The new Mac mini is almost certainly coming

[Jorbanead]

Dual M1 Maxes would generate approximately the same heat as the current intel offering in the current chassis, maybe ~10-20W more, something this large would have bundles of headroom for that. I'm intrigued but this concept, almost to the point of waiting on an upgrade to see I'm unlikely to be able to order anything tomorrow. Given the maxed out MBP are now shipping in May (which is insane), I have no idea on how volatile the lead times for these machine will be. The M1 Pros seem to be catching up, but the Maxes are getting worse. I wonder if this is a power-binning thing, or maybe the yields are just terrible?

The 2018 i7 maxes out at 122W. The M1 Max in the 16” maxes out at 119.8W. So a single M1 Max is likely the limit the current mini design could handle, but with the Intel design there is some thermal throttling after sustained periods of time.

So no, AFAIK dual M1 Max chips would not work in the current design, especially under sustained loads.

I am unaware how a dual chip functions, but if the M1 max uses ~120W would this mean we should expect a dual chip to reach 200W+?

 

[tubular]

Of all the product lines, I think it's the BYO KVM machines that got absolutely mangled from 2014 on -- a low end that was too low, a high end that was too high, and nothing in the middle. iMacs muddled through, the laptops muddled through (although more muddily) but the BYOKVM machines just got clobbered. Which is a problem, because that's where I'm at.

Things started turning around circa 2018 with the hexcore mini (I'm running one now) and a Mac Pro that seems optimized for A/V production. But a solid, general-audience BYOKVM machine between a mini and a pro -- I'm listening.

 

[Boil]

At the moment, I'm unconvinced that for a Mac mini to run an M1 Pro/M1 Max, it needs to be more than twice the size of the current mini.

Either the render is very wrong, or something else is going on here.

I would think chassis is designed to scale up to dual M1 Max SoCs inside...

The 2018 i7 maxes out at 122W. The M1 Max in the 16” maxes out at 119.8W. So a single M1 Max is likely the limit the current mini design could handle, but with the Intel design there is some thermal throttling after sustained periods of time.

So no, AFAIK dual M1 Max chips would not work in the current design, especially under sustained loads.

I am unaware how a dual chip functions, but if the M1 max uses ~120W would this mean we should expect a dual chip to reach 200W+?

I would think a 300W PSU should be sufficient...

Of all the product lines, I think it's the BYO KVM machines that got absolutely mangled from 2014 on -- a low end that was too low, a high end that was too high, and nothing in the middle. iMacs muddled through, the laptops muddled through (although more muddily) but the BYOKVM machines just got clobbered. Which is a problem, because that's where I'm at.

Things started turning around circa 2018 with the hexcore mini (I'm running one now) and a Mac Pro that seems optimized for A/V production. But a solid, general-audience BYOKVM machine between a mini and a pro -- I'm listening.

See my post here, I outline what I think is a reasonable set of SKU possibilities, giving a machine that can start where the low-end Mn-series Macs stop and scale up to where the Mac Pro starts...!

 

[Macative]

I would think chassis is designed to scale up to dual M1 Max SoCs inside...

It really depends on what this product is.

It's kinda cool that at the moment we really have no idea. One way or the other though, there will be disappointment tomorrow when we find out which one it is.

These are the two possibilities as I see it right now:

1. This is the new high end Mac mini that has extra space for new thermal cooling system to get peak performance out of the M1 Pro and M1 Max (chips that are currently throttled in the only other machine we've seen them in). And price wise, it will fall somewhere around $1500 and up.

2. The is the new low end Mac Pro, that is running dual SOC M1 Max configs, shipping sooner than expected, and starting around $3000.

 

[Macative]

Of all the product lines, I think it's the BYO KVM machines that got absolutely mangled from 2014 on -- a low end that was too low, a high end that was too high, and nothing in the middle. iMacs muddled through, the laptops muddled through (although more muddily) but the BYOKVM machines just got clobbered. Which is a problem, because that's where I'm at.

