When are they updating the Stinkin Mini's?

[Gordy]

I've actually got two mac mini's in the house, 1 g4 1.42ghz one and a new 1.83ghz Core Duo one, but neither are my main machine that is still a mini-itx pc (Same type of chip as the intel mini's but with dedicated ATI card).

I'd love to switch to a mini for my main rig, but the OP got the nail on the head with the graphics. Thats the deal killer for me. Something like x1600 in there and I'd buy one in a heart beat.

The mini form fact is superb, yes if they could find a way of squeezing a full sized hdd in there it would be even better, but I'm not bothered by that.

 

[Jman888]

I've actually got two mac mini's in the house, 1 g4 1.42ghz one and a new 1.83ghz Core Duo one, but neither are my main machine that is still a mini-itx pc (Same type of chip as the intel mini's but with dedicated ATI card).

I'd love to switch to a mini for my main rig, but the OP got the nail on the head with the graphics. Thats the deal killer for me. Something like x1600 in there and I'd buy one in a heart beat.

The mini form fact is superb, yes if they could find a way of squeezing a full sized hdd in there it would be even better, but I'm not bothered by that.

Amen. Any GPU would really do it for me. I just dont wanna waste Ram and have laggy Graphics. (Specially in Photoshop where i saw CD imacs Lag (with GMA_950 ) And no i wasnt doing anything intese either.

 

[Chundles]

Amen. Any GPU would really do it for me. I just dont wanna waste Ram and have laggy Graphics. (Specially in Photoshop where i saw CD imacs Lag (with GMA_950 ) And no i wasnt doing anything intese either.

Photoshop doesn't use the graphics processor - it doesn't, no it really doesn't. The reason Photoshop lags on CD minis is because it's running in Rosetta.

The only place you're going to need something with more grunt than the GMA950 is in 3D games and video compositing apps. Anything else is processor, not GPU, bound.

As soon as Photoshop goes Universal it's performance on Intel Mac minis will destroy it's performance on G4 minis.

 

[Blue Velvet]

...I just dont wanna waste Ram and have laggy Graphics. (Specially in Photoshop where i saw CD imacs Lag (with GMA_950 )

The graphics card doesn't affect Photoshop performance. What you saw was Photoshop running through Rosetta on a Core Duo iMac.

Edit: Beaten by Chundles, but I'll say it again anyway.

 

[JAT]

www.dell.com

It's waiting for you. Enjoy.

 

[JBazz]

Help me out here, you want the bottom line mac desktop....but you want it full of upgrades that you dont want to pay for? Um, okay.

If you dont like having to pay for the upgrades you want or what the bottom line mini offers, then you really dont want a mini. So, whats the problem?

 

[roland.g]

Im not a real serious gamer (Heck im running Linux) But there is that occasional game i would like to play (UT2K7 Seems to be the Next) That i would like to play. Why cant Apple make their machines with Decent Graphics cards? (Other than pro) Im sure they are losing a lot of Customers solely because of that. I mean Bootcamp seems like it makes the whole game issue a non issue but without the power to power it...
Ah well. guess i'll get a dell

Actually, it's the other way around. Bootcamp made the whole game issue an issue because before you couldn't run PC games on a Mac so no one really said too much at all about graphics. Little to nothing. Now that you can run windows, it seems all most people, translate kids, want to do is play games on it which IMHO is what Xboxs and PSs are for, and so everyone is now complaining about the GPU. They still live in the dell, gateway, hp world where they get cheap computers that are cheaply made, and they don't want to spend the money on a decent computer that comes loaded with a lot more than any pc. We can talk about the need for a mid-tower till the cows come home, but Apple doesn't offer one. So get an iMac that satisfies your GPU need and don't cry about the AIO, or get a MacBook Pro or Mac Pro. Otherwise Dell is still there with open arms waiting to sell you a black box thing.

Help me out here, you want the bottom line mac desktop....but you want it full of upgrades that you dont want to pay for? Um, okay.

If you dont like having to pay for the upgrades you want or what the bottom line mini offers, then you really dont want a mini. So, whats the problem?

Exactamundo.

