Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Mac Mini: 11 Months Since Last Update
- Thread starter slimandslam
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
What exactly is the big interest in a new Mac Mini? I have one and it is a great little box. If you want more power, get an iMac. If you want to spank the iMac get a Mac Pro.
Or whisper quietness, but I guess you can get that (sort of) with the pricier MacBook.
One box that does it all! It's what I want...
My dream is to have a single "magic box", an LCD TV, and a pair of speakers (ok, and maybe an AMP). The "magic box" will allow me to watch and record HD & SD TV (like Tivo), watch DVDs (including BluRay), rip/store/play movies, surf the web and access web video/music content, store music and play it back, store family photos and review them. I'd like the "magic box" to also have wireless functionality and use as few cables as possible. I want the "magic box" to be small, fast, and quiet. I also want the Mac OSX (or something stable that is media-savvy and runs on top of the Mac OS) to be my user interface. Thus far, in terms of form factor, the mac mini comes pretty close meeting a number of things that I want in my "magic box". Obviously, it misses the mark on some things (e.g., BluRay). Perhaps others who have expressed an interest in the Mini are looking for a similar "magic box"? Anyway, that's why I'm interested in it, and why I'm hoping for an upgrade and have been keeping vigil all this time.
My dream is to have a single "magic box", an LCD TV, and a pair of speakers (ok, and maybe an AMP). The "magic box" will allow me to watch and record HD & SD TV (like Tivo), watch DVDs (including BluRay), rip/store/play movies, surf the web and access web video/music content, store music and play it back, store family photos and review them. I'd like the "magic box" to also have wireless functionality and use as few cables as possible. I want the "magic box" to be small, fast, and quiet. I also want the Mac OSX (or something stable that is media-savvy and runs on top of the Mac OS) to be my user interface. Thus far, in terms of form factor, the mac mini comes pretty close meeting a number of things that I want in my "magic box". Obviously, it misses the mark on some things (e.g., BluRay). Perhaps others who have expressed an interest in the Mini are looking for a similar "magic box"? Anyway, that's why I'm interested in it, and why I'm hoping for an upgrade and have been keeping vigil all this time.
I would certainly hope so.....that's like saying my vacuum cleaner makes more noise than my Mini
I mean, when my laser printer just sits there doing nothing. Its an ML-2010, no bigger than a bread bin.
True, it isn't too bad; pretty cheap when I bought it, NZ$100 and does the job
its also nice about the fact that it doesn't require a 70MB driver download like drivers in the windows world apparently need 
While waiting on the new mac mini I have been watching the Apple store. I am watching for any signs that would lead me to believe that a new Mini is on the way. And I missed a chance at a Refurbished 2.0Ghz Core 2 Duo Mini. Man those things go fast and I always wonder how many they really have when they post them on the Apple site. I would diffently settle for a Refurbished 2.0Ghz Mini for $730
I've seen 2GHZ Mini's for $679 at the refurb store. I really think they only have 1 or 2, because they go instantly, Within a few minutes, if not seconds, the Mini's are gone.
I bought a 1.83 C2D mini and then upgraded the processor to a 2.33 Ghz T7600, added 4GB of ram and a 200GB 7200rpm drive. It now sits behind my 37" LCD TV in my bedroom and plays all my HD content with no issues using PLEX (OSXBMC). I figured with the 20% deal with MSN I wound up buying the mini new for around $420 after the cashback and then bought about $400 worth of updgrades ($50 4GB RAM, $100 200GB 7200rpm drive and the $225T7600). So for $820 I got MacDaddy Mini for less than the price of a factory made 2Ghz mini ($799 plus $56 in taxes) albeit no superdrive (which can be had for around $70 or so).
If and when a new Mini comes out, it would not be worthwhile for me to change until a Calpella based mini shows up that will use the Nehalem processors. Santa Rosa and Montevina really would not fare much better than my current setup for my applicaton, so no need to upgrade it 'til then. I figure I'm safe for at least the next 3 years or so. Then my mini can become the kid's surfer/e-mail platform.
If and when a new Mini comes out, it would not be worthwhile for me to change until a Calpella based mini shows up that will use the Nehalem processors. Santa Rosa and Montevina really would not fare much better than my current setup for my applicaton, so no need to upgrade it 'til then. I figure I'm safe for at least the next 3 years or so. Then my mini can become the kid's surfer/e-mail platform.
That isn't new. I don't believe the Mini was ever included in the back-to-school promotion, certainly not in the past few years. It's probably too low of a price point for Apple to consider giving away iPods.
