Currently Apple de-activates TRIM on third party SSDs. Hopefully someone will write a hack to correct this annoying Apple stunt.
3 monitors are possible. If I'm correct the AMD chip (only) can drive TWO daisy-chained Thunderbolt monitors. (not sure if the one of the end of the chain can be Display Port). At 2560x1440. The third monitor off the HDMI would cap out at 1920x1080 if I am correct. It might go 1920x1200 with an HDMI-DVI adapter but I'm not sure.
Air superdrive? Why couldn't you just plug it in the back of the Mini?
I replied without knowing what the air superdrive was (it had been referred to in an earlier post without much description). I thought the air superdrive was a drive that didn't physically connect to the air. I've since learned it's just an external dvd drive that plugs into the air (and mini).
That said, I would be interested in a wireless dvd drive for the mini (powercord I guess - so "untethered" perhaps). It would be a very small DVD headunit for a HTPC or AppleTV. The mini could be tucked away and so even less would be conspicuous in the living room. And, as Apple moves away from optical drives, a single drive could serve all my machines on those occasions that I need to use an optical disk (new CD, play a DVD, photo CD, load old software, etc.). And would round out AppleTV a bit more...
This is my fault. I thought an air superdrive was an UNTETHERED drive that used airdisk (or whatever it's called). But it's just an external, tethered optical drive.
I do think an airdisk-compatible external optical drive would be VERY neat. Especially if it could work with AppleTV as well as what I assume will become a parade of no-optical Macs. One drive that connects with whatever needs it. Maybe in black to match AppleTV (or even use that weird USB port on AppleTV and so avoid needing to build in wifi by relying on AppleTV).
I've got this great idea that I want to retire the trusty Mac Pro and go for a new Mini. The MP is the original 2006 model and has 2x3GHz dual-core Xeons in it and 8GBs RAM. The video is nothing spectacular: ATI Radeon HD 2600 with 256MBs VRAM.
I'm really tempted by the server model, mostly due to the CPU, but unsure about the integrated graphics.
Will the quad i7 be much of an upgrade over my Mac Pro's Xeons? Will the integrated graphics be super slow?
I do mostly "web" work, so crazy video or rendering or anything like that. Most of my work is done in text editors and browsers. I already have a beefy 256GB SSD that I'll be swapping over, too.
I would like the Mini to "feel" at least as fast and powerful as my mac Pro does, and hopefully even faster. Is the server Mini going to do it for me, or should I get the dual-core i7 model with discrete graphics?
Thanks!
Hi all New here and this is my first post... I'm in the same boat as you bryanus. I have an original MAC Pro 2006 middle of the line model and have been waiting for a refresh to upgrade. I did put a radeon 5770 card in it and it runs well but I game with this unit (mostly Warcraft and boot into Windows to play Rift).
I have a self built HTPC running Windows 7 because at the time the MAC Mini did not have HDMI and did not do what I needed for a home theater PC (so I reluctantly built a Windows Unit). I could use the PC I built to game with and replace my MAC Pro with a Mini to use as an HTPC. My only concern with the Mini as an HTPC is sound. I have an HDMI pass through on my stereo receiver but I don't know if I can get 7.1 surround sound using that. The Mini has very limited audio out options and I need good sound.
I also play DVDs but an external drive is not that big of a deal. I think using a SSD and a couple of externals would work well with this unit. Right now, my HTPC is running a Panasonic 50" Plasma through a Radeon 5750 and TV Tuner card. The GPU looks to be better than that and I already have Elgato EyeTV on my MAC Pro.
Interesting. How'd you get around the barrier between the 32-bit and 64-bit EFIs?
That question is a bit above my level of comprehension so rather than sound stupid trying to answer it I'll refer you to the Article that drove me to buy the 5770: http://www.barefeats.com/wst10g6.html
My X1900 crapped out on me so I was in need of a replacement. Couldn't find anything for such an old 2006 model and even the ebay market was bare. I found this article trying to keep my MAC alive a while longer and just went ahead and bought it. The performance was a huge increase over the X1900 so I was happy.
But now, this machine is at the point where it's served its purpose and I'm ready to upgrade. Just looking at my options right now and the price of the Mini looks much less of a pill to my wallet than what I think the refresh of the MAC Pros will be.
