Mac mini supply drying up, could signal Ivy Bridge update
With the Mac mini still waiting for an update to Intel's latest Ivy Bridge chips, supply of the diminutive desktop has begun to dwindle at various resellers.
Numerous sellers found in the AppleInsider Mac Price Guide are currently out of stock of the Mac mini. Specifically, for the 2.3-gigahertz model, stock-outs are seen at Amazon, MacConnection, and J&R, while the 2.5-gigahertz option is unavailable at Amazon, MacMall, MacConnection and J&R.
Supply of the Mac mini Server with a 2-gigahertz Core i7 process is also running dry, as Amazon advertised as of Monday that it only has a few units left in stock, while MacMall and MacConnection are currently sold out.
In addition, Macerkopf.de noted on Monday that supply of the Mac mini has also begun to run dry in Germany. Apple typically winds down its inventory ahead of a new product launch, and limited supply at third-party resellers is often one of the first signs that a hardware refresh is forthcoming.
However, supply fluctuations are not always a sign that a hardware refresh is imminent. For example, Apple's iMac has seen its availability remain constrained off and on since July, but the all-in-one desktop has not yet been updated.
An updated Mac mini was not listed by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo among the eight new products Apple is rumored to launch this fall. However, he did indicate that Apple is planning to debut a new 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display, as well as redesigned 21.5- and 27-inch iMacs.
Apple last updated the Mac mini in July of 2011, adding support for the high-speed Thunderbolt port while ditching the built-in optical disc drive that had been found on previous models. The current Mac mini lineup starts at $599 and features Intel's previous-generation Sandy Bridge processors.
Numerous sellers found in the AppleInsider Mac Price Guide are currently out of stock of the Mac mini. Specifically, for the 2.3-gigahertz model, stock-outs are seen at Amazon, MacConnection, and J&R, while the 2.5-gigahertz option is unavailable at Amazon, MacMall, MacConnection and J&R.
Supply of the Mac mini Server with a 2-gigahertz Core i7 process is also running dry, as Amazon advertised as of Monday that it only has a few units left in stock, while MacMall and MacConnection are currently sold out.
In addition, Macerkopf.de noted on Monday that supply of the Mac mini has also begun to run dry in Germany. Apple typically winds down its inventory ahead of a new product launch, and limited supply at third-party resellers is often one of the first signs that a hardware refresh is forthcoming.
However, supply fluctuations are not always a sign that a hardware refresh is imminent. For example, Apple's iMac has seen its availability remain constrained off and on since July, but the all-in-one desktop has not yet been updated.
An updated Mac mini was not listed by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo among the eight new products Apple is rumored to launch this fall. However, he did indicate that Apple is planning to debut a new 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display, as well as redesigned 21.5- and 27-inch iMacs.
Apple last updated the Mac mini in July of 2011, adding support for the high-speed Thunderbolt port while ditching the built-in optical disc drive that had been found on previous models. The current Mac mini lineup starts at $599 and features Intel's previous-generation Sandy Bridge processors.
Comments
Can someone explain to me why a Mac Mini is better than an iMac? I'm genuinely curious.
Hope it's true, though. I see that many, many people have been waiting on this.
EDIT: The analyst has been wrong on 3 out of 4, so far. Why's he worth quoting?
It's only better than an iMac if it suits your needs better. I want a Mini for a home server and media device. Ben waiting for an update a long time.
Quote:
Originally Posted by allenbf
Can someone explain to me why a Mac Mini is better than an iMac? I'm genuinely curious.
Hope it's true, though. I see that many, many people have been waiting on this.
EDIT: The analyst has been wrong on 3 out of 4, so far. Why's he worth quoting?
It is a good value for some people. I have a nice Apple monitor and I don't do anything that requires much computing
power, so a Mini suits me fine, for example.
Being wrong 3 out of 4 might place this analyst among the better ones, when it comes to Apple.
Originally Posted by Fishyesque
It isn't better than an iMac.
It certainly can be. Depends on your use case.
When the new mini comes out, I plan on getting that plus the Thunderbolt Display. With the lower cost for the computer itself, I'd be much more likely to upgrade every few years than every seven.
I'm hoping that there'll be a whole "mini event" where the new iPad is released and this gets a significant update as well.
Originally Posted by MacGizmo
iMac: 18 months old already, and the processor they're rumored to be putting in to the next update is already nearly 8 months old.
Many of us are thinking Haswell at this point.
You might as well ask why a pickup truck is better than a convertible?
They're entirely different computers. The iMac is an all-in-one where everything is in one box. The Mini does not include a monitor and is generally an entry-level machine with moderate performance.
Which one is better depends on your budget, your needs, whether you have a monitor already, and so on.
Quote:
Originally Posted by WelshDog
It's only better than an iMac if it suits your needs better. I want a Mini for a home server and media device. Ben waiting for an update a long time.
tru dat.
I do iMac's for my mother (80 year old touch typist) and for my mother in law, and iPad for my father (82yo who can barely run the microwave). My wife is a MacBook, and I'm a Mac Mini with a 24" 2550x1100 screen, which is doing home automation and file serving as well as being my desk device, with a MBP for on the road work. I'm finding that with AirPlay, my iPad is becoming my media device (with FileBrowser back to my mini's Torrent [ssshhhh!] sink).
But Intel has stated Haswell won't be ready until March or April of next year. That would (obviously) mean it won't be in any Mac update this year; unless Apple has struck a deal with Intel for early access to the chips.
So either there is no update coming this year, or we'll get a minor update with 8-month old chips - then get a full redesign next year with new chips, etc.
Either way, frustrating.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tallest Skil
It certainly can be. Depends on your use case.
*Edited original post
Originally Posted by Fishyesque
*Edited original post
There you go! Exactly.
It's probably all psychological, but I've always felt like the iMac gives you more bang for your buck. Nowadays though, there's little bang at all.
Eventually they'll get updated...
Eventually.
Personally, I'm buying the next Mini (Still got 2 20 inch cinema displays that I brought with my PowerMac G5). Since ML seems to want computers with SSD's, I'm hoping that it'll come with an SSD as standard, and an optional platter drive.
I will probably get Both Minis: The Mac and iPad mini's, IF Apple releases both machines before the holidays.
Same here