Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

New Mac Mini based on Intel Ion platform - March Launch

If that's going to happen, they may as well kill off the mini for good instead of tarnishing it's memory with that.

I have an Eee PC and the thought of a desktop computer being powered by Atom is horrific.
 
It's not new thing that Mini will use nvidia chipset. I would like to know the source of launch month. I hope it comes sooner than in 2 months. We'll see...
 
Theophany said:
If that's going to happen, they may as well kill off the mini for good instead of tarnishing it's memory with that.

I have an Eee PC and the thought of a desktop computer being powered by Atom is horrific.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'm not sure how this platform combination compares to the current platform. It's still technically a rumor, but it seems likely.
 
kkapoor said:
Yeah, I'm not sure how this platform combination compares to the current platform. It's still technically a rumor, but it seems likely.
Click to expand...

No, it doesn't. The Atom is an extremely anemic platform and is less than the current entry-level Mini. If Apple uses it, it'll more likely go in a netbook or even the Apple TV update. The only way I can envision this in a Mini is if they plan to use OpenCL and leverage the 9400m.
 
kkapoor said:
Here's the Nvidia page.

http://www.nvidia.com/object/sff_ion.html

I think there might be an amalgamation of the Apple TV and Mac Mini to some extent given what the specs are.
Click to expand...

yeah, Apple TV with that more likely, in my opinion.
Recent rumors were hinting at an a lot more powerful Mac Mini, dual DVI if I'm not mistaking, and power efficiency, the whole concept of Atom is not of any interest for a "desktop", I could be wrong though.
 
Cave Man said:
The Atom is an extremely anemic platform and is less than the current entry-level Mini.
Click to expand...

This isn't an Atom platform. It's Nvidia's Ion platform (9400M) paired with a dual core Atom 330. The Ion platform doesn't seem "anemic" at all. In fact, having read some of the information it seems like it's considerably more powerful then the current Mac Mini offering.
 
kkapoor said:
This isn't an Atom platform. It's Nvidia's Ion platform (9400M) paired with a dual core Atom 330. The Ion platform doesn't seem "anemic" at all. In fact, having read some of the information it seems like it's considerably more powerful then the current Mac Mini offering.
Click to expand...

on a side note, I don't see apple crippling the mini to a FSB of 533MHz, it would have to be called Mac pu**y not mini
 
kkapoor said:
This isn't an Atom platform. It's Nvidia's Ion platform (9400M) paired with a dual core Atom 330. The Ion platform doesn't seem "anemic" at all. In fact, having read some of the information it seems like it's considerably more powerful then the current Mac Mini offering.
Click to expand...
The Atom is a terrible step back from even budget dual core mobile Celerons/Semprons. The 9400M G is another story but that's the IGP and not the processor.

kkapoor said:
The Ion Platform uses DDR3 with and FSB of 1333 MHz

Here are the specs:

http://www.nvidia.com/object/picoatom_specifications.html
Click to expand...
The front side bus and RAM clock ratios aren't always 1:1.
 
kkapoor said:
This isn't an Atom platform. It's Nvidia's Ion platform (9400M) paired with a dual core Atom 330. The Ion platform doesn't seem "anemic" at all. In fact, having read some of the information it seems like it's considerably more powerful then the current Mac Mini offering.
Click to expand...

Thanks for clipping my reference to OpenCL and the 9400M. :rolleyes: Nothing like quoting out of context.
 
Some more info:

http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/12/nvidia-ion-platform-gets-demonstrated-at-ces/

I'm not sure if the Ion only supports Atom CPU's given the specs. Since It's a 9400M I'm sure it's capable of supporting other CPU's as well given it's the same chip that's in the current Macbook (Pro). Only time will tell what Apple actually uses. It might be a hybrid of some sort. Still very interesting proposition.
 
Maybe this whole DC Atom 330 + Ion platform is the new entry model?
Possibly at a $399 price tag :D


....... Or I may be just dreaming.
 
kkapoor said:
Some more info:

http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/12/nvidia-ion-platform-gets-demonstrated-at-ces/

I'm not sure if the Ion only supports Atom CPU's given the specs. Since It's a 9400M I'm sure it's capable of supporting other CPU's as well given it's the same chip that's in the current Macbook (Pro). Only time will tell what Apple actually uses. It might be a hybrid of some sort. Still very interesting proposition.
Click to expand...
Ion is nVidia's 9400M platform for the Atom processor. The 9400M chipset already supports desktop and mobile processors. :rolleyes:
 
kkapoor said:
I'm not sure if the Ion only supports Atom CPU's given the specs.
Click to expand...

Ion = Atom + 9400M.

Only time will tell what Apple actually uses. It might be a hybrid of some sort. Still very interesting proposition.
Click to expand...

What's absolutely certain is that Atom-based hackintoshes get really crappy Geekbench scores, far below that of the entry-level Mac Mini. If you want better performance out of Ion under OS X, it will have to rely on the 9400's CUDA technology and Snow Leopard's OpenCL.
 
Cave Man said:
Ion = Atom + 9400M.



What's absolutely certain is that Atom-based hackintoshes get really crappy Geekbench scores, far below that of the entry-level Macs. If you want better performance out of Ion under OS X, it will have to rely on the 9400's CUDA technology and Snow Leopard's OpenCL.
Click to expand...

Yup, absolutely correct. OpenCL and CUDA are a given for Snow Leopard.

Weather this ends up in the new Mini or whatever replaces the Mini will depend on what kind of product differentiation Apple is looking for. What kind of price/performance it's going for. Weather it can get the job done for entry level computing. The current dated Mini seems less powerful then the capabilities of the alleged Ion platform to be used.
 
Atom would be a large step back in performance. But then again, Apple lowered the GHz of the $1299 MacBook and used the GPU to make up for the difference, maybe Apple is doing the same thing here? (Although a 17% GHz reduction is nowhere near a Core 2 Duo -> Atom.)

Does this mean that the $999 white MacBook will be replaced with a $999 Atom aluminum MacBook?

If true, this increases the likelihood of a netbook too, or at least a smaller and slimmer MacBook Air.

Although I'm not sure how "An Nvidia partner confirmed to us that Apple was the first to receive samples of Nvidia's Ion platform, which we covered extensively during CES. In fact, Apple received prototype units long before Nvidia partners who opted to work on Ion" ended up into "Confirmed: Apple Mac Mini Based on Nvidia Ion."
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back