I'll probably trade in my MAC Pro to PowerMax or sell it on ebay but I've gotten my moneys worth out of it and am ready for more power. Just afraid I'll be disappointed in a year or so if I go the Mini Route.
Haven't received my Mini yet but I did pick up an Air external DVD drive and it is so small, you barely notice it's there at all. Really, considering it's only a $79 add-on, it's much ado about nothing. When I set up the system, I'll have the printer operating wirelessly via a Time Capsule. I'm using a Cinema Display so after I plug in via USB my keyboard, scanner, superdrive, and Cinema Display, I'll have three open USB ports in the back of the display. That's in addition with a Firewire 800 port and when I pick up Thunderbolt externals, I can daisy chain to add as many as i want.
In terms of desktop clutter, the Mini plus superdrive plus monitor will certainly not produce an excessive amount of clutter.
I really don't think many are cluing in that removing the optical drive is the key to the fine upgrades Apple has pulled off with this latest Mini. That removal eliminates a significant heat source and frees up space to allow for discrete graphics and two storage drives. No small thing.
If the trade-off for much better graphics and more storage flexibility is having to pay an extra $79 and put a rather tiny additional box on your desktop, that's seems like a trade well worth making. In fact, with the price of the Mini reduced by about $100, really you're not paying and extra $79.
Perhaps it's a long way down the road but consider, also, that should Apple add blu-ray to the mix in the next couple of years, one need only swap out the DVD superdrive for a unit capable of playing blu-ray. A simple swapping out of devices does the trick. I think that's an advantage, not something to deter one from buying a new Mini.
This could well be the first Mini capable of handling a pro workload and in the years ahead, it's only going to get better. Better graphics, faster CPU, better storage, etc. are inevitable in the next version of the Mini.
In a few days I'm going to find out just how capable the new Mini is. I have a feeling it's going to be a rather impressive little powerhouse running with all the gear maxed out. I'm counting the days.
I really don't think many are cluing in that removing the optical drive is the key to the fine upgrades Apple has pulled off with this latest Mini. That removal eliminates a significant heat source and frees up space to allow for discrete graphics and two storage drives. No small thing.
Or they could have very simply made the Mini a little bit taller which would have allowed for the upgrades and keeping the optical drive. And a taller case would have improved air flow and heat dissipation.
Comments
3 monitors are possible. If I'm correct the AMD chip (only) can drive TWO daisy-chained Thunderbolt monitors. (not sure if the one of the end of the chain can be Display Port). At 2560x1440. The third monitor off the HDMI would cap out at 1920x1080 if I am correct. It might go 1920x1200 with an HDMI-DVI adapter but I'm not sure.
Air superdrive? Why couldn't you just plug it in the back of the Mini?
I replied without knowing what the air superdrive was (it had been referred to in an earlier post without much description). I thought the air superdrive was a drive that didn't physically connect to the air. I've since learned it's just an external dvd drive that plugs into the air (and mini).
That said, I would be interested in a wireless dvd drive for the mini (powercord I guess - so "untethered" perhaps). It would be a very small DVD headunit for a HTPC or AppleTV. The mini could be tucked away and so even less would be conspicuous in the living room. And, as Apple moves away from optical drives, a single drive could serve all my machines on those occasions that I need to use an optical disk (new CD, play a DVD, photo CD, load old software, etc.). And would round out AppleTV a bit more...
Uh, that's exactly what he's talking about.
This is my fault. I thought an air superdrive was an UNTETHERED drive that used airdisk (or whatever it's called). But it's just an external, tethered optical drive.
I do think an airdisk-compatible external optical drive would be VERY neat. Especially if it could work with AppleTV as well as what I assume will become a parade of no-optical Macs. One drive that connects with whatever needs it. Maybe in black to match AppleTV (or even use that weird USB port on AppleTV and so avoid needing to build in wifi by relying on AppleTV).
I've got this great idea that I want to retire the trusty Mac Pro and go for a new Mini. The MP is the original 2006 model and has 2x3GHz dual-core Xeons in it and 8GBs RAM. The video is nothing spectacular: ATI Radeon HD 2600 with 256MBs VRAM.
I'm really tempted by the server model, mostly due to the CPU, but unsure about the integrated graphics.
Will the quad i7 be much of an upgrade over my Mac Pro's Xeons? Will the integrated graphics be super slow?
