2018 Mini Spec/Price Predictions/Hopes

[redheeler]

They did in 2012. What changed?

The 45 W Ivy Bridge CPUs used in the high-end 2012 include the same integrated graphics as the 28 W Ivy Bridge CPUs used in the low-end 2012, while the Coffee Lake 45 W CPUs include worse integrated graphics compared to the 28 W Coffee Lake CPUs.

Apple didn't even consider eGPU a possibility in 2012.

Those who hunger for GPU performance aren’t going to have a problem paying for that performance. As long as the iGPU is able to handle 4K output @ 60Hz it will be fine for the majority of people. It doesn’t matter if the top speed of a car drops from 155mph to 145mph if most people aren’t breaking 100mph, and the few that will be exceeding 145mph are also not going to want to stop at 155mph but go well past 200mph.

The difference will be noticed when doing anything GPU-intensive (assuming whoever bought the mini couldn't justify or afford the cost of an eGPU, which is more likely than not to be the case). Even just comparing the specs of the two models, a weaker iGPU could be enough to dissuade someone from buying the more-expensive one.

I would much rather have a 6-core with a low tier iGPU, over a 4-core with a low tier dGPU.

I don't think a 4-core with dGPU will happen regardless. The mini will top out at either a 6-core 45 W with dGPU, or a 4-core 28 W with iGPU.

 

[HalfNelson]

Can a low end iGPU even support a smooth 4K60 output? That’s the bit I’m worried about. A quad coer is fine for my needs but a terrible iGPU will most likely push me to an iMac 5K.

You’re not going to be gaming at 4K60, but regular day to day work should be fine on iGPUs going back a couple years now. You’ve got Apple TVs, Rokus, and Chromecasts doing 4k60 now days. That is not a big hurdle for simple display purposes.
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A 28w quad is fine by me. It is what the new MBP 13" is using, and it is getting single and multi core Geekbench results around 50% better than the 2012 Mini quads.

2018 quad 13" MBP

2012 quad Mini

Easily meets my needs.

Those benchmarks are why I’m going to be dropping cash day one if those are the top of the line.

I do wonder what their overall cost is on the Retina Screen w/camera, keyboard, trackpad, and battery on the 15” Pros, as I would just love to buy one of those machines minus those components that I’ll never use.

 

[MRrainer]

Can a low end iGPU even support a smooth 4K60 output? That’s the bit I’m worried about. A quad coer is fine for my needs but a terrible iGPU will most likely push me to an iMac 5K.

https://www.laptopmag.com/articles/intel-hd-graphics-comparison

I believe Haswell (2012) was the first iGPU to achieve 4k (Iris Pro).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_HD,_UHD_and_Iris_Graphics#Ivy_Bridge

Though the Haswell MBP wasn't released until October 2013.

 

[Micky Do]

I was surprised to hear Mini rumors and very curious what it and the Mac Pro will look like so they don't step on eachother's toes:

My guess (I know I'm dreaming):

$500 8th Gen i3, 128GB SSD, 8GB RAM

$700 i5, 250GB SSD, 8GB RAM

$1000 i7, 250GB SSD, 8GB RAM

I would imagine SSD's offered up to 2TB and RAM to 32GB

Hope they offer latest 2 X HDMI and 4 X USB, and a MICROPHONE. I'd like to see Siri built in for HTPCs.

Seems you are dreaming of a laptop, not a desktop.

Look at the MacBook and iMac range for an idea of specs and connectivity.

Lower range Minis will continue to have HDD as standard, with various Fusion Drive and SSD as options, or standard further up the range.

Despised by geeks, HDD remains the best bang for buck by far for folks for whom maximising storage is more important than snappy performance. As such the HDD is likely to remain in cheaper options of desktops for some time to come.

8 GB RAM will be standard, in keeping with all other Macs, with 16 GB an option. Maybe 32 GB option at the top of the range.

Connectivity will be in keeping the the iMac range with 3.5 mm audio out (and maybe in), ethernet, USB3 & USB-C ports, plus HDMI.

 

[gigatoaster]

Anyone knows what is the latest status on the rumors? Planned to be release this fall? New or old form factor? HDD or SSD?

