The new Mac mini is almost certainly coming

[jpietrzak8]

Is there a big frontier still to come which requires more cpu/gpu processing power compared to 10 years ago? We seem to have plateaued that the marginal value of a new Mini V 2012 is /dev/null.

Oh, indeed! Mac Minis have plateaued, Apple has apparently pushed them to the point where they are satisfied with what they can do. I mean the 2014 Minis were marketed as being "greener" than the 2012 Minis, not more powerful.

On the other hand, SFF computers are advancing by leaps and bounds! The Intel Skull Canyon NUC, with its top-flight CPU, GPU, room for multiple SSDs, and top-end connectivity, all at a surprisingly decent price, show that you can in fact have a SFF computer without really sacrificing anything.

Wish Apple made computers like that.

 

[saulinpa]

Right now there is no need for more power in the mini for mainstream users and it is no longer pushed as the stepping stone to the Apple world. The marketing team needs to come up with a reason to sell them to consumers.

The only thing I can see is that when Apple can support VR or serious gaming in a mini it will be relevant again. It's going to be a couple of years as Apple currently doesn't seem to care about either of those markets.

 

[norbinhouston]

Do you guys think the imminent move to the new Apple building is holding up all the hardware upgrades? Its crazy the with all of Apples resources, they can't update their computer hardware faster.

 

[jpietrzak8]

Right now there is no need for more power in the mini for mainstream users and it is no longer pushed as the stepping stone to the Apple world.

Yup! In fact, there's really no need for any computer to have more than 640 K RAM, either.

The marketing team needs to come up with a reason to sell them to consumers.

I guess that's how the Apple of today thinks; "give the consumer the computing power that they need." The Apple of the past worked in an entirely different way: "How can we make the most complicated technological advances accessible to non-technical consumers?"

Once you get the power into the hands of the people, they find their own uses for it. You don't really need a marketing team to create those uses, nor is there much point in drawing a line in the sand and saying "technology more powerful than X is not something that consumers need." If Apple defines an artificial limit on the amount of computing power provided to each consumer, that just leaves the door open to competitors to give more computing power to consumers...
[doublepost=1467756080][/doublepost]

Its crazy the with all of Apples resources, they can't update their computer hardware faster.

I should probably mention that the company originally known as "Apple Computer, Inc." changed its name to "Apple, Inc." back in 2007. Apple is not centered on computer hardware any more. They may even be getting out of the computer hardware business...

 

[Crosscreek]

hey may even be getting out of the computer hardware business...

Sooner than later?????

Apple should stop making computers because their heart isn't in it any more. They can sell their OS to individuals or licence Dell or HP or both handle computer build and customizations.

 

[Micky Do]

 

[orbital~debris]

My Refurb.me account sent an email in the early hours of this morning saying there were 10 products matching my filters (Mac mini).
Followed the link later only to discover nothing left… is this normal?

 

[talmy]

My Refurb.me account sent an email in the early hours of this morning saying there were 10 products matching my filters (Mac mini).
Followed the link later only to discover nothing left… is this normal?

Depending on the popularity, you might only have an hour to snatch one up. So you need to act immediately.

 

[toddzrx]

View attachment 640038

Ouch.

 

[Tiberius2000]

Ouch.

If the iMac, Mac Pro, Mac Mini and MacBook Pro do not see updates by mid October, I will do something I have not done in 20 years: buy a Windows machine.

I need to replace my 2011 MacBook Air and would prefer a desktop (no longer working on the go). But it is far enough from the iMac 2015 release that buying today is buying year old tech... Something I am loathe to do for a computer I plan to keep for 5+ years.

 

[Cape Dave]

If the iMac, Mac Pro, Mac Mini and MacBook Pro do not see updates by mid October, I will do something I have not done in 20 years: buy a Windows machine.

I need to replace my 2011 MacBook Air and would prefer a desktop (no longer working on the go). But it is far enough from the iMac 2015 release that buying today is buying year old tech... Something I am loathe to do for a computer I plan to keep for 5+ years.

I am right there with you. There is alot to be said for modern hardware

 

[Micky Do]

If the iMac, Mac Pro, Mac Mini and MacBook Pro do not see updates by mid October, I will do something I have not done in 20 years: buy a Windows machine.

I need to replace my 2011 MacBook Air and would prefer a desktop (no longer working on the go). But it is far enough from the iMac 2015 release that buying today is buying year old tech... Something I am loathe to do for a computer I plan to keep for 5+ years.

Not I…..

While I empathise with the sentiment, my 2009 Mini is still good for my humble needs. I reckon there could be another generation or two before I replace it. The new Mac Mini is almost certainly coming, albeit less frequently than in the past.

However, with the possibility of a more itinerant phase in my life coming up, I could be in the market for a MacBook Air before too long.

