The new Mac mini is almost certainly coming

[Chuckeee]

But the Mini uses the same SoC daughter board as other Apple computers. There is very little Apple has to do for a Mini, and the casework and power supply are already in production and have a proven track record.

That is true. But the question is why did Apple skip the M2 iMac (that could have similar carryover from the M1 iMac and the similar [computer on a stick] logic board approach used in the M2 MBA)? And could that same logic be applied to skipping over the M3 mini, in favor of a later release of an M4 mini?

It is conceivable that Apple could stagger iMac and mini release between every other Mx release.

 

[Burai]

I suspect they've moved to a biennial upgrade pattern on the consumer desktops. Everything got M1 in 2020/21 because they wanted to get everything and everyone onto Apple Silicon as soon as possible.

Mac mini got M2 last year, iMac got M3 this year, mini will get M4 next year, iMac will get M5 in 2026, mini will get M6 in '27, etc.

And that makes sense. Nobody should have cause to upgrade an iMac or Mac Mini after just 12 months (if you do, you've bought the wrong computer), and we know from the sales drop-off from M1 to M2 Macs that people generally don't, so there's no need for a yearly release.

 

[DVD9]

Have you priced computers from Lenovo... or Microsoft... or etc.?

Spot prices for SDRAM chips, as well as DIMMs found on the usual outlets, do not represent what system integrators (whether Apple, Lenovo, or whoever) will and must charge.

I can put as little or as much in my NUC as I want. Apple very deliberately took away that choice. They did it precisely for that reason. There was no other consideration whatsoever.

BTW, Windows does much better on a 256GB SSD than MacOS. It's not even close. I do not have iMovie, Pages etc installed because there is no room on this Mini. It's either those programs or the SWAP file. Apple said "you'll have to choose, or choose to pay us twice as much for that 16/512 configuration".

 

[enc0re]

Mini, Studio, and Pro are a lot of headless desktop products considering they only have one all-in-one with only one screen size. Could be that Apple wants to consolidate the headless desktop line and release everything at once. Or they are skipping a year.

I'm on an M1 mini and ready to hit buy on whatever cheapest desktop releases next that supports HDR 4K120 on HDMI.

 

[icemantx]

Anyone else like to see some upgrades to the Mac mini form factor or is it simply peak "mini" desktop computer?

I for one would like one USB-C port and an SD Card slot (I know they are on the Studio, but I do not want that). Also being that the mini has had the same design for over a decade, it has either peaked in design or is very due for an update. How about adding some color options such as on the MacBook Air/Pro and reduce the size? The power supply can certainly be reduced in size as it is way overkill and leftover from the Intel Mac mini and there is a lot of empty/free space inside the current design to shrink it down. Understood those who use the Mac mini for server farms do not want the design to change.

Thoughts?

 

[picpicmac]

And could that same logic be applied to skipping over the M3 mini

The M3 represents a technological jump from the M2, while the M2 SoC was just a slight modification of the M1.

Now, Apple chose to make the M3 and M3 Pro smaller instead of growing them to have many more cores. Instead, Apple made the M3 Max the processing beast and the M3/M3 Pro more about efficiency.

So what does this mean for the Mini? I really do think the day of the desktop computer is slowly coming to an end. Computer sales have matured, and the industry for personal computers/desktop computer is now down to four companies (Lenovo, Apple, HP, and Dell.) Several other brands exist but the top four account for most of the sales.

I have in my budget to buy a Mac in April. Right now a Mac Mini is on that list (along with a VESA monitor, VESA arm, and some external storage.)

I'm hoping an M3 Mac Mini is announced in the next couple of weeks. And I'll likely get the M3 Pro version. If said device does not appear, I might as well pick up an M2 Max Mac Studio on the Refurb store, as the refurb price is just a bit more than a new M_ Pro Mac Mini.

The Mac Mini was never going to be a market dominating device. It was always for the Mac user who needed a small computer but didn't want a laptop.

I do think Apple will someday abandon this market, but I don't think that day is now.

