Don't tease me. Every single day I lie in wait for a mini update. My 2012 model sorely needs more performance.
Real CPU performance improvements is likely a delay until Broadwell. Like stated in other threads, 10% CPU performance improvements isn't a reason for an upgrade (you could get more, but you'd lose the heat/power envelope that the Mini is exploiting now with the lower end chips).
Unless it's a 'everything else' upgrade (Graphics, MB, Memory, TB, Networking), I doubt Apple would spend the engineering bandwidth for just a CPU perf upgrade.
I'm holding out for a totally new design, in a mini tower (Airport Extreme footprint), but 1/2 height, broadwell based, fanless). I'd be seeing the entire Apple home line moving into this footprint, in black, to align with the Mac Pro at the top and the AppleTV at the bottom.
That's my baseless rumor and I'm sticking to it...
I hope they don't change the design of the mini too much!
The Mac mini is still one of the most cost-effective ultra-small form factor computers out there, even among PCs. They are great for Digital Signage applications and are easily mounted behind/adjacent to a display or rack-mounted. (You can get two minis side-by-side in 1RU).
When the combination of compact size and performance is required, what you get from "industrial PCs" (which are by and large sourced from a number of no-name vendors), costs a surprising amount when you factor in RAM, HD, and OS (these are not always included in base price).
But it would be nice to get an update. My "cost effectiveness" argument is a just a little bit tougher these days.
The only thing I regretted when purchasing my 13" rMBP last year was that it didn't come with 16GBytes of RAM at the price point I could afford. With a few apps open the 8GBytes it did come with gets almost completely used up! I didn't know Mac's were such memory hogs! Being a former Windows user that is (who's glad he switched anyway).
I've got a 16GB MacBook Pro and I'm only using about half of that. I guess it depends on the kind of apps you run?
If you're using 8GB, that would max out the 8GB he has in his MBP. The 13" also uses some of the memory for the GPU, it's up to 1GB now. Still, it's important to remember that the new OSes deliberately try to make more use of RAM. The actual RAM used is the total minus the file cache and maybe some percentage less due to compression.
If the Activity Monitor says your system has 8GB physical and amount used is say 9GB and the file cache is 4GB and you have integrated graphics, the amount used by apps as judged relative to older systems could be just 4GB rather than the 9GB displayed.
I get the feeling that they'll only upgrade the mini on a half-cadence compared to the higher end macs, similarly to how they maintain the iPad Touch compared to the iPhone. They want to keep these low end products to address the whole of the market, but they want to emphasize the desirability of the hih-end products in comparison to them.
A question: I bought a new 15" retina from an Apple store on Saturday when I first arrived in the US for a three-week trip. Will Apple allow me to exchange it for an updated model if they end up updating them this week or next? I've unpacked the computer and used it briefly.
I get the feeling that they'll only upgrade the mini on a half-cadence compared to the higher end macs, similarly to how they maintain the iPad Touch compared to the iPhone. They want to keep these low end products to address the whole of the market, but they want to emphasize the desirability of the hih-end products in comparison to them.
You've summed up my feelings well. This has certainly been the case through the Mini's history and they've had many opportunities to respond to the many who've been begging for the Mini to be current, but it clearly isn't their intent.
[...] I'm still confused why we're past the middle of 2014 and the iMac still has Thunderbolt 1.
There have been some technologies that I have wanted enough to delay a purchase, but Thunderbolt 2 wasn't one of them. The benefits are not significant enough in the real world to matter. A situation in which one would saturate the bus to the point that giving up bandwidth in one direction to increase it in the other is beneficial seems so unlikely as to be almost irrelevant.
"Fewer inputs and outputs?!" Fewer than what an Air has NOW? What're they gonna do, remove some of the keys?
USB? I mean, they're aiming to be a 'Wireless Company" ™ anyway, and it looks like Thunderbolt is less high than the USB plug. Edit: nope, same height (4.5 mm male (5.4 mm female)) so I don't know.
There have been some technologies that I have wanted enough to delay a purchase, but Thunderbolt 2 wasn't one of them. The benefits are not significant enough in the real world to matter. A situation in which one would saturate the bus to the point that giving up bandwidth in one direction to increase it in the other is beneficial seems so unlikely as to be almost irrelevant.
Never said anything about delaying a purchase. But from a supply chain perspective, it is confusing why Apple is taking so long to upgrade the Mac line to TB2. After all, Cook is supposed to be a supply chain guru, and buying a mix of TB1 and TB2 parts negates economies of scale and driving the rest of the industry to adopt the newer version of the standard.
