Mac mini wishlist

[mdavey]

Okay, so people are starting to receive their new Intel Mac minis. What would you like to see in the rev.B? I'll start us off:

* x1300 GPU, ideally using NVIDIA MXM, PCIe or some similar interconnect for upgradability
* PCIe socket on the backplane
* UWB (an ~800Mbps wireless link with 10m range that is set to replace Bluetooth, UWB and Firewire)
* PVR/DVR
* HD-DVD or Blueray (whichever wins the standards battle)
* illuminated logo (perhaps using CNT, OLED or EL technology)

 

[Legacy]

Realistically? Three models $499,$599,$699 (rev.B should be released in december when the Merom will allow Yonah prices to drop)

Lowest Model $499 - price cut of $100

Intel Core Solo 1.5Ghz Processor
512MB DDR2 Memory
Intel Integrated Graphics GMA950
60Gb Hard Drive
Combi Drive
FrontRow 2.0 and Remote

Mid Model $599

Intel Core Duo 1.66Ghz Processor
512MB DDR2 Memory
Intel Integrated Graphics GMA950
80Gb Hard Drive
Superdrive DL
FrontRow 2.0 and Remote

Top Model $699

Intel Core Duo 1.66Ghz Processor
1GB DDR2 Memory
Intel Integrated Graphics GMA950
100Gb Hard Drive
Superdrive DL
FrontRow 2.0 and Remote

I don't think we will see many advancements in Rev.B guys...sorry. Just price cuts. The MacMini is entry level. Once they have put the GMA GPU theres no going back - theres no space for dedicated GPU

 

[Halsey12]

I would like to see it become a "cube" so they can fit a 250 or 500 gb hard drive in it. My computer uses aren't processor intensive enough for a Tower, and I don't need a portable like I have right now, and I'd rather have a Cinema display than a big jawed iMac, so that leaves me with... wanting a mac mini, but one with a big enough hard drive to hold all my tv shows and music.

 

[milo]

Apple REALLY needs to start shipping the intel macs with a gig of ram. Unless you're running the bare minimum of apps, 512 just chokes them.

At this point, I'd rather see high speed video airport (either with video tuner included, able to stream video TO a computer or a lower cost USB or FW tuner) than a DVR mini.

 

[~Shard~]

Okay, so people are starting to receive their new Intel Mac minis. What would you like to see in the rev.B? I'll start us off:

* x1300 GPU, ideally using NVIDIA MXM, PCIe or some similar interconnect for upgradability
* PCIe socket on the backplane
* UWB (an ~800Mbps wireless link with 10m range that is set to replace Bluetooth, UWB and Firewire)
* HD-DVD or Blueray (whichever wins the standards battle)
* illuminated logo (perhaps using CNT, OLED or EL technology)

Sounds like a wishlist for a Rev E, not a Rev B.

GPU ain't gonna happen - once they move to integrated graphics they will not move back, not for a long time at least.

UWB is not going to be available for a while yet.

Bluray will not make its way into Macs until 2007.

Illuminuated logo - sure, I'll give you that one.

I would like to see DVR functionality/Front Row 2.0, but that's a topic for an entirely different discussion...

 

[BlizzardBomb]

Realistically? Three models $499,$599,$699 (rev.B should be released in december when the Merom will allow Yonah prices to drop)

Next quarter Intel will be shuffling the prices of Yonah chips down to allow the new 2.33Ghz to be the same price as the current 2.16Ghz version.

Also, I've read somewhere that the new Mini is extremely tightly packed so there's no room for a proper graphics card without changing form factor.

Sooooo, my predictions for Rev. B:

Entry-level model - $549/£399
Intel Core Duo - 1.66Ghz
1x 512MB DDR2 RAM (It's only annoying people by using 2x 256MB!)
80GB HD
GMA 950
ComboDrive + Wireless

High-end model - $749/£549
Intel Core Duo - 1.83Ghz
1x 512MB DDR2 RAM
100GB HD
GMA 950
8x SuperDrive + Wireless

Dual processors as standard, larger HD and price drops, but in essence the same Mac it was before!

 

[isgoed]

maybe we will get the GMA960! /Sarcasm

 

[FocusAndEarnIt]

Okay, so people are starting to receive their new Intel Mac minis. What would you like to see in the rev.B? I'll start us off:

* x1300 GPU, ideally using NVIDIA MXM, PCIe or some similar interconnect for upgradability
* PCIe socket on the backplane
* UWB (an ~800Mbps wireless link with 10m range that is set to replace Bluetooth, UWB and Firewire)
* HD-DVD or Blueray (whichever wins the standards battle)
* illuminated logo (perhaps using CNT, OLED or EL technology)

Hate to say this, but I HIGHLY doubt any of that will happen.

I mean, $#¡t, I'd love that to happen, but realistically, it won't.

 

[maestro55]

I don't know if we will see this, but an ideal choice would be three systems with the prices and specs below.

