When is the new Mac mini Haswell coming out?

[Schnort]

My guess is the macmini will never have discrete graphics again.

The intel bundled graphics (even on the 2012 models) are definitely 'good enough' for nearly every non-gaming use case. With the latest Haswell graphics, you can handle most casual gaming, particularly if they manage the Iris Pro/5200 (though I doubt they will).

I'd certainly like a box of that size with a NVIDIA 750 or higher in it, but I just don't see it making financial sense for most people, particularly those who need that (gamers). It probably wouldn't make a lot of sense for me, either. You can get a whole lot more for less and keep your upgradeability if you're interested in gaming by building your own windows box.

 

[fa8362]

Do you think apple realizes people are ordering the lowest ram and then upgrading themselves so apple is losing money?

Are you kidding? People have been doing that with Macs for over 20 years. Of course Apple knows.

 

[mvmanolov]

ok, so here is a scenario/question:

One close "friend" wants a mini, doesn't quite need it but really wants it… given that the current top end BTO mini's score quite high on many of the benchmarking tools (dedicated graphic excluded of course) would the performance difference be of significant enough to justify potential wait past feb/mar/apr. Even if they put in 5200?

Go….

 

[imageWIS]

January is the absolute earliest a new mini would show up. There is no way apple would allow a single Mac Pro sale in December to be lost to a Mini.

Um, that's NEVER going to happen. I don't understand the lack of logic behind your thinking, or lack thereof.

----------

My guess is the macmini will never have discrete graphics again.

The intel bundled graphics (even on the 2012 models) are definitely 'good enough' for nearly every non-gaming use case. With the latest Haswell graphics, you can handle most casual gaming, particularly if they manage the Iris Pro/5200 (though I doubt they will).

I'd certainly like a box of that size with a NVIDIA 750 or higher in it, but I just don't see it making financial sense for most people, particularly those who need that (gamers). It probably wouldn't make a lot of sense for me, either. You can get a whole lot more for less and keep your upgradeability if you're interested in gaming by building your own windows box.

Um, Iris Pro 5200 is far, far better than any low-end discrete graphics card that Apple would have out into a new Haswell Mac mini.

 

[ElectronGuru]

In agreement with the post directly above.

No new Mini until at least January 2014.
Probably February...

That matches with the interval from the public CPU tests listed in another thread.

 

[Schnort]

Um, Iris Pro 5200 is far, far better than any low-end discrete graphics card that Apple would have out into a new Haswell Mac mini.

Well, the pro is(it's about the same as a 740M). The Iris 5100 is about the same as a 720M; the HD graphics 5000 and 4600 are about the same as a 710M/620M; all nothing super, but "good enough" for older/casual gaming and definitely good enough for anything non-3d related (photoshop, movies, music, etc). I assume intel will continue to improving its integrated GPUs so as to keep a lock on the low end market, so it's highly unlikely that Apple will bother offering discrete graphics in a mini again.

Apple could most certainly fit something more powerful into a mini. There just isn't a compelling market reason to do so, regardless of my own hopes and desires for a small box with a 750M or better.

 

[HurryKayne]

I hope they don't solder the memory in. That would ruin it for me

I fear they will.
Imac 21 has,Macbook Pro 13-15 too.
Next is mini.

 

[HurryKayne]

Well, the pro is(it's about the same as a 740M). The Iris 5100 is about the same as a 720M; the HD graphics 5000 and 4600 are about the same as a 710M/620M; all nothing super, but "good enough" for older/casual gaming and definitely good enough for anything non-3d related (photoshop, movies, music, etc). I assume intel will continue to improving its integrated GPUs so as to keep a lock on the low end market, so it's highly unlikely that Apple will bother offering discrete graphics in a mini again.

Apple could most certainly fit something more powerful into a mini. There just isn't a compelling market reason to do so, regardless of my own hopes and desires for a small box with a 750M or better.

Me too,but it won't happen,frankly i hope to see a stepback someday,
its true most of Gpus maybe are bought for gaming ,so a Valve,Ps4,Xbox1 solution could fill this role but what about who uses 3D for work?
I wonder if a Mini Haswell with Thunderbolt2 could do a little better with an external Gpu encased in a M-Logic X.

