPU - the GMA 950 is crap. Apple is moving towards Core this or that, but the 950 can't do things Nvidia and ATI has done for years. Needs an upgrade to the GMA x3100/4500 at least.

    • Support for 4 GB of RAM

    • Bigger HDs and DVD burners standard. Combo drives are BS, and should not be sold in computers in this day and age. Hell, I can buy a low-end laptop for $400, and it has a GMA x3100 and a DL DVD burner.

    • 802.11n

    • Easier accessibility to the RAM and HD

  • Reply 17 of 44
    xflarexflare Posts: 199member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jasonfj View Post


    I'm so ready to get a Mini to use as a media center to sit under my tv,



    This is probably the reason it's been abandoned... no one uses it as a computer,but as some media centre, which is what the Apple TV was intended.
  • Reply 18 of 44
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by xflare View Post


    This is probably the reason it's been abandoned... no one uses it as a computer,but as some media centre, which is what the Apple TV was intended.



    But the Mini isn't format-limited like the aTV... The FrontRow interface does everything (plus more formats and a DVD slot) that the aTV interface will do except rentals. And you still have a fully functional computer/OSX to use as well.



    My experience has been that the Mini makes a WAY better TV device than the AppleTV.
  • Reply 19 of 44
    trobertstroberts Posts: 702member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Sybaritic View Post


    You're right, which makes one wonder if Apple purposely "cripples" the mini—a matter that surely has been discussed ad nauseam elsewhere.



    I wonder if Apple is concerned with the Mac mini cannibalizing iMac sales. I know I would get a Mac mini before an iMac, once it gets Montevina or better.
  • Reply 20 of 44
    tubgirltubgirl Posts: 177member
    Quote:

    no one uses it as a computer,but as some media centre, which is what the Apple TV was intended.



    there - you said it!

    apple offer two TV devices, but no screen-less desktop for less than $2000...



    maybe apple should make the mini a bit more fitting for desktop use, rather than cabinet use.
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