Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

What will be a dealbreaker for those considering a 2011 mini?

T

tredstone

macrumors regular
Original poster
Aug 25, 2010
166
0
Just curious - of the following which if any would be a dealbreaker for those of you considering a 2011 mini?

1) i3 processor
2) i5 processor (ie. not an i7)
3) no optical drive
4) no SSD
5) intel HD 3000 video
6) 2gb RAM on the base model

One could probably make a reasonable case for anything on this list appearing in the new Mini, so I'm just curious if any of these would hold people back.
 
1) I'm not so sure, would probably still be a major upgrade over currently sold C2D's. Will be looking into benchmarks for this.
2) Pretty much the same, also I don't think I'll go for the high end Mini so would be i5 for me even if they release i7 option.
3) Probably sounds silly but I use my computer to play audio CD's so this would be bad for me.
4) I don't care alot.
5) This may be a dealbreaker. *
6) That would suck really, 2gb is lame & so last decade, but a dealbreaker? It's easy to upgrade.

*Edit: I just watched some youtube vids on gaming on the 13" MBP, and the graphics seem to work well enough for my needs. However, as I can probably get a PC with a proper GPU for about the same cost the HD3000 still feels like the weakest link for me. You know, futureproof blabla.
 
Last edited:
My biggest gripe with Mac Mini is the inability to painlessly upgrade a hard drive. Other than that, an i3/i5 CPU would be a good upgrade. I have to believe that the lower end unit will only support an i3. They may price the i5 as an upgrade and price it closer to a 13" i5 MBP.

I would be surprised if they provide a better, discrete graphics card. They would not want the mac mini competing with their pricier imac, MBP lines. But then again, what do I know? :D

In essence, a better processor, and easier upgradeable hard drive. Anything less would not be a good thing.
 
Having the HD3000 would be a disappointment (BTW, I posted some stats for 320M v HD3000 recently on "Mac Mini 2011 Speculation" thread), but not a dealbreaker. However, it will mean selling some of my Mac games & buying a PC for my gaming later.

The HD3000 compromise would mean that either I'd wait for Lion before buying a new Mini to maximize value on it (at £610 without AppleCare it's hardly good value in the UK), or maybe get a refurb with 320M later. No firm decision either way until we get the updates.
 
tredstone said:
Just curious - of the following which if any would be a dealbreaker for those of you considering a 2011 mini?

1) i3 processor
2) i5 processor (ie. not an i7)
3) no optical drive
4) no SSD
5) intel HD 3000 video
6) 2gb RAM on the base model

One could probably make a reasonable case for anything on this list appearing in the new Mini, so I'm just curious if any of these would hold people back.
Click to expand...


Without T-Bolt means no mini for me.


1) + 2) I want the I5 and I7 JUST LIKE THE MBP 13 inch
3)I would like the optical drive but not a killer
4)If I get T-bolt and it can boot I don't need an internal ssd
5)I don't game I will use the mini on a 1080i tv for movies so graphics won't be a big deal for me
6)as long as I can use 2 sticks of 4gb ram in the machine. Which I have on hand It could come with a 1gb stick for all I care.
 
Last edited:
If it isn't an xMac.
I can't afford a Mac Pro I don't want an iMac but the mini doesn't have room for two hard drives and an optical drive.
So after 18 years of Macs I'm considering options other than Apple.
 
G4er? said:
If it isn't an xMac.
I can't afford a Mac Pro I don't want an iMac but the mini doesn't have room for two hard drives and an optical drive.
So after 18 years of Macs I'm considering options other than Apple.
Click to expand...

With Thunderbolt guaranteed to be on new models, and a slew of Thunderbolt devices about to come out, I'd think that you could accommodate your storage requirements without sacrificing speed. pretty easily.
 
None of these, individually or in combination, is a dealbreaker for me.

Bottom line, I'd like to replace my 2008 Mac mini server with a new one. As long as it has FW800 (I guess that's something to add to the list) I'm almost certainly buying one.
 
well any i series processor would be an upgrade. The Intel HD3000 would be a step backwards. And in some cases a Radeon 6490m is a step backwards too.

And honestly I don't see them putting anything better in the mini in terms of GPU.

However with a quad core sandy bridge I could still use the mini for everything else so that could trump the video card for me.
 
kyzen said:
With Thunderbolt guaranteed to be on new models, and a slew of Thunderbolt devices about to come out, I'd think that you could accommodate your storage requirements without sacrificing speed. pretty easily.
Click to expand...

