A new Mac mini ?

Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
What about the mini ? Can we expect an update soon ? (in june ?)



Is there a risk that Apple pull-out the plug on the mini ?



When was the current Mac mini released ?



What new features can we expect, for the next update ? Any ideas on this ?
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 21
    Looking back, the Mini seems to be on a much longer upgrade schedule than the other machines.



    If it gets updated SOON, I'd expect a faster C2D and the new 320M integrated graphics.



    IMO, I don't expect an upgrade to it before late this year at the earliest. At which point we could see an i3 and the 320M.

    ... and I'm still hoping for HDMI output.



    Of course, it's all conjecture.
  • Reply 2 of 21
    MarvinMarvin Posts: 15,310moderator
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by KingOfSomewhereHot View Post


    IMO, I don't expect an upgrade to it before late this year at the earliest. At which point we could see an i3 and the 320M.



    They can't pair the 320M with the i3 as it's an integrated graphics chip so it will be stuck on Core 2 Duo. The only alternative would be a dedicated chip like the 330M but they wouldn't put that in the Mini as the Mini is their low power machine and putting the same chip in their lowest machine as they put in the highest end laptops wouldn't look right if they skip out the middle models.



    They could actually switch all the desktop line to AMD. The Phenom II x4 could take the place of the Core i7. The 65W 910e gets 8528 in Cinebench vs 9638 for the 95W Core i7 860.



    Prices could drop down significantly on a few models.
  • Reply 3 of 21
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Marvin View Post


    They can't pair the 320M with the i3 as it's an integrated graphics chip so it will be stuck on Core 2 Duo. The only alternative would be a dedicated chip like the 330M but they wouldn't put that in the Mini as the Mini is their low power machine and putting the same chip in their lowest machine as they put in the highest end laptops wouldn't look right if they skip out the middle models.



    They could actually switch all the desktop line to AMD. The Phenom II x4 could take the place of the Core i7. The 65W 910e gets 8528 in Cinebench vs 9638 for the 95W Core i7 860.



    Prices could drop down significantly on a few models.



    I meant to pair the M330 with the i3. It seems out of character to have discreet graphics in the Mini, but there is no viable integrated solution right now. Maybe Intel will have something better by the end of the year.
  • Reply 4 of 21
    trobertstroberts Posts: 702member
    I think it will get the same treatment the 13" MacBook Pro got, a faster C2D with the NVIDIA GeForce 320M graphics. After that, I expect Apple to use AMD processors with integrated ATI graphics. We might even get to see the Mac mini get an X3 processor.
  • Reply 5 of 21
    kalikali Posts: 634member
    When do you think Apple will update the current mini ?
  • Reply 6 of 21
    trobertstroberts Posts: 702member
    My guess would be late June or early July. Since the Mac Pro and Cinema Displays are due for an update, they might be released just before WWDC2010, or maybe even during the Keynote if Steve feels they are worthy of an introduction.
  • Reply 7 of 21
    hmurchisonhmurchison Posts: 12,419member
    I think the next mini update will happen in the fall and it'll mirror what they've done with the Macbook.



    C2D processor

    Nvidia 320M GPU



    The next upgrade after that will be Spring of 2011 and you'll likely see the

    Mini with an AMD processor/GPU combo (Fusion)



    I'd be surprised if they didn't.
  • Reply 8 of 21
    wizard69wizard69 Posts: 13,377member
    That old phrase seems to describe Apples situation with Intel pretty good.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Kali View Post


    What about the mini ? Can we expect an update soon ? (in june ?)



    Anybody that answers this question is just guessing. The problem is how would Apple update the machine. The reality is Intel doesn't have a good solution so we either get a speed bumped Core 2 or they go AMD.

    Quote:

    Is there a risk that Apple pull-out the plug on the mini ?



    Actually I think there is that chance. Not so much pulling the plug as instead offering up a slightly modified form factor. There are a few possibilities here but the ability to offer up a good GPU could see them moving to a larger box.

