That article reminds me of the posts in this forum.... he "hopes" and "would like to believe" a new Mini is coming. And if it does, he wants it to be the size of an AppleTV. I'll pass on that.
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2014 Mini is 1k days old!
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That article reminds me of the posts in this forum.... he "hopes" and "would like to believe" a new Mini is coming. And if it does, he wants it to be the size of an AppleTV. I'll pass on that.
That article reminds me of the posts in this forum.... he "hopes" and "would like to believe" a new Mini is coming. And if it does, he wants it to be the size of an AppleTV. I'll pass on that.
He is right though. The current Mini is a massive lump of hardware compared to the sleek space age style of design of the Intel NUC. You'd see a NUC in Space 1999 way before you'd see a Mini in current configuration.
It doesn't have to be as small as an AppleTV. Apple could put it into the current case and have room for more storage (dual M.2 raid) or maybe a MacBook Pro-class dGPU.
On the flip side, I could see such a small device appealing to Apple - and perhaps Mac customers. Many Minis are used as home media servers so one the size of an AppleTV that runs silent? And think how many MacMiniCoLo could cram into a datacenter?
On the flip side, I could see such a small device appealing to Apple - and perhaps Mac customers. Many Minis are used as home media servers so one the size of an AppleTV that runs silent? And think how many MacMiniCoLo could cram into a datacenter?
And will be accompanied by a brace of flying pigs.
It's a massive lump of hardware because Apple took the versatile design of the 2012 Mac Mini, and just glued/soldered/mazed the innards to be customer hostile, without reducing all that now wasted space. It's a massive waste because Apple just wanted minimal effort, impede their customers, and prevent the loss of sales to more expensive Macs.
Apple just wants a few sets of customers, if form/function of their current offering don't appeal to you, you can pound sand, and their loyal minions will ridicule your opinion/desires. Customer/user experience 1st, has been replaced with bean counting and hostility towards the customer - Thus my signature.
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Which is why it would never happen.It doesn't have to be as small as an AppleTV. Apple could put it into the current case and have room for more storage (dual M.2 raid) or maybe a MacBook Pro-class dGPU.
On the flip side, I could see such a small device appealing to Apple - and perhaps Mac customers. Many Minis are used as home media servers so one the size of an AppleTV that runs silent? And think how many MacMiniCoLo could cram into a datacenter?
If that was even remotely true, they would have killed the Mac Mini off last decade when it ceased being relevant to the company as a model.
Minimal effort and purposely gimped, so it wouldn't compete with higher prices offerings, and it still sells.
Not too difficult to understand why it's still there.
The future MacMini will certainly be Apple TV sized. The future displays they're going to make probably have some of magnets that allow it to be held at the back of one of those. Maybe there's a short USB-C cable, maybe there's a direct "uplink" port.
"Click" - and it's connected. All the other ports are provided by the display.
Combine with wireless keyboard and you get an almost iMac-experience but with way less GPU. And you can still replace display and computer-unit independently (which is what draws a lot of people to it, after all).
I think I'd be OK with that, somehow. Keyboard and Trackpad are already BT here, so it's not too bad.
I hope it still allows dual screen use, though.
"Click" - and it's connected. All the other ports are provided by the display.
Combine with wireless keyboard and you get an almost iMac-experience but with way less GPU. And you can still replace display and computer-unit independently (which is what draws a lot of people to it, after all).
I think I'd be OK with that, somehow. Keyboard and Trackpad are already BT here, so it's not too bad.
I hope it still allows dual screen use, though.
It only sells because it's bargain basement. The mini is a standard bargain basement PC now, with the added plus of a slow-running macOS on top of it all (compared to Win 10).
You, yourself, just noted that each of the components is significantly faster. That *is* some improvement. The current CPU is far, far faster (clock speed means nothing), the RAM is significantly faster, and the SSD is also far faster. It's more than 'some' improvement.
Now, the Mac Mini still having the 4th gen CPU, old RAM, old SSD... that's concerning...
What matters most is Apple figures out a way to release a smaller, thinner, and lighter mac mini with less ports. Right now its just way to big and cumbersome on my desk. Also, I go to plug something in and get confused by all the ports. There should only be 1 USB C port which will cover power, hdmi, usb, aux port, sdxc. I'm willing to pay a premium increase of 25% for these new models.
The Mac mini and the Mac Pro are the two user-devices Apple make which have no display.
Both long overdue for an update.
It seems Apple might make a new Mac Pro alongside the iMac Pro, but I have my doubts.
Apple is so happy with their displays on iPhone, iPad, MacBook and iMac that it seems strange for Apple to make a computer that cannot run an Apple Display.
It wouldn't surprise me that an Apple TV 5 (A10X?) could replace the need for a new Mac mini.
The mini was introduced for switchers.... BYODKM. I don't think it is targeted to switchers now. More of an Apple TV-competitor.
Both long overdue for an update.
It seems Apple might make a new Mac Pro alongside the iMac Pro, but I have my doubts.
Apple is so happy with their displays on iPhone, iPad, MacBook and iMac that it seems strange for Apple to make a computer that cannot run an Apple Display.
It wouldn't surprise me that an Apple TV 5 (A10X?) could replace the need for a new Mac mini.
The mini was introduced for switchers.... BYODKM. I don't think it is targeted to switchers now. More of an Apple TV-competitor.
