An interesting note, the refurbished 1.66 Rev A (Best) Mini's are $50 more than the current 1.66 Rev B (entry) Mini's. For that it looks like you get a DVD burner (aka Super Drive) and a larger hard disk. 17" 1.83 Ghz refurbished iMac is $949, and 20" 2 Ghz refurbished iMac is $1199.
there are a majority of people who have a good monitor and want a mac but need more power then a mini but don't need the power of a mac pro.
First things first. Please put a little bit of care to your writing. You have a tendency to write run-on sentences and leave out proper capitalization.
Another, while I think there is a large untapped demand for an Apple consumer tower, I doubt they are the majority, unless you are misusing the word majority. Most computer users are not gamers and most computer users don't need a special graphics chip. I do think Apple should release a consumer tower, but the topic has been beaten to death.
Apple can't appeal to everyone. That group is a lot smaller than the "iMac group" or the "Mac Pro" group. What monitor do you expect them to have? If they have something better than a 20" widescreen, they won't be happy with a Merom and a x1600.
You personally want an x1800 or an x1900 with a 2.4 or 2.67 GHz Conroe in a mini-tower w/ 2 GB RAM standard, and CF or SLI options, as well as 2-3 harddrives. That's probably not going to happen, but that's what'll satisfy you.
If there is an xMac (which remains an if) it'll have a 2.13 or 2.4 GHz Conroe w/ 1 GB of RAM and a 7600GT or a x1800GTO w/ 2 drives and no crossfire.
Just accept that Apple isn't going to release the computer you want. They are too small of a company to start adding models left and right. This was only possible because the Mac Pro moved to a totally BTO set-up. You've been asking Apple for the same thing here and on slashdot, and it's not going to happen.
Why not use Core 2 chips since intel priced them the same as core duos were when the intel mini was introed? If core duos are cheaper in price (more likely IMO) why not pass some savings on to the consumer? The imac got a better chip, a faster clock speed and the 17" and 20" got price drops. I would have preferred conroe but all in all a pretty solid upgrade for iMac. The mini OTOH...
Because apple doesn't pay the prices on the lists. They're likely getting yonahs cheaper than meroms now.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ZachPruckowski
Just accept that Apple isn't going to release the computer you want. They are too small of a company to start adding models left and right. This was only possible because the Mac Pro moved to a totally BTO set-up. You've been asking Apple for the same thing here and on slashdot, and it's not going to happen.
People don't want a ton of new models, they just want a midtower. It could simply be one model with bto, just like the mac pro is. That's a big part of the appeal of a tower, it can be configured easily with different cpu, ram, hard drives, optical drives, video cards etc.
this was a bit underwhelming wasn't? dare i say the beginning of the end of the mini...?
I doubt it, Apple just needs to get them back down to $499 and $699 (w/SuperDrive) so that they can be used to attract customers into looking at Macs that wouldn't without a computer down at that price level, and hopefully sell enough to be profitable while the iMac specs and monitor convince more people to buy that instead of the Mini.
hopefully sell enough to be profitable while the iMac specs and monitor convince more people to buy that instead of the Mini.
If Apple's goal is to convince more people to buy the iMac instead, they may as well write the mini off as dead. Their goal should be to reach people who already have and are happy with their monitor, keyboard, mouse, (other peripherals), etc.; don't want to buy a all-in-one, throw away computer; and don't have the money for an expandable computer like the Mac Pro. They could easily do that in a scheme that is equally profitable to the iMac.
Does it seem like Apple just doesn't want anyone to buy the Mini?
With the new $999 iMac, the Mini should have either received the newer Core 2 Duo chips or a $100 price decrease.
Really odd.
I think apple just screwed themselves by making the box so small and requiring laptop parts. They just can't make the damn thing competitive.
At this point I think they might as well dump it in favor of a bigger box that allows the cheap parts and could have some expandability (for the same price or less).
I think apple just screwed themselves by making the box so small and requiring laptop parts. They just can't make the damn thing competitive.