 

[Miat]

I do wonder what their overall cost is on the Retina Screen w/camera, keyboard, trackpad, and battery on the 15” Pros, as I would just love to buy one of those machines minus those components that I’ll never use.

The May 2015, 15" MBP, the base model with no dGPU just Iris Pro iGPU, was selling until recently in the refurb shop here (Australia) for $2500, but now on 'clearance' at $3000.

At $2500 it was outstanding value, for those who didn't need the latest and greatest, IMHO.

If I'd had the money I would have grabbed one @ $2500, and upgraded the drive from 256GB to 1TB. Would have been a great machine for me.

 

[Boyd01]

Anyone knows what is the latest status on the rumors?

Nobody knows, but there is no shortage of "opinions". MacRumors has a summary here: https://www.macrumors.com/roundup/mac-mini/

 

[Lesser Evets]

It has been 5 years--FIIIIVVVEEEE YEEEEAARSS--and technology has changed a LOT since the last update.

So has Apple's approach to computing changed, especially since the current Mac Mini design was created.

FIRST--the mini should almost certainly get a total revamp in shape and size. Fanless in coming, and it might be here with the mini in 2018. However, since Intel is lagging with 10nm chip production, Apple could neuter the mini to get a finless enclosure that then gets properly spec'd out in 2020.

SECOND--the mini should become about a third of the present size, maybe half. No more access to ANYTHING. It will be all soldered down or close to soldered down, and memory/drives will be locked in unless you really pry into the casing.

THIRD--the reduction in size and parts might help make it a little cheaper on the low end.

$399: neutered Mini with Y-series Amber Lake m3, 8mb RAM, 128GB SSD
$599: Mini with Y-series m5, 8mb RAM, 128GB SSD upgradable to more
$899: Mini with i5/i7 chips, 16mb RAM optional, 256GB SSD upgradable

Think "MACBOOK WITH SCREEN REMOVED AND NO BATTERY", and you get my prognostication.

It'll be that ultra-tiny motherboard with a power section and a slew of USB-C ports on the back. Maybe it will have the audio ports still. Other than that, it's OVER JOHNNY. Simple, small, sleek, slow(ish).

The NEW MacMini will be a prime entry vehicle for people that need a Mac, ANY MAC, to get something done. Just plug in a monitor and keyboard/mouse, and you have a Mac for cheap. processors are getting good enough now that such a machine might be a true boon in the low-end desktop market.

 

[Boyd01]

It has been 5 years--FIIIIVVVEEEE YEEEEAARSS

The current Mini was introduced on October 16, 2014. That isn't even FOOOUUUUUR YEEEEEAARSS" yet.

 

[karatekidk]

Still holding on to my late 2009 mini (upgraded to 8gb ram and 512gb ssd). At this point, I'll take anything new.

 

[redheeler]

It has been 5 years--FIIIIVVVEEEE YEEEEAARSS--and technology has changed a LOT since the last update.

So has Apple's approach to computing changed, especially since the current Mac Mini design was created.

FIRST--the mini should almost certainly get a total revamp in shape and size. Fanless in coming, and it might be here with the mini in 2018. However, since Intel is lagging with 10nm chip production, Apple could neuter the mini to get a finless enclosure that then gets properly spec'd out in 2020.

SECOND--the mini should become about a third of the present size, maybe half. No more access to ANYTHING. It will be all soldered down or close to soldered down, and memory/drives will be locked in unless you really pry into the casing.

THIRD--the reduction in size and parts might help make it a little cheaper on the low end.

$399: neutered Mini with Y-series Amber Lake m3, 8mb RAM, 128GB SSD
$599: Mini with Y-series m5, 8mb RAM, 128GB SSD upgradable to more
$899: Mini with i5/i7 chips, 16mb RAM optional, 256GB SSD upgradable

Think "MACBOOK WITH SCREEN REMOVED AND NO BATTERY", and you get my prognostication.

It'll be that ultra-tiny motherboard with a power section and a slew of USB-C ports on the back. Maybe it will have the audio ports still. Other than that, it's OVER JOHNNY. Simple, small, sleek, slow(ish).