The NUC "cheats" by having the power supply on the outside. The NUC is not so sleek when you include it with the required power supply as compared to the Mac Mini with required power cable.
Thanks for checking in Mr. Ive
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i think you are confusing the definition of a computer, with that of a simple streaming device.
A fast streaming device with apps (I agree iOS is not a replacement for macOS, but the Apple TV 4 is not just a streaming device anymore)
If the Mac mini is used a lot as a HTPC (as some state here), then a faster Apple TV 5 with more storage could be the best device to use instead of a new Mac mini.
I use both: An Apple TV 4 and a Mac mini connected to my TV/audio set. Both have advantages, of course. But an Apple TV with A10X and >256 GB storage, 4K, USB-C more apps and keyboard / trackpad connectivity will do fine.
I think Apple feels that using a Mac mini as HTPC should be "upgraded" to an Apple TV, and a Mac mini used as computer should be upgraded to an iMac.
Too bad, Apple doesn't still sell the Apple II anymore. They have a tab on their site labeled Classics and put the Mac Pro, Mac Mini, and Apple II under that category.
Apple purposely gimps lower priced systems, to prevent the loss of a sale of the higher priced unit, so it makes sense. But it's also why many here are not happy with this approach.
Which is a cynical way of saying that Apple offers a range of options at various price levels to suit different budgets and requirements, which makes sense. However, some are not happy that lower specced models cost less than those with higher specs…… !!!
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Defender to the end. Where is the even moderately powered, headless Mac that doesn't cost $3k+? Oh yeah, that died with the 2012 Mac mini. Apple giveth, then Apple taketh away, once they see an impact to high profit machines, then who cares customers wants, right?
How anyone can see the travesty of the 2014 Mac mini compared to the 2012 Mac mini and be a-ok with it, is beyond me.
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The NUC "cheats" by having the power supply on the outside. The NUC is not so sleek when you include it with the required power supply as compared to the Mac Mini with required power cable.
The original G4 mini has a giant power brick also.
So it isn't completely beyond Apple's logic to throw out the bricky part from the mini to make it even smaller.
I suspect a new Mini will be on the way.
Until thunderbolt 3, in the Mini's market there hasn't been a huge incentive to do a refresh.
Intel CPU development has been stagnant apart from battery life and the mini isn't battery powered.
Integrated GPU has improved a little, sure - but mini users aren't trying to run high end 3d stuff on them. Whilst the CPU is 3+ years old at this point, it is within 5-10% in real world use performance wise compared to a brand new CPU in that power envelope from intel today. There's been zero development to speak of. There's been nothing new worth sticking in it.
Thus: there's been little incentive to do a revision to it. Other than spec sheet e-peen comparison. Which apple does not indulge in generally.
But now - thunderbolt 3, USB-C, and officially supported e-GPUs are a thing.
The mini will get a bump this year I suspect/hope.
Until thunderbolt 3, in the Mini's market there hasn't been a huge incentive to do a refresh.
Intel CPU development has been stagnant apart from battery life and the mini isn't battery powered.
Integrated GPU has improved a little, sure - but mini users aren't trying to run high end 3d stuff on them. Whilst the CPU is 3+ years old at this point, it is within 5-10% in real world use performance wise compared to a brand new CPU in that power envelope from intel today. There's been zero development to speak of. There's been nothing new worth sticking in it.
Thus: there's been little incentive to do a revision to it. Other than spec sheet e-peen comparison. Which apple does not indulge in generally.
But now - thunderbolt 3, USB-C, and officially supported e-GPUs are a thing.
The mini will get a bump this year I suspect/hope.
I bought a Refurbished MM(Late 2012) 2.5GHz,4GB Ram, 500GB HD in August, 2013 from the Apple On-Line Store.
I then bought a Refurbished MM(Late 2014), 2.8GHz,8GB Ram, 256 SSD in June, 2015 from the Apple On-line Store.
IME, the MM(Late 2014) is way Heads-Above the MM(Late 2012) due to the much improved Specs and the williness to pay more for a machine that meets my needs.
I then bought a Refurbished MM(Late 2014), 2.8GHz,8GB Ram, 256 SSD in June, 2015 from the Apple On-line Store.
IME, the MM(Late 2014) is way Heads-Above the MM(Late 2012) due to the much improved Specs and the williness to pay more for a machine that meets my needs.
I can only guess that if Apple plans to update the Mini, then they are looking at a new form factor because otherwise there was little reason to not update the current Mac Mini form factor with better components at WWDC with the rest of the line.
The problem is when does Apple announce this new form factor? With all the other Macs updated, there is no reason to hold a press event for a single model (and nobody would show up for a Mini announcement, anyway). They could just do it via a Press Release, but it's a new form factor so I would expect Apple would want to hype it.
If they are looking at a NUC-form factor, they could announce it with the 4K Apple TV expected this Fall. Maybe a "Two More Things" reveal at the end of the iPhone 7s launch this Fall.
Thing is though in your case you could have bought a 2012 Mini with 8 GB and SSD in it back in 2012 (resulting in performance almost identical to what you have now). The CPU is very, very close if you were to run them head to head with the same other components.
Sure, the spec you have now is better but that's not because it had to be refreshed, there is just different options in it.