Hi again everyone here is my prediction of what might be happening coming up in the next few weeks. Since the Mac Mini hasn't been updated since forever there may be a new re-design model in the making that hasn't been finished yet. Another clue is that they might get rid of the Mac Mini and come out with a new Apple computer a mid-size Mac Pro of some sort or a Mac Mini Pro. Who knows on how long this may take possibly until Winter time if this is the case. If there is a silent update it will be very very soon most likely in Sept. Updated: Processor, HD, Graphics, and Airport. I do not think this update is going to happen at all. There is definitely a big surprise coming soon which could be worth the wait. The new main changes that there will be are the Macbooks and the Mac Mini. The rundown is that there is something new in the making which will be a silent surprise that no one is not going to say. Overall, there is either a New Design or a New Apple Computer. If you are going to buy a Mac Mini you can either wait or just buy it and then sell it if you want. Tell me what you think? that is my rundown on the Mac Mini.
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There Is Going To Be A New Re-Designed Mac Mini or New Apple Product.
- Thread starter NyMetsFan08
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Apple is either going to update the Mini to the Montevina platform or they will end-of-life it and when stocks run-out, formally kill the model. I can't see them doing a move to Santa Rosa because there was no real reason to wait this long to migrate it to that architecture if that was the plan.
I do not expect Apple to offer a Mini Tower. Right now Apple has a clear demarcation in their desktop line - Mac Mini to iMac to Mac Pro. Each has its own unique place with absolutely zero overlap. A Mac Mini Tower would compete with all three models and muddy the waters. It would bring confusion to the Apple marketplace and make it more difficult for Apple to sell desktop systems because they can't quickly and clearly classify customers by need and price-point. Just like when we had the Performa, Centris and Quadra all running over each other. I used to sell Macs then and believe me, it was a pain in the arse trying to explain to "Joe Sixpack" or his grandmother as to which Apple model they needed.
I do not expect Apple to offer a Mini Tower. Right now Apple has a clear demarcation in their desktop line - Mac Mini to iMac to Mac Pro. Each has its own unique place with absolutely zero overlap. A Mac Mini Tower would compete with all three models and muddy the waters. It would bring confusion to the Apple marketplace and make it more difficult for Apple to sell desktop systems because they can't quickly and clearly classify customers by need and price-point. Just like when we had the Performa, Centris and Quadra all running over each other. I used to sell Macs then and believe me, it was a pain in the arse trying to explain to "Joe Sixpack" or his grandmother as to which Apple model they needed.
And all of this will be announced on a Tuesday. 
The Mac mini pro or a mini-tower is completely out of Apple's normal way of doing business. The only expandable low end machines have been totally crippled and/or overpriced (PM7200, Cube for example)
A new mini with 3.5" drive could be just to reduce Apple's cost- but I am not expecting such a unit. More of an AppleTV & mini replacement with optional optical drive would be my personal thinking.
And the bottom end of the MacPro line needs to move down - there just are not many $2500 PCs today and Apple needs to move the bottom end to about $1500 for a stripper model.
They are doing very well in the market and if they are happy with current market share, they just need to do some tweaking. If they want to gain share then they need a $1000 mini tower thing. Also laptops are running away with the market, so maybe killing the mini and coming up with a cheaper laptop would actually get more sales.
The Mac mini pro or a mini-tower is completely out of Apple's normal way of doing business. The only expandable low end machines have been totally crippled and/or overpriced (PM7200, Cube for example)
A new mini with 3.5" drive could be just to reduce Apple's cost- but I am not expecting such a unit. More of an AppleTV & mini replacement with optional optical drive would be my personal thinking.
And the bottom end of the MacPro line needs to move down - there just are not many $2500 PCs today and Apple needs to move the bottom end to about $1500 for a stripper model.
They are doing very well in the market and if they are happy with current market share, they just need to do some tweaking. If they want to gain share then they need a $1000 mini tower thing. Also laptops are running away with the market, so maybe killing the mini and coming up with a cheaper laptop would actually get more sales.
A single E5462 2.8GHz Xeon CPU is $800 and the motherboard it sits in is over $500. Right there you are over $1300 before adding the case, the power supply, a HDD, an optical drive and a video card. And the 30% margin.
The only way Apple could get a Mac Pro down to $1500 is if they went with the 2.0GHz E5405 Xeon which is $209 and that is just not going to cut it in a "pro" machine.
Even though this topic has made the rounds a few times already, it's always fun.
I know the big complaint about the Mac mini not being easily expandable is a popular one on this and similar boards. But in the real world, it's just not a big issue. (You mean MacRumors isn't the real world? ) My guess is that you could ask your whole family and 95% of them haven't even thought about expanding their current computers. For most people, the options you have when ordering your computer is expandability and they're happy with that.
Of course, I'm a little partial to the Mac mini. =)
I know the big complaint about the Mac mini not being easily expandable is a popular one on this and similar boards. But in the real world, it's just not a big issue. (You mean MacRumors isn't the real world?
) My guess is that you could ask your whole family and 95% of them haven't even thought about expanding their current computers. For most people, the options you have when ordering your computer is expandability and they're happy with that. Of course, I'm a little partial to the Mac mini. =)
Something "might be happening" ... "in the next few weeks" Might be the Mac mini, but it might be got rid of. It might take until winter time. Or it might be a silent update in September. "There is definitely a big surprise coming soon which could be worth the wait."
"The rundown is that there is something new in the making which will be a silent surprise that no one is not going to say."
Who needs press releases...
"The rundown is that there is something new in the making which will be a silent surprise that no one is not going to say."
Who needs press releases...
I really need a few minis now but I REFUSE to pay that rediculous price for hardware that is over 2 yrs old. Apple has just lost it and anyone buying a new mini right now is insane. Come on, no wifi n? Thats just rude.
I hear you look at the studio hybrids the mac mini should have everything that has to be up to date.
When did 801.11n draft come through in the various Apple?
Would be interesting to note when it'd been picked up by the different Mac lines as they updated.
Exactly. Buying a $1100 MacBook is a much better deal than a $600 mini.
Or maybe you were thinking of the $1200 iMac?
Show those Apple B**tards by buying something else than the mini.
Agreed. This is how things were in the G5 days, and the $1500 base model was the one I chose to originally move to Apple because of Logic 7.
Last year around this time, I got a C2D Mini refurb, and used my iphone rebate ($400 out the door). A larger 7200rpm HDD and 4GB or RAM later, I had a perfectly snappy daily use machine, and it is still the newest Mini!
An imac is still using laptop parts, and I have ACD's which I would rather use anyway. The Mac Pro, now weighing in at $2300 before necessary upgrades is just too far out of my pricerange for what I need in a desktop. I am mobile all the time, so the MPB is my most used machine, and the mini holds down the home. I would probably be first in line for a $1500 Mac Pro so I could run both of my displays without shenanigans, and use internal HDDs instead of external boxes.
I was thinking of not buying anything. Still need 3 minis, won't buy imacs for macbooks for that slot. Will wait for apple to come around till forever if need to.
Just to throw the q out here - What's stopping Apple just updating in September as per usual?
Are they waiting for anything specific?
Seems to have been a week before in 2006, but several weeks later in 2007.