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What's the most likely release time for a new mini?

Karlitr0s said:
If you need multiple VMs to run databases and test, chances are you're in the wrong market altogether and you'd be looking for a server built to host VMs that your workstation would then connect to.

Being a novice or an intermediate developer doesn't really come into it, hence our confusion. I see what you're getting at, in that a Mini doesn't cater for hosting an entire complex continuous build and database server network though. :)
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If you are looking for a single solution that can deal with multiple VMs in a cost efficient manner, then a workstation, like a Mac Pro, is actually a very good solution.

We're aligned on the second paragraph. The point stands though. If you're doing coding at what I could call an intermediate level, then the Mac Mini is an excellent solution for a workstation. I am not referring to the skills of the developer. An expert developer could easily work on a Mac Mini, if his needs were at an intermediate level. Anyway, this is now pointless semantics.


The original argument was, "I'd be surprised to see a non-developer related machine like the Mini introduced at WWDC."

The Mac Mini is not a non-developer related machine. That is the point. It is perfectly adequate for many developers, depending on their needs.
 
theSeb said:
I am not sure why you say non-developer related machine? It is actually a great little machine for novice to intermediate developers.
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I mean it's not a directly developer-related product release. You can develop on anything these days, from MacBook Air to Mac Pro.

WWDC tends to cater to iOS and OS X releases as well as redesigned products (the Mac Pro and a variety of MacBooks have been introduced). Unless we're going to see a full redesign of the Mini, which doesn't look to be the case at this point, it probably wouldn't warrant WWDC coverage.
 
GoSUV said:
I've heard a plausible explanation to the delay of the Haswell Mac Mini, which Apple is deliberately keeping the Mini a generation behind the other big sellers and big ticket items such as the portables and iMac, just to avoid having the low price Mini compete with them and cannibalize sales.

Of course from a consumer's perspective, which I am one and a potential purchaser of an updated Haswell Mini, I don't necessarily agree with Apple's strategy, but I can certainly understand it.

My desired upgrades in the next Mini may not be just the CPU, as for each generation the raw speed increases are at best modest, but the other goodies such as 802.11ac wifi, PCIe storage, and Iris Pro graphics, in addition to Thunderbolt 2 connectivity, will make the overall computing experience much better as well as being more future-proof, not to mention there might also be more storage space for roughly the same price points. These are all things worth waiting for.
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I'm not sure a new Mini will seriously cannibalize sales of more powerful Macs. More so, a typical reason for the long timeframes in-between updating the Mini tends to be that it's just one of Apple's lesser priorities & always has been.

Don't get me wrong. My 2011 Mini with HD 6630M graphics is my preferred work computer. I'll buy more Minis in future. But let's be realistic about what to expect from a new Mini. Historically, Apple gives the Mini the same parts as its lowest-end laptop. That probably means mobile HD 5000 graphics found in the MBA & slight bump in processor speed.

IMO, there's unlikely to be huge spec-improvements on the current Mini. It may even be smaller at the expense of user-upgradability, which would be a serious bummer. Hope I'm wrong, but my expectations here are low due to a number of previous disappointments.
 
gregorsamsa said:
I'm not sure a new Mini will seriously cannibalize sales of more powerful Macs. More so, a typical reason for the long timeframes in-between updating the Mini tends to be that it's just one of Apple's lesser priorities & always has been.

Don't get me wrong. My 2011 Mini with HD 6630M graphics is my preferred work computer. I'll buy more Minis in future. But let's be realistic about what to expect from a new Mini. Historically, Apple gives the Mini the same parts as its lowest-end laptop. That probably means mobile HD 5000 graphics found in the MBA & slight bump in processor speed.

IMO, there's unlikely to be huge spec-improvements on the current Mini. It may even be smaller at the expense of user-upgradability, which would be a serious bummer. Hope I'm wrong, but my expectations here are low due to a number of previous disappointments.
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I know it's against Apple's trend, but given the MacMini's success in the server sector, i think it's probable we'll see the Mac Mini continue being the most user serviceable mac.

In terms of specs i can see both a low end with the MBA's chip, and a high end model with the i7 featuring iris pro
 
I know it's not funny to say this but can you imagine if the mini is not updated until 2015 and we all have been waiting each month saying oh it's just another few months away and then before you know it's 2015.


...another day and still no refurb's on apples sites....
 
MrGuder said:
I know it's not funny to say this but can you imagine if the mini is not updated until 2015 and we all have been waiting each month saying oh it's just another few months away and then before you know it's 2015.


...another day and still no refurb's on apples sites....
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Tired of waiting, I just ordered a 2012 2.3Ghz quad core i7 refurb, should arrive tomorrow or the next day. :D
 
lol, i hear you. Me too.

My next plan, as soon my mac mini i7 arrives i'm gonna delete all the apple news sites from my rss reader and never gonna check this forum again. I dont want to read in 2 weeks that the new mini has come out and that it's a 300% improvement over the 2012 version :p
 
Aegelward said:
I know it's against Apple's trend, but given the MacMini's success in the server sector, i think it's probable we'll see the Mac Mini continue being the most user serviceable mac.

