Apple's new Mac mini finally arrives with 5X performance, Thunderbolt 3, more

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  • Reply 61 of 133
    xixoxixo Posts: 450member
    I just bought an iMac Pro base model on eBay for $3600, it was slightly used (one scratch on monitor stand).

    This was to replace a 2012 Mac Mini server 2012 dual drive Core I7 (development machine).

    None of the configurations of the new Mac Mini would work as well for me as the iMac Pro with Xeon processors and super fast SSD.

    I'm happy with my decision. Love the Mac Pro's retina display and multiple ports.

    I never buy new new mac stuff. Not since we got burned on the 2011 MacBook Pro video card debacle.

    Used, refurb, -1 generation means less engineering problems and more money to spend on other stuff.

    My code mostly runs in linux but the Apple boxen are the best dev environment for me.

    The new MacBook Air is tempting, it's a new device with touch id. 
  • Reply 62 of 133
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    Does anyone else feel that $4200 is a bit too much for a Mac Mini?
    What's your suggestion for Apple? Don't offer a 2 GB SSD, 64 GiB RAM, or 10GigE so that the highest possible price is thousands less?

    If, say, Apple offered a 4TB SSD and 128 GiB RAM would you not expect that to be even more expensive? I certainly would.

    The real question is what does it matter what the highest configurable price is if it doesn't warrant your needs? The second most relevant question might be: What is the value of that configuration to other Macs and other PCs with a similar configuration? Usually Apple isn't just competitive, but comes out as the better value.
    edited October 2018 bkkcanuckfastasleepStrangeDayschiapscooter63brucemcargonaut
  • Reply 63 of 133
    danvmdanvm Posts: 1,400member
    polymnia said:
    I love the 180° turn in Mac design. Maybe I'm living in the reality distortion field, but the last few Mac hardware updates seem much more substantial. I love seeing them move their T chip technology through the Mac line. One could argue that the most likely Mac to leave off the T chip is the Mini—its (traditionally) such minimalist Mac. Putting a T chip in the Mini sends a signal that this is a core component fo the Mac platform moving forward.

    When Intel leaves Apple with no significantly new tech for years, Apple has gotten resourceful and developed some great supporting technology. Best part about it is no other vendor can just order T chips from Intel to make equivalent secure machines. Apple is designing they own differentiating tech and they don't have to share it. Apple has been crafting a PR story about privacy and security for years. Now they have that strategy baked into silicon that will soon be shipping in every Mac.


    I found this whitepaper from Apple (which is very nice) about the T2, and was updated this month.


    Although I haven't read it in detail, I noticed that the T2 has many elements Windows and business devices as Thinkpads had for years.  IBM/Lenovo have been offering hardware encrypted hard drives for close to 10 years.  Windows 8 was the first version with Secure Boot and it think the first version of Windows that worked with the TPM chip.  Windows 10 is a step higher, since now Bitlocker integrates with hardware encrypted HDD. Plus MS have Windows Hello since the SP4 a few years ago. 

    It's true that PC vendors don't have access to the T2 chip, but they still have the tools and hardware to secure their devices.  At the end, it's nice to see that many vendors are looking seriously to secure their hardware. 
    muthuk_vanalingamargonaut
  • Reply 64 of 133
    BUT BUT BUT, AppleInsider said....

    https://appleinsider.com/articles/07/05/24/closing_the_book_on_apples_mac_mini

    "Ladies and gentlemen, AppleInsider believes in all sincerity that the Mac mini is dead."  AppleInsider

    fastasleepmuthuk_vanalingamavon b7
  • Reply 65 of 133
    StrangeDaysStrangeDays Posts: 12,834member
    netling said:
    $4,199 for the Maxed out mini! While I'm hopeful that the ram will be upgraded via third party ram (read $1,000 less!), the fact is the SSD is Apple proprietary and so either you upgrade when you order or your pretty stuck until used minis start showing up on eBay. 

