The new Mac mini is almost certainly coming

[Miltz]

The PCIe SSD is really the only thing holding me back from getting the current model. Apple's 512GB SSD is amazing and I want it in my mini.

 

[scottsjack]

As soon as some store credits come through I am going to get a mini. I would prefer a Haswell with Iris Pro and an external, more powerful, power supply.

Most likely I will end up with a 2012 2.3 quad. The Crucial 16GB RAM and 960GB M500 SSD that I installed in my late 2012 MBP work great. The mini will get the same, cost effective treatment.

Yup, ended up getting a 2012 2.3 quad for my EyeTV DVR. If something else really great comes out later this year it may be time for the Mac Pro to say bye bye.

 

[SoCalReviews]

Unless Intel is releasing a newer processor, I wouldn't expect it.

They might do a very silent upgrade to ac wifi in the first half of the year. I doubt they will arbitrarily upgrade this late. The best bet is a redesign around smaller die processors sometime in mid-summer or later. The modern mini design will have gone from 45nm down to 14nm die, which will probably facilitate some reduction in packaging and compression of other electronics.

The 2012 Mac Mini and Mac lineup as well as the 2013 the Haswell based Macs are based on 22nm technology. Other than a moderate bump in graphics performance and an improvement in power savings Haswell is not a major improvement over Ivy Bridge but an incremental step that was mostly geared towards battery reliant laptops/notebooks.

http://ark.intel.com/products/64891

The Broadwell chip set (14nm) based Macs should be a major advance but as it always has been in the past this further scaling down of these Intel chip sets will initially be expensive until they can improve their manufacturing yields. Therefore it makes more sense for Apple to release a lower cost Haswell based Mini if it does update the Mini in the coming months. Early last year in 2013 I predicted Haswell Minis would be released in early 2014. If that doesn't happen we can predict a much longer wait for a Broadwell Mini refresh from late 2014 to mid 2015.

 

[Lesser Evets]

Early last year in 2013 I predicted Haswell Minis would be released in early 2014. If that doesn't happen we can predict a much longer wait for a Broadwell Mini refresh from late 2014 to mid 2015.

Is there precedent or reason for a late Haswell-mini release? Price drop of processors, perhaps? That would be the main reason I could see for such a release.

A Broadwell mini would be the next logical step, but that is perhaps another October refresh. Or later. Apple's slide of MacPro releases might now be mirrored with the Mini--the Mini has impressive benchmarks and performance for the bottom-tier Mac. A bump now would set it up too competitively with iMacs and Pro notebooks.

Any predictions of Apple's releases would be second guessing their marketing and production logic. One thing is almost certain: Apple is more likely to postpone than update. Anything with an i before it gets top attention, aside from iPods which are sidelined for the newer iDevices.

 

[SoCalReviews]

Is there precedent or reason for a late Haswell-mini release? Price drop of processors, perhaps? That would be the main reason I could see for such a release.

I don't know about there being a precedent for it but now that the production yields are higher it should lower the costs for the previous year's Intel chip set.

A Broadwell mini would be the next logical step, but that is perhaps another October refresh. Or later. Apple's slide of MacPro releases might now be mirrored with the Mini--the Mini has impressive benchmarks and performance for the bottom-tier Mac. A bump now would set it up too competitively with iMacs and Pro notebooks.

From their price structuring it seems Apple likes to have a noticeable differentiation between their product lines which does make sense as a marketing strategy. The Mini supposedly has been an entry level or crossover machine for PC desktop users to get their feet wet in the Apple/Mac ecosystem. It worked with me. After purchasing a relatively inexpensive 2011 i5 Mini two years ago and two 2012 i7 Minis this past year I am now moving towards going mostly Mac as I consider getting a 13" MBP.

I like using Unix based OS X machines for security and reliability. I can also run most of popular older and newer OS's in a VM if I choose. I like the option of extended support from Apple. I have spent a lot less time fiddling around with software and security updates for the Macs than with the Win based PCs.

