They’ve got an early look at Mark’s newsletter that will be out on Sunday for those that get it for free. I think. Mark must mention about another press release in November for Macs.
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The new Mac mini is almost certainly coming
- Thread starter GabrieleR
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Yep, I'm erring towards an earlier purchase than planned. Still on the fence on Mini vs iMac. And given that it's possible that all machines will go up in price regardless of spec bumps and the hardware, I feel that buying now may be the smart move. Mac desktops typically last the course, I often see posts here about decades old desktop hardware, where laptops form 2017 seem to be biting the dust. And even though I could hang it out and see what happens, all the indicators are pointing towards a hefty price increase for what seem to be marginal gains (for my use case at least).
This is a good point, in the UK, a rise of 10% (not unreasonable given our currency) takes the base model Studio to £2,189, and a fair bit north of the £1,849 I'd expect a 24GB/1TB config to cost. This does leave a little headroom for the M2 Mini, but I'm not 100% sure what the chip bump would be in the anticipated Pro. Maybe that would be limited to lower RAM as you say.
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The pretty limited difference between the M1 and M2 help. Main difference is GPU, but single core performance is only circa 10% better in the M2. the M2 Pro will supposedly have 12 cores (8+ 4), but I only need the Studio for the ports and display support, RAM is a bonus.
It's the potential for the M2 pro Mini that will be a significant difference. That's the one I'd wait for with this coming release.
Offering a regular M2 and an M2 Pro doesn't make sense for the mini as it doesn't have the sales volume. The Pro has more ports so Apple would have to have two completely different boards to support the two chips.
edit: clarified sales volume
edit: clarified sales volume
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They already have that right now. M1 entry level Max mini and “higher end” Intel Mac mini with more ports.
Yes but one is an old design from 2018 that they simply didn't stop production. Like they are selling the iPad 9th gen and 10th gen.
I would not mind an M2 Pro option in the Mac Studio though I don't think that they'd need the huge heat sink.
Well, that doesn’t change the fact that they feel they can support two completely different motherboards in the Mac mini at the same time.
I’m not saying they will definitely release an M2 Pro Mac mini, but the fact of the matter is that M2 Pro using a different motherboard isn’t necessarily a deal breaker. There certainly is space for it price-wise.
I guess I didn't realize that the M1 Mini was already 2 years old.
The new Mac Mini is almost certainly coming, since I bought one yesterday. If history is prologue, they will announce it a couple days after its return period ends. *sigh*
The new Mac Mini is almost certainly coming, since I bought one yesterday. If history is prologue, they will announce it a couple days after its return period ends. *sigh*
Congratulations. What mini did you get?
Usually price cuts occur when I buy a tech product. Remember the '97 Asian economic meltdown? That was me. I had upgraded many components in my computer and the market crashed.
Time flies when you're waiting for an updated mini.
Current sales volume for a Mn Pro Mac mini equals zero, because Apple has not released one yet...
And the current M1 Mac mini sells by the pallet load to assorted colocation folk, including Amazon...
14" & 16" ASi MacBook Pro laptops have M1 Pro & M1 Max SoCs, with two different mobos...
Mac Studio headless desktops have M1 Max & M1 Ultra SoCs, with two different mobos...
Not too far fetched that Apple might put out a Mac mini, with the M2 & M2 Pro SoCs, which would mean two different mobos...
Not that big a deal whatsoever...
Question is, will they do it alongside the M2 Pro/Max MBPs, or will they simply release the M2 mini and wait for initial MBP demand to die down (to help spread the demand for SoCs) and release the M2 Pro in Q1-23?
I feel Apple will release the M2 & M2 Pro Mac mini first, probably before the end of 2022, and be on the N5P process...
The M2 Pro & M2 Max MacBook Pro laptops will probably come Spring 2023, and be on the N3E process...
The M2 Ultra & M2 Extreme ASi Mac Pro will probably come WWDC 2023, and be on the N3E process as well...
So the N5P M2 & M2 Pro SoCs will be for Mac mini headless desktops, 13" MacBook Air & 13" MacBook Pro laptops, 24" iMac AIO desktop, and 11" & 12.9" iPad Pro tablets; while the N3E M2 Pro & M2 Max SoCs will be for 14" & 16" MacBook Pro laptops, M2 Max & M2 Ultra Mac Studio headless desktops, and M2 Ultra & M2 Extreme Mac Pro headless desktop workstations...
Wow, that's a bold prediction. You really think Apple would have two M2 Pros (5nm and 3nm)? I just think for supply reasons, Apple will want all the available M2 Pro/Max chips for the MacBook Pros first, then a mini later on.
I think it's bold too - and I agree with your reasonings too. With supply shortages an issue Apple will want to save the M2 Pro and Max CPUs for higher average selling units.
If Apple even thought that they could introduce the M2 Pro into a new SKU it's far more likely to be an entry level Mac Studio in my opinion. They would then use non binned CPUs making them only slightly cheaper than the standard M2 Max Studio.
I'd suggest they might do this in part to make the Mac Studio more affordable for countries which are about to see the price of a Mac Studio sky rocket.