 

[fig]

ok, so here is a scenario/question:

One close "friend" wants a mini, doesn't quite need it but really wants it… given that the current top end BTO mini's score quite high on many of the benchmarking tools (dedicated graphic excluded of course) would the performance difference be of significant enough to justify potential wait past feb/mar/apr. Even if they put in 5200?

Go….

If they don't need the current one now, they won't need a newer one either.

The current Mini is more than powerful enough for just about anyone's day to day needs that isn't a media professional, and even then it very well may suffice.

 

[MrGuder]

The current Mini is more than powerful enough for just about anyone's day to day needs that isn't a media professional, and even then it very well may suffice.

This is why I think I'm just going to order the Mac mini now...I want to be able to upgrade the ram myself and I only need it for photo editing and web surfing and other light stuff, no gaming. I really want the SSD but it's only 256 GB, do you think they will increase that on next model? I don't want to deal with changing the hardrive, I may just get the fusion drive but worried about the 5400 rpm.

 

[Schnort]

You almost certainly would be able to add the SSD cheaper than Apple will sell it to you.

 

[paulrbeers]

I fear they will.
Imac 21 has,Macbook Pro 13-15 too.
Next is mini.

False. The iMac 21" does not have soldered memory. The memory is still in banks, but the problem is that the memory isn't readily available (you have to remove the screen), but you can still upgrade it yourself. The 2005-2009 Mini's had the same problem. You had to completely tear apart the entire computer in order to upgrade the memory, but you could still upgrade it yourself.

No Apple desktop currently being made (that includes the iMac's that were just refreshed at the end of 2012 and the new Mac pro coming out in December) have soldered memory. Only the notebooks do.

 

[mvmanolov]

You almost certainly would be able to add the SSD cheaper than Apple will sell it to you.

Well not quite a samsung 840 pro at 256 will still run you about 240...

 

[hudson1]

False. The iMac 21" does not have soldered memory. The memory is still in banks, but the problem is that the memory isn't readily available (you have to remove the screen), but you can still upgrade it yourself. The 2005-2009 Mini's had the same problem. You had to completely tear apart the entire computer in order to upgrade the memory, but you could still upgrade it yourself.

No Apple desktop currently being made (that includes the iMac's that were just refreshed at the end of 2012 and the new Mac pro coming out in December) have soldered memory. Only the notebooks do.

And the 2005 - 2009 minis were not a big deal to change RAM on, either. All you needed was a putty knife to take the cover off.

 

[fig]

This is why I think I'm just going to order the Mac mini now...I want to be able to upgrade the ram myself and I only need it for photo editing and web surfing and other light stuff, no gaming. I really want the SSD but it's only 256 GB, do you think they will increase that on next model? I don't want to deal with changing the hardrive, I may just get the fusion drive but worried about the 5400 rpm.

I have a Fusion drive in my mini and have zero complaints, it's blazing fast for everything I need it to be fast for.

If it occasionally takes an extra second or two more than an SSD would, but that's worth it for the additional storage space IMO.

 

[MrGuder]

I have a Fusion drive in my mini and have zero complaints, it's blazing fast for everything I need it to be fast for.

If it occasionally takes an extra second or two more than an SSD would, but that's worth it for the additional storage space IMO.

Does the fusion drive get full? and then it goes to the 5400 hardrive or does it always pull from the fusion for most things you use like iTunes and web surfing and applications you open everyday. It sounds like the Fusion is the way to go if you want more space.

So if you have loads of photos on the hardrive and you want to pull them does it take longer to load them up cause it's not using the fusion drive for that, right?

 

[shaunp]

Needs decent graphics

My own personal feeling is the mac mini will be updated after the mac pro is released. A similar chassis with an i7 and SSD storage. I hope apple take the opportunity to release a version that has discrete graphics - not workstation class, but gaming class. I would then buy one. Until then I'll stick with a PC - the current mini just doesn't cut it, I don't need the performance of a £3k workstation and an iMac is just a 27" mirror. I hate glossy!