    Quote:

    When was the current Mac mini released ?



    Don't know and don't care.

    Quote:

    What new features can we expect, for the next update ? Any ideas on this ?



    We will still see a small device that is designed with low power in mind. Frankly I would expect many new features but LightPeak would be nice. The ability to drive a larger higher density display will likely be there. More RAM would be nice and a dual storage device model that comes with a SSD on the boot channel would be nice too.



    It is the lowend machine I don't expect vast changes.





    Dave
  • Reply 9 of 21
    lemon bon bon.lemon bon bon. Posts: 2,173member
    Quote:

    They can't pair the 320M with the i3 as it's an integrated graphics chip so it will be stuck on Core 2 Duo. The only alternative would be a dedicated chip like the 330M but they wouldn't put that in the Mini as the Mini is their low power machine and putting the same chip in their lowest machine as they put in the highest end laptops wouldn't look right if they skip out the middle models.



    They could actually switch all the desktop line to AMD. The Phenom II x4 could take the place of the Core i7. The 65W 910e gets 8528 in Cinebench vs 9638 for the 95W Core i7 860.



    Prices could drop down significantly on a few models.



    Interesting ideas, Marv'.



    As for the Mini. Apple did launch a new mini. It's called the iPad. And the 'pad smashes the mini's face in. It has 200k apps. A screen and a keyboard. All for a cheaper price?



    Game over.



    Lemon Bon Bon.
  • Reply 10 of 21
    lemon bon bon.lemon bon bon. Posts: 2,173member
    PS. I still want my Cube with AMD processors and a decent GPU.



    *Pouts.



    Lemon Bon Bon.
  • Reply 11 of 21
    wizard69wizard69 Posts: 13,377member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Lemon Bon Bon. View Post


    PS. I still want my Cube with AMD processors and a decent GPU.



    *Pouts.



    Lemon Bon Bon.



    If Apple offered such at a reasonable price I might go for it, but to be perfectly honest I never liked the cube. I must not be a cubist .



    Seriously I'm a low profile guy and would rather see something in a 1U or 2U profile. At least for hieght and maybe 4 or so inches wide. Depth doesn't matter. The idea being a box that can be put easily out of the way. That is on a shelf, behind a desk, bracketed to the wall, in a drawer or wherever out of the way is. A computer that stays out of sight in other words.



    Staying out of site and leaving the desktop clean is a very important element in any PC that I would look to buy. A cube just makes itself known to many in an obvious way.





    Dave
  • Reply 12 of 21
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by wizard69 View Post


    If Apple offered such at a reasonable price I might go for it, but to be perfectly honest I never liked the cube. I must not be a cubist .



    Seriously I'm a low profile guy and would rather see something in a 1U or 2U profile. At least for hieght and maybe 4 or so inches wide. Depth doesn't matter. The idea being a box that can be put easily out of the way. That is on a shelf, behind a desk, bracketed to the wall, in a drawer or wherever out of the way is. A computer that stays out of sight in other words.



    Staying out of site and leaving the desktop clean is a very important element in any PC that I would look to buy. A cube just makes itself known to many in an obvious way.





    Dave



    But you still need access to he BluRay drive slot.
  • Reply 13 of 21
    wizard69wizard69 Posts: 13,377member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by KingOfSomewhereHot View Post


    But you still need access to he BluRay drive slot.



    Second an optical drive for such a machine makes more sense as an external device. Then it can be mounted anywhere even under the desk.



    At this pont my use of the Optical is so infrequent that it just doesn't matter where it is. Except for some Apple software I install everything else from the net.





    Dave
  • Reply 14 of 21
    futurepastnowfuturepastnow Posts: 1,772member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by hmurchison View Post


    I think the next mini update will happen in the fall and it'll mirror what they've done with the Macbook.



