Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Those are both newer cards than the old Mac Pro one as well, the one I have is just the plain GT version with 512mb so it's about 10-25% slower (in theory).

It depends which brand of Iris the mini gets though; the Iris (5100) and Iris Pro (5200) are technically identical, except that the Pro comes with a 128mb Crystalwell L4 cache; not quite as good as fully dedicated VRAM, but a hefty boost to the CPU and/or GPU depending upon your workload.

But since the Mini isn't a pro product I'm not sure whether to expect the Iris Pro or not; it's intended for desktops rather than laptops, but then Apple may opt for the regular Iris as it's cheaper and consumes a bit less power (or rather you save power on not having that extra cache).

Obviously I'd love to see the Iris Pro in the Mac Mini, but Apple seems to me to generally err towards it being a desktop made of laptop parts, while the Macbook Pro is almost the opposite, but then it's got to live up to the Pro name.
From what I can find there are no Haswell mobile quad-core HD5000 or HD5100 processors.... only HD4600 or Iris Pro HD5200.
 
From what I can find there are no Haswell mobile quad-core HD5000 or HD5100 processors.... only HD4600 or Iris Pro HD5200.

addition...

there isn't any mobile i7 Haswell quad-core processor + Iris Pro 5200 to support MAX TDP below 47W....this is mainly the problem with mini case which supports MAX TDP 45W.

Does APPLE intend to "fill the gap"? I DON'T KNOW.
 
Tb2..minimal cpu boost with haswell..and intel 5100 is not much of an upgrade..the current mac mini with an ssd is perfection for what its intended to do like email and youtube..if you try to game on a mini your a fool
 
Tb2..minimal cpu boost with haswell..and intel 5100 is not much of an upgrade..the current mac mini with an ssd is perfection for what its intended to do like email and youtube..if you try to game on a mini your a fool

correct...but everybody wants something more from an updated machine!

Actually, if TB2 Mac Mini update comes in early 2014, I will also expect USB3.1 update.
 
Those are both newer cards than the old Mac Pro one as well, the one I have is just the plain GT version with 512mb so it's about 10-25% slower (in theory).

It depends which brand of Iris the mini gets though; the Iris (5100) and Iris Pro (5200) are technically identical, except that the Pro comes with a 128mb Crystalwell L4 cache; not quite as good as fully dedicated VRAM, but a hefty boost to the CPU and/or GPU depending upon your workload.

But since the Mini isn't a pro product I'm not sure whether to expect the Iris Pro or not; it's intended for desktops rather than laptops, but then Apple may opt for the regular Iris as it's cheaper and consumes a bit less power (or rather you save power on not having that extra cache).

Obviously I'd love to see the Iris Pro in the Mac Mini, but Apple seems to me to generally err towards it being a desktop made of laptop parts, while the Macbook Pro is almost the opposite, but then it's got to live up to the Pro name.

Your last line doesn't really make that much sense. "Err towards it being a desktop made of laptop parts"

The MM has a mobile processor along with mobile SODIMM RAM. The iMac has a Mobile Graphics card and Mobile SODIMM RAM. I'm not trying to insult or start an argument i'm just trying to understand what you're trying to say.

And to the iris pro being more towards desktops that's not entirely true. There are more IRIS pro mobile CPUs than there are desktop (i7 we're speaking of) It was intended for laptops moreso than desktops.

Tb2..minimal cpu boost with haswell..and intel 5100 is not much of an upgrade..the current mac mini with an ssd is perfection for what its intended to do like email and youtube..if you try to game on a mini your a fool

Actually i play GMod , runescape and world of warcraft on my mac mini just fine. Your last line in your statement must have been geared towards "Extreme Gaming" I take it? Because i play most games on lowest just fine. Although C3, M:LL Etc would be a joke even at lowest.
 
Last edited:
Your last line doesn't really make that much sense. "Err towards it being a desktop made of laptop parts"
I just meant that Apple builds the Mac Mini more like a laptop than a desktop, i.e - with a focus on being compact and energy efficient, which of course means laptop components.

The same is kind of true of the iMac, though you can still get a discrete GPU for the larger models.

Anyway, my point is that Apple's tendency is to go smaller and more energy efficient with the Mac Mini if they can, so I'm not sure they'll see much point in giving even the high end model the Iris Pro, though I'd definitely love them to. I'll hold out hope for them providing a built-to-order option for a quad core with Iris Pro, but I'm not sure I'd expect them to actually do it or not as the regular Iris GPU is more than enough for most Mac Mini users I think.
 