At this point I think they might as well dump it in favor of a bigger box that allows the cheap parts and could have some expandability (for the same price or less).
I agree 100%. With even just a slightly bigger box, they can use better, cheaper 3.5" drives with the option of faster 7200RPM. They could produce a cheap motherboard that might handle surface (or socket) mounting a couple different graphics processor options. They wouldn't be so cramped for space for the optical drive. They'd have more room for hotter CPUs.
I mean even adding an inch in width and depth and a half inch in height could make all the difference in the world, and it still would've been "mini". Unfortunately, Apple got so caught up in designing it to be the smallest computer possible, that they forgot to make a design they could grow with. Another option might be a slightly larger "maxi" case that still uses an improved mini motherboard, with a side bus connector for a specialized graphics card, but the cheapest way would be to just make the mini a bit bigger and put it all on the same motherboard.
Comments
there are a majority of people who have a good monitor and want a mac but need more power then a mini but don't need the power of a mac pro.
First things first. Please put a little bit of care to your writing. You have a tendency to write run-on sentences and leave out proper capitalization.
Another, while I think there is a large untapped demand for an Apple consumer tower, I doubt they are the majority, unless you are misusing the word majority. Most computer users are not gamers and most computer users don't need a special graphics chip. I do think Apple should release a consumer tower, but the topic has been beaten to death.
Apple can't appeal to everyone. That group is a lot smaller than the "iMac group" or the "Mac Pro" group. What monitor do you expect them to have? If they have something better than a 20" widescreen, they won't be happy with a Merom and a x1600.
You personally want an x1800 or an x1900 with a 2.4 or 2.67 GHz Conroe in a mini-tower w/ 2 GB RAM standard, and CF or SLI options, as well as 2-3 harddrives. That's probably not going to happen, but that's what'll satisfy you.
If there is an xMac (which remains an if) it'll have a 2.13 or 2.4 GHz Conroe w/ 1 GB of RAM and a 7600GT or a x1800GTO w/ 2 drives and no crossfire.
Just accept that Apple isn't going to release the computer you want. They are too small of a company to start adding models left and right. This was only possible because the Mac Pro moved to a totally BTO set-up. You've been asking Apple for the same thing here and on slashdot, and it's not going to happen.
Why not use Core 2 chips since intel priced them the same as core duos were when the intel mini was introed? If core duos are cheaper in price (more likely IMO) why not pass some savings on to the consumer? The imac got a better chip, a faster clock speed and the 17" and 20" got price drops. I would have preferred conroe but all in all a pretty solid upgrade for iMac. The mini OTOH...
Because apple doesn't pay the prices on the lists. They're likely getting yonahs cheaper than meroms now.
Just accept that Apple isn't going to release the computer you want. They are too small of a company to start adding models left and right. This was only possible because the Mac Pro moved to a totally BTO set-up. You've been asking Apple for the same thing here and on slashdot, and it's not going to happen.
People don't want a ton of new models, they just want a midtower. It could simply be one model with bto, just like the mac pro is. That's a big part of the appeal of a tower, it can be configured easily with different cpu, ram, hard drives, optical drives, video cards etc.
I have to be honest, this minimal update leaves me wondering if they're looking to kill off the mini.
Calm down man, this bump is obviously just to drain inventory of the 1.66ghz and 1.83ghz chips.
They don't have to do that to the 2.0ghz chips because a lot of apple's line up used those.
Also the mini has a 160gb bto option now, which probably next week will go into the macbook and macbook pro.
I'm sure pleny of people will buy the 1.66 mini for 599, if you're a basic computer user and you already have a screen it's well worth it.
I know my mom will probably be getting one soon.
this was a bit underwhelming wasn't? dare i say the beginning of the end of the mini...?
I doubt it, Apple just needs to get them back down to $499 and $699 (w/SuperDrive) so that they can be used to attract customers into looking at Macs that wouldn't without a computer down at that price level, and hopefully sell enough to be profitable while the iMac specs and monitor convince more people to buy that instead of the Mini.
