The pictures I posted are of the 14" actually, and yes, there is some empty space. However, it's the M1 Pro. I presume the M1 Max would have less empty space.
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The new Mac mini is almost certainly coming
- Thread starter GabrieleR
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Depends if Apple wish to reuse the 143w PSU brick that comes with the iMac 24" - unless it's also going to do double duty later this year with the 27" iMac.
I think it's accepted that Apple will be changing the form factor - not least because of the well publicised minority of users who have issues with wifi and bluetooth around this case design. Unless they just replace it with a polycarbonate top to make it more radio wave friendly.
If Apple are indeed going to have a new design for the Mini AND they are going with M1 Pro and Max variants, they could release the high end SKU in that news case before shifting the base SKU into that same case later this year when the 2012 style design finally gets retired after a decade's service.
It seems unlikely that Apple would design 2 new cases for the Mini. They may reduce the size a little, but not sure what the benefit is of reducing it by much. Moving the power supply outside just makes it more clumsy. One case that can handle the power/cooling of at least an M1 Max and still allow for a good selection of ports. It doesn't need to be Apple TV sized.
My iPhone 12 Pro Max is well over twice as fast as my current primary work desktop, a 2014 Mac mini. While one cannot do a perfect comparison across platforms, nonetheless these Geekbench 5 scores are quite telling:
~1600/4150 - iPhone 12 Pro Max A14
~740/1600 - 2014 Mac mini i5-4278U
IOW, the single-core speed of my phone is as fast as the hyperthreaded multi-core speed of my desktop.
Then you underestimate the power that the 2018 mini had with an eGPU. One of the best computers I have ever owned (i7, 32GB*). I would like a mini with a M1 Pro (at least) / Max (at best) with at least 32GB of RAM and the best GPU cores to compare against my 8,1. I would also prefer the same size to match my other minis (speaking of accessories). A different top, doesn't matter to me, just keep the power supply internally. Do I need it? No, but the new AS makes me so so curious!
* - rest in signature.
Hah ... but ... 😃
Sorry about this too large image ... but anyway, this is the first Apple TV (I think called iTV in many countries).
I am not sure but it might have had a non metal - ie glass or plastic top ... and lots of ports. It's form factor wouldn't be a bad starting place for a new mac mini?
Why should I re-iterate over everything that had been discussed the last 2-3 pages in this thread? If the poster I answered to would have taken the time to read a few pages back in this thread, he couldn't have gotten the impression that "it is accepted" that the form factor will change. It is not - opinions still differ on that. No need for me to re-hash everything said shortly before.
I hate to quote myself, but the volume is important and the mini has 30% more volume than the 14" including the power supply before subtracting the batteries, screen, etc from the MacBook Pro.
I imagine if it goes external it would be the same one as the iMac. The current mini is ~120W I believe, so while 143W is overkill, as it isn't powering a screen, it could well be in the right efficiency window to not matter. I hope it remains internal, and I'd be quite happy if it used a USB-c power cable (as long as its far enough away from the TB4 ports to not get confused when unplugging a device) or stuck with the figure-8.
I can live if the mac mini is without an internal power supply. However, if that's the case, Apple should at least give an option to charge Mini via thunderbolt port, exactly the same way MacBooks can be charged.
That way you'd need only one cable from a monitor that charges the device, passes the display signal, and expands peripherals. It's a hassle-free, beautiful solution that should be in mac mini for a few years already.
BTW, the MacBooks pro (m1pro/max) are equipped with quite decent, professional DAC. I wonder if it will be the same in mac mini. Would be a really nice addon...
That way you'd need only one cable from a monitor that charges the device, passes the display signal, and expands peripherals. It's a hassle-free, beautiful solution that should be in mac mini for a few years already.
BTW, the MacBooks pro (m1pro/max) are equipped with quite decent, professional DAC. I wonder if it will be the same in mac mini. Would be a really nice addon...
That’s valid. You can then just not respond back to them if they’re not going to listen to anything you have said.
I can as well respond in concise manner, to clarify that a form factor change is not generally accepted (and for sure not confirmed), as the referred poster seemed to believe. And it is not only me who has a different opinion on this topic.
Sure you can, but it’s not going to be very effective IMO. To me it seemed like they were speaking in generalities - Of course not everyone here is on the same page. I assumed they meant “it is generally accepted” meaning there will be outliers and those that disagree.
