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darngooddesign

macrumors P6
Jul 4, 2007
18,366
10,127
Atlanta, GA
The high end intel Mac mini is still for sale, and you can bet the upcomming Mac mini pro/Max are going to be close to that $3000 if not over it too. :(
The important question is what will the base M1-Pro Mini cost. It may be the same 1100 as the Intel Mini and we can extrapolate all the upgrade pricing based on the MBPs. It could easily hit 3k, but Im not sure why anyone would pay for the big internal SSDs since its easy to leave a fast external drive connected; especially the ones where the enclosure matches the Mini's case.
 
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Jorbanead

macrumors 65816
Aug 31, 2018
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The important question is what will the base M1-Pro Mini cost. It may be the same 1100 as the Intel Mini and we can extrapolate all the upgrade pricing based on the MBPs. It could easily hit 3k, but Im not sure why anyone would pay for the big internal SSDs since its easy to leave a fast external drive connected; especially the ones where the enclosure matches the Mini's case.
I did a breakdown of potential cost in this thread here:

I took a stab at possible M1 Pro/Max Mac mini prices based on the Macbook Pro upgrade prices. Since the current i5 model starts at $1,099 but only comes with 8GB of ram, I added $200 to the base price. Of course, Apple could surprise us and knock $100 off like they did with the M1 mini, but I'd rather assume the worst and be surprised. All configs below have the baseline 512GB of SSD as well.


M1 ProM1 ProM1 ProM1 ProM1 ProM1 ProM1 MaxM1 MaxM1 MaxM1 Max
CPU8 Core8 Core10 Core10 Core10 Core10 Core10 Core10 Core10 Core10 Core
GPU14 Core14 Core14 Core14 Core16 Core16 Core24 Core24 Core32 Core32 Core
RAM16GB32GB16GB32GB16GB32GB32GB64GB32GB64GB
Macbook Pro$1,999.00$2,399.00$2,199.00$2,599.00$2,299.00$2,699.00$2,899.00$3,299.00$3,099.00$3,499.00
Mac Mini$1,299.00$1,699.00$1,499.00$1,899.00$1,599.00$1,999.00$2,199.00$2,599.00$2,399.00$2,799.00
 
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Jorbanead

macrumors 65816
Aug 31, 2018
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Precisely why it wasn't announced this month. They want you and everyone else to say f it and buy a MacBook Pro for 50% more.

It will come out in a few months when the initial sales of MBP are done.
That’s not really a major concern. People who need and prefer a notebook wouldn’t just buy a mini because it’s cheaper. And people who need a mini aren’t all just going to buy a MBP. Source: I need a mini and im not going to get a MBP.

Also apple announced the M1 mini alongside the notebooks showing that they don’t care about that. What’s more likely is that the new mini is going to feature a new design which had to be delayed due to supply constraints. And since it’s less popular apple would rather focus on their popular macs over the holiday season as shipping and supply logistics are precious resources right now.
In the US the maxed-out Mini 16/2TB costs 1799 USD, but since it’s a desktop you could easily save money by choosing a smaller internal drive and just connect an external drive to it. So if you don’t need 10GB Ethernet, the 16/256 costs 899USD or the 16/512 costs 1099USD.
We’re talking about the i5/i7 mini which came with up to 64Gb of ram and the price was dropped in 2020. If you look at the original 2018 prices for the i7 model with 64Gb of ram and 2TB it was much more.
 

bobcomer

macrumors 601
May 18, 2015
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3,699
The important question is what will the base M1-Pro Mini cost. It may be the same 1100 as the Intel Mini and we can extrapolate all the upgrade pricing based on the MBPs. It could easily hit 3k, but Im not sure why anyone would pay for the big internal SSDs since its easy to leave a fast external drive connected; especially the ones where the enclosure matches the Mini's case.
I bet they'll be no cheaper than the current intel mini unfortunately, Apple isn't about making things cheaper. I'll pay for a 2TB internal, but no more than that, because you're right, anything more costs WAY too much.
 

Technerd108

macrumors 68040
Oct 24, 2021
3,062
4,313
I would love to see an M1 Pro?Max in the new Mac mini.It would be a God Send and the cheapest and most powerful entry into MacOS. I really don't think it will EVER happen. The next Mac mini will have an M2 and M3 after that. I highly doubt that Apple would ever put a Pro chip in a Mac mini. It just doesn't make sense from a business perspective.

Besides an M2 Mac mini would be plenty powerful enough and it is the value proposition for Apple. A Mac mini with M1 is one of the best entry level desktop devices you can get!! I love the Mac mini and if I wasn't a Laptop guy I would have one. For the price of a iPad Pro you get a really powerful desktop machine even in the Mini with regular M1 and 8gb ram!!!
 