But some of us hate having a bunch of external devices cluttering up the place. Apple seems to think that there are only two types of buyers. Those that need lots of expansion (Mac Pro) or those that need none or wants wires and non matching third patry devices all the over the place (iMac and mini).

I actually like how Apple does a lot of hard work on the looks of its products and don't want to detract from it by having third party non matching external devices. It's just that the Mac Pro is too big and costs more than I want to spend.

That's where a mid range mid sized product fits in.

It's like Apple boosts its ego building great looking things then almost wants buyers to hide them behind third party stuff.
 
G4er? said:
Those that need lots of expansion (Mac Pro) or those that need none or wants wires and non matching third patry devices all the over the place (iMac and mini).
Click to expand...

To me what you said is three types of buyers:
Those that need lots of expansion (Mac Pro)
Those that need none and want as tidy a setup as possible (iMac)
Those that don't care about non matching third party devices all over the place (Mini)
 
truth is, Apple don't want to sell you a mini, thats why its priced where only the clinically insane would buy it.
 
Sandy Bridge CPU, a SATAIII connector, Thunderbolt and HDMI ports are all pretty important to me.

If Apple puts a Blu-Ray drive in as well that would probably be enough to convince me to upgrade.
 
For me it depends on which Mini, Desktop or Server. Right now I have my sights set on a server, but I'll wait for Lion if they really are combining Server and client all into one.

But as for the server hardware, here's what I'd like to see (sorry, it's a really quick mock up, and I'm no photoshop wiz.)


MacMini_Srvr_2011.png


Basically,
Replace the HDMI and Display ports with 2 Thunderbolt ports (each on their own bus)

  • Move the SD Card slot to the front
  • Add an Ethernet jack
  • move the Power Supply to the outside (for easier replacement since this is a server after all, plus that should make the internals slightly cooler
  • Upgrade the processor/RAM/Video Card
  • USB 3 would be nice, but it's not a deal breaker for me.
  • Better Ventilation

Oh and the i7 sticker is representing the processor upgrade, not that I actually want a sticker on it. (but for a server I don't care, I"ll just peel the stupid thing off before I send it to MacMiniColo or shove it in a closet.

--------

For the desktop version, I'd like similar, but I'm indifferent on where the power supply is, and I'd either like an optical drive, or a reduced price on an external firewire drive that matches the look/style of the mini.
a Thunderbolt to HDMI Dongle or a dedicated HDMI port would be nice to have included.
 
Last edited:
I have considered this predicament. I am ready to pull the trigger on a 27" iMac i7. But, if properly equipped, a Mini would do me just fine. I think an i5 minimum with 750GB HDD. I can add my own ram, so don't really care.

For what I do, the HD3000 is fine. Probably better than the card I have in my Core 2 Duo windows machine. And I have my MBP if I need more power/graphics.

I am just not sure about the 27". 1920x1200 on my 24" Dell seems to be the sweet spot for me. I have played with the 27 at BB and Apple store, but that is in their element, not mine.

If it is not refreshed with the iMac, I will get a 27 and see. If it is, then I will look at specs and decide. Thing about the Mini is at its price point, I could upgrade at every refresh and by the time I sell the old one, I would still probably have less in it over 3-4 years than if I bought the 27". Now if they come out with a 24" again, .........
 
I think Apple will include a minimum of 4GB RAM in all new models released this year. That should be enough to run Lion comfortably. The amount of RAM included shouldn't be a deal-breaker for me as if I get a 2011 Mini I'll likely upgrade it to 8GB (2x4GB) using 3rd party RAM modules.
 
archipellago said:
truth is, Apple don't want to sell you a mini, thats why its priced where only the clinically insane would buy it.
Click to expand...
Agreed. They'd much rather we buy iMacs & laptops where they get much higher profit margins.

With Apple now giving us only one consumer Mini, I can also see it being relatively neglected over the next few years, until it's finally canned. I think future updates will be few & of little substance.

Dilemma for dudes like me is: a Mac Pro is overkill for my needs & too expensive. But having had an iMac die on me after less than 3 years (only in March & no AppleCare as I expected a premium priced desktop to last longer than 3 years), besides which I can't stand glossy screens, what's the cure for my insanity? A W7 PC? Maybe you're right, man, but it's no easy decision. :)

FWIW, my iMac's logic board fried, but I've taken out the hard drive to redeem all my valuable financial data, photos, etc. later. For that I'll still need a Mini, even if a less expensive refurb.
 
archipellago said:
truth is, Apple don't want to sell you a mini, thats why its priced where only the clinically insane would buy it.
Click to expand...