Even though there's enough rumour mill about an M2 Pro Mac mini I'm finding it hard to square that off with pictures drawings that suggest a smaller redesigned shell.
And from what I have seen the option to sell refurbished M1 Pro and max machines like the 14 and 16 inch MacBook Pros and selected high spec mac studios will make an interesting strategy if the prices stay the same after November.
I have used MBP/MBA since 2015 and am looking forward to adding an M1 Mac Mini soon (just waiting to see what the M2 Mini is like).
I also considered simply getting a dock for my M1 MBA and connecting that to my 4K TV/monitor, but then I'd lose access to touchID with the laptop closed and will need to purchase an Apple keyboard for this setup. I thought it's better to get a Mini for desktop use but I just learned the Mini doesn't come with a keyboard, or any accessories! If I have to buy an Apple TouchID keyboard anyways, maybe I can just skip the Mini altogether. Will wait and see what the M2 Mini brings and if M1 Mini price drops.
I also considered simply getting a dock for my M1 MBA and connecting that to my 4K TV/monitor, but then I'd lose access to touchID with the laptop closed and will need to purchase an Apple keyboard for this setup. I thought it's better to get a Mini for desktop use but I just learned the Mini doesn't come with a keyboard, or any accessories! If I have to buy an Apple TouchID keyboard anyways, maybe I can just skip the Mini altogether. Will wait and see what the M2 Mini brings and if M1 Mini price drops.
If the Mac mini ever gets the M2 Pro SoC, it will be after the updated MacBooks.
I have a feeling, that if the Mac mini won't get regular M2 in the following week/weeks it won't be updated at all in this year.
And because people are still buying the M1 hardware, why would Apple rush out with updates?
Yep. The M1 Pro/Max has only been out a year. I think Apple could release the update MBPs in Q1 and be absolutely fine.
I beg to differ: IMHO this is a huge deal!
Apple’s portfolio is growing by the month and the number of SKU’s is alarmingly high already. Just look at the mess in the iPad lineup: iPad 9th gen, iPad 10th gen, iPad Air, iPad mini, iPad Pro (may even count the 11” and 12.9” separately) … - all of those in various flavors e.g. in terms of Ram and Storage.
The customer is maximally confused and the logistic, R&D and purchasing cost are significant. Not to mention compatibility verification and Software development - there’s a reason why many people feel Software quality at Apple is going down the drain!
Steve Jobs had realized that when he returned - and he cut down the portfolio significantly. Today’s Apple heads seem to believe that they can handle such a mess and therefore try to fill more and more niches to satisfy everyone. In my opinion they can not (long term) - and even less so can the customer.
I would really prefer them to shrink the amount of SKU’s drastically. Though I’m fearing for the worst and Apple introducing yet another device like e.g. a Mac micro in the form factor of an AppleTV. For cost reduction reasons that would even be okay for me, as long as they would discontinue the current mini (*seeks cover*).
The colocation folks could be soothed by offering a plastic rack adapter - maybe even allowing for four Mac micros in the space of one current Mac mini.
Sure - some of the forum members might be disappointed, but I guess that the majority of the mini’s target audience would even be pleased to get a smaller form factor and perhaps a price closer to the price point of the mini when it was originally introduced.
The Intel Mac mini will be removed from the Apple Store one way or another. It is just a matter of time, regardless of whether it gets a replacement or not.
Sure, and I’m not arguing otherwise, but the point is that the Mac mini line overall is pretty simple, and replacing the Intel Mac mini with an M2 Pro would not complicate things at all. If anything, it would make the line more cohesive than it is now with the orphaned Intel model.
It may be irrelevant to the personal wishes people write down in this thread, but in the context of the bigger picture (i.e. the well-being and long-term sustainability of Apple as a Company) it is very relevant in my opinion.
The iPad line-up should be a warning example for all those wishes uttered here.
Some want a basic M2 mini for low cost, others an M2 Max for performance, yet others would prefer an M2 Pro as compromise between the former two.
Some would like to retain the current form factor, others would prefer a smaller form factor.
Some are fine with less ports, others want even more than on the Studio.
If Apple would cater to all those wishes, we soon would have a mess in the Mac (mini) lineup that’s even worse than in the iPad lineup.
Therefore I do plead to drastically reduce options: Keep the mini with the basic M1/2 chip and perhaps shrink the housing to that of the AppleTV (cost reasons - ideally allowing for a better entry price again).
The Intel mini is only there for people still needing the compatibility. Performance wise even the M1 is already adequate. Thus the Intel mini can eventually be removed without successor.
Prosumers and other customers wanting more power can be upsold to the Studio with its Max entry flavor. Sure, it’s more expensive, but Apple never was famous for basement bargain offers.
The M2 Pro can be the entry option of the MBP series, where it allows for diversification from the MB line of notebooks. It’s not needed in the mini.
If people insist on a device with an M2 Pro that costs less than a Mac Studio, they can get a MBP and use it in clamshell mode.
Sure people would moan and complain that they’d want the M2 Pro in the mini (especially the fraction of the target audience gathered in this forum), but no matter what, there’ll always be complaints.
So there’s my opinion and now you can flame me 🔥😎