Boil

macrumors 68040
Oct 23, 2018
3,478
3,173
Stargate Command
If Apple intended the Mac mini to remain an entry-level model, they would have discontinued the 2018 Space Gray Intel Mac mini when they started shipping the 2020 M1 Mac mini models...

ANY Intel Mac still in the lineup is only there because there is not an Apple silicon model to replace it yet...

I expect a Spring 2022 event showcasing the newly designed 27" iMac (Pro) & Mac mini (Pro); both with the M1 Pro/Max SoCs within...

Mac mini (Pro)
  • M1 Max SoC
  • 10-core CPU (8P/2E)
  • 32-core GPU
  • 16-core Neural Engine
  • 64GB LPDDR5 RAM
  • 400GB/s memory bandwidth
  • 1TB NVMe SSD
  • 10Gb Ethernet (RJ-45) port
  • (4) Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports
  • (2) USB 3.2 (USB-A) ports
  • HDMI 2.0 port
  • 3.5mm headphone jack
  • 150W internal PSU
  • Space Gray
$2999
 

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That’s not really a major concern. People who need and prefer a notebook wouldn’t just buy a mini because it’s cheaper. And people who need a mini aren’t all just going to buy a MBP. Source: I need a mini and im not going to get a MBP.

Also apple announced the M1 mini alongside the notebooks showing that they don’t care about that. What’s more likely is that the new mini is going to feature a new design which had to be delayed due to supply constraints. And since it’s less popular apple would rather focus on their popular macs over the holiday season as shipping and supply logistics are precious resources right now.

We’re talking about the i5/i7 mini which came with up to 64Gb of ram and the price was dropped in 2020. If you look at the original 2018 prices for the i7 model with 64Gb of ram and 2TB it was much more.
Of course it is a major concern. People are not married to anyone one form factor. People, especially professional users, need PRO Apple Silicon. Whatever came out first is what most of us were going to buy, because we were put on hold in June 2020 and told to wait for what was to come. The MacBook Pro is it, so its what we're buying. And it incidentally costs a hell of a lot more than a Mac Pro mini will. Apple knows what they're doing. They weren't going to give anyone a half priced access to M1 Pro or M1 Max until after the initial run of MacBook Pro sales.
 
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Count me out, don't need a laptop
Well, what you "don't need" is Pro level Apple Silicon yesterday. Many of us professional users don't have time to waste waiting for a specific device to come out. We've been waiting for anything at all in this realm for over a year.
 

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If Apple intended the Mac mini to remain an entry-level model, they would have discontinued the 2018 Space Gray Intel Mac mini when they started shipping the 2020 M1 Mac mini models...

ANY Intel Mac still in the lineup is only there because there is not an Apple silicon model to replace it yet...

I expect a Spring 2022 event showcasing the newly designed 27" iMac (Pro) & Mac mini (Pro); both with the M1 Pro/Max SoCs within...

Mac mini (Pro)
  • M1 Max SoC
  • 10-core CPU (8P/2E)
  • 32-core GPU
  • 16-core Neural Engine
  • 64GB LPDDR5 RAM
  • 400GB/s memory bandwidth
  • 1TB NVMe SSD
  • 10Gb Ethernet (RJ-45) port
  • (4) Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports
  • (2) USB 3.2 (USB-A) ports
  • HDMI 2.0 port
  • 3.5mm headphone jack
  • 150W internal PSU
  • Space Gray
$2999
Lol. It doesn't have a display and it costs more than the MacBook Pro? Yeah. Nope.

The Mac Pro mini will start at $1499 for an M1 Pro, and scale up from there, probably around $500 less than any comparably spec'd MacBook Pro model.
 
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Jorbanead

macrumors 65816
Aug 31, 2018
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Of course it is a major concern. People are not married to anyone one form factor.
Not everyone, but some like myself are. If I have $2K to spend on a Mac, Im not magically going to spend $3K on a MacBook Pro. I’ll either spend $2K on a MacBook Pro and get less specs, or I’ll wait for a Mac mini and get the specs I’d prefer. I personally have a setup that fits a desktop form factor way better. I have 6-7 colleagues in a similar situation. They’re not getting the new MBP. We’re waiting for a mini or an iMac.

Plus the Mac mini market is so substantially small that even if this were true it wouldn’t put a dent in sales figures.
 