Any predictions of Apple's releases would be second guessing their marketing and production logic. One thing is almost certain: Apple is more likely to postpone than update. Anything with an i before it gets top attention, aside from iPods which are sidelined for the newer iDevices.

A Haswell update for the Mini makes sense even if the reason is to standardize the rest of it's lineup on this chip set until Broadwell matures. On the other hand Apple could save a lot of development costs if they skipped the Haswell Mini update and just focused on Broadwell.

 

[grandM]

lol

Been waiting now since August or so. I'll bend and buy a mini this month.

 

[grandM]

hold on

hold on buying
the webshop says "no longer deliverable"
and the picture shows "new"
Would the 24th indeed introduce the new mini?
look at http://www.computerstore.be/product/396709/apple-mac-mini-i7.html
I think the link aims at the new mini
look at specs:

Apple Mac mini i7 features:

Intel Core i7 x.xGHz
xx GB werkgeheugen
xx GB harde schijf
Intel Iris Graphics
Mac OS X 10.9 Mavericks
HDMI-poort
Thunderbolt-poort
Bluetooth
4x USB 3.0
Wifi 802.11ac
Aluminium behuizing
Ingebouwde voeding

They seem not knowing ram & processor yet

 

[huppala]

Look at the description:

- maar maakt ook gebruik van de zeer krachtige Intel Iris-graphics.
- nieuwste wifi-standaard 802.11ac

New MacMini is coming...

Edit:

And with i5:
http://www.computerstore.be/product/396706/apple-mac-mini-i5.html

 

[Crosscreek]

If it is coming with Haswell I hope they offer at least Iris Pro On the I7.

 

[Cape Dave]

Could this be true????? Finally????? At last?????

 

[CausticPuppy]

Look at the description:

- maar maakt ook gebruik van de zeer krachtige Intel Iris-graphics.
- nieuwste wifi-standaard 802.11ac

New MacMini is coming...

Edit:

And with i5:
http://www.computerstore.be/product/396706/apple-mac-mini-i5.html

Don't get your hopes up... Whoever maintains that site could put up a page that says anything.

 

[Cape Dave]

Don't get your hopes up... Whoever maintains that site could put up a page that says anything.

Yeah, and notice that NONE of the back connections has changed

 

[nathanjbrown]

Yeah, and notice that NONE of the back connections has changed

That wouldn't surprise me, actually. If - IF - the Mini is updated with Haswell in the coming weeks, I imagine Apple will make the upgrade as cost effective as possible for them. It wouldn't surprise me if all changes are internal.

It also wouldn't surprise me if that photo is simply a placeholder.

It also wouldn't surprise me if that webpage is bogus/means nothing.

N

 

[grandM]

post

That wouldn't surprise me, actually. If - IF - the Mini is updated with Haswell in the coming weeks, I imagine Apple will make the upgrade as cost effective as possible for them. It wouldn't surprise me if all changes are internal.

It also wouldn't surprise me if that photo is simply a placeholder.

It also wouldn't surprise me if that webpage is bogus/means nothing.

N

I've posted the link
the site is from a large computer shop in Belgium
just take the start of the url (http://www.computerstore.be) and you'll see it's a legit store
They even have the old mini in stock
The pic's probably a placeholder, but it has a label NEW on it
Anyhow I found it peculiar they didn't put up the drive size/processor speed
Can't make sense of it to be honest
But the site is legit...
Somebody said the 24th was an anniversary for the mini?

 

[Cape Dave]

I thought the page was legit. And I was hoping that the photo was a placeholder. I am really after the SSD myself. Faster CPU and GPU is fine also.

I would have to get the 512 SSD.

And I also suspect that the update/refresh would be all internal. I think the current form factor is one of the best in the business. NOTHING else that has been available comes close.

That said, pay attention to thermals Apple Which means sound as well. I do not want a new/faster unit that is LOUDER. Nope.

