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The new Mac mini is almost certainly coming
- Thread starter GabrieleR
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The need would be because there is waisted space in the current design, and there are competitive products out in the market that are smaller. A raspberry pi for example is way smaller than the mini. I dont think they would do two different designs though because that adds unneeded production costs.
They could shrink the design and still use the same exact fan and thermals. I made a super quick mockup with the current design to show how much space could be removed while still retaining the same thermal capacity of the current mini (able to handle an M1 Max chip under full load). The red part is unused space, or is used by the PSU (which could use an external like the iMac). IF they wanted, they could make a Mac mini the size of the blue outline. If they included a PSU, they still could shrink the design considerably.
As seen since the iPhone 12 box size, Apple was able to ship more units to supply the demand at a much cheaper transport cost (more units per freight being shipped equals less cost overall on an international global scale). This also means less carbon being used for shipment (we all live on this planet keeping it healthy is a major priority).
The cost savings is also passed on to partners with a smaller Mac mini footprint in terms of product size. Server farms can have MORE units per rack, less energy spent for both power and cooling and increasing revenues.
I’m looking forward to cheaper for M2 Mac Mini server rental fees!
Apple can change the design of the current Mac mini, I would expect rounded edges/corners & feet like on the 2021 ASi MBP, add the WiFi/BT friendly top panel; but still maintaining the same 7.7" x 7.7" x 1.4" dimensions and internal PSU; and maybe Apple suprises the eff out of us by using any "wasted space" in the Mac mini for a standard M.2 slot...?
For a smaller Mac mini (like your blue outline above), that is where the low-end consumer Mn-series Mac mini desktops come in, go with the external PSU/Ethernet combo (scale of economics with the 24" iMac & removes a port from the now smaller back panel) & same design cues from the current MBP laptops as above, with a bunch of rainbow colors to match the new Apple-branded displays (which will also have the standard "Pro" Silver & Space Gray options)...!
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Yeah, it's amazing just how empty the M1 Mac mini is. It's ridiculous, and it's clearly just the usual last retrofit of new technology in the old design, before the new re-design lands.
The M1 Pro/Max Mac minis would require a bit more room, but not THAT much more room. We already know that since we know the M1 Max MacBook Pro already takes up less volume than the current Mac mini design, despite including a screen, camera, trackpad, keyboard, and battery. No, the upgraded Mac mini won't be silent at full load, but that likely won't be Apple's design target. It will be quieter than the current Mac mini, but at extended full load the fan will likely still be pretty audible. That's too bad, but Apple likely considers that a reasonable target.
So, I too think the M2 and M1 Pro/Max Mac minis will share a housing design, and I think it will have a smaller footprint than the current Mac mini. I'm not sure about the height though. Will they keep it the same height? But no, they definitely won't go with a Cube design, because that will raise manufacturing and shipping costs, etc. and will benefit nobody.
THIS! Make it two M.2 slots and add two standard Ram slots in addition to the on-chip memory, all accessible in a user-friendly way. Like - say - in the 2010/2011/2012 mini's. Or make it even more "Pro" and have the internals on a slide-out tray for optimal accessibility.
Why not combining "smaller" and "colors" with "Retro"? Give those consumer mini's a translucent housing, reminiscent of the original iMac series. Consumer folks also likely need less ports, so an AppleTV-sized mini in a variety of translucent colors could be a huge success - couldn't it?!
Mac mini dimensions - 7.7" x 7.7" x 1.4" (W x D x H)
16" MacBook Pro dimensions - 14.01" 9.77" x 0.66" (W x D x H)
So nearly twice as wide & a few inches deeper, but a little less than half the height...
I could not find a decent pic of the M1 Mac mini mobo & chassis (for size comparisons) but I did find this x-ray...
So I would think the M1 Pro/Max could use all of the space in the current Mac mini chassis, but the Mn-series minis could easily move into a smaller chassis with the external PSU/Ethernet combo brick...