Nice to see the base model get dual cores, but I still want to see it drop back down to $499.
Disappointment on the high end, that's barely an improvement at all. Doesn't compare well with the iMac or Macbook.
Does it seem like Apple just doesn't want anyone to buy the Mini?
With the new $999 iMac, the Mini should have either received the newer Core 2 Duo chips or a $100 price decrease.
Really odd.
Nice to see the base model get dual cores, but I still want to see it drop back down to $499.
Disappointment on the high end, that's barely an improvement at all. Doesn't compare well with the iMac or Macbook.
Does it seem like Apple just doesn't want anyone to buy the Mini?
With the new $999 iMac, the Mini should have either received the newer Core 2 Duo chips or a $100 price decrease.
Really odd.
Nice to see the base model get dual cores, but I still want to see it drop back down to $499.
Disappointment on the high end, that's barely an improvement at all. Doesn't compare well with the iMac or Macbook.
Does it seem like Apple just doesn't want anyone to buy the Mini?
With the new $999 iMac, the Mini should have either received the newer Core 2 Duo chips or a $100 price decrease.
Really odd.
hopefully sell enough to be profitable while the iMac specs and monitor convince more people to buy that instead of the Mini.
If Apple's goal is to convince more people to buy the iMac instead, they may as well write the mini off as dead. Their goal should be to reach people who already have and are happy with their monitor, keyboard, mouse, (other peripherals), etc.; don't want to buy a all-in-one, throw away computer; and don't have the money for an expandable computer like the Mac Pro. They could easily do that in a scheme that is equally profitable to the iMac.
Does it seem like Apple just doesn't want anyone to buy the Mini?
With the new $999 iMac, the Mini should have either received the newer Core 2 Duo chips or a $100 price decrease.
Really odd.
I think apple just screwed themselves by making the box so small and requiring laptop parts. They just can't make the damn thing competitive.
At this point I think they might as well dump it in favor of a bigger box that allows the cheap parts and could have some expandability (for the same price or less).
I think apple just screwed themselves by making the box so small and requiring laptop parts. They just can't make the damn thing competitive.
At this point I think they might as well dump it in favor of a bigger box that allows the cheap parts and could have some expandability (for the same price or less).
I agree 100%. With even just a slightly bigger box, they can use better, cheaper 3.5" drives with the option of faster 7200RPM. They could produce a cheap motherboard that might handle surface (or socket) mounting a couple different graphics processor options. They wouldn't be so cramped for space for the optical drive. They'd have more room for hotter CPUs.
I mean even adding an inch in width and depth and a half inch in height could make all the difference in the world, and it still would've been "mini". Unfortunately, Apple got so caught up in designing it to be the smallest computer possible, that they forgot to make a design they could grow with. Another option might be a slightly larger "maxi" case that still uses an improved mini motherboard, with a side bus connector for a specialized graphics card, but the cheapest way would be to just make the mini a bit bigger and put it all on the same motherboard.
there are a majority of people who have a good monitor and want a mac but need more power then a mini but don't need the power of a mac pro.
So set up both monitors in dual monitor mode and have twice the room. all the best features of the iMac and another screen. problem solved
Because apple doesn't pay the prices on the lists. They're likely getting yonahs cheaper than meroms now.
I agree that's why I suggested that they should have lowered prices.
Because apple doesn't pay the prices on the lists. They're likely getting yonahs cheaper than meroms now.
I agree that's why I suggested that they should have lowered prices.
Calm down man, this bump is obviously just to drain inventory of the 1.66ghz and 1.83ghz chips.
They don't have to do that to the 2.0ghz chips because a lot of apple's line up used those.
I agree. I sure we'll see a real update soon.
So set up both monitors in dual monitor mode and have twice the room. all the best features of the iMac and another screen. problem solved
But not everybody wants that...many want to just use the monitor they already have and not pay for a second one.