The NEW MacMini will be a prime entry vehicle for people that need a Mac, ANY MAC, to get something done. Just plug in a monitor and keyboard/mouse, and you have a Mac for cheap. processors are getting good enough now that such a machine might be a true boon in the low-end desktop market.

Just shows how low expectations are when someone is hoping for dual-core 5 W MacBook chips in a fanless Mac mini. If that happens, the six-year-old 2012 Mac mini will remain the fastest Mac mini ever made with better multi-core CPU performance.

While I would be fine with seeing a dual-core i3 28 W for the $499 (or $549) model, competing small-form-factor PCs such as the Intel NUC will be offering a quad-core 28 W i5 in the mid-range (Apple's $799 price tier) by the end of the year, so Apple needs to do the same to keep the mini competitive. I would also like to see Apple also go all the way to hex-core and dGPU for a high-end $1,099 model, as a 2018 equivalent to the quad-core Mac mini 2012 and even worthy of replacing a 12-core Mac Pro 5,1 from 8 years ago, but that is probably wishful thinking.

This is a desktop, and there's no reason why it shouldn't perform like one. In fact, in 2018 the Mac mini has less appeal to light-use Windows-to-Mac switchers than it did in 2005, and more appeal to those who actually need a powerful standalone desktop but can't afford or justify a Mac Pro.

 

[Lesser Evets]

The Mini was an amazing desktop, when updated, but Apple is notorious for lessening the low-end products.

The current Mini was introduced on October 16, 2014. That isn't even FOOOUUUUUR YEEEEEAARSS" yet.

Hey! Your facts are getting in the way of my rhetoric!

This is a desktop, and there's no reason why it shouldn't perform like one. In fact, in 2018 the Mac mini has less appeal to light-use Windows-to-Mac switchers than it did in 2005, and more appeal to those who actually need a powerful standalone desktop but can't afford or justify a Mac Pro.

Au contraire! There are two approaches to a desktop MacMini: consumer or semi-pro.

Let's face it--the mini isn't Pro, though it was kind of getting there in 2012. It's a trimmed down computer for people who want their own monitor and have little cash. Little cash=not pro. So it could easily be a cheap and stodgy Mac with which to store all your fabulous iDevice info! But few people would want to spend $999+ for such a device to aid the fabulous iDevice line, so Apple would probably be best to consider the Mini as a intro Mac as an add-on to fabulous iDevices that are so fabulously profitable.

Now, this is pure speculation, but it would be a preferable business model to encourage iDevice sales if people could join the Mac ecosystem, and you need something low-end and low-priced. Cannibalizing the MacBook would work; eliminate the casing, the screen, the keyboard, the trackpad, the batteries, and you have it! Just add a smaller casing with ports and that's the cheapest Mac computer possible at this time, and you barely have to design anything "under the hood".

If you need a real computer, the iMac is the choice. They could have high-end minis with improved hardware in the old form, but I do have low expectations.

 

[redheeler]

Au contraire! There are two approaches to a desktop MacMini: consumer or semi-pro.

Let's face it--the mini isn't Pro, though it was kind of getting there in 2012. It's a trimmed down computer for people who want their own monitor and have little cash. Little cash=not pro. So it could easily be a cheap and stodgy Mac with which to store all your fabulous iDevice info! But few people would want to spend $999+ for such a device to aid the fabulous iDevice line, so Apple would probably be best to consider the Mini as a intro Mac as an add-on to fabulous iDevices that are so fabulously profitable.

Now, this is pure speculation, but it would be a preferable business model to encourage iDevice sales if people could join the Mac ecosystem, and you need something low-end and low-priced. Cannibalizing the MacBook would work; eliminate the casing, the screen, the keyboard, the trackpad, the batteries, and you have it! Just add a smaller casing with ports and that's the cheapest Mac computer possible at this time, and you barely have to design anything "under the hood".

If you need a real computer, the iMac is the choice. They could have high-end minis with improved hardware in the old form, but I do have low expectations.