 

[Jman888]

Actually, it's the other way around. Bootcamp made the whole game issue an issue because before you couldn't run PC games on a Mac so no one really said too much at all about graphics. Little to nothing. Now that you can run windows, it seems all most people, translate kids, want to do is play games on it which IMHO is what Xboxs and PSs are for, and so everyone is now complaining about the GPU. They still live in the dell, gateway, hp world where they get cheap computers that are cheaply made, and they don't want to spend the money on a decent computer that comes loaded with a lot more than any pc. We can talk about the need for a mid-tower till the cows come home, but Apple doesn't offer one. So get an iMac that satisfies your GPU need and don't cry about the AIO, or get a MacBook Pro or Mac Pro. Otherwise Dell is still there with open arms waiting to sell you a black box thing.


Exactamundo.

Did'nt i say i would pay for the upgrades??
I would pay +200 Just for Dedicated Graphics i mean apple offers no real consumer desktop without a screen. Im still getting a mini but i know apple goes to a lot of sites (If you read some people blogs when they post who goes to the site you see sometimes apple Goes to apple related sites.. Or somebody from ***.apple.com So if they see this they would know GMA pisses people off (I dont game either but more and more Programs are becoming GPU leveraged because.. They are. I mean look at Itunes on windows Part of it needs a DirectX9 VideoCard (Coverflow) And all of it lags on Pc's With crap graphics..
Oh well im buying a mini anyway but i will never forgive apple for the GPU choices.(Ask any pc owner. The GPU's Even before bootcamp hold them back)

 

[sycho]

Windows?

Look once apple makes a mid-Desktop and a faster mini ima have some problems.

www.dell.com

they try to give you ideas, you continued to bitch, so, yeah, i'm pretty much saying go there and shut up.

 

[Gordy]

www.dell.com

It's waiting for you. Enjoy.

www.dell.com

they try to give you ideas, you continued to bitch, so, yeah, i'm pretty much saying go there and shut up.

God people like you on here make me mad, whats the point in posts like that.
Just because someone has a different idea of what they want from the mini doesn't mean they want a dell.

The OP wants something that is more than possible to add to the mini. They don't want an iMac they want a mini. They want something that would drastically increase the sales of the mini to new mac switchers something apple are already actively seeking to do.

 

[SMM]

God people like you on here make me mad, whats the point in posts like that.
Just because someone has a different idea of what they want from the mini doesn't mean they want a dell.

The OP wants something that is more than possible to add to the mini. They don't want an iMac they want a mini. They want something that would drastically increase the sales of the mini to new mac switchers something apple are already actively seeking to do.

No, he wants to get on here and rant (words from his own mouth). If he wants Apple to change the configuration of their products, he needs to contact the only source that can do it...Apple. The other posters have been very patient with this guy. They have explained who the Mini is marketed for. They explained what his current options are. All of this to no avail. He wants to complain, continue with this incessant whining, and not accept the good information he has been given. Now some people are tired of his ranting and are suggesting that no further benefit is being derived for him, or them either.

If you have a solution for him that will close this and satisfy him, please bring it forward. Everyone else has seemed to fail, and not through a lack of trying.

 

[aristobrat]

The OP is buying a mini.

Thread closed.

(Hey JMAN888, update your signature!)

 

[timswim78]

I really want a mac Mini and a new LCD But the Mac mini is Kinda Messed up.
I mean on the $600 Model You only get a Combo Drive but if you want to burn Dvd's You gotta get the $800 Model.
Shouldnt That be standard? I mean Most computors around that price have Dvd Burners..

-Also it only comes with 512Mb Of ram. That is clearly not enough to get by with having OSX (I use Macs 4Hours + A day and i know That much ram is torture) But thats amost ok...

-AND THE INTEGRATED GRAPHICS WTF!
I would own a mac Mini right now if it came with a Decent (Or atleast "OK" GPU) People always say that it cant be done or its a bad idea. But the old Mini had it and it was the first mac i really considered (But having a G4 was kinda holding me back..)I hate integrated graphics WTF is up with the Mini and the Macbook (oddly the only 2 macs i was considering)

-Oh and 80$ for a mouse and keyboard.

I want to switch to a mac (My daily time using them just makes me want one more.) But there is nothing that works for me.
Theres the mini that is perfect exept for those things.
Macbook thats a good price But still has integrated Graphics.
Imac with the built in screen
And MacPro & MacbookPro that cost too much for me.

If apple gave me a Mini With Dedicated Graphics With options for 128/256MB With a Dvd Burner and Lowered the cost of keyboard and mouse i would buy a mini. But i dont want integrated graphics (Main problem) And would like The current highend to be the new lowend. Also Wheres the core2??

Ok /rant Off But seriously apple needs a Non AIO Desktop that works.

You make great points. The mini is overpriced, considering its hardware and the price points of Apple's other hardware.