    C2D processor

    Nvidia 320M GPU



    The next upgrade after that will be Spring of 2011 and you'll likely see the

    Mini with an AMD processor/GPU combo (Fusion)



    I'd be surprised if they didn't.



    Yes. Next mini (and plastic Macbook) update will be in line with the 13" MBP.
  • Reply 15 of 21
    copelandcopeland Posts: 298member
    The mini was updated in spring 09.



    As Apple let the mini sit for 3 years the last time (and the relevant hardware that was built into the mini was even 1-2 years older) I wouldn't expect a too soon upgrade. But we are talking about Apple, so you never know.



    I think the mini will follow the plastic MacBook. Apple just managed to differentiate the MacBook from the MacBookPro, so I don't think they will upgrade the MacBook (Mini) to the same hardware as the MacBookPro. First the 13'' MacBookPro has to get another upgrade then the MacBook can follow. (which would still be a C2D?).



    Maybe Apple will really go the AMD route with their consumer computers (iMac?).
  • Reply 16 of 21
    MarvinMarvin Posts: 15,310moderator
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by copeland View Post


    The mini was updated in spring 09.



    As Apple let the mini sit for 3 years the last time (and the relevant hardware that was built into the mini was even 1-2 years older) I wouldn't expect a too soon upgrade. But we are talking about Apple, so you never know.



    They refreshed the Mini last October to add the server option and bump up the spec. It wouldn't get a major overhaul but they can put the entry model at 2.53GHz with 4GB RAM and add the 320M. That would make it worth the $600 asking price.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by copeland View Post


    Maybe Apple will really go the AMD route with their consumer computers (iMac?).



    Thing is, the more you look at AMD's offerings, the worse they appear. On the Mini side, Apple use a 25W mobile CPU from Intel and AMD doesn't have one to rival it:



    http://www.fudzilla.com/content/view/16096/1/



    Sempron and Turion processors are slow. When they get a decent 25W CPU, it will be slower than Intel.



    For the iMac, the Phenom X6 1090t is a possibility as it matches the i7 in performance almost exactly. The Core i7-860 costs $284 though and the X6 $295 so AMD costs $10 more to perform the same.



    Also the X6 is 125W whereas the i7 is 95W - the iMac already gets extremely hot running at maximum load.



    AMD have just got nothing to compete right now in anything besides their server options.



    Read the conclusions here:



    http://www.firingsquad.com/hardware/...2008/page2.asp
  • Reply 17 of 21
    lemon bon bon.lemon bon bon. Posts: 2,173member
    Quote:

    Quote:

    If Apple offered such at a reasonable price I might go for it, but to be perfectly honest I never liked the cube. I must not be a cubist .





    Heresy! He's a witch! BURN HIM!



    Lemon Bon Bon.
  • Reply 18 of 21
    In today's [5/14/2010] Fry's Electronics print ad a 2.26GHz Core 2 Duo Processor

    Mac Mini is selling for $499 [ad says $599 before savings of $100].

    Are they flushing inventory prior to receiving an upgraded model?



    Gene King
  • Reply 19 of 21
    wizard69wizard69 Posts: 13,377member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by geneking7320 View Post


    In today's [5/14/2010] Fry's Electronics print ad a 2.26GHz Core 2 Duo Processor

    Mac Mini is selling for $499 [ad says $599 before savings of $100].

    Are they flushing inventory prior to receiving an upgraded model?



    Gene King



    It isn't unusual to see Apple work out discounting of old hardware before a bump. However that normally means more than one vendor. If all of a sudden we see that discount form a number of vendors then I'd say prospects look better.



    Dave
  • Reply 20 of 21
    It would really be ironic if they pull up another mini hardware since they've just newly released the iPad

    which is a larger version of the iPhone in some way.



    I would suggest they would go on innovating something like the MacBook Air. They should go more on

    lightweight and thin. Something that would be affordable to. Also, they'll probably be releasing the iPhone

    4th gen soon.
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