Comments
Don't tease me. Every single day I lie in wait for a mini update. My 2012 model sorely needs more performance.
Real CPU performance improvements is likely a delay until Broadwell. Like stated in other threads, 10% CPU performance improvements isn't a reason for an upgrade (you could get more, but you'd lose the heat/power envelope that the Mini is exploiting now with the lower end chips).
Unless it's a 'everything else' upgrade (Graphics, MB, Memory, TB, Networking), I doubt Apple would spend the engineering bandwidth for just a CPU perf upgrade.
I'm holding out for a totally new design, in a mini tower (Airport Extreme footprint), but 1/2 height, broadwell based, fanless). I'd be seeing the entire Apple home line moving into this footprint, in black, to align with the Mac Pro at the top and the AppleTV at the bottom.
That's my baseless rumor and I'm sticking to it...
I hope they don't change the design of the mini too much!
The Mac mini is still one of the most cost-effective ultra-small form factor computers out there, even among PCs. They are great for Digital Signage applications and are easily mounted behind/adjacent to a display or rack-mounted. (You can get two minis side-by-side in 1RU).
When the combination of compact size and performance is required, what you get from "industrial PCs" (which are by and large sourced from a number of no-name vendors), costs a surprising amount when you factor in RAM, HD, and OS (these are not always included in base price).
But it would be nice to get an update. My "cost effectiveness" argument is a just a little bit tougher these days.
If you're using 8GB, that would max out the 8GB he has in his MBP. The 13" also uses some of the memory for the GPU, it's up to 1GB now. Still, it's important to remember that the new OSes deliberately try to make more use of RAM. The actual RAM used is the total minus the file cache and maybe some percentage less due to compression.
If the Activity Monitor says your system has 8GB physical and amount used is say 9GB and the file cache is 4GB and you have integrated graphics, the amount used by apps as judged relative to older systems could be just 4GB rather than the 9GB displayed.
I get the feeling that they'll only upgrade the mini on a half-cadence compared to the higher end macs, similarly to how they maintain the iPad Touch compared to the iPhone. They want to keep these low end products to address the whole of the market, but they want to emphasize the desirability of the hih-end products in comparison to them.
The store return policy still applies.
I get the feeling that they'll only upgrade the mini on a half-cadence compared to the higher end macs, similarly to how they maintain the iPad Touch compared to the iPhone. They want to keep these low end products to address the whole of the market, but they want to emphasize the desirability of the hih-end products in comparison to them.
You've summed up my feelings well. This has certainly been the case through the Mini's history and they've had many opportunities to respond to the many who've been begging for the Mini to be current, but it clearly isn't their intent.
The comparison to the iPod Touch is a good one.
Has Apple ever speed bumped the MacBook Pro line in the summer?
If they do, they're set for Back-to-School and I can't imagine a major upgrade this year if Broadwell's not shipping in quantity before Christmas.
So I guess no USB 3.1 till 2015, which meshes with Thunderbolt 3 as well.
And since Yosemite's free, you don't have to wait to buy.
That all seems good, though I'm still confused why we're past the middle of 2014 and the iMac still has Thunderbolt 1.
[...] I'm still confused why we're past the middle of 2014 and the iMac still has Thunderbolt 1.
There have been some technologies that I have wanted enough to delay a purchase, but Thunderbolt 2 wasn't one of them. The benefits are not significant enough in the real world to matter. A situation in which one would saturate the bus to the point that giving up bandwidth in one direction to increase it in the other is beneficial seems so unlikely as to be almost irrelevant.
USB? I mean, they're aiming to be a 'Wireless Company" ™ anyway, and it looks like Thunderbolt is less high than the USB plug. Edit: nope, same height (4.5 mm male (5.4 mm female)) so I don't know.
Yup, something's about to get updated/added....or removed.
The updates are in. The price of the 15" models went up $50 each in Canada. Anyone see increases in other countries?
Thanks, I'll exchange it.
There have been some technologies that I have wanted enough to delay a purchase, but Thunderbolt 2 wasn't one of them. The benefits are not significant enough in the real world to matter. A situation in which one would saturate the bus to the point that giving up bandwidth in one direction to increase it in the other is beneficial seems so unlikely as to be almost irrelevant.
Never said anything about delaying a purchase. But from a supply chain perspective, it is confusing why Apple is taking so long to upgrade the Mac line to TB2. After all, Cook is supposed to be a supply chain guru, and buying a mix of TB1 and TB2 parts negates economies of scale and driving the rest of the industry to adopt the newer version of the standard.