Why not both

[vmachiel]

So i was looking into buying a new mac mini. But i was wondering: why can't you get both the quad-core and the discrete graphics?

 

[1369281]

Apple must have decided that having less cores, but higher frequencies was a better way to go for non-professional/server users, while also taking the less expensive price into consideration.

My opinion is that having the discrete graphics over more CPU cores (at a lower frequency) is more worth it and less expensive.

 

[thunng8]

So i was looking into buying a new mac mini. But i was wondering: why can't you get both the quad-core and the discrete graphics?

Most likely heat reasons. The Quad core is quite a lot hotter than the dual core and a quad core + discrete graphics is too much heat for mac mini's cooling system.

 

[philipma1957]

Most likely heat reasons. The Quad core is quite a lot hotter than the dual core and a quad core + discrete graphics is too much heat for mac mini's cooling system.

lack of an adequate psu. you need more then 85 watts. The quad uses 45 watts the gpu uses 15. it does not leave enough overhead for hdds fan usb ports fw800 port etc.

if you make a 110 watt psu and put it in the mini too much heat. see my brick psu for christmas thread:


https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1191667/

If I gave you an i7 quad 2.3 and a good gpu, but you had to have it with the brick psu would you want that for 899. Apple could put that out for christmas 2011 no problem. It would make sense as it targets gamers it could be the gamer mini option. Apple wants new people making this for christmas 2011 would be very smart .

 

[phyrexia]

Because a 'server' will never need a fancy graphics card.

 

[Mr.C]

Because a 'server' will never need a fancy graphics card.

They could have still made it a BTO option.