Whats you speculation on what the updated mac mini spec would be?

fisha · January 17, 2006 2:33PM

Over time, the general line of the apple machines will be switched to Intel processors. Having already seen the MacBook and iMac make the switch, this generally only leaves the PowerMac and mac Mini to change over.

Do you think Apple will keep the same design like they did the iMac ( and principally the MacBook ) when it comes to the Mini?

And do you reckon it'll show the same sort of 'claimed' increases in performance that the new intel machines are supposed to have ?

why I ask? well all but ordered a mac mini, but held off for the Macworld announcements hoping that the mini would be the one with the intel chip. Now that it wasn't, do i wait a little longer, or just get the mini?

cheers

Don

onlooker · January 17, 2006 3:26PM

I have a feeling there is a thread about this already, but I'll go ahead anyway.

I think the MacMini will be updated very soon at a special event. It will have a single core version of the intel yohona processor, and be priced about the same as it is now. That's my 2¢.

brussell · January 17, 2006 3:37PM

Yeah, given the prices of the the other Core Duo machines out there (Mac and PC), I find it doubtful that they'd use this chip in a mini, at least at the same price.

tht · January 17, 2006 3:58PM

My speculation: 1.6 GHz Pentium-M, 533 MHz FSB, integrated graphics, 512 MB ram.

In late Q3 06, it can be updated with a Yonah architecture, maybe.

anders · January 17, 2006 4:05PM

I think there is a chance that the iBook and mini will get a Yonah dual core and will be released when the macbook pro and imac goes whatever the other low voltage laptop intel chip is called.

kenaustus · January 17, 2006 4:08PM

I believe the Mac mini and the MacBook (iBook replacement) will be released when ready - and April 1st looks like a good bet.

Single core or dual is a good question. The difference between the Solo and the cheapest Duo is (IIRC) $43 in 1,000 lot quantities - probably a lot less for Apple. Having Duos in all Macs looks like a very good marketing tool for little money so there is, I believe, a chance for the Duo.

I think that there are two challenges for Apple with these two lines. the first is the availability of Intel chips (another supply problem for Apple - what a surprise!). the problem here is that PC OEMs also want a lot of the chips and availability will be tight for a little while.

The second problem is actually ramping up to normal production. It's not that easy. Apple has to ensure all component suppliers are doing their job, hold trial production runs and test the computers delivered from these runs, etc. Any final changes have to be made and tested.

Considering that the production guys at Apple have had two major products to get into production already I see them wanting some time to keep control of things. The first out the gate (the iMac) actually started last fall with the last G5 iMac. We didn't realize it at the time, but the new case was the mactel case. Starting early has allowed Apple to ship the new iMacs the day of the Keynote. The MacBook Pro is the next project and the production guys are going full speed on that now. When that is up and running we can look for the Mac mini and the base MacBook.

I'm assuming that the MacBook (not Pro) will be a significant design change and require the most effort. I also believe that the Mac mini will be a shift to Intel without major media enhancements (except for Front Row) because of the demands on the production guys for the MacBook.

As usual I'll probably be wrong.

outsider · January 17, 2006 4:25PM

I'm thinking the mini will have a Core Solo processor with the same speed grades as the iMac, 512MB Standard DDR-2 RAM with 1 full sized slot like the current mini and same HD options as the MacBook Pro (SATA, same size options, etc.).

It will also come with a remote and a front facing IR port, also like the MacBook.

nofeer · January 17, 2006 4:57PM

if as some of you have said in other posts, the mini seems to become the heart of the digital living room, so what are the needs of this type unit,....will it need the power for video editing, conversion, what kind of power does a dvr need ??? i think to evaluate the future of the mini you must address what's it suppose to do?? it doen't need to be a transition model for windows users does it??? so maybe there will be several models, basic for basic and move on up to media center.

fisha · January 17, 2006 5:29PM

From my own point of view, i still think that even with the switch to Intel chips, there is still a market for a transition box where you can ( if you want ) bring your own keyboard, mouse and monitor.

In my particular case, i run an XP Dell laptop at the house and a ThinkPad T41 at work. She is going on some courses soon and those courses highly recommend that she practise and learn stuff herself. With the course being Apple Mac based, she would like an Apple ( woohoo! )

Myself am abit bored of the XP world and Vista is yet to inspire me towards a Windows future . . this makes a good opportunity to switch to Apple.