16" MacBook Pro dimensions - 14.01" 9.77" x 0.66" (W x D x H)
So nearly twice as wide & a few inches deeper, but a little less than half the height...
I could not find a decent pic of the M1 Mac mini mobo & chassis (for size comparisons) but I did find this x-ray...
So I would think the M1 Pro/Max could use all of the space in the current Mac mini chassis, but the Mn-series minis could easily move into a smaller chassis with the external PSU/Ethernet combo brick...
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Expandable RAM is most likely a thing of the past with Apple silicon...
That would be interesting, but Apple would probably stick with assorted colors in anodized aluminum to match the 24" iMac (and possibly the new MacBook Air replacement & the Apple-branded displays)...
I already posted it just a few posts ago, but the MacBook Pro includes a screen, camera, trackpad, keyboard (and backlight), and battery. Plus it has additional surface area too - palm rests, bezels, etc.Mac mini dimensions - 7.7" x 7.7" x 1.4" (W x D x H)
16" MacBook Pro dimensions - 14.01" 9.77" x 0.66" (W x D x H)
So nearly twice as wide & a few inches deeper, but a little less than half the height...
I could not find a decent pic of the M1 Mac mini mobo & chassis (for size comparisons) but I did find this x-ray...
So I would think the M1 Pro/Max could use all of the space in the current Mac mini chassis, but the Mn-series minis could easily move into a smaller chassis with the external PUS/Ethernet combo brick...
One of the valuable features of the Mini is the number and variety of ports. It is used as a work-horse machine and server by many people. If you make it too small, you would lose the ports but gain very little functionally from the smaller case.
Well, the solution to that is just not to make it too small.
There is still a fair bit of room to shrink it while keeping a lot of ports.BTW, I would love to see multiple colors available, but I'm not expecting that, not even for the lower tier m2 model.
Well aware of the additional items in a laptop; was more showing the sizes of the respective mobos, how a M1 mobo could fit in a smaller chassis, but the M1 Pro/Max mobo (size comparison only) really needs the size of the current Mac mini chassis...
M1 Mac mini has less ports anyway, and going to external PSU/Ethernet combo for that would remove one port from the rear panel...
The M1 Pro/Max Mac minis would keep the current chassis dimensions & ports...
Well, the solution to that is just not to make it too small.
Smaller chassis mini with the Mn-series SoC does not need as many ports, see current ASi Mac mini port selection...
Multi-colors ties in with multi-color Apple-branded displays, and apparently Apple could make more off a Mac mini & Apple-branded display sale than off of an iMac...?
Also, lower-tier 24" iMac has colors, and the new MacBook is also rumored to have colors, so...
Low-end / consumer = assorted colors
Mid/high-end prosumer/pro = Silver & Space Gray
The only reason why I think they may keep the current design is many companies (like Mac Stadium) use them in racks and changing the design could be cumbersome. This is why in the 2018 redesign they kept the form factor the same.
That being said I just don’t think an M1 Max chip motherboard needs all that space. I don’t think the motherboard will be much larger than the M1 motherboard. I also don’t see them putting in an M.2 connector as it does not seem like something Apple would do.
Now I personally don’t care what form factor it has, and I would love an M.2 connector. My predictions are just based on what I think Apple is going to do. And to me, it doesn’t make sense to create two different mini form factors when the Mac mini is Apples least popular Mac. I just don’t see them doing this. And I personally think Apple CAN shrink the design, and still offer extreme M1 Max performance with no throttling in a sleek, mini design.
It goes without saying that I am tired of my nearly 10-year-old i5 Mini...hurry up Tim. TAKE MY MONEY!!!!
M.2 connector would be nice, but it's definitely not gonna happen.
As I stated above, Apple can make changes to the design while still keeping the same dimensions for the "full-sized" Mac mini, keeping the colocation folks happy...
Look at the pics/x-ray above, the M1 Max mobo & cooling takes a good bit more space than the M1 mobo & cooling; the space in the current mini chassis is needed...
I could see the smaller Mn-series Mac mini having the ability to attach to the back of an Apple-branded display with a VESA mount; the iMac concept with the ability to "upgrade"...
