sevenfeet

I'm not sure why everybody complains about Mac RAM prices as if it's the first time they see that Apple RAM prices are high.  They've only been pricing RAM this way for 30 years.  At least they gave us an option this time of Bring-Your-Own-DRAM this time.  Try to feel fortunate for that.

Yes, it's not the $500 machine it used to be but neither is the perceived customer base.  Originally this was a machine for switchers who got to keep their monitor, keyboard and mouse.  This machine is for power users (including the SOHO and home theater crowd), creatives who need something other than a laptop, developers and server farm companies.  That's what Apple is marketing this machine to.  Apple is going to sell 20 times more MacBook Airs than this machine in the first three months.  A general purpose machine is not why it exists.

And yes, the easiest comparison is the Intel NUC machines which have grown popular among hobbyists and for specialized tasks. It's easy to find a stripper box for $300 that has a CPU, no RAM, storage and only a couple of USB 3 ports.  But if you want something similar, I found an Intel NUC with a quad core Core i7, 8 gigs of RAM, 256 GB of SSD and Thunderbolt 3.  All this for $850.  But the Intel chip is 6th gen, not 8th gen.  So you can't get a 6 core processor (at least not yet) and no 10GB ethernet yet.

The fact that you can bring your own RAM is crucial (no pun intended) in keeping the true cost of this machine down for many of us.  Just buy the fastest processor & SSD storage you can afford and go.  I wasn't expecting an upgradable SSD.  Even when Apple did do SSD sticks, they were proprietary.

I will have to say that this is the Mini I've been waiting for.  I was hoping that it was going to be the 8th gen Intel stuff with a 6 core option and it looks like we got it.  And I think the 6 core version is hyper threaded too.  I need a server machine to replace my aging 2008 Mac Pro which still puts up a pretty decent multicore fight with 8 Xeon processors but Intel's consumer stuff is all faster than the best from a decade ago.  And my Drobo 5D3 will appreciate the Thunderbolt 3 which I can't use with the Mac Pro.  Fun fact: only the MacBook Pro 15" also has 4 TB3 ports and the Mini throws in two USB A ports for good measure....no dongles required!  

Since all my storage needs are external, I will be happy with a 512 GB boot volume just for an OS and some applications.  And 10GB Ethernet is icing on the cake.  I'm sure the Mac Mini server farm cloud providers really wants that feature and Apple delivered.

eightzero said:

sevenfeet said:

Predictions:

Review of macOS Mojave

Imac: spec bumped to Coffee Lake architecture.  Updated AMD graphics option.  Maybe USB 3.1 gen 2.

Imac Pro: No changes

Mac mini: redesign. Coffee Lake w/Intel graphics. Thunderbolt 3 driving two 4K screens.  Two models, Core I3 & Core I5. A "Pro" version with Core i7 hyper threaded functionality. USB 3.1.  No hard drives will be offered, only SSD options.  8, 16 and 32 GB (pro model) memory options.

Macbook: spec bump, Amber Lake chipset

Macbook Air: either a Whiskey Lake spec bump or cancellation altogether.  If cancelled, a second MacBook model (14") will be introduced

Mac Pro: probably skipped but we may see the chassis with a "stay tuned" notice if the shipment is Q1 of 2019.  Later than that, no mention.

Apple TV: unchanged but will likely discuss updates to tvOS 12

Review of iOS 12

iPad Pro 10.5 and 12.9" both get new chassis with edge screens...screens might be different sizes than current models. A12X Bionic chips. LED LCD screens.  Updated Apple Pencil.  USB-C is a maybe.

2nd gen AirPods but no charging mat

I predict very very little of that will happen at all. This is clearly a iPad artsy event. The second one from the bottom will consume nearly all of the event. Any use of the word "mac" will relate to software and how easy it is to do artsy stuff on you iPad then move it to the mac, and vice versa.We will see game demos and photo demos. A big long demo of photoshop and pencil stuff. Maybe some movie making. Other that iPad hardware, I predict Apple will not announce any new mac stuff at all. 

But...I hope I'm wrong.

I don't think they'd do an event just for the iPad Pro.  And as far as the Macs go, everything except for the iMac Pro and MacBook Pro is now over 12 months since refresh and you want to give people a reason to buy new hardware leading up to the Christmas buying season.

Oh and I forgot two things.  They will spend some time talking about how well the Apple Watch 4 is doing.  And the iPad mini is dead.  All that makes a usual 1.5-2 hour Apple event.

Predictions:

Review of macOS Mojave

Imac: spec bumped to Coffee Lake architecture.  Updated AMD graphics option.  Maybe USB 3.1 gen 2.

Imac Pro: No changes

Mac mini: redesign. Coffee Lake w/Intel graphics. Thunderbolt 3 driving two 4K screens.  Two models, Core I3 & Core I5. A "Pro" version with Core i7 hyper threaded functionality. USB 3.1.  No hard drives will be offered, only SSD options.  8, 16 and 32 GB (pro model) memory options.

Macbook: spec bump, Amber Lake chipset

Macbook Air: either a Whiskey Lake spec bump or cancellation altogether.  If cancelled, a second MacBook model (14") will be introduced

Mac Pro: probably skipped but we may see the chassis with a "stay tuned" notice if the shipment is Q1 of 2019.  Later than that, no mention.

Apple TV: unchanged but will likely discuss updates to tvOS 12

Review of iOS 12

iPad Pro 10.5 and 12.9" both get new chassis with edge screens...screens might be different sizes than current models. A12X Bionic chips. LED LCD screens.  Updated Apple Pencil.  USB-C is a maybe.

2nd gen AirPods but no charging mat

The thing not being said about the iPhone Xr is that its a solution to a problem in that Apple still doesn't have a second source for the iPhone X/Xs OLED screen.  Samsung is the only company who can build it and they are exacting a huge pound of flesh out of their biggest smartphone rival for it.  Apple is trying to get LG to be able to build this screen.  LG is the leader in OLED televisions but haven't been able to yet build a OLED iPhone screen at the numbers Apple needs....at least for this product cycle.  Paying for putting an A12 Bionic in the Xr isn't nearly as big a cost differential versus that OLED screen versus a conventional LCD.