There's no reason Apple can't do both approaches, as proposed earlier in this thread:

• A $549 model based on the 13" tbMBP logic board with a dual-core i3 and 500 GB Fusion drive in the existing form factor. A low-end Mac mini that wouldn't be very expensive to engineer or manufacture, and would be good enough for basic users.
• A $1,099 model based on the 15" tbMBP logic board with a hex-core i7, 256 GB SSD, and dGPU in the existing form factor for those who want a reasonably-powerful standalone desktop but can't afford or justify a Mac Pro that costs twice as much.

But will they do both? Probably not, given how little Apple cares about the Mac mini.

 

[HalfNelson]

Let's face it--the mini isn't Pro, though it was kind of getting there in 2012. It's a trimmed down computer for people who want their own monitor and have little cash. Little cash=not pro. So it could easily be a cheap and stodgy Mac with which to store all your fabulous iDevice info! But few people would want to spend $999+ for such a device to aid the fabulous iDevice line, so Apple would probably be best to consider the Mini as a intro Mac as an add-on to fabulous iDevices that are so fabulously profitable.

Now, this is pure speculation, but it would be a preferable business model to encourage iDevice sales if people could join the Mac ecosystem, and you need something low-end and low-priced. Cannibalizing the MacBook would work; eliminate the casing, the screen, the keyboard, the trackpad, the batteries, and you have it! Just add a smaller casing with ports and that's the cheapest Mac computer possible at this time, and you barely have to design anything "under the hood".

If you need a real computer, the iMac is the choice. They could have high-end minis with improved hardware in the old form, but I do have low expectations.

You couldn’t be more wrong. I’ve been selling Macs for the last 10 years, and while the base model Minis were primarily for the low on cash buyer, the mid-high tier models were not. The main Mini buyer in the mid-high tier range were businesses/pros using it as a server style workhorse, or those specifically needing the form factor (no screen, no battery). It wasn’t the cost of the Mini so much as it was that form factor. “Just get an iMac” isn’t really a good solution for many business/pro users who don’t need the performance/cost of a Mac Pro. The Mini wasn’t about “I don’t have the money” it was about “I don’t need $3000 worth of desktop performance, but I need a screenless batteryless form factor.”

 

[enc0re]

You couldn’t be more wrong. I’ve been selling Macs for the last 10 years, and while the base model Minis were primarily for the low on cash buyer, the mid-high tier models were not. The main Mini buyer in the mid-high tier range were businesses/pros using it as a server style workhorse, or those specifically needing the form factor (no screen, no battery). It wasn’t the cost of the Mini so much as it was that form factor. “Just get an iMac” isn’t really a good solution for many business/pro users who don’t need the performance/cost of a Mac Pro. The Mini wasn’t about “I don’t have the money” it was about “I don’t need $3000 worth of desktop performance, but I need a screenless batteryless form factor.”

Some people just need a Mac. Not a laptop. Not a laptop on a stick. Not a $Texas workstation.

Just a Mac. I wish Apple still served that market segment.

 

[Miat]

If you need a real computer, the iMac is the choice.

Yeah. Nah.

Apple have to maintain the entire ecosystem, including a full range of headless Macs. Leaving big holes in it, or not keeping up with the competition, is just not smart business practice.

Macs might only be 10% of Apple's revenue, but that is still a ship load of revenue, a healthy business on its own, and absolutely critical to their overall success.

 

[gusping]

Some people just need a Mac. Not a laptop. Not a laptop on a stick. Not a $Texas workstation.

Just a Mac. I wish Apple still served that market segment.

This! I was going to replace my 2014 15” MBP with an iMac, but I have a nice monitor, don’t want the iMac throttling/running hot 24/7, and specs are not important from a Mac point of view. Solution: buy a Mac Mini for browsing etc and build a £2500 PC with an overclocked 5Ghz 8700K and 1080 Ti for the heavy lifting. The Mac lineup currently is dire and is making me willing to spend £1500 tops, rather than £3000 or so if they had a good machine available.

 

[Lesser Evets]

You couldn’t be more wrong. I’ve been selling Macs for the last 10 years, and while the base model Minis were primarily for the low on cash buyer, the mid-high tier models were not. ...The Mini wasn’t about “I don’t have the money” it was about “I don’t need $3000 worth of desktop performance, but I need a screenless batteryless form factor.”

Yeah, but no, because it doesn't make a lot of sense.