    Unfortunately, I feel Apple is losing touch with reality and that Tim Cook has surrounded himself with rich "yes" people, as the mini was originally made so the "poor" could afford a entry level computer, today that stopped as $800 is not affordable compared to entry level PC's, this logic also applies to iPads.  Apple needs to introduce a sub-$500 entry level computer that would allow the masses to embrace.  Ie, the mini default ram should be 16 and 8 for a true entry level $499 (today's offer is an insult to anyone with any computer knowledge!!)

    Long Live Steve Job and I hope he visits Tim Cook in his dreams to wake Tim up to the masses that need better access... (Tim, this is why Android is still around, offer an actual affordable, true lowend product for the poor!!)
    Nonsense, it's actually you that is out of touch -- Apple doesn't do low-end. They weren't interested in cheap netbooks and they aren't interested in cheap PC clones. The original $500 mini is about $650 w/ inflation, so this isn't that far off but is much more capable with better hardware and features. That equates to "value". 
    fastasleep
  • Reply 66 of 133
    StrangeDaysStrangeDays Posts: 12,834member

    polymnia said:
    netling said:
    $4,199 for the Maxed out mini! While I'm hopeful that the ram will be upgraded via third party ram (read $1,000 less!), the fact is the SSD is Apple proprietary and so either you upgrade when you order or your pretty stuck until used minis start showing up on eBay. 

    Unfortunately, I feel Apple is losing touch with reality and that Tim Cook has surrounded himself with rich "yes" people, as the mini was originally made so the "poor" could afford a entry level computer, today that stopped as $800 is not affordable compared to entry level PC's, this logic also applies to iPads.  Apple needs to introduce a sub-$500 entry level computer that would allow the masses to embrace.  Ie, the mini default ram should be 16 and 8 for a true entry level $499 (today's offer is an insult to anyone with any computer knowledge!!)

    Long Live Steve Job and I hope he visits Tim Cook in his dreams to wake Tim up to the masses that need better access... (Tim, this is why Android is still around, offer an actual affordable, true lowend product for the poor!!)
    The US dollar isn’t worth what it used to be. Yesterday’s $500 computer now costs $800 thanks to dollar devaluation. Don’t think even for one minute that purchasing power is unchanging over time.

    And if a person is as impoverished as you seem to be suggesting, their last concern is a cheap computer.
    To extend your point about the impoverished not needing to worry about the cost of Macs:

    I imagine many people came up like I did, without the money for a Mac. We built crappy PCs or bought them inexpensively from Gateway200. We developed some skill. We translated that skill to a career. And poof, we can afford Macs now.
    Bingo. Yep I was a DIY PC-build for a long time, starting as a teen. Other than a possible gaming rig here and there, those days are behind me. These are tools to get jobs done, and the value proposition they hold is solid.
  • Reply 67 of 133
    StrangeDaysStrangeDays Posts: 12,834member

    Soli said:
    Welp, people got what they wanted. What will the next complaint be? (Price, of course, right)
    Of course!

    I love what they did, but, for me, the $799 entry level machine is too rich for my blood to replace my headless Mac mini since I only connect to it a couple times a week via my MBP so it just doesn't warrant the price at the point. (Note: That is not a statement that the prices are too high, that Apple is raping us, or that Apple is greedy, only that it's not the right product for me at this time.)

    PS: From the demo it kind of looks like the RAM might be socketed again. I have doubts that it is, but it did look like two RAM sticks overlapping each other on screen.
    Yeah likewise I don't plan on upgrading my mini, but that's because as a lightweight server it continues to do the jobs I need it to do. I don't feel entitled to the best classes of hardware at the cheapest price points the way some seem to...
  • Reply 68 of 133
    welshdogwelshdog Posts: 1,897member
    Was exploring new Mini configuration and prices. Noticed their trade-in offer so I put i the deets form my Late 2012. They offered me $105 and I probably could get more than $400 on Ebay right now.