 

[voigtstr]

The operating system drive is still good.
the second drive contained a volume for a timemachine back for my macbook air, and an other volume for data, mainly torrents... I can always redownload stuff

The more cpu power would be good for my minecraft server...(the heat generated from this probably took out the second drive)

Now the primary drive is in S.M.A.R.T. status of failing... ordered SSD Hybrids to replace both disks...

 

[Mr. Retrofire]

Been waiting now since August or so. I'll bend and buy a mini this month.

That's a waste of money.

You don't buy a “new” car, which is ten years old, if you can buy a better and brand new car for the same price in less than six months.

 

[Mr. Retrofire]

...

That said, pay attention to thermals Apple Which means sound as well. I do not want a new/faster unit that is LOUDER. Nope.

I think the new Mac mini will use the newer asymmetrical fans:

Regarding the fans in the 2012 MBP:

A bracket, some antenna cables, a few screws, and finally we get to the crème de la crème, the fan with asymmetric blade spacing.

...

Theoretically, the asymmetry spreads the noise produced over multiple frequencies, making it less noticeable.

This fan has been mentioned in almost all press on the MacBook Pro with Retina display. We are surprised at how much attention a minor blade spacing change is getting. It is never the less a testament to how much attention Apple puts on minor details overlooked by the rest of the industry, all for the comfort of the end user.

----------

look at http://www.computerstore.be/product/396709/apple-mac-mini-i7.html

I hope they retain the FW800 port (as described).

 

[b416]

On french refurbished store, there is now 10 minis (usually it's between 0 and 1-2)...

Is it another sign, as someone said before? I think I'll wait a couple of days

 

[TRV]

hold on buying
the webshop says "no longer deliverable"
and the picture shows "new"
Would the 24th indeed introduce the new mini?
look at http://www.computerstore.be/product/396709/apple-mac-mini-i7.html
I think the link aims at the new mini
look at specs:

Apple Mac mini i7 features:

Intel Core i7 x.xGHz
xx GB werkgeheugen
xx GB harde schijf
Intel Iris Graphics
Mac OS X 10.9 Mavericks
HDMI-poort
Thunderbolt-poort
Bluetooth
4x USB 3.0
Wifi 802.11ac
Aluminium behuizing
Ingebouwde voeding

They seem not knowing ram & processor yet

Looks legit!

Dankjewel! Ik wilde net een oude afrekenen en dacht ik kijk hier nog even naar de ontwikkelingen.

 

[mrsavage1]

hold on buying
the webshop says "no longer deliverable"
and the picture shows "new"
Would the 24th indeed introduce the new mini?
look at http://www.computerstore.be/product/396709/apple-mac-mini-i7.html
I think the link aims at the new mini
look at specs:

Apple Mac mini i7 features:

Intel Core i7 x.xGHz
xx GB werkgeheugen
xx GB harde schijf
Intel Iris Graphics
Mac OS X 10.9 Mavericks
HDMI-poort
Thunderbolt-poort
Bluetooth
4x USB 3.0
Wifi 802.11ac
Aluminium behuizing
Ingebouwde voeding

They seem not knowing ram & processor yet

Awww crap no 2x thunderbolt (( me sad. Looks like i have to skip this iteration.

 

[TjeuV]

Been waiting now since August or so. I'll bend and buy a mini this month.

That's when it happens

 

[Maxedonia]

C'mon Apple! Release the new Mac Mini with support for 4K please

 

[crenz]

I'm really hoping they retain Firewire, so I do not have to buy new audio interfaces. But if the page is legit, I think Firewire might be removed: It is listed in the text (which could be copy/paste from the old one), but not part of the specs below anymore

PS. Of course, this could just be a placeholder page that webshop created - maybe they are waiting for Apple to release something just like us...

 

[apfelmann]

Haswell Mini NOW is typical for APPLE. mini gets processor updates always a bit later than MacBook Pro (October 2013 haswell update).

so BROADWELL would be a too long way to go for the mini

and IRIS PRO would be too good to be true (and too close to Mac Pro specs). but IRIS 5100 should be fine