First, you can buy an iMac for $1099, if you really want that level of power.

The minis WERE for a good deal of power, at the higher end, but I doubt they will continue to be so. Apple could possibly steer their market with the mini, getting it into the "it'll do for the kitchen desk" market rather than the upper-end medium-size-task market. Allow me to point to the 2014 MacMini!

It will have to be seen, but I get the feeling Apple will begin stratifying instead of blurring lines on all their desktops and laptops.

 

[HalfNelson]

Yeah, but no, because it doesn't make a lot of sense.

First, you can buy an iMac for $1099, if you really want that level of power.

The minis WERE for a good deal of power, at the higher end, but I doubt they will continue to be so. Apple could possibly steer their market with the mini, getting it into the "it'll do for the kitchen desk" market rather than the upper-end medium-size-task market. Allow me to point to the 2014 MacMini!

It will have to be seen, but I get the feeling Apple will begin stratifying instead of blurring lines on all their desktops and laptops.

You completely missed my entire point about the importance of form factor. “You can buy an iMac” is not a solution to many people that the iMac form factor doesn’t work for. There are many people who don’t have space for multiple monitors, but also need whatever screen they use to be able to accept an hdmi input. An iMac screen can’t do that. It isn’t solely about the performance. Form factor is also an important feature.

 

[sublunar]

This! I was going to replace my 2014 15” MBP with an iMac, but I have a nice monitor, don’t want the iMac throttling/running hot 24/7, and specs are not important from a Mac point of view. Solution: buy a Mac Mini for browsing etc and build a £2500 PC with an overclocked 5Ghz 8700K and 1080 Ti for the heavy lifting. The Mac lineup currently is dire and is making me willing to spend £1500 tops, rather than £3000 or so if they had a good machine available.

If you're concerned about a Mac running hot I don't think there's an alternative - just enjoy the (relative) silence. If you only wanted a Mini we're fast approaching the point where £1500 could buy you a 2018 MacBook of some description that could operate in clamshell mode and easily outperform a 2014 Mac Mini costing roughly the same money on most benchmarks while being portable and having a screen, trackpad and keyboard. It's only a matter of time if Apple continue to neglect the Mini when an article comes along to make that claim.

 

[tofagerl]

My biggest request would be a true range of models. If they can push the lowest below $500, and get the highest hexacore and an actually good GPU (laptop, sure), with at least four Thunderbolt 3 ports, we should all be happy for a very long time.
I'm not worried about disk space, because that's where Apple rakes in the big bucks, so I have no doubt we'll get at least a 2tb option. No, RAM is where I'm concerned. I need 16gb, and I ironically don't need a very fast CPU (I'm a dev, I can wait for my compiles, but I can't do without my Docker containers.)

Of course, this will really be my home machine, the MBP at work is a different story, since I don't pay for that myself.

 

[gusping]

If you're concerned about a Mac running hot I don't think there's an alternative - just enjoy the (relative) silence. If you only wanted a Mini we're fast approaching the point where £1500 could buy you a 2018 MacBook of some description that could operate in clamshell mode and easily outperform a 2014 Mac Mini costing roughly the same money on most benchmarks while being portable and having a screen, trackpad and keyboard. It's only a matter of time if Apple continue to neglect the Mini when an article comes along to make that claim.

I want a desktop, and i am certainly not buying the current Mac Mini, and will never buy the overpriced (and junk) newly updated MBPs. It’s either a Mac Mini or an iMac, preferably the former as I don’t need it to be powerful. But... i do have limits, such as no LPDDR3 ram.

 

[redheeler]

More likely they'd put the (max) 15W TDP i3-8130U in a base model.

More likely Apple will want to use the same logic board / socket for the base model and mid-tier i5. In fact, we may only see a single logic board / socket for all models of the 2018 Mac mini, meaning the high-end model will only be quad-core + iGPU.