    Well, maybe not now since the new Mini is such a big improvement over the last version.


    argonaut
  • Reply 69 of 133
    nhtnht Posts: 4,522member

    So, they went from a base-priced Mac Mini of $499 to a base-priced Mac Mini of $799 (and no one with any sense would buy one with 128GB of storage)? I realize they beefed them up considerably, but at that price-point, I just don't see it being a choice over an iMac or a portable.
    The 3.2Ghz 6 core i7 Mini is $1299 with 8GB RAM 256GB SSD.  $150 for 16GB of RAM from Amazon.  Logitech Keyboard & mouse - $100.  Sony 4K KD43X720E HDTV. $498.

    https://www.rtings.com/tv/reviews/best/by-usage/pc-monitor

    $2048.

    The 21.5" iMac 3.6Ghz Quad core with 16GB RAM and 256GB SSD is  $1999.

    Yeah, I'd pick the mini even given the iMac comes with a Radeon Pro 555.  I use the Sony with my MacPro 15" and it's freaking awesome as a monitor.

    The Sonnet eGFX 550W is down to $270 on B&H.  A RX560 with 4GB DDR5 is $180.  So call it around $450 for a eGPU.  So $2500 for a 6 core i7 Mac with a decent GPU.

    That's on par with the 27" iMac 4.2Ghz Quad Core i7 at $2599 and a Redoan Pro 575 with 4GB DDR5.

    Slower 6 core vs faster 4 core.  Larger screen with less resolution (4K vs 5K).  Both can upgrade RAM but not SSD.

    Yeah, I'd get that over the 27" iMac as well.
    muthuk_vanalingam
  • Reply 70 of 133
    fastasleepfastasleep Posts: 6,408member
    kharvel said:
    I'm looking to configure the Mac Mini for purchase.  Does anyone know if the 32GB option are 2x16 GB modules or a single 32GB module with a socket left over?  Is anyone selling single 32GB modules?  

    Should I just go with the 8GB configuration and then purchase 2x32GB modules outside of Apple?  Any advice is appreciated.  Thanks.
    My guess is two 16s. I would get the lowest amount possible for the config you otherwise want and buy 3rd party and eBay whatever it comes with. 
  • Reply 71 of 133
    kharvel said:
    I'm looking to configure the Mac Mini for purchase.  Does anyone know if the 32GB option are 2x16 GB modules or a single 32GB module with a socket left over?  Is anyone selling single 32GB modules?  

    Should I just go with the 8GB configuration and then purchase 2x32GB modules outside of Apple?  Any advice is appreciated.  Thanks.
    I’ve been using a 2014 dual core i5 Macmini* as my daily driver for a long time, so I’m so happy to see Apple finally come through for people who want to use the Macmini as a “serious” computer.
    [*with *8GB RAM, a user installed 256 GB SSD from OwC.com, a 4K external monitor and a Radeon 580 eGPU [with the OS hacked to run it over TB2]]

    Based on information so far and a quick of research, I’ve assumed and then pre-ordered the following:

    Assumptions:
    The i5 is a 8400... 6 cores, 6 threads @ 3.0 GHz
    the i7 is a 8700...   6 cores, 12 threads at 3.2 GHz
    the RAM is user replaceable [and hopefully without invalidating the warrantly]
    the PCI-e SSD is non user upgradeable [maybe directly soldered to the m/board]?

    I ordered:
    max CPU [the i7]- for 12 threads 
    minimum RAM [8 GB], as I will upgrade to 32 GB myself with off the shelf SO-DIMMs
    512 GB SSD [256 GB is a little confined, but 512 GB more than enough for what I need, as I have raided external usb-3 storage for large files [photo library and iTunes library], archives, etc...]

    If I find out the SSD is upgradable before order is fulfilled, I may cancel and downgrade to the 128 GB SSD and then upgrade in future myself... but I think it’s unlikely [but I wasn’t expecting a 6 core i7 and socketed RAM before today, so who knows...]