I actually have nothing much to say about form factors -- I like it as it is, but if they change it, they're not going to go the Jony Ive cylinder Mac route of "What's the absolute minimum volume at which the overheated electronics constantly teeter on the brink of explosion? Yeah, let's go for that."
Really, I just wanted to have a reply on page 666 of this thread.
Really, I just wanted to have a reply on page 666 of this thread.
Too small is an issue. I have a Lark Box and it is so small (61 x 61 x 43mm) that you have to be careful hooking up cables. The weight of a cable can pull it off the desk.
CHUWI LarkBox Pro Mini PC with 6GB RAM 128GB ROM Intel Celeron J4125 Quad Core (Up to 2.7GHz) Windows 10 Desktop Computer 4K Ultra-HD Streaming, 2xUSB 3.0 Dual Wi-Fi, BT5.1, VESA Mounting
Brand: CHUWI Model: LarkBox Pro Type: Mini PC System: Windows 10 CPU: Intel Celeron J4125, 2.00GHz-2.70GHz Core: Quad Core GPU: Intel HD Graphics 600 RAM: 6GB RAM Type: LPDDR4 Max. Extended Capacity: 128G (eMMC) Maximum External Hard Drives Capacity: 1TB Color: Black Decod...
www.amazon.com
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They had better not move the power brick outside the case
That would be an enormous regression
That would be an enormous regression
Will that make the new Mac Mini evil? 😈
I am afraid we have to rant all this s*** over and over again until we come to at least page 888, or even 1111, seems more likely, before any Mac Mini Pro/Max will be presented of Apple. Doubt it will happen much before 8 March.
I’m certainly not bothered about design, form factor etc, as mine lives in a cupboard and I rarely see it. My main point regarding volume is that the M1 Pro is not a “super power hungry” space heater and it doesn’t need a larger volume. It’s more about the minimum volume before something in the cooling has to get clever.
My 2012 mini has starting to play up this week, so I hope we don’t have much longer to wait. I’m sure it would be fine if I wiped it and reinstalled macOS, but I don’t have time for that at the moment.
I think there is room to go smaller without going too small. I recently bought a second-hand mini to use while overcoming as issue with my iMac. It was going to be a machine I would use later to keep access to my 32-bit apps. I sorted the iMac issue and the mini was faulty, so I no longer have it. What I did notice was the footprint was larger than I would like, although taller would have been fine. I hope there is a redesign that shaves something off the size. Something that doesn’t go beyond the end of my 27” monitor when sat next to the monitor’s stand, and doesn’t sit forward of the stand when there is space used up behind for cables into the mini, preferably a little smaller in both directions. It wasn’t far off meeting that, but it just made it that bit more awkward when it didn’t.Too small is an issue. I have a Lark Box and it is so small (61 x 61 x 43mm) that you have to be careful hooking up cables. The weight of a cable can pull it off the desk.
CHUWI LarkBox Pro Mini PC with 6GB RAM 128GB ROM Intel Celeron J4125 Quad Core (Up to 2.7GHz) Windows 10 Desktop Computer 4K Ultra-HD Streaming, 2xUSB 3.0 Dual Wi-Fi, BT5.1, VESA Mounting
Brand: CHUWI Model: LarkBox Pro Type: Mini PC System: Windows 10 CPU: Intel Celeron J4125, 2.00GHz-2.70GHz Core: Quad Core GPU: Intel HD Graphics 600 RAM: 6GB RAM Type: LPDDR4 Max. Extended Capacity: 128G (eMMC) Maximum External Hard Drives Capacity: 1TB Color: Black Decod...www.amazon.com
Someone mentioned the relative power in an iPhone. I would like to see a Mac Nano that was iPhone sized so it could be slipped into a pocket. There have been times where I have worked in several different locations with a desktop set up in each, usually a Windows machine when the device was supplied. It would have been great to take my own computer (a laptop didn’t fit well). I could have also used such a device like that when giving university lectures, plugging it into the AV system. But I see this Nano as a separate line to the mini, something new for Apple Silicon.
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No, it wouldn’t. I’m afraid you’re missing the point.
The current 27” iMac design is often criticised for looking outdated, with large bezels, etc. Forum posts often talk about it, and reviews of the most recent refreshes of that model typically point out the design as being old and tired. That’s bad for business. Therefore it’s highly likely Apple will revise the design.
On the other hand, people are not complaining about the design of the Mac mini. Reviews of the recent M1 Mac mini do not talk about the design as being old and tired, in fact some refer to the fact that it keeps the current design as a positive thing. And if people are fine with the current design - which they are - then there is no need for Apple to change it.