TechZeke is correct. Apps like Photoshop CS6 behave better with improved graphics horsepower. On my 2012 MBP playing a video or EyeTV switches graphics to discrete. Too bad my 2012 mini doesn't have the same, relatively weak dGPU that the MBP has. As a $100.00 option it would have been another Apple option-ripoff which I would have gladly paid.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
The new Mac mini is almost certainly coming
- Thread starter GabrieleR
- Start date
-
- Tags
- mac mini new mac mini
- Sort by reaction score
TechZeke is correct. Apps like Photoshop CS6 behave better with improved graphics horsepower. On my 2012 MBP playing a video or EyeTV switches graphics to discrete. Too bad my 2012 mini doesn't have the same, relatively weak dGPU that the MBP has. As a $100.00 option it would have been another Apple option-ripoff which I would have gladly paid.
My old '08 iMac can still run World of Warcraft, Starcraft II, Diablo III, Counter Strike: Global Offensive just to name a few and it does fine even with the old ATI HD2600 Pro.
Sure, if you want to play things like Wolfenstein: The New Order, you should get a gaming PC, but if you're into the types of games I mentioned or you are a casual gamer, a Mac isn't that bad
There is a slight difference between "it can run a game" and "it's fun to play the game on it". Sure you can play lots of titles on low-res and low quality settings on older hardware.
At least for me that's not the definition of playing a game for fun, though. Even more so, as modern games often (have to) rely heavily on graphics to cover shortcomings in gameplay.
I'm a casual gamer for sure and a Mac isn't that good, either.
Well, I guess it's just a difference in the way we see things...
Personally, I don't mind playing on low settings...if the game is decent enough, you don't really need great graphics to enjoy it...at least in my opinion. Heck, a couple of months ago I "binged" on the Half Life series and played always on low. I have lots of fun on the games I play (WoW, SC II, Diablo III, CS:GO, LoL, Minecraft, etc), and I also happen to play everyday so for these two reasons I have to say I'm even more than just a casual gamer.
Besides, my SIX year old machine does run games on low, but it's SIX years old and has a HD 2600 Pro that scores 218 on Passmark. A Mac Mini even with a Nvidia 650M (that scores 1294 on Passmark) or an Iris Pro would be able to do considerably better than my machine.
It all depends, if you want the latest games with amazing graphics (like I exemplified with Wolfenstein: The New Order), sure you NEED a gaming rig (or use a console), but usually that's not the typical type of game played by a casual.
On the other hand, you can be a semi-hardcore League of Legends player, with decent (not ultra) game settings and decent FPS with a 2012 Mac Mini.
But that just my opinion as you have yours
I think people are starting to lose hope that a new Mac Mini will come at all...heck, I'm starting to consider dropping the idea of a Mac Mini myself and going with an iMac again
Well, with that entry (crappy) level iMac that they introduced, I think you might be right :/
PC Gaming is still a huge market, and growing.
http://jonpeddie.com/publications/pc_gaming_hardware_market_report/
That's why Amazon is buying Twitch for over a billion dollars. And that's just a channel where people watch other people gaming. A fairly large percentage of Steam users are on OS X. Here's my little saga:
- Got into flight simulation (X-plane) after MANY years beyond my actual piloting days, and really enjoyed it, even on my mid-2011 MacBook Pro (i5, 8 gb, HD3000). But after re-learning to fly in simulation, I did miss all of the things you could only see and do by turning up the settings, so I started looking for a new computer, hoping it would be a Mac of some sort.
- The best Mac for gaming is a maxed-out iMac for almost $3000 in the US, or more than $3000 if you go the SSD route. At least for X-plane, the iMac is better than a Mac Pro because of the non-game oriented graphics cards. But I did not want to buy a screen, or to buy hardware that would soon be out of date and also soon not be such a great gaming machine with an expensive screen attached. I just couldn't talk myself into an AIO.So I started hoping that the mini would be refreshed and that there would be a dGPU option, but...
- So, with great regret, I went back to the OS that shall not be named, for a lot less money and lot better graphics performance than anything Apple will sell, and wished that Apple had given me an option better that what it has available now. For example, if the Mac Pro had Nvidia options, I would have been tempted even at such a huge price, but that's not available. I think you can hack it, but I didn't want to go that route.
I do think Apple is missing out on something (gaming) that it could very easily get into, and I don't mean IOS gaming. A mini with even Iris Pro would be a modestly capable gaming machine at a good price (for Apple).
To continue on with @desertsurfer's excellent post, I also think Apple could really succeed in the gaming space if they tried. Mini Gaming PC's are quickly becoming major sellers, and the idea of the SteamBox as a console killer is ripe. Valve may be dragging their feet with SteamOS, but the idea has taken hold and many manufacturers are trying to find that sweet spot of form, performance, and pricing that is destined to destroy the superiority of consoles in the living room.
I've said it before, I think Apple would win big if they introduced a Mini that could perform well graphically, priced between consoles and $999.
Apple, we know about the Pippin. We forgive you. Did the Newton stop you from innovating further in the PDA realm? No, iPhone and iPad grew from that failed attempt. Get over yourself and give us a computer that games properly, your devoted fans and probably many, many others really want you to.