  • Reply 72 of 133
    hodarhodar Posts: 357member
    Glad they dropped the soldered RAM, that was a show stopper. The only question I have, is the i3 and i5 processors. I wonder how a 64 Gb i5 stacks up against the 16GB i7 found in the 2012 Mac mini? Because, if you bump a 2012 i7 Mac Mini, replace the HDD with a SSD, and bump it to 16 GB - it's a pretty remarkable performer/
  • Reply 73 of 133
    welshdogwelshdog Posts: 1,897member
    For those concerned about the price, the Late 2012 Mac Mini Core i7 2.6GHz base price was $899.
    And that was in, you guessed it, late 2012.
    fastasleepStrangeDays
  • Reply 74 of 133
    I was a little put off by the lack of a hardware redesign, but better this model that will be cheap and easy for Apple to keep throwing new CPUs into than some Apple TV sized puck that requires actual engineering to keep cool and modern.
  • Reply 75 of 133
    Soli said:
    Does anyone else feel that $4200 is a bit too much for a Mac Mini?
    What's your suggestion for Apple? Don't offer a 2 GB SSD, 64 GiB RAM, or 10GigE so that the highest possible price is thousands less?.
    The markup on both their RAM and storage is just a hair more than double market rate. Not cheap RAM, either, the good stuff. 

    IMO silly to milk consumers on this kind of thing, but it's the way it’s always been and at least now we're back to user-replaceable parts… which PS bodes really well for the 2019 Mac Pro…
  • Reply 76 of 133
    xixo said:
    I just bought an iMac Pro base model on eBay for $3600, it was slightly used (one scratch on monitor stand).

    This was to replace a 2012 Mac Mini server 2012 dual drive Core I7 (development machine).

    None of the configurations of the new Mac Mini would work as well for me as the iMac Pro with Xeon processors and super fast SSD.

    I'm happy with my decision. Love the Mac Pro's retina display and multiple ports.

    I'm interested in this analysis. Can you provide more details on the specs of the iMac Pro and how it would compare to the new Mac Mini at a similar price configuration ($3,600)?   
  • Reply 77 of 133
    hentaiboyhentaiboy Posts: 1,252member
    welshdog said:
    Apple definitely got the ports right - all current users should be able to swap one of these in without much hassle.
    Except of course they ditched the SD Card slot. We photographers will have to add a dongle. 
    welshdogargonaut
  • Reply 78 of 133
    lmaclmac Posts: 206member
    “Space gray is so important to our Pro customers.” Really, Tim? I can list a dozen things more important to pro customers than the color of the box.
    muthuk_vanalingamElCapitan
  • Reply 79 of 133
    Does anyone know if the Mac Mini can support DUAL 5K displays?  
    kayess
  • Reply 80 of 133
    thttht Posts: 5,420member
    kharvel said:
    Does anyone know if the Mac Mini can support DUAL 5K displays?  

    It can not. It only has 1 Titan Ridge TB3 controller (likely) and that only supports one 5K display per controller.

    This is on Apple’s tech specs page:
    Support for the following combination of maximum concurrent display setups:
    • Up to three displays:
    • Two displays with 4096-by-2304 resolution at 60Hz connected via Thunderbolt 3 plus one display with 4096-by-2160 resolution at 60Hz connected via HDMI 2.0
    • or
    • Up to two displays:
    • One display with 5120-by-2880 resolution at 60Hz connected via Thunderbolt 3 plus one display with 4096-by-2160 resolution at 60Hz connected via HDMI 2.0
    Thunderbolt 3 digital video output supports
    • Native DisplayPort output over USB-C
    • Thunderbolt 2, DVI, and VGA output supported using adapters (sold separately)
    HDMI 2.0 display video output
    • Support for up to one display with 4096-by-2160 resolution at 60Hz
    • DVI output using HDMI to DVI Adapter (sold separately)
    kayessargonaut
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