Almost certainly sooner or later or thereaboutsIn November or December hopefully.
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The new Mac mini is almost certainly coming
- Thread starter GabrieleR
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Well, speaking of the upcoming Mac mini from Apple, let's see what one of their competitors is up to.
blogs.windows.com
arstechnica.com
Microsoft did yesterday release an ARM mini PC for developers to speed up the development of applications for the platform. The price is 600 USD (without VAT) and has the following specs:
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3, however some say/write, that it's more similar to the custom SQ3 processor inside the new Surface Pro 9 (read below)
- 32 GB RAM
- 512 GB fast storage
- multiple ports: built-in Wi-Fi 6, physical ethernet, 3x USB-A and 2x USB-C and a Mini Display
This mini computer can drive up to 3 external monitors simultaneously, including 2 at 4K 60Hz.
The CPU is similar to the one inside the Microsoft Surface Pro 9
arstechnica.com
From the website:
Windows Dev Kit 2023 aka Project Volterra
Available today: Windows Dev Kit 2023 aka Project Volterra
blogs.windows.com
Microsoft’s “Project Volterra” becomes an Arm-powered mini PC with 32GB of RAM
“Windows Dev Kit 2023” is dramatically more powerful than previous efforts.
arstechnica.com
Microsoft did yesterday release an ARM mini PC for developers to speed up the development of applications for the platform. The price is 600 USD (without VAT) and has the following specs:
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3, however some say/write, that it's more similar to the custom SQ3 processor inside the new Surface Pro 9 (read below)
- 32 GB RAM
- 512 GB fast storage
- multiple ports: built-in Wi-Fi 6, physical ethernet, 3x USB-A and 2x USB-C and a Mini Display
This mini computer can drive up to 3 external monitors simultaneously, including 2 at 4K 60Hz.
The CPU is similar to the one inside the Microsoft Surface Pro 9
Surface Pro 9 comes in both Intel and Arm flavors, absorbing the Surface Pro X
For this refresh, Microsoft works up the courage to remove the headphone jack.
arstechnica.com
From the website:
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Quite optimistic, if you ask me. I have a strange feeling, it will be more in the $1,699 and up class.
Suspect you are right. That much for a mini…. with insufficient ports and support for two monitors. Nope
Overall, the M1 chip has changed the game since I was last in market. Before there were clear trade offs between power, performance and portability. Now it's not so clear. Pros are coming out saying they are getting a lot done with the consumer devices. By looking at a Mini/iMac/Air, it feels that this is distinctly not a device for pro work (when I say "pro" I just mean machines for more taxing hobbies like photos, video, music etc) which leads you down the path of the higher specced machines. Some folks with those Prosumer hobbies (to use industry wording) may feel that these machines are not "for them" although this is largely down to the way they are presented and marketed (eg: iMac in the kitchen etc). It's just that before the devices at this price point did have somewhat of a professional vibe about them. Getting this into my brain has been the weirdest part of this choice for me, but like you I've talked myself down from some of the higher end options.
Lastly, there's the spec & price bumps incoming. Naturally, this is a choice that only you can make. Who knows, Apple may decide to replace the M1 chip entirely with the M2 to keep the price at that entry level. But with the financial market as it is, and the potential for an M1/M2 lineup, there's enough chance that the Mini and all other existing hardware sees a price bump along the lines of the iPads. At that point you can choose to hang it out if you have the money ready for the right machine, or compromise and lock in the 2020/21 prices now. I'm heading towards the latter to be honest, but my old machines don't have any juice in them which has made my mind up for me.
You’re thinking along the right lines though, and the fact that you're weighing it all in the round means you should make an informed choice. No easy wins though. The pricing on these machines is well calibrated that's for sure.
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Funny that it is the color that everyone wants for the Mac Mini
But it's plastic! 😁 However, everyone would probably like a Mini with 32gb RAM and a 512gb SSD for $600.
This site disagrees. It states that unlike M1 Pro vs M1 Max, M2 Pro has fewer CPU cores than M2 Max. (I always thought it was odd that M1 Max didn’t have more CPU cores than M1 Pro, but this would address that.)
It also claims it would be N3, which could really increase performance per Watt.
View attachment 2101548
Apple Has Reportedly Given TSMC a Large Order to Mass Produce Its M2 Pro, M2 Max and Future SoCs on the Latest 3nm Process
A new report states that TSMC has taken a large order from Apple to mass produce M2 Pro, M2 Max and future chipsets on its 3nm nodewccftech.com
蘋果M2打核心戰 台積傳獨吞3奈米大單 - 工商時報
雖然個人電腦（PC）市場需求低迷不振，但蘋果仍將在未來幾個月推出多款新機，而蘋果亦加速第二代Apple Silicon的M2處理器研發及量產，據外電及業界消息，蘋果M2處理器將大打核心戰，可能推出搭載48核心的最高階M2 Extreme搶攻高階PC及工作站應用，晶圓代工龍頭台積電可望獨吞3奈米晶圓代工大單。ctee.com.tw
This was originally linked by @Xiao_Xi here:
Nice if that's how it turns out but it sounds like it means 2023. I think that the CPU differentiation between the Pro and the Max is a good thing.