I do mostly "web" work, so crazy video or rendering or anything like that. Most of my work is done in text editors and browsers. I already have a beefy 256GB SSD that I'll be swapping over, too.
I would like the Mini to "feel" at least as fast and powerful as my mac Pro does, and hopefully even faster. Is the server Mini going to do it for me, or should I get the dual-core i7 model with discrete graphics?
Thanks!
Hi all New here and this is my first post... I'm in the same boat as you bryanus. I have an original MAC Pro 2006 middle of the line model and have been waiting for a refresh to upgrade. I did put a radeon 5770 card in it and it runs well but I game with this unit (mostly Warcraft and boot into Windows to play Rift).
I have a self built HTPC running Windows 7 because at the time the MAC Mini did not have HDMI and did not do what I needed for a home theater PC (so I reluctantly built a Windows Unit). I could use the PC I built to game with and replace my MAC Pro with a Mini to use as an HTPC. My only concern with the Mini as an HTPC is sound. I have an HDMI pass through on my stereo receiver but I don't know if I can get 7.1 surround sound using that. The Mini has very limited audio out options and I need good sound.
I also play DVDs but an external drive is not that big of a deal. I think using a SSD and a couple of externals would work well with this unit. Right now, my HTPC is running a Panasonic 50" Plasma through a Radeon 5750 and TV Tuner card. The GPU looks to be better than that and I already have Elgato EyeTV on my MAC Pro.
Still, I'm just concerned about the Sound...
I did put a radeon 5770 card in it and it runs well but I game with this unit (mostly Warcraft and boot into Windows to play Rift).
Interesting. How'd you get around the barrier between the 32-bit and 64-bit EFIs?
Interesting. How'd you get around the barrier between the 32-bit and 64-bit EFIs?
That question is a bit above my level of comprehension so rather than sound stupid trying to answer it I'll refer you to the Article that drove me to buy the 5770: http://www.barefeats.com/wst10g6.html
My X1900 crapped out on me so I was in need of a replacement. Couldn't find anything for such an old 2006 model and even the ebay market was bare. I found this article trying to keep my MAC alive a while longer and just went ahead and bought it. The performance was a huge increase over the X1900 so I was happy.
But now, this machine is at the point where it's served its purpose and I'm ready to upgrade. Just looking at my options right now and the price of the Mini looks much less of a pill to my wallet than what I think the refresh of the MAC Pros will be.
I'll probably trade in my MAC Pro to PowerMax or sell it on ebay but I've gotten my moneys worth out of it and am ready for more power. Just afraid I'll be disappointed in a year or so if I go the Mini Route.
The mini could be tucked away and so even less would be conspicuous in the living room.
If you tuck it away the remote won't work as it's IR
If you tuck it away the remote won't work as it's IR
IR bounces... You can't put it behind closed doors, but you can tuck it away.
In terms of desktop clutter, the Mini plus superdrive plus monitor will certainly not produce an excessive amount of clutter.
I really don't think many are cluing in that removing the optical drive is the key to the fine upgrades Apple has pulled off with this latest Mini. That removal eliminates a significant heat source and frees up space to allow for discrete graphics and two storage drives. No small thing.
If the trade-off for much better graphics and more storage flexibility is having to pay an extra $79 and put a rather tiny additional box on your desktop, that's seems like a trade well worth making. In fact, with the price of the Mini reduced by about $100, really you're not paying and extra $79.
Perhaps it's a long way down the road but consider, also, that should Apple add blu-ray to the mix in the next couple of years, one need only swap out the DVD superdrive for a unit capable of playing blu-ray. A simple swapping out of devices does the trick. I think that's an advantage, not something to deter one from buying a new Mini.
This could well be the first Mini capable of handling a pro workload and in the years ahead, it's only going to get better. Better graphics, faster CPU, better storage, etc. are inevitable in the next version of the Mini.
In a few days I'm going to find out just how capable the new Mini is. I have a feeling it's going to be a rather impressive little powerhouse running with all the gear maxed out. I'm counting the days.
I really don't think many are cluing in that removing the optical drive is the key to the fine upgrades Apple has pulled off with this latest Mini. That removal eliminates a significant heat source and frees up space to allow for discrete graphics and two storage drives. No small thing.
Or they could have very simply made the Mini a little bit taller which would have allowed for the upgrades and keeping the optical drive. And a taller case would have improved air flow and heat dissipation.