 

[picpicmac]

I can put as little or as much in my NUC as I want. Apple very deliberately took away that choice.

And now the NUC is no more as Intel discovered it was not a business for them.

Think about that: the paradigm of modularity you just championed turned out to not be a desirable business for the company that did it.

Over the past 5 decades, company after company have dropped out of the computer market. Maybe ask yourself why.

If you want to go and assemble some tiny computer from parts bought off eBay, AliExpress, or elsewhere then by all means go do that. Get one of those Raspberry Pi, or Orange whatevers, and assemble and disassemble to your heart's content. Stack hats, use SD cards for bootable Linux installs... all of that is available to you.

I (and nearly all computer users) don't want to do that.

 

[picpicmac]

The power supply can certainly be reduced in size

The M_ Pro Mini though has 6 USB/TB ports, and they are by specification required to supply power. At 15W minimum per port, that is 6x15=90W. So there's that.

Otherwise, we have speculated that Apple could make the AppleTV box into a Mac easy enough. Just add a few more ports to another side of the AppleTV box.

 

[DVD9]

And now the NUC is no more as Intel discovered it was not a business for them.

Think about that: the paradigm of modularity you just championed turned out to not be a desirable business for the company that did it.

Over the past 5 decades, company after company have dropped out of the computer market. Maybe ask yourself why.

If you want to go and assemble some tiny computer from parts bought off eBay, AliExpress, or elsewhere then by all means go do that. Get one of those Raspberry Pi, or Orange whatevers, and assemble and disassemble to your heart's content. Stack hats, use SD cards for bootable Linux installs... all of that is available to you.

I (and nearly all computer users) don't want to do that.

NUC is right here:

ASUS NUC 14 Pro

Performance: Delivers best-in-class performance among comparable mini-PC offerings Manageability: Most comprehensive mini-PC with Intel vPro® Enterprise for exceptional security, manageability, and stability AI Ready: Harnesses the prowess of Intel® Core™ Ultra processors’ three AI engines for...

shop.asus.com

If you have any trouble finding NUC or some RAM and SSD's at one eighth the price that Apple charges for the same thing just message me.

 

[kent5]

And now the NUC is no more as Intel discovered it was not a business for them.
Think about that: the paradigm of modularity you just championed turned out to not be a desirable business for the company that did it.
Over the past 5 decades, company after company have dropped out of the computer market. Maybe ask yourself why.
If you want to go and assemble some tiny computer from parts bought off eBay, AliExpress, or elsewhere then by all means go do that. Get one of those Raspberry Pi, or Orange whatevers, and assemble and disassemble to your heart's content. Stack hats, use SD cards for bootable Linux installs... all of that is available to you.
I (and nearly all computer users) don't want to do that.

True, but I don't think that's the contention with Apple's move to 100% un-upgradeable computers.

Assemble PC from scratch? You're right, it's safe to say nearly all people don't want to do that.

Have the option to upgrade RAM or Storage? Yes, a LOT of people want that option without buying a completely new computer. People's storage and RAM requirements change a LOT more frequently than their processor requirements.

Those two actions are not the same thing.

 

[enc0re]

Comparing SD RAM prices to UMA RAM prices is silly. A not completely but more accurate comparison would be VRAM prices to UMA RAM prices.

 

[Newgoblin49]

The M3 represents a technological jump from the M2, while the M2 SoC was just a slight modification of the M1.

Now, Apple chose to make the M3 and M3 Pro smaller instead of growing them to have many more cores. Instead, Apple made the M3 Max the processing beast and the M3/M3 Pro more about efficiency.

So what does this mean for the Mini? I really do think the day of the desktop computer is slowly coming to an end. Computer sales have matured, and the industry for personal computers/desktop computer is now down to four companies (Lenovo, Apple, HP, and Dell.) Several other brands exist but the top four account for most of the sales.

I have in my budget to buy a Mac in April. Right now a Mac Mini is on that list (along with a VESA monitor, VESA arm, and some external storage.)