I disagree. Apple RATHER wants you to buy a more expensive machine. But some people (who have peripherals) just aren't going to spend that much money on a PC and Apple still wants those people to buy one of THEIR products.

You could argue as well that they don't want you to buy an 8GB iPod Touch because they make more money on the 64GB one, yet they still keep it in the market, because they know some people will be happy to save 170 bucks. They also keep the Mini in the market so obviously they still want to sell it. The only time someone sells something he/she really doesn't want to is when he/she is broke or something. Apple isn't.
 
gregorsamsa said:
Dilemma for dudes like me is: a Mac Pro is overkill for my needs & too expensive. But having had an iMac die on me after less than 3 years (only in March & no AppleCare as I expected a premium priced desktop to last longer than 3 years), besides which I can't stand glossy screens, what's the cure for my insanity? A W7 PC? Maybe you're right, man, but it's no easy decision. :)
Click to expand...

lvlarkkoenen said:
I disagree. Apple RATHER wants you to buy a more expensive machine. But some people (who have peripherals) just aren't going to spend that much money on a PC and Apple still wants those people to buy one of THEIR products.
Click to expand...

My reply to both of these. I would gladly buy a more expensive Mac than the mini. If Apple would get off it's butt and build a mid sized mid range desktop that didn't have a built in monitor.
I could easily spend the money on a Mac Pro. The wife might complain a little but I'd just tell her to go buy some furniture.:p
But I don't want a computer that large.
I do not like all in ones and hate glossy screens and dislike Apple's decision to tie processor speed to screen size.

Apple needs, (or at least this Mac user for 18 years wants) a Mac that has an easy open case like the Pro, jacks and ports on the front like the Pro but with half the expansion of the Pro. Two hard drives, one optical drive, easy to open with either no tools or common tools. Suction cups and putty knives don't cut it.
 
I'm just waiting for Ivy Bridge and all the updated ports (FW800, USB3 and TB).

I don't see the mini being bad value once the processor upgrades happen. I have a monitor already. The price of a base mini and base iPad is still less than an iMac and considering that our needs are "surf the net" I figure that an i5 is enough power to keep us going for another 7-8 years.
 
You should send this design to apple. This would be great. But, put the power button up front too.


arkmannj said:
For me it depends on which Mini, Desktop or Server. Right now I have my sights set on a server, but I'll wait for Lion if they really are combining Server and client all into one.

But as for the server hardware, here's what I'd like to see (sorry, it's a really quick mock up, and I'm no photoshop wiz.)


Image

Basically,
Replace the HDMI and Display ports with 2 Thunderbolt ports (each on their own bus)

  • Move the SD Card slot to the front
  • Add an Ethernet jack
  • move the Power Supply to the outside (for easier replacement since this is a server after all, plus that should make the internals slightly cooler
  • Upgrade the processor/RAM/Video Card
  • USB 3 would be nice, but it's not a deal breaker for me.

Oh and the i7 sticker is representing the processor upgrade, not that I actually want a sticker on it. (but for a server I don't care, I"ll just peel the stupid thing off before I send it to MacMiniColo or shove it in a closet.

--------

For the desktop version, I'd like similar, but I'm indifferent on where the power supply is, and I'd either like an optical drive, or a reduced price on an external firewire drive that matches the look/style of the mini.
a Thunderbolt to HDMI Dongle or a dedicated HDMI port would be nice to have included.
Click to expand...
 
I would like apple to double the thickness to accommodate 1 3.5 HD, 1 SSD and an optical drive. Along with at least a i5 quad core processor. Would sell my 2010 mini in a heart beat to pay for this. Provided it's under a grand too.
 
bearcatrp said:
I would like apple to double the thickness to accommodate 1 3.5 HD, 1 SSD and an optical drive. Along with at least a i5 quad core processor. Would sell my 2010 mini in a heart beat to pay for this. Provided it's under a grand too.
Click to expand...

I wish Apple would get off its oh so thin kick too. It's a desktop computer for crying out loud. Even my teenage daughter's are complaining that the newest iPods are getting too small to use easily.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back