$499.00 Model
1.5GHz Intel Core Solo processor
2MB L2 Cache
667MHz Frontside Bus
1gig memory
60GB Serial ATA hard drive
Combo drive (DVD-ROM/CD-RW)
Built-in AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth 2.0
Apple Remote

$599.00 Model
1.66GHz Intel Core Duo processor
2MB L2 Cache
667MHz Frontside Bus
1.5gig memory
100GB Serial ATA hard drive
Double-layer SuperDrive (DVD+R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
Built-in AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth 2.0
Apple Remote

$799.00 Model
2.0GHz Intel Core Duo processor
2MB L2 Cache
667MHz Frontside Bus
1.5gig memory
120GB Serial ATA hard drive
Double-layer SuperDrive (DVD+R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
Built-in AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth 2.0
Apple Remote

The first one is basically the same as the current model, but $100 cheaper and a RAM upgrade. Second model upgrades the RAM and Harddrive. The updates in speed and space would make the system even more media friendly. Same with my third specs. Adding more and lowering the price is what we all want. Will it happen any time soon? I highly doubt it, do I wish it would happen, of course.

 

[MRU]

Cost of bluray player would be more than the mac mini
Besides we could end up with a MiniDisc versus Philips DCC battle (both were superior to cassette tape and meant to replace it, but did they? NO), where neither really win the battle and DVD remains the standard. Afterall a dvd budget player can be bought for like $30, a budget recorder for $100....

if the $500-$1000 for a new HD/BluRay player and over $1000 for a recorder, added to the fact that everyone would percieve they have to buy their entire DVD collection again... it just might not convince average Jo Soap to buy either ... Added that it's gonna be a good amount of years before HDTV's are standard in everyones house.

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illuminated logo. Yes i would like that.

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X1300 or any dedicated GPU would be an improvement

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[woodjo]

external. antenna. plug.

Not everyone has a wired network or sits 10 feet from their router. How hard would it be to include a plug so we can screw on an external wireless antenna!!!

 

[findpankaj]

Mac mini battery backup?

Sorry to interrupt the thread.
Just wondering, do mac mini's have battery back up or do they run direct from power?

 

[Eidorian]

Sorry to interrupt the thread.
Just wondering, do mac mini's have battery back up or do they run direct from power?

They're AC only. I've seen some battery power hacked ones though from the G4 era.

 

[findpankaj]

They're AC only. I've seen some battery power hacked ones though from the G4 era.

So, do people use UPS to protect these? it is more or less center of home entertainment now, got to protect them from sudden power failure or surge.

I am sure this is true with iMac.....how do you guys manage?

 

[Eidorian]

So, do people use UPS to protect these? it is more or less center of home entertainment now, got to protect them from sudden power failure or surge.

I am sure this is true with iMac.....how do you guys manage?

It's a computer. You'd only need a UPS if you want to have power to save work during an outage. Just get a good surge protector and replace it every few years. Just because it hasn't fried doesn't mean it hasn't handled it's fair share of minor surges.

 

[findpankaj]

It's a computer. You'd only need a UPS if you want to have power to save work during an outage. Just get a good surge protector and replace it every few years. Just because it hasn't fried doesn't mean it hasn't handled it's fair share of minor surges.

But outage can harm your computer (HDD).....that is why probably we don't pull the plug off, instead of a normal shut down.....

 

[Eidorian]

But outage can harm your computer (HDD).....that is why probably we don't pull the plug off, instead of a normal shut down.....

That's why we have journaled disks. Still, I've pulled the plug on my computers hundreds of times with no ill effects. Not that I want to, but it happens.

 

[rockandrule]

$599.00 Model
1.66GHz Intel Core Duo processor
2MB L2 Cache
667MHz Frontside Bus
1.5gig memory
100GB Serial ATA hard drive
Double-layer SuperDrive (DVD+R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
Built-in AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth 2.0
Apple Remote

$799.00 Model
2.0GHz Intel Core Duo processor
2MB L2 Cache
667MHz Frontside Bus
1.5gig memory
120GB Serial ATA hard drive
Double-layer SuperDrive (DVD+R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
Built-in AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth 2.0
Apple Remote

There is NO WAY Apple will throw 1.5GB of RAM in a Mini. Quit dreaming, it will only disappoint.

 

[lord patton]

I agree that as Core prices drop, the mini will return to a sub-$500 entry point. Although...

When Merom comes out, Duo clock speeds increase, and the low end Core prices drop, would it make sense to just ditch the Solo altogether, use only Duos (or better) throughout the product line, and tell the developers that all new Macs (starting Jan '07) will be multi-core?

 

[mdavey]

Hate to say this, but I HIGHLY doubt any of that will happen.

I mean, $#¡t, I'd love that to happen, but realistically, it won't.

I should have been more specific. The thread was intended to be about what innovations you would like to see in the Mac mini, not a best guess for what Apple will actually do next with the mini (I think we would all more or less agree on the later).

So... What should those research dudes that get their names on the Cupertino patents be working on for the Mac mini (and lets not have masses of posts asking for Blueray and PVR/DVR - we all know lots of people want those )?