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Boil

macrumors 68040
Oct 23, 2018
3,478
3,173
Stargate Command
Mac mini (Pro)
  • M1 Max SoC
  • 10-core CPU (8P/2E)
  • 32-core GPU
  • 16-core Neural Engine
  • 64GB LPDDR5 RAM
  • 400GB/s memory bandwidth
  • 1TB NVMe SSD
  • 10Gb Ethernet (RJ-45) port
  • (4) Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports
  • (2) USB 3.2 (USB-A) ports
  • HDMI 2.0 port
  • 3.5mm headphone jack
  • 150W internal PSU
  • Space Gray
$2999

Lol. It doesn't have a display and it costs more than the MacBook Pro? Yeah. Nope.

The Mac Pro mini will start at $1499 for an M1 Pro, and scale up from there, probably around $500 less than any comparably spec'd MacBook Pro model.

Did you even read thru the specs I listed...?!?

Same specs (excepting the 10Gb Ethernet) on the new MacBook Pro laptops:

14" MBP = $3.7k

16" MBP = $3.9k

Explain to me again how my $3k Mac mini costs more than the MacBook Pro, when it would clearly be $700 to $900 cheaper...?
 
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bobcomer

macrumors 601
May 18, 2015
4,949
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If Apple intended the Mac mini to remain an entry-level model, they would have discontinued the 2018 Space Gray Intel Mac mini when they started shipping the 2020 M1 Mac mini models...

ANY Intel Mac still in the lineup is only there because there is not an Apple silicon model to replace it yet...

I expect a Spring 2022 event showcasing the newly designed 27" iMac (Pro) & Mac mini (Pro); both with the M1 Pro/Max SoCs within...

Mac mini (Pro)
  • M1 Max SoC
  • 10-core CPU (8P/2E)
  • 32-core GPU
  • 16-core Neural Engine
  • 64GB LPDDR5 RAM
  • 400GB/s memory bandwidth
  • 1TB NVMe SSD
  • 10Gb Ethernet (RJ-45) port
  • (4) Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports
  • (2) USB 3.2 (USB-A) ports
  • HDMI 2.0 port
  • 3.5mm headphone jack
  • 150W internal PSU
  • Space Gray
$2999
I'd buy that. :)
 

Boil

macrumors 68040
Oct 23, 2018
3,478
3,173
Stargate Command
I'd buy that. :)

Exactly...! I am sure there are a TON of macOS users out there who want a powerful machine, something decidedly not entry-level; but they also want a desktop, not a laptop or an AIO; nor do they want the hyper pricing that comes with the full tower Mac Pro...

So, the high-end Apple silicon Mac mini (Pro) seems the logical solution...!
 
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Jorbanead

macrumors 65816
Aug 31, 2018
1,209
1,438
Exactly...! I am sure there are a TON of macOS users out there who want a powerful machine, something decidedly not entry-level; but they also want a headless desktop, not a laptop or an AIO; nor do they want the hyper pricing that comes with the full tower Mac Pro...

So, the high-end Apple silicon Mac mini (Pro) seems the logical solution...!
I'd buy that. :)
Same here! I’d buy it right this second if it was available. The MBP doesn’t fit my needs.
 
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theorist9

macrumors 68040
May 28, 2015
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Of course it is a major concern. People are not married to anyone one form factor. People, especially professional users, need PRO Apple Silicon. Whatever came out first is what most of us were going to buy, because we were put on hold in June 2020 and told to wait for what was to come. The MacBook Pro is it, so its what we're buying. And it incidentally costs a hell of a lot more than a Mac Pro mini will. Apple knows what they're doing. They weren't going to give anyone a half priced access to M1 Pro or M1 Max until after the initial run of MacBook Pro sales.
What Intel Macs have you and your colleagues been using, that you were hoping to replace with M1 Pro/Max Minis, but are instead replacing with MacBook Pros?

If I were to guess (guessing is fun), I'd say it's an older large iMac. It obviously wouldn't be a laptop, since that's not what you use. And it probably wouldn't be either a Mini or 2019 Mac Pro. If your needs were in Intel Mini territory, the M1 Mini would have been enough. And if you had a 2019 Mac Pro, there wouldn't be an urgent need to replace it with a Pro/Max, since you'd already have that performance. Probably same with the iMac Pro. Hence we're left with a large, older iMac.

And what levels of MacBook Pros are you getting?

I do disagree with the blanket statement that "People are not married to anyone one form factor." The more accurate statement, even about pros, would be that *some* people aren't married to form factors. After all, if you're a pro (or anyone else) that specifically needs a laptop, a desktop isn't going to work for you.
 