So what should i get? Well, as nice as the iMac is, i just cant quite endear myself to it. Dont know why, but i'm just not quite a fan of it when i sit in front of one and use it for a while.

However, I am a real fan of the mini when its coupled to a 20" cinema display. ( a setup which can be had for a similar price to the iMac )

Going down this route would mean that if i ever wanted to upgrade the machine, then I could do so by jumping to a PowerMac box or whatever further down the line - but still keep the display and keyboard.

Since MacWorld has been an gone and the mac mini is the same , i'm just curious as to what people reckon the future will be and whether it'll be a significant jump to wait for, or will i suffice with the current one.

Personally, i'm still a little hesitant as to whether the single core mini would handle rosetta on applications such as movie editing and image editing.

So it'll be interesting to see what the general feedback of the intel stuff is like over the next few weeks

Sorry for the long winded reply, but its all good fun to theorise!

cosmonut · January 17, 2006 5:41PM

I just don't see Apple putting Core Solos in any of their *Macs*. They can keep all their dual core machines spaced far enough from each other that they won't step on each others' toes. As has been mentioned before, being dual core across the board is also quite a marketing tool.

That said, I could see a single-core chip (like the Viiv) in a home entertainment device ala the Mac mini. I really don't see the Mac mini disappearing, though. It will have its place and the media center will have its place.

brussell · January 17, 2006 5:57PM

Quote:

Originally posted by CosmoNut

I just don't see Apple putting Core Solos in any of their *Macs*. They can keep all their dual core machines spaced far enough from each other that they won't step on each others' toes. As has been mentioned before, being dual core across the board is also quite a marketing tool.

That said, I could see a single-core chip (like the Viiv) in a home entertainment device ala the Mac mini. I really don't see the Mac mini disappearing, though. It will have its place and the media center will have its place.

In all of Intel's specs that I've seen, viiv platforms are described as including dual processors.

mynamehere · January 17, 2006 6:15PM

I just hope it won't have integrated graphics...

FrontRow + remote also seem like a fairly good possibility as it seems to be on every new Mac. Besides, how much could that possibly cost Apple to add those?

hmurchison · January 17, 2006 6:29PM

I'd love to see

Intel Core Solo 1.6Ghz

80GB SATA drive

Superdrive 8x

Gigabit, Bluetooth,802.11g

512MB of RAM with one open slot

Expresscard/34 slot

No modem

Integrated Graphics

iLife 06

$499

@homenow · January 17, 2006 6:51PM

Quote:

Originally posted by CosmoNut

I just don't see Apple putting Core Solos in any of their *Macs*. They can keep all their dual core machines spaced far enough from each other that they won't step on each others' toes. As has been mentioned before, being dual core across the board is also quite a marketing tool.

That said, I could see a single-core chip (like the Viiv) in a home entertainment device ala the Mac mini. I really don't see the Mac mini disappearing, though. It will have its place and the media center will have its place.

VIIV spec calls for a dual core Yonah I believe. I think that price and availability are going to dictate the chips used in the Mini, and it doesn't look good for a dual core Yonah based on the dual core Yonah PC computers that have been anounced. I believe that Intel said in their keynote at CES that VIIV computers would make it to market starting at $900, so entry level for Dual Core Yonah computers will probably start out at $899, single core $799. Both of these are well above the Mini's price tag.

shanmugam · January 17, 2006 7:29PM

Intel Core Duo 1.6Ghz

80GB SATA 7200 RPM drive

512MB DDR2 667MHz (max to 1GB)

SuperDrive

Built in Modem, Airport Extremen,BlueTooth, 10/100 LAN

Some Cheap Graphics card /No Intergrated Card PLS

(may be like X300 - the lowest model from ATI or nVidia)

Front Row with Remote

iLife 06

$699

do not think, they will go for Solo Yonah, when you compare the prices from here

http://www.intel.com/intel/finance/pricelist/

i prefer to have some Pentium Processor Clocking more than 3 Ghz than Solo 1.6 Ghz, i think in Mac Mini Watts Per performance is not the problem but heat may be a problem.