I've said it before, I think Apple would win big if they introduced a Mini that could perform well graphically, priced between consoles and $999.
Apple, we know about the Pippin. We forgive you. Did the Newton stop you from innovating further in the PDA realm? No, iPhone and iPad grew from that failed attempt. Get over yourself and give us a computer that games properly, your devoted fans and probably many, many others really want you to.
I've just realized D54250WYK (Intel NUC i5 haswell) is exactly as powerful as the Ivy Bridge dual core 2012 Minis, at least based on Geekbench scores (single and multi thread) obtained from hackintosh NUCs. They both score around 2600-2700 in single and 5200-5300 in multi. (quad core Ivy Bridge 2012 Mini crushes both of them in multi though)
What if the "Mid 2014 Mini" is based off the NUC? Could be easily shaped like a little nMP and even be fanless (third party vendors already put NUC motherboards inside passive aluminum radiator kinda cases). Of course, this would be a Mini "Air" meant to complement the line up and regular Minis would still be introduced later. (that's basically what is implied by the Macminicolo tweet)
What if the "Mid 2014 Mini" is based off the NUC? Could be easily shaped like a little nMP and even be fanless (third party vendors already put NUC motherboards inside passive aluminum radiator kinda cases). Of course, this would be a Mini "Air" meant to complement the line up and regular Minis would still be introduced later. (that's basically what is implied by the Macminicolo tweet)
Ming-Chi Kuo is, IMO, the most dependable analyst when it comes to Apple products. He's now saying that the iPad will be updated and announced this Tuesday, and not next month. I think he's right. I don't think the changes to the iPad this year will warrant a separate keynote.
My gut said that if Apple were to update the Mini this year it would be at the October event. (Because, in part, the September keynote is a whopper in its own with the iPhone and wearable device.)
So at this point, if we don't see a Mini this Tuesday announced, then I think it will be safe to purchase this year if you are like me and desperately need to update your desktop. I was really banking on an entry level Mac at $600 that included an SSD by default but now I'm giving up hope.
My gut said that if Apple were to update the Mini this year it would be at the October event. (Because, in part, the September keynote is a whopper in its own with the iPhone and wearable device.)
So at this point, if we don't see a Mini this Tuesday announced, then I think it will be safe to purchase this year if you are like me and desperately need to update your desktop. I was really banking on an entry level Mac at $600 that included an SSD by default but now I'm giving up hope.
The good news is that Broadwell Core M machines are starting to show up at IFA for October launches so U series shouldn't be to far behind.
With so much rumoured to be appearing at the keynote, there is no way they could fit everything in. I wouldn't be surprised to see some silent updates. Unless the changes are massive, I would expect any Mini updates to be silent.
If it's merely a spec update, then they could fit it in on Tuesday. If it's a redesign, I'm not so sure. I mean, they could in both scenarios. But a redesigned Mini this Tuesday feels like wishful thinking.
If they don't update Tuesday, and do later this year, it will be a silent update. I really don't think we'll see an iPad keynote this October. I expect a ton of new hardware this Tuesday.
http://www.anandtech.com/show/8477/asus-zenbook-ux305-core-m-and-qhd
tldr: Asus is switching from haswell 28W to broadwell-Y coreM for this product...thought this may be relevant to the discussion.
For those who didn't read the previous pages: Broadwell-Y (the lowest power flavor of Broadwell) is already in production since mid-July.
If Apple thinks Core-M is good enough like Asus did, we could see a Broadwell-Y Mini as soon as October.
Nobody knows for sure what Broadwell-Y is capable of until it's out and reviewed, but the fact that Asus deemed it capable to take the place of a full blown 28W mobile haswell could mean something.
tldr: Asus is switching from haswell 28W to broadwell-Y coreM for this product...thought this may be relevant to the discussion.
For those who didn't read the previous pages: Broadwell-Y (the lowest power flavor of Broadwell) is already in production since mid-July.
If Apple thinks Core-M is good enough like Asus did, we could see a Broadwell-Y Mini as soon as October.
Nobody knows for sure what Broadwell-Y is capable of until it's out and reviewed, but the fact that Asus deemed it capable to take the place of a full blown 28W mobile haswell could mean something.
Last edited:
Correct me if I'm wrong, but the built-in GPU of Broadwell-Y is expected to be sad compared even to the old Ivy Bridge HD4000, right?
We haven't seen any benchmarks, but I would be surprised if anything below Broadwell-U will set off any reflexes to pick up my credit card. That being said, the Broadwell-U can also be used in fanless applications, at least if Apple can get over their fear of visible heatsinks on the outside of the case.
There has not been any benchmarks yet that I know of for Broadwell Y but it was predicted by Intel that Broadwell will have a increased IGPU of 30-40% over Haswell.
Reference Article on Broadwell Y
http://www.anandtech.com/show/8355/intel-broadwell-architecture-preview
Last edited:
Don't get me wrong. I really want to see a new one! I'm just wondering if that godawful new imac is a sign of things to come.