. Where's my new Mac mini???? Still no Mini.
Reports to resellers that laptops and iPods will be in short supply, signaling new models coming out.
But NO word on an update for the long forgotten Mini!!!
Argh. I'd rather they kill it rather than let it sit there ignored and forgotten.
Reports to resellers that laptops and iPods will be in short supply, signaling new models coming out.
But NO word on an update for the long forgotten Mini!!!
Argh. I'd rather they kill it rather than let it sit there ignored and forgotten.
Well, there is still a chance of it being updated still, it's possible retail partners don't source enough mini stock to make it worth warning them of an imminent shortage.
But yeah, i agree.. i'd rather have them kill it off before letting it sit like this, i almost bought a refurb this morning.. but it was nagging me to just keep waiting and see what an update may offer.
Well Apple did talk about there being a product transition. Maybe Apple is going to give us a tower desktop that isn't a server for the professionals. The iMac looks like a great machine but it uses laptop components and if you're a pc user looking to switch and you already have a nice monitor then the iMac can be quite pricey compared to just buying or upgrading an existing desktop.
I think this is one market that Apple hasn't quite hit yet. People who want a powerful machine with the ability to upgrade in the future, but that don't need a high-end server like the current mac pro.
The mini doesn't make a lot of sense to me. For the price you're bettery off buying a macbook and using that like a mini. If you want something small and neat, then the imac makes much more sense.
I think this is one market that Apple hasn't quite hit yet. People who want a powerful machine with the ability to upgrade in the future, but that don't need a high-end server like the current mac pro.
The mini doesn't make a lot of sense to me. For the price you're bettery off buying a macbook and using that like a mini. If you want something small and neat, then the imac makes much more sense.
" ... The iMac looks like a great machine but it uses laptop components ..."
I believe that the Mac-Mini also uses lots of laptop components = no fan in a small case would almost require a laptop processor.
" ... [market:] People who want a powerful machine with the ability to upgrade in the future, but that don't need a high-end server like the current mac pro. ..."
Sounds just like a clone PC to me ... The Mac-Mini is just too small to allow swapping of parts for upgrades with the possible exception of more RAM or a CPU swapout (which could happen).
As for me and my office, the Mac-Mini is super for a web page editing, web graphics workstation in a network or cluster = small footprint, any monitor can apply, any KVM combination ... and it can FireWire network and co-process to a central high power server for serious animation / film graphics ... I'll take two more upgrades, please. Have you guys seen this: http://www.unibrain.com/support/FAQ_Networking.htm ... or this ... http://www.weethet.nl/english/network_firewire.php ?? Works like a charm and = a faster network.
I believe that the Mac-Mini also uses lots of laptop components = no fan in a small case would almost require a laptop processor.
" ... [market:] People who want a powerful machine with the ability to upgrade in the future, but that don't need a high-end server like the current mac pro. ..."
Sounds just like a clone PC to me ... The Mac-Mini is just too small to allow swapping of parts for upgrades with the possible exception of more RAM or a CPU swapout (which could happen).
As for me and my office, the Mac-Mini is super for a web page editing, web graphics workstation in a network or cluster = small footprint, any monitor can apply, any KVM combination ... and it can FireWire network and co-process to a central high power server for serious animation / film graphics ... I'll take two more upgrades, please. Have you guys seen this: http://www.unibrain.com/support/FAQ_Networking.htm ... or this ... http://www.weethet.nl/english/network_firewire.php ?? Works like a charm and = a faster network.
I don't see the Mac Mini going away any time soon and I really do think that Apple is going to update the hardware in the Mac Mini.
Lately the focus of Apple has been on the iPhone 3G and the iPhone SDK. I love the Mac Mini I love how small it is and how little space it takes up.
I think we are going to see a Quad-Core Mac Mini that has one of Intel's upcoming mobile Quad-Core. We also might even see a slight redesign to the Mac Mini similar to what the iMac saw going from White to Aluminum.
-iGrant
Aha! Ladies and Gentlemen, reprise number four of the famous...
Apple Care (not AppleCare) Chart!
More Care
iPhone
^
iPod
^
MacBook Air
^
iMac
^
MacBook
^
MacBook Pro
^
Mac Pro
^
Cinema Displays
^
Apple TV
^
iPod socks
^
Newton
^
Pippin
^
OS 8 Clones
^
Apple III
^
Mac Mini
Less Care
Thank you, and come again!