I'm hoping an M3 Mac Mini is announced in the next couple of weeks. And I'll likely get the M3 Pro version. If said device does not appear, I might as well pick up an M2 Max Mac Studio on the Refurb store, as the refurb price is just a bit more than a new M_ Pro Mac Mini.

The Mac Mini was never going to be a market dominating device. It was always for the Mac user who needed a small computer but didn't want a laptop.

I do think Apple will someday abandon this market, but I don't think that day is now.

A lot of people are moving into high end desk setups and lg, Samsung, dell etc are pushing the envelope when it comes to monitors with 5K HDR OLED etc . I don’t see how the Mac Mini market will get smaller.

I used to use an MBP and after using it with a high end keyboard monitor and mouse , I don’t really see the need of using a laptop . So Ive decided to upgrade my intel MBP directly to a Mac Mini M3 Pro

 

[picpicmac]

a LOT of people want that option without buying a completely new computer.

Various people have claimed online that less than a third of computer users ever upgrade their computer. That's all upgrades.

I don't know the actual numbers. Businesses tend to turn over office equipment related to their depreciation schedule.

 

[picpicmac]

A lot of people are moving into high end desk setups

Global sales of computers tell us that computer (by which is NOT meant the smartphone or tablet market) interests in owning a personal computer are slowing waning.

 

[picpicmac]

If you have any trouble finding NUC or some RAM and SSD's at one eighth the price that Apple charges for the same thing just message me.

Maybe someone is going to offer to me next a source for Tandy, or Amiga, or Toshiba parts?

Yes, I knew when I wrote what I did about the NUC that someone was going to bring up ASUS.

ASUS was already selling small box PCs before they picked up the NUC remnants from Intel.

ASUS buying said NUC property/rights does not at all address my point: Intel discovered that the idea of the NUC was not an attractive business.

The day of the DIMM is over, and the same is slowly occurring for all the other bit and pieces with which you want to play. The reason you think those parts are cheap is because you are picking them up years after they were originally researched and developed. Retail system integrators of course want to preserve their business, like IBM of old, by continually convincing customers that a lifelong processes of flipping boxes, boxes assembled by integrators, is necessary for life.

But the reason the personal computer business is slowly fading is because people would rather have a smartphone (or maybe a tablet), and a smaller fraction of the world might want a laptop computer for work.

And that laptop is becoming a closed box like that smartphone.

Contemporary manufacturing processes for the end-device are nearly completely automated, and the cost-effective way for the manufacturers is to make a single package.

And this is why, for example, Lenovo now offers computers with soldered in SDRAM (just like Apple), and while on some models Lenovo does offer one DIMM-type slot, Lenovo charges more for that.

 

[weaztek]

I for one would like one USB-C port and an SD Card slot (I know they are on the Studio, but I do not want that). Also being that the mini has had the same design for over a decade, it has either peaked in design or is very due for an update.
Thoughts?

Some pro cameras have already moved to faster, CFExpress cards. No need putting on a card reader on a future machine if it's going to be obsolete (I don't know what direction Canon, Sony, Nikon will take). I have a very fast ext. SD card reader so I'll stick with that.

I'd like to see better support for ext. Blu-ray drives. Especially if there is going to be a disaster in the streaming platforms. One only needs to look as far as the Funimation Anime Streaming service (shut down) news to see what could happen to people's online film libraries.

 

[yellowhelicopter]

Over the past 5 decades, company after company have dropped out of the computer market. Maybe ask yourself why.

There still are and hopefully will always be lots of people who don't like to work or entertain themselves looking at tiny 6" or 10 or 15" screen like it was 25 years ago when 15" seemed huge. Now I know that one always may connect their laptop to a big screen, but 1) thermal condition of a laptop is much worse than that of even mac mini 2) not everyone needs mobility when it comes to computing, thus making the additional cost of a laptop unwanted and unneeded.

So there is certain (and pretty high) line below which the demand will never drop. Besides, I think that majority of PC users in the world use computers assembled either by themselves or by some local companies.

 

[kent5]

Various people have claimed online that less than a third of computer users ever upgrade their computer. That's all upgrades.