 

[osx11]

January is the absolute earliest a new mini would show up. There is no way apple would allow a single Mac Pro sale in December to be lost to a Mini.

Let's see, I have the money and need for a $4,000 Mac Pro........wait, what's this.........a Mac Mini..........nevermind about the Mac Pro......I'll get the Mini instead......

 

[fig]

Does the fusion drive get full? and then it goes to the 5400 hardrive or does it always pull from the fusion for most things you use like iTunes and web surfing and applications you open everyday. It sounds like the Fusion is the way to go if you want more space.

So if you have loads of photos on the hardrive and you want to pull them does it take longer to load them up cause it's not using the fusion drive for that, right?

The Fusion drive actively moves things to the SSD part of the drive the more often you use them, so generally speaking it's used to launch applications (which is where you will most often notice the speed of any drive). Most files will be saved to the traditional hard drive.

Unless you have a need to move massive files around often, the Fusion drive will do you just fine.

 

[StoneyG]

As others have said, it would appear that the update should have happened by now. Though there is often a large gap between Mini updates, I suspect that this time around they may do a redisign, if not in the next quarter, then maybe for the subsequent update later in 2014. Not that it would ever need to be smaller, for ******* sakes, but imagine they'll do away with 2.5" SATA drives "bays", and have PCIe flash like the Airs, Retina models, etc., are using. Hopefully the RAM won't be soldered, but if it is, then I also hope that the minimum RAM configuration is 8 GB.

 

[MrGuder]

I noticed that the Mac mini os x server can be built with 2 ssd drives giving you more space. Can a consumer use this mini for home use or is this Mac mini just for businesses?

 

[montom]

I noticed that the Mac mini os x server can be built with 2 ssd drives giving you more space. Can a consumer use this mini for home use or is this Mac mini just for businesses?

My 2010 Mac Mini server was used at home, but I installed Snow Leopard Client on it (the regular desktop version) as I heard the Snow Leopard Server version it came with required extra configuration fiddling. I don't know how it'll be with Mavericks, but since the regular version is free, you can downgrade to that if needed and it'll be no different from the other Minis except for the drive option.

 

[MrGuder]

My 2010 Mac Mini server was used at home, but I installed Snow Leopard Client on it (the regular desktop version) as I heard the Snow Leopard Server version it came with required extra configuration fiddling. I don't know how it'll be with Mavericks, but since the regular version is free, you can downgrade to that if needed and it'll be no different from the other Minis except for the drive option.

So on apples website it says the OSX Server Mini has OS X Mavericks, OS X Server. So it comes pre-loaded with the latest Mavericks software, so I can use this for home use (no business) or do I need to downgrade something when it arrives? Will it boot up differently asking for business info stuff or can home consumers use this model mac mini?

Sorry I'm new to macs and learning.

 

[hudson1]

So on apples website it says the OSX Server Mini has OS X Mavericks, OS X Server. So it comes pre-loaded with the latest Mavericks software, so I can use this for home use (no business) or do I need to downgrade something when it arrives? Will it boot up differently asking for business info stuff or can home consumers use this model mac mini?

Sorry I'm new to macs and learning.

OS X Server is simply an add-on to OS X that you don't need to use if you don't wish to.

 

[mvmanolov]

As others have said, it would appear that the update should have happened by now. Though there is often a large gap between Mini updates, I suspect that this time around they may do a redisign, if not in the next quarter, then maybe for the subsequent update later in 2014. Not that it would ever need to be smaller, for ******* sakes, but imagine they'll do away with 2.5" SATA drives "bays", and have PCIe flash like the Airs, Retina models, etc., are using. Hopefully the RAM won't be soldered, but if it is, then I also hope that the minimum RAM configuration is 8 GB.

sooo, then no more nice big storage HDD?

If so, then why keep the time machine backup function in the server app? Only for USB connected devices? I don't think so. What will all the collocation business do? start having to take up more space (which is relatively expensive) so that someone can have a USB attached drive for data storage? That makes no sense.