I just meant that Apple builds the Mac Mini more like a laptop than a desktop, i.e - with a focus on being compact and energy efficient, which of course means laptop components.

The same is kind of true of the iMac, though you can still get a discrete GPU for the larger models.

Anyway, my point is that Apple's tendency is to go smaller and more energy efficient with the Mac Mini if they can, so I'm not sure they'll see much point in giving even the high end model the Iris Pro, though I'd definitely love them to. I'll hold out hope for them providing a built-to-order option for a quad core with Iris Pro, but I'm not sure I'd expect them to actually do it or not as the regular Iris GPU is more than enough for most Mac Mini users I think.

Ah! I get what you mean. I read it wrong; But yes i agree i have a strong feeling that it's going to be a HD4600. Nonetheless we'll wait and see, i do have hopes for the IP5200, as their CPUs that match this gen in speed/specs all have a IP5200. Puttin a HD4600 inside would dumb down the CPU' speed.
 
Oh no, really?... that would be bad news. I just bought a WD external Firewire 2 TB drive for my current Mini. I don't think any Firewire to USB adapters exist.

I'm with you. I have a Drobo with 8TB of storage connected via FireWire. It has USB as well, but I prefer the speed of the FireWire port. I was dreading the day that FW goes away, but now seeing that an adapter exists, I'm cool with it.
 
Ah! I get what you mean. I read it wrong; But yes i agree i have a strong feeling that it's going to be a HD4600. Nonetheless we'll wait and see, i do have hopes for the IP5200, as their CPUs that match this gen in speed/specs all have a IP5200. Puttin a HD4600 inside would dumb down the CPU' speed.

I have no basis for actually knowing what Apple will do but I think it's far more likely the next quad-core mini (if there is one) will have HD5200 and not HD4600. My reasoning is Apple chose to put a discrete GPU (Radeon 6630M) in the quad-core i7 back in 2011 instead of leaving it with the then-current stock HD3000. This indicates to me Apple will go with something at least as good as it puts in the base mini and, if the new MBP is any evidence, it will be an HD5100 going into the next base model.
 
I have no basis for actually knowing what Apple will do but I think it's far more likely the next quad-core mini (if there is one) will have HD5200 and not HD4600. My reasoning is Apple chose to put a discrete GPU (Radeon 6630M) in the quad-core i7 back in 2011 instead of leaving it with the then-current stock HD3000. This indicates to me Apple will go with something at least as good as it puts in the base mini and, if the new MBP is any evidence, it will be an HD5100 going into the next base model.

There's 1 mobile Quad i7 with a 5100 - 4558U. I'm highly doubtful of them using that for the Quad i7 models..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haswell_(microarchitecture)

Unless you're talking in reference to base i5 models? Otherwise i concur.
 
There's 1 mobile Quad i7 with a 5100 - 4558U. I'm highly doubtful of them using that for the Quad i7 models..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haswell_(microarchitecture)

Unless you're talking in reference to base i5 models? Otherwise i concur.

The 4558U is dual-core i7, not quad. And yes, I think the dual-core i5 4258U (with HD5100) is the processor for the next base model mini.

If there is a quad i7 to come, my best guess is the 4750HQ with HD5200 as that's the least expensive quad with graphics better than HD4600. Listed as nominal 47W TDP so who knows?
 
The 4558U is dual-core i7, not quad. And yes, I think the dual-core i5 4258U (with HD5100) is the processor for the next base model mini.

If there is a quad i7 to come, my best guess is the 4750HQ with HD5200 as that's the least expensive quad with graphics better than HD4600. Listed as nominal 47W TDP so who knows?

I agree; Although i believe the MM has a max TDP of 45? If so this oughtta get interesting :p
 
My ability to read French has really degraded but it seems they think there's a decent chance of an update to Haswell in the next few weeks. Also seems they are just speculating like the rest of us.

It's basically what they are saying... So nothing new from them.
 
They are either redesigning the mini or making up for the slight difference in wattage by altering the fan or cooling for the mini.

I'm expecting the mini to join the pro with US production. Such a move should be accompanied by a case redesign. And combining smaller SSDs (getting away from the DVD form factor) with the lower heat profile of the new chips, would allow them to get radically smaller. The question for me is, are there any new displays also in the works and would the haswell support them all (4k for example).

Which leaves timing. If apple does one more show this year, say for the pro, that would be a great time. But I'm not seeing it. So yeah, Q1 2014.
 
