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when? a new imac mini with a i3 or i5 cpu

V

vert18

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 4, 2010
53
0
Anyone know when or roughly when apple will come out with a mini with an i3 or i5 cpu or such?

I am not willing to get the same cpu as my mac pro book has(2.4 dual core). Yeah, just want a bit more.
 
The next revision will be a good time to buy. I'm waiting.

And they have updated the Mini's before after just 3 or so months, so
it definitely a possibility.
 
Mac mini update

Mac mini have been updated in the range of 7 months to more then a year.

Next mac mini update at the earliest would be jan 2011.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mac_Mini?wasRedirected=true


Component Intel Core Duo Intel Core 2 Duo
Model Early*2006[29] Late*2006[30] Mid*2007[31] Early*2009[32] Late*2009[33][34]
Release date February 28, 2006 September 6, 2006 August 7, 2007 March 3, 2009 October 20, 2009
Model Numbers MA205*/A MA206*/A MA607*/A MA608*/A MB138*/A MB139*/A MB463*/A MB464*/A MC238*/A MC239*/A MC408*/A
 
When you see it in a Mac laptop, that's when I'd expect to see it follow in a mini, but not until then. The Mini is the red-headed stepchild of the Mac World. It gets the cast-offs. First I'd expect to see it in the MacBook or MacBook Pro.
 
in 2009 it was march for a 2.0 ghz and a 2.26ghz

then it was oct for 2.26 2.53 or 2.66


this year it was june for a 2.4 and a 2.66 so I would think dec jan or feb. right now the new mini is pretty and cute but not a very good piece of gear for the price.
 
I'm planning on picking up a refurb 2.53 mini from apple for my wife now and then waiting until the refresh to get one for myself. I ALMOST got the 2.53 today when a slew of them hit the refurb store, but by taking about 5 minutes to decide, they were all sold. GRR!
 
As was said on here earlier in this thread, the problem with putting an i3 or i5 into the mini is the GPU, hence Apple would have to

1) Wait until intel release an IGP that is at least as fast as the 320m

OR

2) Go down the dedicated GPU route (which I would sincerely love them to do, but very much doubt they will).

I am in the same situation, I am waiting to see what the next revision of the mini brings. A mac pro would be overkill for my needs and I don't want the iMac unless they release a model with a matte screen.

I don't think putting a low end discrete GPU, such as an ATI Mobility Radeon 5470 (power consumption 13-15 watt) would be impossible to implement into the current form factor
 
I will N E V E R wait for another Apple computer to be updated ever again. I was screwed twice even after reading the buying guide on this site for months. Two weeks after I got my PowerMac G5.. the DUALS came out for the same price. Screw you Apple. And then I watched this site for months for a MBP update.. waited an extra 2 months to purchase it because this site said updates were coming. This was said too many INCORRECTLY times so I went ahead and purchased my MBP. THE NEXT WEEK, they got refreshed and got multi-touch track pad. I sold that MBP later on and never used it because it felt OBSOLETE a friggin' week after buying it.

I learned my lesson. Buy a computer when YOU NEED IT. Screw waiting for updates. The Mac Mini is sexier than ever right now anyway. And iMac screens suck and the Mac Pro is too friggin' expensive.
 
I would really like a quad-core mac mini. That will probably be the only reason that I will upgrade my current mini. Of course, I believe even the i5 on the MacBook is only dual core, but maybe one day they can squeeze a quad-core i5 or i7 in the mini.
 
WesCole said:
I would really like a quad-core mac mini. That will probably be the only reason that I will upgrade my current mini. Of course, I believe even the i5 on the MacBook is only dual core, but maybe one day they can squeeze a quad-core i5 or i7 in the mini.
Click to expand...

Think we will see quad core in macbook pro and macbook before we see it in the mini
 
philipma1957 said:
...right now the new mini is pretty and cute but not a very good piece of gear for the price.
Click to expand...

I agree. Have the 2009 Mini 2.0 and need more cpu horsepower, but love my 30" non glossy screen, so iMac is out. Hooking up a MBP with i5/i7 is not too practical (not to mention very expensive!) and the current Mini at 2.4/2.66 is a rather small upgrade performance wise, even if the GPU is more powerful, especially since the new base model is almost 40% more expensive than the previous model!
And I need to be able to stuff in a SSD like I have now, making a Mini the best bet.
Still thinking...
 
I think, we will get Core 2 Duo CPUs in the upgrades too... look at the Macbook Pros.
They will throw in a 2,53 GHz (or the 2,66GHZ will become the base CPU) and a 2,8 GHz C2D (T9600) CPU.

Look at these specs:
http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/macbook_pro/index-macbookpro.html

Only after that (maybe late 2011 or first half of 2012), the Mac mini will be upgraded to i3 or whatever the Macbook may get.

katsun said:
I thought the Intel HD integrated chip is as fast as the nvidia 320m if not faster?
Click to expand...

The Intel HD graphics (the successor to GMA x4500xx, and GMA 5xx) are quite capable and can be almost the same speed (in some tests) as the integrated Radeons 4xxx in AMD chipsets. The never HD graphics 100 and 200, that will come with the Sandy Bridge architecture will be even more powerfull.

Review: http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/video/display/intel-hd-graphics.html
Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_GMA#HD_Graphics_.28GMA_HD.29
 
Mobile Core 2 Duos are being discontinued. I doubt Apple can update Mini with C2D in 2011 and keep the supplies steady if the CPUs they use are no longer produced

L_Roadmap_Core_2_EOL.jpg
 
bry223 said:
I doubt they'll be as fast as even a 9400m.
Click to expand...

I had heard the recent Intel GPUs are that fast...or at least close to it. Thats just what I've heard around the water cooler...if anyone has a link, I'd love to have a firm answer.

Hopefully Apple goes back to the dedicated graphics like on the G4 Mini. I'd take a mobile i5 with a graphics card equal to a MBP at the time. For a 699 dollar computer, they really should.


As far as updates go, don't believe the buyers guide as a fact of when updates will comes. Its just that, a guide, which gives easy access to information which helps us know when Apple has updated in the past. But if C2D are running low or intel's new offerings are quite a bit better, Apple might update quicker.
 
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