In terms of specs i can see both a low end with the MBA's chip, and a high end model with the i7 featuring iris pro
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I sincerely hope you're right re keeping the Mini's user-upgradability & any higher-end options. Though for a Mini to be graphically on a par with any current, higher-end MBP's, would surprise me greatly. That'd herald a significant change against past trends. At least it can't be too long now before we find out.
 
ABCDEF-Hex said:
Why does everyone still say Tuesday?
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Well, another Tuesday has gone by, but Everyone could still be right. There are still plenty more Tuesdays to come.

Me…. I reckon I'll be using my early 2009 for a while yet. I don't know what day I'll replace it……. One day, when it conks out and is not worth repairing.
 
When the nPro ship dates catch up the mini will appear. Their will probably be an event to introduce new displays for both machines and a updated MBA for back to school. Apple usually does some sort of mid year event.
 
Does the long wait hint at a redesign?

It will be interesting to see what they do with the Mini and displays after the new Mac Pro.
The new displays might come with enough hardware built in to signal an end to all-in-one desktops (notice I didn't mention it by name) down the road.
 
Will you guys wait through Feb. and March? I'm thinking if nothing launches by March I'll just get the i5 boot it with an external ssd (so the warranty is intact) and then just sell it off and upgrade when the newer awesomer one launches.

I don't "need" the computer but I want to downsize my big Windows desktop to something smaller.

I was also considering a brix barebone but I'd rather have the option to dual boot Mac OS and Windows 7 then Windows 7 and Ubuntu.

The wait is wearing on me.
 
dudedude said:
Will you guys wait through Feb. and March? I'm thinking if nothing launches by March I'll just get the i5 boot it with an external ssd (so the warranty is intact) and then just sell it off and upgrade when the newer awesomer one launches.

I don't "need" the computer but I want to downsize my big Windows desktop to something smaller.

I was also considering a brix barebone but I'd rather have the option to dual boot Mac OS and Windows 7 then Windows 7 and Ubuntu.

The wait is wearing on me.
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That's what I did. I bought a open box I5 and added a USB3 SSD boot and 8gb ram. I'll sell it when the new mini shows up or keep it for a server.
 
New Mini After Mac Pro Backlog Eliminated

My belief is that the new Mac Mini will be released once the Mac Pro backlog has been eliminated.

By doing it this way Apple does not risk the new Mini cannibalizing any Mac Pro sales. I speculate that it will be April/May timeframe.

I look every day for my new Mini, and then at the Mac Pro for a delivery timeframe.
 
playtime66 said:
My belief is that the new Mac Mini will be released once the Mac Pro backlog has been eliminated.

By doing it this way Apple does not risk the new Mini cannibalizing any Mac Pro sales. I speculate that it will be April/May timeframe.

I look every day for my new Mini, and then at the Mac Pro for a delivery timeframe.
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That's right. Many pros looking for the CPU and GPU performance of a Mac Pro really want to buy a mini!!! If so they would have already picked up a MacBook Pro or iMac and would have been done with it.
 
Elho said:
lol, i hear you. Me too.

My next plan, as soon my mac mini i7 arrives i'm gonna delete all the apple news sites from my rss reader and never gonna check this forum again. I dont want to read in 2 weeks that the new mini has come out and that it's a 300% improvement over the 2012 version :p
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LOL... What do you expect - a Xeon in the Mac Mini? :D
 
Elho said:
tuesday is just an educated guess. Because most apple products are announced on a tuesday :)
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Killjoy….. you could have kept up up the mystique.

MrGuder said:
We have a lot of Tuesday's before the end of the year. lol
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That's a bit more like it.

Elho said:
lol, i hear you. Me too.

My next plan, as soon my mac mini i7 arrives i'm gonna delete all the apple news sites from my rss reader and never gonna check this forum again. I dont want to read in 2 weeks that the new mini has come out and that it's a 300% improvement over the 2012 version :p
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Not likely to be anywhere near in the specs or on test. In practice, probably not a huge difference in day to day use for most people.

Still, I guess enough to matter for a hard core geek after bragging rights to the most awesome Mac Mini in the world, until some Tuesday the next new one comes along…… after several months of speculation of when it will come and what it will / should have.
 
Micky Do said:
Killjoy….. you could have kept up up the mystique.
Not likely to be anywhere near in the specs or on test. In practice, probably not a huge difference in day to day use for most people.

Still, I guess enough to matter for a hard core geek after bragging rights to the most awesome Mac Mini in the world...
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Surely being able to play a first person shooter with a reasonably enjoyable framerate isn't that niché?
 
Meh, playing an fps with Apple's keyboard and magic mouse is nearly impossible for me.

I prefer my ps3 for things like that.
Okay, i admit, i'm not really a gamer...
 
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