Things started turning around circa 2018 with the hexcore mini (I'm running one now) and a Mac Pro that seems optimized for A/V production. But a solid, general-audience BYOKVM machine between a mini and a pro -- I'm listening.

Apple purposely crippled that space for a lot of reasons, all of which revolved around driving people toward MacBook and iMac.

It is nice to see Apple finally returning to this space.

 

[Macative]

This isn’t for an M1 mini. This is likely for an M1 Max, or dual M1 Max chips. That may require a larger power supply, larger MOBO, and a larger fan with a large heatsink. Keep in mind, with the MPX modules and afterburner cards, the majority of the Mac Pro is heatsinks and fans. This is likely that, but miniaturized.

My assumption is this would be able to run a dual max chip at full loads indefinitely without any thermal limits.

Eeek, I'm thinking this design is to run 1 max chip at full loads indefinitely without any thermal limits.

May be getting overly excited about this machine having dual Max chips.

 

[MayaUser]

Eeek, I'm thinking this design is to run 1 max chip at full loads indefinitely without any thermal limits.

May be getting overly excited about this machine having dual Max chips.

the 16" can run fully loaded 24/7 without any thermal limits...its ok, the 14" Apple limited the W of the M1 max in it
But like you i hope it can sustain dual m1 max for 24/7 as server rack mounted
That space inside is MORE than enough for dual SoC
probably will start as M1 pro single, BTO to dual M1 pro and up to dual M1 max

 

[Macative]

the 16" can run fully loaded 24/7 without any thermal limits...its ok, the 14" Apple limited the W of the M1 max in it
But like you i hope it can sustain dual m1 max for 24/7 as server rack mounted

Pretty sure the 16" still throttles, just less than the 14". I've seen it discussed.

Either way, makes no difference to me. I barely ever max out my M1 Pro as it is.

 

[Boil]

the 16" can run fully loaded 24/7 without any thermal limits...its ok, the 14" Apple limited the W of the M1 max in it
But like you i hope it can sustain dual m1 max for 24/7 as server rack mounted
That space inside is MORE than enough for dual SoC
probably will start as M1 pro single, BTO to dual M1 pro and up to dual M1 max

Sonnet design drones busy scaling some products to fit the new Thicc Mac Studio...

 

[Boil]

Pretty sure the 16" still throttles, just less than the 14". I've seen it discussed.

Either way, makes no difference to me. I barely ever max out my M1 Pro as it is.

Read somewhere on the forums that the 16" MBP does fine with either the CPU or GPU loaded, but not with both loaded at the same time...

The increased cooling capacity this larger chassis provides should allow both CPU & GPU to work fully loaded, even with a dual SoC configuration...?

 

[killawat]

dual or dare I say it, QUAD max could be stacked instead of side by side, with a heatsink in between each M1 chip. then throw some IO on top.

 

[MayaUser]

Pretty sure the 16" still throttles, just less than the 14". I've seen it discussed.

Either way, makes no difference to me. I barely ever max out my M1 Pro as it is.

i never found an pro application, code , server , that can use 100% cpu and 100% gpu...so i never heard about 16" mbp to throttles, if you founded it, plz let me know where to test it myself (please no benchmarks , i need real apps/work apps )
I had a full Maya 3d project fully loaded/complex the cpu and gpu never passed 67%

 

[MayaUser]

dual or dare I say it, QUAD max could be stacked instead of side by side, with a heatsink in between each M1 chip. then throw some IO on top.

come on man....QUAD max?? that would mean 256 unified RAM....i dont say its impossible, but...but i would love that even if its even larger...support for 8x8k displays...Jesus Christ

 

[MayaUser]

Never mind, a month ago we thought (at least i thought ) this spring event will be an useless/very boring one with just iphone SE and ipad air, and maybe, but maybe an 13" touchbar MBP....but now this new mini workstation mac mini/studio and that external studio display made it interesting

 

[Jorbanead]

Never mind, a month ago we thought (at least i thought ) this spring event will be an useless/very boring one with just iphone SE and ipad air, and maybe, but maybe an 13" touchbar MBP....but now this new mini workstation mac mini/studio and that external studio display made it interesting

I think that’s where many of us are now. The first indication this event may be interesting was that tagline “peek performance” - Apple wouldn’t use that unless they had something that fit. In no world do I see an SE being apples “performance” benchmark! Hah.