 

[philipma1957]

I wish they would get sued for failing to provide a desktop for people with poor vision.
Before you defend them the mac mini is able to do this. It is affordable and until 4k tv becomes the standard tv they are not liable for my complaint.

My eyes have issues the best monitor for me is a large screen tv. I have that and my mac mini can drive it.
I know this will not be as true once I switch to a 4k tv 50-65 inch as mac mini's struggle driving them.
And lets face it a mac pro is over kill. all their mobile gear has a screen so I overpay for it. and the imac at 27 inches is pretty worthless for me.

So I limp along with the mac mini and hope for the best. One good thing is I have held off on 4k screens and the price went down. I sincerely hope they come out with a piece of worthwhile gear for me.
I have 7 windows and they are meh. I am learning some linux and may end up running linux.

 

[qwerty808]

No no, what I'm saying is that if you already know you want a NUC, but you also want to play games on it, Skull Canyon is in an entirely new league. You now have a chance to play games you've never even tried before. And yeah, the benchmarks I've seen confirm it.

nobody is saying you can't play games on it but marketing it primarily as a gaming device is another question.... the reviews i've seen confirm that.
[doublepost=1468472491][/doublepost]skull canyon nuc + acer graphics dock = take my money.

if it ever gets released.... and works with non acer gear.... and works with linux.... etc

 

[jpietrzak8]

skull canyon nuc + acer graphics dock = take my money.

Nah. NUC + graphics dock = all the size, heat, and noise of a standard minitower PC at a much higher price and in two boxes instead of one. Bleah.

I can see the argument for matching a portable computer with a graphics dock, but the point of an SFF PC (for me at least) is to become a permanent, inconspicuous, quiet object on a desk (or wherever you prefer to house it). The Skull Canyon already pushes the noise level a bit high; a graphics dock would push it higher as well as remove most of the other advantages of SFF design.

 

[orbital~debris]

Disappointedly visiting MacRumors every day hoping for at least news (or a hint) of a new Mac mini; do you think we could crowdfund a rumour outfit to actually do some Mac-centric investigative reporting?

 

[derbladerunner]

View attachment 640038

That picture pretty much says it all. No wonder Apple lost market share in PCs recently.

I hope for a big refresh wave in late 2016 and 2017 now that new I/O and processors are ready (Thunderbolt 3, USB Type C, Intel Kaby Lake followed by Cannon Lake.)

 

[DesertSurfer]

Nah. NUC + graphics dock = all the size, heat, and noise of a standard minitower PC at a much higher price and in two boxes instead of one. Bleah.

I can see the argument for matching a portable computer with a graphics dock, but the point of an SFF PC (for me at least) is to become a permanent, inconspicuous, quiet object on a desk (or wherever you prefer to house it). The Skull Canyon already pushes the noise level a bit high; a graphics dock would push it higher as well as remove most of the other advantages of SFF design.

I think if one chooses to go this way, the best idea is to get a new Mac Mini and a new Skull Canyon NUC, TWO external graphics card docks, at least two monitors, keyboards and mice, and a larger desk. Then grab all of the cables and scramble them into a nest. Into the nest, place your Walter White action figure, and then - wait, am I awake? Sorry!

 

[bse5150]

I think if one chooses to go this way, the best idea is to get a new Mac Mini and a new Skull Canyon NUC, TWO external graphics card docks, at least two monitors, keyboards and mice, and a larger desk. Then grab all of the cables and scramble them into a nest. Into the nest, place your Walter White action figure, and then - wait, am I awake? Sorry!

Walter White... FTW!

 

[Cape Dave]

View attachment 640247


Walter White... FTW!

Maybe Walter can light a fire under Apple's mini A**

 

[Crosscreek]

Maybe Walter can light a fire under Apple's mini A**

I'm helping Apple build mine.....it keeps showing up piece by piece.

 

[richpjr]

Not gonna lie - the Skull Canyon NUC looks pretty impressive (assuming one isn't using it for game, similar to the Mac Mini).

 

[jpietrzak8]

Not gonna lie - the Skull Canyon NUC looks pretty impressive (assuming one isn't using it for game, similar to the Mac Mini).

Heck, compared to pretty much any other SFF machine out there (NUC, Apple, or whatever), the Skull Canyon looks pretty impressive for gaming too! The fact that it can run high-end video games at all, even if only at low settings, sets it apart from almost any other device with an integrated GPU.

 

[Crosscreek]

Ordered the heart today (don't tell my wife) I-7 6700K. I'll beat Apple at their own game. I might hold an event. lol

 

[navaira]

Ordered the heart today (don't tell my wife) I-7 6700K. I'll beat Apple at their own game. I might hold an event. lol

I'd watch that!