Yes, it should have more RAM and a superdrive at the $600 price point.

I'm not too concerned about the integrated video as long as it can run all of the eye candy in Leopard.

 

[shu82]

The only reason people consider it overpriced is because it is about to get an update. Steve waits for his peeps to get their fill of the current line (gross sales wise) then he brings out the new stuff. Just wait 2 months, just 2 months, maybe one, god thats only 4 weeks, I can do that right, right, RIGHT, ......BAD SHU WAIT. Ok now I feel better.

 

[Jman888]

No, he wants to get on here and rant (words from his own mouth). If he wants Apple to change the configuration of their products, he needs to contact the only source that can do it...Apple. The other posters have been very patient with this guy. They have explained who the Mini is marketed for. They explained what his current options are. All of this to no avail. He wants to complain, continue with this incessant whining, and not accept the good information he has been given. Now some people are tired of his ranting and are suggesting that no further benefit is being derived for him, or them either.

If you have a solution for him that will close this and satisfy him, please bring it forward. Everyone else has seemed to fail, and not through a lack of trying.

I still want the mini i just know more programs are leveraging against the gpu thesedays. I'll still get one but ima wait a few months(Intels coming out with something new in june so.. )

Edit: Sig Fixed

@Shu
I hope your right. Im still switching but i thought about a macbook but... Eh.

 

[aristobrat]

I still want the mini i just know more programs are leveraging against the gpu thesedays.

Out of curiosity, other than games, do you have any other examples of OS X consumer programs that would fit your comment above?

AFAIK,

Coverflow in iTunes
All of OS X's core image eye-candy
HD movies from apple.com/trailers
(and even though not a consumer application) Photoshop

all run well enough on the mini/MacBooks integrated graphics.

And oddly enough, so does the Aero eye-candy feature of Vista, something that quite a few of dedicated Windows graphics cards can't pull off.

 

[roland.g]

All whatever aside, here's to hoping that Apple gives us that midrange tower that a lot of us really want.

I have: a Mac Mini 1.66 refurb, 2GB RAM added, miniStack 500GB HDD that my dad wants to buy off me to hook to his plasma.

I had: a G4 450 'sawtooth' for 6 1/2 years that I could no longer use, so I got the Mini as an interim knowing my dad would buy it.

I want: a 'Mac Pro Jr.' - dedicated graphics, 2 3.5" SATA II HDD bays, 4 RAM slots supporting up to 8GB (or at least 4 to 6), one optical drive, and an extra PCI slot (though I honestly don't know what I'd use it for, maybe TV), all in a larger than the Mini smaller than a Mac Pro, sexy anodized silver case. I don't care if it is a Conroe, a Xeon (giving me two cores, not four), but prefer it not be a Core 2 Duo since Meroms have already hit the 2.33 ceiling. And I will hook that to a beautiful 23" Apple Cinema Display (no Dell flat-panels thank you).

I will settle for: a 24" iMac, either 2.16 or 2.33, 2GB RAM, 7600GT 256MB, 500GB HDD, (preferably in Black or Silver - but I will take white), because I am getting a machine as soon as Leopard is released. And if what I want comes out at WWDC in June, I will sell the iMac and get it as such is life.

 

[eenu]

God people like you on here make me mad, whats the point in posts like that.
Just because someone has a different idea of what they want from the mini doesn't mean they want a dell.

The OP wants something that is more than possible to add to the mini. They don't want an iMac they want a mini. They want something that would drastically increase the sales of the mini to new mac switchers something apple are already actively seeking to do.

ohhhh look its Gordy from KustomPcs Forum.....

The issue with the original poster is his constant moaning over several posts. I got the fact he was unhappy with GMA right back up on the first page.

To the OP, i can't understand your issue with the iMac built in screen. As the owner of a 24" iMac which also powers a Dell 20" widescreen i can tell you now the Apple panel craps on the Dell. IMHO the iMac would be better for you than the Mini. If your that bothered about a Dell monitor get one of those as well!

 

[Yukinara]

Grrrr, Core Duo and GMA,that is the stupidest combination of ever.Both MacMini and MacBook are beautiful,but just look at their specs make me feel like.....%$^&*

whenever I think about it,I feel it's not balance,the C2D is powerful,but GMA is crap.And people need Mac to edit video like me need GPU than CPU
Well,at least,they should put in some decent GPU

 

[aristobrat]

And people need Mac to edit video like me need GPU than CPU

I had no problems using iMovie to edit video video from my JVC camcorder. That was a Core Duo (not Core 2 Duo) MacBook.