I suppose that they could still ship an M2 mini in November.
The eternal question is whether or not to wait, because, as we all know, the new Mac mini is almost certainly coming.
Well exchange rates and VAT will tend to do that to prices . 😁 Though the Mini is still the cheapest entry level transition mac there is. The one thing I wish Apple had done was continue to allow you to use older iMacs as monitors. I really don't want to have to get a monitor when my 2013 iMac could work as one and its resale value is diminishing by the day.
The Euro and Pound will go back up when we lower rates.
Will Apple lower prices in Europe and England then?
That assumes the Fed will lower rates. It seems to have its own "ideas" about how to "fix" things.
Might when the new stuff comes out. 😁
The Fed is working hard at breaking things. Then they will work hard at fixing the things that they broke. That's the way it has worked for a very long time.
The Apple Insider discount page has the M1 mini 16/512 at $200 off and the 16/1 at $250 off. These are the biggest discounts on these new M1 minis that I have seen. The Refurb store has these back in stock but what is amusing is that you can buy these two models new for less than the refurbished prices.
That's a good sign.
I’ve mentioned before that if the M1 Mac mini were 30% off here I’d be buying but if it were 15% off I’d just wait. It’s a 2 year-old machine now. The age per se doesn’t bother me but the loss of potentially 2+ years of macOS support does. Plus, M1 is limited to 16 GB.
Unfortunately, we don’t seem to get the same discounts in Canada that customers in the US get.
I've been there before, I got my 2014 1.4ghz base Mini new from B&H Photo in 2015. Back then we didn't pay tax from them, so the price was the same as an Apple refurb with tax.
Then in 2018 I also got a new 2014 2.8ghz Mini from them for $500. Had to pay tax that time, but Apple was selling the exact same configuration in the refurb store for about $1000! So, when the M1 Mini is discontinued, I'm sure there will be some good deals from the usual places (but probably not from Apple).
I already have an M1 mini with 16 GB so a second one would get me 8 efficiency cores, 8 performance cores, 16 GPU cores, 32 GB RAM and 1 TB SSD, support for four monitors, split over two machines. I have been going back and forth on just getting another mini (at the right price), waiting for the M2 Pro and selling my current mini, or just getting a Studio right now. The cheapest option would be to get another mini. I can partition my workload which makes this doable but I realize that a lot of people can't.
The next question is: will the Mac event be early November or late November?
I'm not convinced there will be a Mac event, unless the Mac Pro is also introduced.
However, from the sounds of it, the Mac Pro won't appear until 2023.
Hi, I'm here for my $600 M1/24/512 Mac mini, thanks...!
LOL, I just finished binging both The Hobbit & The Lord of the Rings trilogies; sadly, not the Extended variants, thanks Amazon...
I gotta read the books again, and maybe attempt The Silmarillion once more (you get points for trying)...!
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I suspect the M2 Pro Mini will have the same case as the high-end Intel model. At best, it's already a lot like the M1 Mini, but is Space Gray and has four Thunderbolt/USB-C ports instead of two.
I was referencing the Windows ARM development kit which is (evidently) $600 for a 32/512 configuration.
Still waiting for a Mac mini with 32GB RAM and a 512GB SSD for $600. Finally a well-priced Mac mini! /s
Can I upgrade to the high-end model...?
- M2 Pro SoC
- 48GB RAM
- 2TB SSD
- 10Gb Ethernet
- US$999
Assuming the M2 Pro SoCs start at 16GB RAM again, what do people think about 24GB RAM being an upgrade option? Likely, or do you think Apple will stick to 16 -> 32 -> 64, etc?
£400 (which I suspect will increase to £500) to go from 16GB to 32GB is absolutely nuts, but half that could tempt me tbh as I'm sometimes close to 16GB RAM, but 32GB is overkill.
£400 (which I suspect will increase to £500) to go from 16GB to 32GB is absolutely nuts, but half that could tempt me tbh as I'm sometimes close to 16GB RAM, but 32GB is overkill.
I'm not convinced there will be a M2 Pro option, but as you are, I am hopeful. However, if it does get released in a Mac mini, IMHO having only the 16 --> 32 GB option is almost pointless, since it removes the price benefit of this SoC upgrade. The only viable way of having M2 Pro in a Mac mini is to give it a 24 GB option, and it is possible from a technical point of view.
While I don't agree with the adage that "16 GB is the new 8 GB", since a lot of light users can function well with 8 GB RAM, I don't see the M2 Pro making sense paired to 8 GB. M2 + 8 GB, sure. M2 Pro would need to start at 16 GB, but to keep it affordable, a 24 GB option would be perfect. It's a large upgrade from 16 GB which would cover a LOT of users, without costing an arm and a leg.
IMO, given the choice between a 24 GB / 512 GB M2 Mac mini at $1299 and a 32 GB / 512 M2 Max Mac Studio at $1999, the vast majority of people with any sort of budget constraints would drop down to the Mac mini. However, if there was a 24 GB / 512 GB M2 Pro Mac mini for $1499, I could see a ton of the same people forking over for the (mild) upsell.