I don't know the actual numbers. Businesses tend to turn over office equipment related to their depreciation schedule.

But one benefit you are overlooking is the ability to upgrade. Even if they never do it, people like to have that option... it makes them feel better about making a sizeable purchase if they know it isn't dead-ended in a year IF they decide they need more.

So -- "this is it. If you ever need more memory or storage, you'll have to throw this computer away and buy a new one". Which is what Apple is telling customers today -- that is when they aren't pushing the dubious claim that "No, it's not upgradeable, but don't worry -- 8MB is all you'll ever need".

 

[picpicmac]

Which is what Apple is telling customers today

It's the story of the entire industry.

At least as far as where the bigger, more successful companies are going.

And it's also what happened in the past. As I've pointed out before, none other than Steve Jobs had the first Mac being a closed box.

Computers are now more smartphone than the boxes of the early 1980's.

The Mac Mini will likely be good for another generation. But I expect it too to go away in the next few years.

if they know it isn't dead-ended in a year

C'mon, are you saying that after 12 months an M-series Mac is no longer useful?

If you're going to make that argument then at least pick a reasonable period of use.

 

[yellowhelicopter]

The Mac Mini will likely be good for another generation. But I expect it too to go away in the next few years.

I have been reading such prophecies since like 2016 ) And also even more ancient desktop demise prophecies ) Some people probably expect that everyone will be happy for many hours a day to program, design, video edit, browse or play on smartphone, tablet or laptop )

Intel discarded NUC because probably it was either unprofitable or profit was negligible, they didn't need it for anything else. As before they discarded their retail motherboard business because of competition. However Apple needs mini even if it's a low profit business coz it's the cheapest and the most affordable device for their macOS and they need to enlarge their user base.

 

[bearcatrp]

If Apple isn’t making much on the mini, can see Apple discontinuing the mini and the studio becomes the mini. More ports which is why my next computer will be the studio. Just waiting on the M3 Studio. I think there are more options with the studio from low level processor to the pro version.

 

[Corefile]

The Mac Mini will likely be good for another generation. But I expect it too to go away in the next few years.

The current Mini design is well into its third calendar decade. The form factor is embarrassing for the company when you consider Intel jettisoned their much smaller NUC technology as being obsolete. For all Apple's size, they are incapable of doing multiple projects in parallel. There is zero innovation there anymore and Tim Apple has done nothing since Steve left us.

 

[kent5]

It's the story of the entire industry.
At least as far as where the bigger, more successful companies are going.
And it's also what happened in the past. As I've pointed out before, none other than Steve Jobs had the first Mac being a closed box.
Computers are now more smartphone than the boxes of the early 1980's.
The Mac Mini will likely be good for another generation. But I expect it too to go away in the next few years.
C'mon, are you saying that after 12 months an M-series Mac is no longer useful?
If you're going to make that argument then at least pick a reasonable period of use.

I meant if the owner decided he needed more than 8GB RAM (yep, it happens) or outgrows the puny and laughably small 256GB internal, and didn't want to mess around having an external drive as a boot drive (its own problems), then the Mini gets relegated to the trash or trying to sell it private party (online buyers buy Minis for ridiculously low priced offers). Most people don't need a separate server in their house, so saying "just turn it into a server!" is not great advice for the vast majority of Mini users.

 

[Corefile]

No new M3 Mac Minis. Game Over.

 

[kent5]

No new M3 Mac Minis. Game Over.

Source or cite? Or is this just your guess?

Other sources are guessing there WILL be a M3 Mini in March.

This is relevant to my interests as I am looking to replace a 2018 i5 Mini.

No way I want to spend MSRP (or anything near it) for an M2 if M3's are imminent. And TBH, I'm not entirely 100% sure I'll be staying with Apple as my main desktop at this point -- between the instability of some of their core ecosystem apps, and the total UN-upgradability forcing me into a MUCH more expensive unit than I would like ("just in case" I need more RAM/storage later)... I don't know. And I say that as someone who started their Mac journey decades ago with the Mac 512k.