Are you trying to run something like Final Cut Pro on a mini/MacBook?

 

[Gordy]

ohhhh look its Gordy from KustomPcs Forum.....

The issue with the original poster is his constant moaning over several posts. I got the fact he was unhappy with GMA right back up on the first page.

To the OP, i can't understand your issue with the iMac built in screen. As the owner of a 24" iMac which also powers a Dell 20" widescreen i can tell you now the Apple panel craps on the Dell. IMHO the iMac would be better for you than the Mini. If your that bothered about a Dell monitor get one of those as well!

And whats my membership of other forums got to do with this, not to mention thats a really bad example as I've not posted their in some years...

I still fail to see what pointing someone to dell's website has to do with this thread at all...

Its clear from this thread alone,that he's not alone in wanting something more from the mini.

 

[Jman888]

Out of curiosity, other than games, do you have any other examples of OS X consumer programs that would fit your comment above?

AFAIK,

Coverflow in iTunes
All of OS X's core image eye-candy
HD movies from apple.com/trailers
(and even though not a consumer application) Photoshop

all run well enough on the mini/MacBooks integrated graphics.

And oddly enough, so does the Aero eye-candy feature of Vista, something that quite a few of dedicated Windows graphics cards can't pull off.

Well when i boot into windows i see more and more programs going eyecandy crazy and some programs use the GPU more. And all people are saying now that GPU's are getting more powerful Programs will use them a lot more.

But if the whole reason Photoshop Ect. Ran like crap was "Rossetta?" Then i guess ill be fine.

Edit:Also why do they make it so hard to open? Ive seen videos and it looks like crap to open. I dont wanna pay apple 300 For a ram upgrade (Especcially because Newegg has 1Gb For 86$ Or had it last time i checked. Actually ram has gone up in price because of vista )

 

[Sol]

No one has mentioned there is another Intel GPU on the horizon. It is not going to blow your eye-balls with graphics effects but it will run 3D engines faster than the current GPU.

One thing I do not like about the Intel GPU is that it uses the same RAM as the OS and applications. 2 GB is too expensive and 1 GB is hardly enough if several applications are open, especially if they are big like Photoshop or Final Cut Express.

The Mac Mini could be great if it ever gets either an HD-DVD or BD optical drive. Yes, it would cost more than stand-alone players, or a PS3, but it would be a lot more functional.

 

[Chundles]

Well when i boot into windows i see more and more programs going eyecandy crazy and some programs use the GPU more. And all people are saying now that GPU's are getting more powerful Programs will use them a lot more.

But if the whole reason Photoshop Ect. Ran like crap was "Rossetta?" Then i guess ill be fine.

Edit:Also why do they make it so hard to open? Ive seen videos and it looks like crap to open. I dont wanna pay apple 300 For a ram upgrade (Especcially because Newegg has 1Gb For 86$ Or had it last time i checked. Actually ram has gone up in price because of vista )

Photoshop ran like crap because the current version of Photoshop was only ever designed to run on PowerPC processors. Apple implemented an emulation layer that translates the PowerPC instructions from the application into Intel instructions for the system. All this translation to and from the hardware means there is a significant performance hit (less with more RAM) but in all fairness I think it's amazing something so complex as Photoshop or Office:mac can run at the speed they do on a system they were never designed for in the first place.

Adobe Creative Suite 3 and Office:mac 2008 will both be out this year and will be Universal binaries. Then you'll see just how much faster that Core Duo Mac mini is than the old G4 mini.

Where is an upgrade to 1GB of RAM on the apple.com online store that costs $300?

The Mac mini comes with 512MB (2x256MB) standard, to upgrade to 1GB (2x512MB) costs US$75 and to upgrade to 2GB (2x1GB) will cost $250 so yes you can save money by buying 2 of those $86 1GB sticks but then you have to open the case yourself and hope to hell that cheap RAM isn't "cheap" RAM.

Or you could buy just one 1GB stick and upgrade to 1.25GB - you'll lose dual-channel but the extra RAM would negate the extra system speed.

 

[CptnJustc]

To answer the OP, I'm guessing sometime after April-ish, when Santa Rosa comes out, with its new GPU.

Since I currently use my Mini as a server / HTPC, I can't wait for one to come out that's Blu-Ray / HD-DVD capable. And since I play a little Warcraft on it, that hardware T&L wouldn't hurt, either.