1. Co-location likely represents a tiny fraction of Mac mini sales.
2. Co-location types would be even happier if the units were smaller, allowing more units to fit in their racks.
But the mini has been having this 1-Litre volume form factor which becomes more or less a standard for headless deployment, in rack or not.
If the Pro/Max chip goes into a higher tier model, I expect it to retain the same chassis. Then for a lower tier model say with an M2, I would look at the Apple TV 4K form factor to draw some ideas. That thing packs a large fan while still keep the AC transformer inside.
You're not wrong. But they are looking to update the mini for the next decade+ so it is due for a redesign of some sort, if for no other reason than marketing, i.e. to ensure people know it's running AS. Brand image 'moves the needle'.
I think the main reasons for changing the design (separate from form factor, remember) is Apple drawing a line under the intel era. It already fits the current design language, but maybe they'll go for tighter corners, or just change the tops to get over the bluetooth issues.
Apple doesn't even try to keep the co-lo people happy as the mini is a rack unfriendly device compared to something that was specifically designed for that purpose (I posted about this a while ago, none of the dimensions work with 19" or 1u/1.75"). I can't see them splitting the line into two chassis. I would guess that the chassis will be based around the TDPs of the current M1 Max (hopefully with some overhead) and then the M1 will have extra breathing room. The M1 mini is a hangover from the tooling needed to produce the developer kit. Had the M1 yields been bad, I imagine either the mini or pro wouldn't have been released.
Apple doesn't even try to keep the co-lo people happy as the mini is a rack unfriendly device compared to something that was specifically designed for that purpose (I posted about this a while ago, none of the dimensions work with 19" or 1u/1.75"). I can't see them splitting the line into two chassis. I would guess that the chassis will be based around the TDPs of the current M1 Max (hopefully with some overhead) and then the M1 will have extra breathing room. The M1 mini is a hangover from the tooling needed to produce the developer kit. Had the M1 yields been bad, I imagine either the mini or pro wouldn't have been released.
This is exactly my thinking. Marketing is very important here, in the transition to the era of Apple Silicon.
There are technical considerations as well as cost considerations, but one should not underestimate the importance of marketing considerations too in this transition period. EVERY Mac line will undergo a redesign. Every single one.
However, I also believe this Mac mini redesign will be accompanied by a change in the form factor as well, and it will likely be smaller, both for the M2 model and the M1 Pro/Max model (with those two lines sharing the same form factor).
Redesign or not, please keep the power supply internal, it makes everything much cleaner.
The motherboard on the MacBook doesn’t need to be that size for M1 Max. It’s that size because that’s the size of the laptop. There’s also no motherboard under the fans or batteries. So even if the mobo had to be that big, it’s taking up maybe a 2/5 of the actual space. Also without them being in the same picture (to relate size) then it’s even harder to really infer anything from this. Also they could use a double sided mobo too. Also remember the 14” MacBook Pro also holds the M1 Max, and it’s smaller too. Also remember the height of the mini will likely be different too, so you can stack a fan ontop of the motherboard unlike the laptops.Mac mini dimensions - 7.7" x 7.7" x 1.4" (W x D x H)
16" MacBook Pro dimensions - 14.01" 9.77" x 0.66" (W x D x H)
So nearly twice as wide & a few inches deeper, but a little less than half the height...
I could not find a decent pic of the M1 Mac mini mobo & chassis (for size comparisons) but I did find this x-ray...
So I would think the M1 Pro/Max could use all of the space in the current Mac mini chassis, but the Mn-series minis could easily move into a smaller chassis with the external PSU/Ethernet combo brick...
Essentially there are way too many variables and possibilities and unknowns here to try and infer from these to pictures and dimensions how large or small the motherboard needs to be for M1 Max.
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Yeah, the picture of the motherboard can be really misleading when mounted inside the case.
It looks much, much smaller when removed.
Exactly. And the 14” is even smaller. Plus you can see there’s empty space not being fully used.