641¹ (2M L2 cache 3.20 GHz 800 MHz FSB 65nm) - u can get this almost for Solo pricing which will perform better than Solo Yonah.

shanmugam · January 17, 2006 7:31PM

Quote:

Originally posted by hmurchison

I'd love to see

Intel Core Solo 1.6Ghz

80GB SATA drive

Gigabit, Bluetooth,802.11g

512MB of RAM with one open slot

Expresscard/34 slot

No modem

Integrated Graphics

iLife 06

$499

No Modem, no way, this for all, you need to have modem if you want to sell it to every one, additional $ for USB Modem, i think mac mini do not need Gigabit LAN. Integrated Graphics possible in Low end mac mini not in the top.

shanmugam · January 17, 2006 7:38PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Anders

I think there is a chance that the iBook and mini will get a Yonah dual core and will be released when the macbook pro and imac goes whatever the other low voltage laptop intel chip is called.

i think it is time, that APPLE and for us NOT to compare the products within APPLE products...

each one of the APPLE products shd be compared and compete with other PC world products interms of price/performance/design

so having Duo on every machine will not hurt Mac Book Pro

(more business logic than personal sentiments)

wizard69 · January 17, 2006 7:55PM

Sadly I think you are right. I was really hoping that this wouldn't be the case but it does appear that Apple is headed that way. It would be far better for Apple and the industry to see them go with multi-core processors across the board.

Just my 3¢. Inflation you know.

Thanks

dave

Quote:

Originally posted by onlooker

It will have a single core version of the intel yohona processor, and be priced about the same as it is now. That's my 2¢.

shanmugam · January 17, 2006 8:09PM

1.6 Ghz Core Solo

40 GB SATA 7200 RPM (is there one?)

ComboDrive

Integrated Graphic Card (?)

$499

1.6 Ghz Core Solo

40 GB SATA 7200 RPM (is there one?)

SuperDrive

Integrated Graphic Card (?)

$599

1.6Ghz Core Duo

80 GB SATA 7200 RPM

Super Drive

128 MB X?00 ATI Card here

$699

more reasonable?

_________________________________________________

common for all mac mini

512MB DDR2 667Mhz

Airport Extreme, Bluetooth, Modem, 10/100 LAN

Two USB 2.0, One FireWire

Front Row with Apple Remote

iLife 06

Tiger OS X

hmurchison · January 17, 2006 8:31PM

Quote:

Originally posted by shanmugam

No Modem, no way, this for all, you need to have modem if you want to sell it to every one, additional $ for USB Modem, i think mac mini do not need Gigabit LAN. Integrated Graphics possible in Low end mac mini not in the top.

Gigabit LAN is pennies more for the PHY. The modem can be covered by people with the USB modem that Apple sells. Integrated graphics are the standard for PC computers at this pricing level Mac mini buyers have been spoiled with the dedicated graphics.

cory bauer · January 17, 2006 8:39PM

Regarding what the Mac Mini specs would be, the iMac and MacBook Pro have shown us that Apple's not going to give us any more bang for the buck in terms of hardware than other PC competitors are offering at the same prices. And that's just fine. But if we want to know what the Mac Mini's specs would be if it went Intel today, then look to see what Dell, HP, etc are offering for $499 and you'll have your answer. Browsing Dell's website for a bit, it isn't much more than what the Mac Mini has today. Maybe an 80GB drive instead of 40GB, throw in Front Row and remote, and either make Airport/Bluetooth or Superdrive standard or sell it for $399 instead of $499.

Quote:

Originally posted by CosmoNut

I just don't see Apple putting Core Solos in any of their *Macs*. They can keep all their dual core machines spaced far enough from each other that they won't step on each others' toes.

How can this be accomplished when Apple's putting the lowest-clocked Core Duo in a $1,999 laptop? There's not a Core Duo chip available lower than the one they're putting in the MacBook Pro.

The only way I see Apple's entire line-up being Core Duo is if the iBooks and Mac Mini's don't become Intel-based Macs until the second half of this year, when there's something better to put in the iMacs and MacBook Pro's. If they go Intel before that time, they will have to be Core Solo to have any kind of pricing structure that makes sense. Apple didn't put the same processors in their $499 and $1,999 machines when they were stuck with the G4, and they certainly aren't going to start now that they have a price range of processors to choose from.

Whats you speculation on what the updated mac mini spec would be?

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