The Mac studio and display certainly feels like they fit that tagline.

 

[trickster is meaningless]

The 2018 i7 maxes out at 122W. The M1 Max in the 16” maxes out at 119.8W. So a single M1 Max is likely the limit the current mini design could handle, but with the Intel design there is some thermal throttling after sustained periods of time.

So no, AFAIK dual M1 Max chips would not work in the current design, especially under sustained loads.

I am unaware how a dual chip functions, but if the M1 max uses ~120W would this mean we should expect a dual chip to reach 200W+?

I think the 119.8W reading (from Anandtech?) was the wall power, not the package wattage, however the package power was 92W, so apologies that I was out a bit as well, its still a 30W difference. The mini currently has a very crude cooling system, so they could achieve that if they wanted to be clever with the thermals. Should the power supply be shifted out of the chassis, I think the thermals would be achievable.

However, because the could do it doesn't mean they should

 

[now i see it]

This thread is going to explode in disappointment tomorrow when we find out what’s actually behind the curtain.
For the most part (but not always) Apple never fails to disappoint.
And if we do like the top tier machine, guaranteed we’ll be disappointed with its price.

 

[MayaUser]

This thread is going to explode in disappointment tomorrow when we find out what’s actually behind the curtain.
For the most part (but not always) Apple never fails to disappoint.
And if we do like the top tier machine, guaranteed we’ll be disappointed with its price.

so are you thinking about an 1 hour event about just iphone SE and ipad air ?!

 

[trickster is meaningless]

so are you thinking about an 1 hour event about just iphone SE and ipad air ?!

Don't forget watch straps!!!

 

[now i see it]

It’s a given they’ll spend 15 minutes going on and on about their new watch bands……….

 

[trickster is meaningless]

I need to know the stitch density, and get confused for a second that Hermes are a niche watch designer, not a shi**y courier in the UK... or maybe all the packages they lose get mushed into watch straps

 

[Macative]

Read somewhere on the forums that the 16" MBP does fine with either the CPU or GPU loaded, but not with both loaded at the same time...

The increased cooling capacity this larger chassis provides should allow both CPU & GPU to work fully loaded, even with a dual SoC configuration...?

We'll see, at this point we're way beyond reasonable speculation. This is a fake render based on rumors. We'll see tomorrow.

 

[Boil]

All renders are fake, just as all words are made up...!

 

[Maximara]

This isn’t for an M1 mini. This is likely for an M1 Max, or dual M1 Max chips. That may require a larger power supply, larger MOBO, and a larger fan with a large heatsink. Keep in mind, with the MPX modules and afterburner cards, the majority of the Mac Pro is heatsinks and fans. This is likely that, but miniaturized.

My assumption is this would be able to run a dual max chip at full loads indefinitely without any thermal limits.

But the design is said to be between the Mini and the iMac. I can see the M<whatever> M1 Pro looking like this (though a lot bigger) but that is not what the render is supposed to be as that is kind of overkill for what is supposed to be a 'headless Mac for the rest of us'.

Well we will know Tuesday...we all hope.

 

[Jorbanead]

But the design is said to be between the Mini and the iMac. I can see the M<whatever> M1 Pro looking like this (though a lot bigger) but that is not what the render is supposed to be as that is kind of overkill for what is supposed to be a 'headless Mac for the rest of us'.

Well we will know Tuesday...we all hope.

No the design is said to be between the Mac mini and the Mac Pro. The video you linked is not the original source of these rumors.

Luke miani is responsible for the design leak, but the rumors of the studio also came from other sources. Edit: including Mark Gurman who just confirmed he also belives this will be announced tomorrow.