$549 Mac mini 8,1:

• Intel Core i3-8109U (2 cores, base 3 GHz, turbo 3.6 GHz)
• Intel Iris Plus Graphics 655
• 500 GB Fusion drive (32 GB SSD portion) or 128 GB pure SSD (+$50 for the SSD)

$799 Mac mini 8,1:

• Intel Core i5-8259U (4 cores, base 2.3 GHz, turbo 3.8 GHz)
• Intel Iris Plus Graphics 655
• 1 TB Fusion drive (128 GB SSD portion) or 256 GB pure SSD

$999 Mac mini 8,1:

• Intel Core i7-8559U (4 cores, base 2.7 GHz, turbo 4.5 GHz)
• Intel Iris Plus Graphics 655
• 1 TB Fusion drive (128 GB SSD portion) or 256 GB pure SSD

Would be nice to see a hex-core Mac mini, but I wouldn't expect it at this point. Apple is clearly not enthusiastic about the Mac mini, and hasn't been since 2012.

But even with quad-core only, this would be the fastest Mac mini Apple ever made. And still a good value when compared to competing small-form-factor PCs such as the Intel NUC.

 

[gusping]

More likely Apple will want to use the same logic board / socket for the base model and mid-tier i5. In fact, we may only see a single logic board / socket for all models of the 2018 Mac mini, meaning the high-end model will only be quad-core + iGPU.

$549 Mac mini 8,1:

• Intel Core i3-8109U (2 cores, base 3 GHz, turbo 3.6 GHz)
• Intel Iris Plus Graphics 655
• 500 GB Fusion drive (32 GB SSD portion) or 128 GB pure SSD (+$50 for the SSD)

$799 Mac mini 8,1:

• Intel Core i5-8259U (4 cores, base 2.3 GHz, turbo 3.8 GHz)
• Intel Iris Plus Graphics 655
• 1 TB Fusion drive (128 GB SSD portion) or 256 GB pure SSD

$999 Mac mini 8,1:

• Intel Core i7-8559U (4 cores, base 2.7 GHz, turbo 4.5 GHz)
• Intel Iris Plus Graphics 655
• 1 TB Fusion drive (128 GB SSD portion) or 256 GB pure SSD

Would be nice to see a hex-core Mac mini, but I wouldn't expect it at this point. Apple is clearly not enthusiastic about the Mac mini, and hasn't been since 2012.

But even with quad-core only, this would be the fastest Mac mini Apple ever made. And still a good value when compared to competing small-form-factor PCs such as the Intel NUC.

If those came with LPDDR3 ram (which seems certain in those specs), i'll be extremely disappointed. It's 2018 and in a desktop device, full fat DDR3 isn't possible. Wow....

Plus, the advance of a NUC is the integrated Vega GPU. So so so much better than anything a Mac Mini will have.

 

[MarkC426]

More likely Apple will want to use the same logic board / socket for the base model and mid-tier i5. In fact, we may only see a single logic board / socket for all models of the 2018 Mac mini, meaning the high-end model will only be quad-core + iGPU.

$549 Mac mini 8,1:

• Intel Core i3-8109U (2 cores, base 3 GHz, turbo 3.6 GHz)
• Intel Iris Plus Graphics 655
• 500 GB Fusion drive (32 GB SSD portion) or 128 GB pure SSD (+$50 for the SSD)

$799 Mac mini 8,1:

• Intel Core i5-8259U (4 cores, base 2.3 GHz, turbo 3.8 GHz)
• Intel Iris Plus Graphics 655
• 1 TB Fusion drive (128 GB SSD portion) or 256 GB pure SSD

$999 Mac mini 8,1:

• Intel Core i7-8559U (4 cores, base 2.7 GHz, turbo 4.5 GHz)
• Intel Iris Plus Graphics 655
• 1 TB Fusion drive (128 GB SSD portion) or 256 GB pure SSD

Would be nice to see a hex-core Mac mini, but I wouldn't expect it at this point. Apple is clearly not enthusiastic about the Mac mini, and hasn't been since 2012.

But even with quad-core only, this would be the fastest Mac mini Apple ever made. And still a good value when compared to competing small-form-factor PCs such as the Intel NUC.

If those where the options I would be happy.
Am looking for some render nodes for my MacPro, and a 4 or 6 core at that price would be great (especially if i7, so multithreaded).
Has anyone even considered the mini and pro could be the same. i.e. base unit is the mini, then the additional modules upgrade it to a ‘pro’? Just a crazy thought....