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Tomorrow, it will officially be the longest refresh cycle for the Mac Mini, ever.
- Thread starter Redbeard25
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This looks like the longest refresh cycle for ANY Apple product since they started doing refreshes.
the classic mac pro went some 1000+ days because that 2012 ghz bump was the biggest slap to the pro communities face apple ever did and we don't count that as a refresh
I bought a Mini last December from Amazon. I'm glad I didn't wait.
Hey question for you guys. I also bought the Apple wireless BT keyboard from Amazon in the same purchase. It requires 2 batteries. Is that the current model or does the updated version use just 1 battery? I thought I read that somewhere that Apple updated the BT kybd.
Hey question for you guys. I also bought the Apple wireless BT keyboard from Amazon in the same purchase. It requires 2 batteries. Is that the current model or does the updated version use just 1 battery? I thought I read that somewhere that Apple updated the BT kybd.
Maybe Apple will get it right this time... the 2012 had a lot of issues, snow/blank screen thru the HDMI port, returned mine, and bought a 2011 with 6630 gpu. Glad I chunked the 2012. Won't be in any rush to upgrade to next one till solid reviews are out!
I found the dual core 2012 machine terrible, swapped out the drive and threw in an SSD, still didn't like it. Sold it on.
Picked up the quad core earlier this year and I'm mostly happy with it - power wise it has the CPU, graphics would have been nice bumped to Iris Pro.
What I want for the new one:
1. New form factor - I'd prefer taller and less flat and wide. A mini mac pro would be awesome.
2. Iris Pro for the base and NVidia for the high end.
3. PCIe internal storage option, 128GB Base up to 1TB high End.
4. 32GB Ram maximum.
5. Quad core CPU is ok but just a usual spec bump to stay relevant and get in to the 14,000-18,000 range on geekbench. It would help bring down render times for 4k.
Picked up the quad core earlier this year and I'm mostly happy with it - power wise it has the CPU, graphics would have been nice bumped to Iris Pro.
What I want for the new one:
1. New form factor - I'd prefer taller and less flat and wide. A mini mac pro would be awesome.
2. Iris Pro for the base and NVidia for the high end.
3. PCIe internal storage option, 128GB Base up to 1TB high End.
4. 32GB Ram maximum.
5. Quad core CPU is ok but just a usual spec bump to stay relevant and get in to the 14,000-18,000 range on geekbench. It would help bring down render times for 4k.
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Fairly ridiculous. Only Apple could get away with it, especially with not even cutting prices on the current Minis.
I thought the Retina Display was the refresh of the MacBook Pro line.
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The overall iPod lineup went forward while the iPod Classic went EOL. I don't consider the Classic it's own product line.
What a bunch of whingers
Perhaps there is just not enough affordable clever new kit out there to justify an updated Mini at this stage. The current model runs most, if not all current software as far as I know, and probably all that is gong to be available for a bit. It can be tricked out to perform reasonably well compared with it's more expensive stablemates.
The current Mini now comes with Pages, Numbers and Keynote. Until the end of last year iWork (or Mac:Office) was an essential extra cost, so in effect the price has come down.
The current Mini looks good value compared the 2009 that I have now, which cost about a third more ready to go, loaded with iWork. My original 2005 cost more again. The only reason that I haven't bought a new one is that I have no need of one at the is stage.
The 2009 I have now is just fine .. and I guess the same would be true of the current model after five years. If I needed to buy one tomorrow, I would.
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Yes, it is the current model. The previous model required 3 batteries.
Perhaps there is just not enough affordable clever new kit out there to justify an updated Mini at this stage. The current model runs most, if not all current software as far as I know, and probably all that is gong to be available for a bit. It can be tricked out to perform reasonably well compared with it's more expensive stablemates.
The current Mini now comes with Pages, Numbers and Keynote. Until the end of last year iWork (or Mac:Office) was an essential extra cost, so in effect the price has come down.
The current Mini looks good value compared the 2009 that I have now, which cost about a third more ready to go, loaded with iWork. My original 2005 cost more again. The only reason that I haven't bought a new one is that I have no need of one at the is stage.
The 2009 I have now is just fine .. and I guess the same would be true of the current model after five years. If I needed to buy one tomorrow, I would.
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Yes, it is the current model. The previous model required 3 batteries.
Suppose they do release an updated Mini in two weeks at WWDC. Suppose it's just like the current mini, with comparable specs to the current Macbooks (Haswell, PCIe SSD, AC wifi, etc). Would this situation please people? Would people feel uncomfortable given how soon on the horizon Broadwell is?
If Apple incorporated all of your ideal changes, then there would be very little reason for anyone to buy a nMP or even a rMBP. Not to mention the prohibitive cost of the base model of your proposed system which would be over $1000 (which defeats the whole purpose of getting new folks into the Apple ecosystem on the cheap).
#1 is very likely given the time between refreshes and the changing technology.
#2 is extraordinarily unlikely given the cost of Iris Pro and that providing an optional dGPU would cannibalize their higher offerings.
#3 has no chance. The base models will almost certainly come with the traditional 5400HD or if you're lucky a 7200 from which you can choose to upgrade to PCI.
#4 is possible but I doubt it since 16GB of RAM should be more than enough for their target audience.
#5 Your desired geekbench scores are very unrealistic given the price points at which the Mini is marketed.
I think your logic is sound but ....a new Mac Mini could be put out -
1) Just a speed bump on the processor
2) inclusion of the Iris line of on board video
3) dump the 5400 for 7200
4) consider that though the Mini was supposed to be used to bring PC users over, the market seems to be a bit different and this is a topic unto itself.
Mac Minis don't really damage Apple's laptop sales. Those that cannot afford the nMP, need a "junior" to fall back on. Many people are put off by the iMac as they prefer other monitors. There is a considerable mark up as we all know on some of the Mac line up and as such a minor bump should and could be offered. The only reason Mac Minis continue to be the red headed step child is because of the way Apple insists on marketing it. Given that the nMP has become a more than ever niche product, no time like the present to promote the Mac Mini rather than have people jump ship (and they do with respect to the nMP).
Just a couple of peanuts tossed into the gallery.
Actually Intel are now promising Broadwell by the end of the summer holiday season, so that should mean mid to late August I think.
That means it's in the realm of possibility for the Mac Mini to be announced at WWDC, either for immediate release if Apple can get the chips early, or as a preview for later release, since a redesigned Mac Mini may be a fun thing to show off on stage.
The question really is whether Apple will allow the Mac Mini to jump ahead of the iMac, as this is another possible reason why we don't have a Haswell Mac Mini yet; they could be waiting to upgrade the iMacs first. Personally though I think the iMacs and Mac Minis should be released at the same time, would make things so much easier.