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New Mac Mini based on Intel Ion platform - March Launch

Eidorian said:
You might want to do a little more research first. I strongly suggest it.
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I'm not not trying to argue anything or advocate for a particular technology. The info is based on the article. Any information/comparisons provided are welcome. Condescension is not the best way to advance a discussion. It is just that.... a discussion.

So the question is how do the following compare:

Current Mac Mini C2D + Intel GMA 950 vs. Alleged Mac Mini Nvidia Ion (Geforce 9400M) + Intel Atom.

Anyone?
 
This information looks to be 100% correct but then again, it's just a rumor. But I agree with the specs and release date of this it just seems to be right for some reason and March 3rd is a Tuesday. I just hope the iMacs do not take this long but then again, it might? we will see what happens. But this looks to be 100% true and accurate.
 
I see the Tom's Hardware page now mentions that the Ion platform may be used in an updated ATV. /i hope it goes there and the Mini gets something with more oomph!
 
I wonder how this would affect people who use the mini for a HTPC? Things like plex are CPU reliant, so getting acceleration of video decoding will completely rely on snow leopard and CUDA being easy to access by 3rd parties.

I hope it isn't true - makes sense for an appleTV and maybe lets it expand into basic web browsing/email, so might be a low end mac mini, but anyone that wants to use it as a 'proper' computer will want more grunt.

Unless Apple are ballsy enough to deliberately reduce that choice and assume people will buy an imac. That seems silly to me, especially as imacs can't use the screens with other inputs, so they lack flexibility.

Glad I bought my 2.0GHz mac mini now. Lets wait and see what they actually come up with.
 
mrklaw said:
I wonder how this would affect people who use the mini for a HTPC? Things like plex are CPU reliant, so getting acceleration of video decoding will completely rely on snow leopard and CUDA being easy to access by 3rd parties.
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Well, if Apple makes OpenCL easy for developers it may not be much of an issue. You'd have two cores in the Atom and 16 cores on the 9400m at your disposal. Not bad. Not bad at all.
 
Any Atom cpu period would be a HUGE downgrade in performance.

Unless they are wanting to make a useless $300 nettop piece of trash, thee is no reason for Apple to use the Atom in a desktop computer.
 
Cave Man said:
It would make much more sense for an ATV revision.
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Using the Ion platform makes much more sense for a potential new Apple TV since it runs on a modified kernel of OS X that only handles the interface and multimedia tasks. It's best suited for it as the main work would be handled by the 9400m. The Atom would just help run the menus on Apple TV.

Using it for a mini desktop-based computing can cause a lot of performance issues for applications such as iLife '09 and even Final Cut Express. Even the Leopard kernel wouldn't run at its optimal performance since it's designed for PowerPC and Core 2 Duo processors. I still say that they will keep the Core 2 Duo but start at 2.2GHz for the low end.
 
bezerk3r86 said:
Using it for a mini desktop-based computing can cause a lot of performance issues for applications such as iLife '09 and even Final Cut Express. Even the Leopard kernel wouldn't run at its optimal performance since it's designed for PowerPC and Core 2 Duo processors. I still say that they will keep the Core 2 Duo but start at 2.2GHz for the low end.
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Hellhammer said:
I think it'll be a Apple TV not Mini. Why would they lower the CPU speed?
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Well, if OpenCL is as kick-@$$ as Apple is leading us to believe, who knows? The 9400m has 16 gpu cores and the 9600m has 32 gpu cores. That's a lot of horsepower. Use the cpu for the mundane tasks and let the gpu processor do the heavy lifting.

Wishful thinking on my part, I'm sure.
 
Cave Man said:
Well, if OpenCL is as kick-@$$ as Apple is leading us to believe, who knows? The 9400m has 16 gpu cores and the 9600m has 32 gpu cores. That's a lot of horsepower. Use the cpu for the mundane tasks and let the gpu processor do the heavy lifting.

Wishful thinking on my part, I'm sure.
Click to expand...

The 9400m GPU can only handle so much even with OpenCL. The Leopard kernel was designed for performance in mind and it runs optimally on Core 2 Duo. They might have a custom Leopard build to take advantage of GPGPU/ OpenCL.

I still see the Ion best suited for the Apple TV since its focus is more specific than the mini's.
 
WTF, no were dose anyone one say apple will be using that for a mini. toms hardware is saying that...

How does the fact that apple received prototypes of this CONFIRM apple will be launching a new mini with these specs.

And since when does receiving prototype mean you are actually going to do something with it?
 
I can see the Ion platform being totally suited to AppleTV but the Mini?

Not that i'm looking to replace my current mini with another (waiting for new imacs to do that) but i would be really disappointed in Apple if they went that route

I would expect the mini to be basically a screenless macbook in a nice new case.
 
Is everyone's memory that bad?

I seem to remember only a few weeks ago all the news/rumour sites being proven horribly, embarrassingly wrong at guessing what/when Apple would be releasing. In fact, the only bit of news they got right was iWork, and that was *leaked* on the Apple website.

In short, don't believe a single thing until Apple announce something.
 
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