Not having read any more than page 4 of this thread....

Take at look at ark.intel.com. Look at the 3rd generation CPU's Apple used. Check their Max TDB, Price and Graphics. Now look at 4th generation. It doesn't look as if Intel produce Haswell CPU's that would fit the mini at the price point and graphics performance Apple require.

Look at the design of the mac mini... not too dissimilar from 1st generation Apple TV, and previous generations of time capsule and airport extreme. Now look at the current generation of the airport extreme, time capsule and the new mac pro. All small footprint obelisk like devices. The iMac has recently also been redesigned. You could say the retina MBP is a new design compared to the MBP. Could the lack of available CPU designs on Intel's part be an indicator of Apple giving the Mac mini an overhaul? And in the process it moves over to cheaper desktop parts and an optional GPU requested by so many. It's eventual design looking somewhere between an airport extreme and a mini Mac Pro?
 
Not having read any more than page 4 of this thread....

Take at look at ark.intel.com. Look at the 3rd generation CPU's Apple used. Check their Max TDB, Price and Graphics. Now look at 4th generation. It doesn't look as if Intel produce Haswell CPU's that would fit the mini at the price point and graphics performance Apple require.

Look at the design of the mac mini... not too dissimilar from 1st generation Apple TV, and previous generations of time capsule and airport extreme. Now look at the current generation of the airport extreme, time capsule and the new mac pro. All small footprint obelisk like devices. The iMac has recently also been redesigned. You could say the retina MBP is a new design compared to the MBP. Could the lack of available CPU designs on Intel's part be an indicator of Apple giving the Mac mini an overhaul? And in the process it moves over to cheaper desktop parts and an optional GPU requested by so many. It's eventual design looking somewhere between an airport extreme and a mini Mac Pro?

Nothing against you; you do make a valid point, albeit i really REALLY hope you're wrong. I think the Mac Mini currently is perfect... Making it cylindrical or taller would really mess with a lot of peoples HTPC setups. (Shelves, Desks etc)
 
Not having read any more than page 4 of this thread....

Take at look at ark.intel.com. Look at the 3rd generation CPU's Apple used. Check their Max TDB, Price and Graphics. Now look at 4th generation. It doesn't look as if Intel produce Haswell CPU's that would fit the mini at the price point and graphics performance Apple require.

Look at the design of the mac mini... not too dissimilar from 1st generation Apple TV, and previous generations of time capsule and airport extreme. Now look at the current generation of the airport extreme, time capsule and the new mac pro. All small footprint obelisk like devices. The iMac has recently also been redesigned. You could say the retina MBP is a new design compared to the MBP. Could the lack of available CPU designs on Intel's part be an indicator of Apple giving the Mac mini an overhaul? And in the process it moves over to cheaper desktop parts and an optional GPU requested by so many. It's eventual design looking somewhere between an airport extreme and a mini Mac Pro?


The Price difference between the old i7 and new i7 with Iris Pro is less than $100 for retail, and Apple gets a huge discount, and as it's the same processor used in the 15" rMBP I doubt TDP is a issue as 45 was the old 15" TDP, And I believe it's far easier (if it's even required) to deal with the 2 extra TDP in a mac mini than a MBPr (with dedicated graphics as well).



The main issue I see with the mini is it no longer fits into apples strategy of consumer / pro for each category.

Consumer items are imac for desktop, air for Notebook, mini for Ipad.
Business/pro items are mac pro for desktop, rMBP for notebook, Air for iPad

(though don't be surprised if they introduce a Pro iPad later on)

The Mac Mini doesn't really fit in, so on that alone I think any update (if they do update it) will be refresh and not a visual change.


But yes it'll either be a HD4600 or Iris Pro, I wouldn't base it on TDP more on Price, but go figure I didn't expect them to put a Iris Pro + dGPU on the MBP because it makes little sense, but hey ho. I just want a new Mac Mini
 
And the 13" MBP did not get Iris Pro graphics, so everyone knows what that means.

That there is no Haswell dual core with iris pro? Can't sell you something that does not exist.

Mind you I would of loved a quad core 13 inch!
 
It will happen in the next couple of weeks, silently....don't worry! :cool:

TWO MYSTERIES:

a. there isn't any mobile i7 Haswell quad-core processor + Iris Pro 5200 to support MAX TDP below 47W (only HD4600)....Mac Mini outer case supports MAX TDP 45W.

b. if TB2 Mac Mini update comes in early 2014, I will also expect USB3.1 update.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.