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mcnallym

macrumors 65816
Oct 28, 2008
1,210
938
I personally use two computers,

1st 2018 base mini as iTunes server
2nd hack that is i9 9900k, rx580 GPU so 2019 iMac basically.

A single mm M1 pro / max be ideal to drop to 1 machine, especially with the ProRes encode built into the pro / max which is why want the pro / max rather then the regular M1.
 

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What Intel Macs have you and your colleagues been using, that you were hoping to replace with M1 Pro/Max Minis, but are instead replacing with MacBook Pros?

If I were to guess (guessing is fun), I'd say it's an older large iMac. It obviously wouldn't be a laptop, since that's not what you use. And it probably wouldn't be either a Mini or 2019 Mac Pro. If your needs were in Intel Mini territory, the M1 Mini would have been enough. And if you had a 2019 Mac Pro, there wouldn't be an urgent need to replace it with a Pro/Max, since you'd already have that performance. Probably same with the iMac Pro. Hence we're left with a large, older iMac.

And what levels of MacBook Pros are you getting?

I do disagree with the blanket statement that "People are not married to anyone one form factor." The more accurate statement, even about pros, would be that *some* people aren't married to form factors. After all, if you're a pro (or anyone else) that specifically needs a laptop, a desktop isn't going to work for you.
Damn, you're good. You nailed it. 2017 iMac.

But I also had a 2019 16" MacBook Pro. And would routinely switch between using them. MBP away from desk, iMac at desk.

Like most Pro's, I'll use whatever, so long as it gets the work done. I would have bought something a year ago if Apple had it ready, but they told us to wait, it would be coming. Well it took way too long. And as a Pro you can't just put things on hold. So now I ditched both those Intel heaters, and replaced it with a 16" M1 Pro, and (2) LG Ultra Fine displays for the desk, so I can do desk work just fine, and be mobile when I need to. Frankly its better now, as it is one machine and not 2 to juggle.
 
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Mac mini (Pro)
  • M1 Max SoC
  • 10-core CPU (8P/2E)
  • 32-core GPU
  • 16-core Neural Engine
  • 64GB LPDDR5 RAM
  • 400GB/s memory bandwidth
  • 1TB NVMe SSD
  • 10Gb Ethernet (RJ-45) port
  • (4) Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports
  • (2) USB 3.2 (USB-A) ports
  • HDMI 2.0 port
  • 3.5mm headphone jack
  • 150W internal PSU
  • Space Gray
$2999



Did you even read thru the specs I listed...?!?

Same specs (excepting the 10Gb Ethernet) on the new MacBook Pro laptops:

14" MBP = $3.7k

16" MBP = $3.9k

Explain to me again how my $3k Mac mini costs more than the MacBook Pro, when it would clearly be $700 to $900 cheaper...?
There may be a BTO model that reaches that level, but its weird to post it like that. There of course will be an M1 Pro with 16 core GPU that is much cheaper.
 

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Not everyone, but some like myself are. If I have $2K to spend on a Mac, Im not magically going to spend $3K on a MacBook Pro. I’ll either spend $2K on a MacBook Pro and get less specs, or I’ll wait for a Mac mini and get the specs I’d prefer. I personally have a setup that fits a desktop form factor way better. I have 6-7 colleagues in a similar situation. They’re not getting the new MBP. We’re waiting for a mini or an iMac.

Plus the Mac mini market is so substantially small that even if this were true it wouldn’t put a dent in sales figures.
Then it doesn't sound like you really in need of performance at all.
 

Boil

macrumors 68040
Oct 23, 2018
3,478
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Stargate Command
There may be a BTO model that reaches that level, but its weird to post it like that. There of course will be an M1 Pro with 16 core GPU that is much cheaper.

Yeah, SO weird to list the specs of the Mac mini I want, at the price point I would think reasonable...

Then it doesn't sound like you really in need of performance at all.

So because they want to wait for a Mac mini, rather than pay extra for an equally capable laptop, they no longer need performance...?
 
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darngooddesign

macrumors P6
Jul 4, 2007
18,366
10,127
Atlanta, GA
I bet they'll be no cheaper than the current intel mini unfortunately, Apple isn't about making things cheaper. I'll pay for a 2TB internal, but no more than that, because you're right, anything more costs WAY too much.
My point wasn't about cost, because what is expensive to one person is a justifiable convenience to another. My point was that unlike a laptop where you don't necessarily want a drive dangling from the side, the Mini is a desktop so having a drive permanently connected is a non-issue. While I would pay for a 2TB drive in my MBP, I personally wouldn't go above 1TB internal on a Mini. Matching the Intel for pricing makes sense because to get 16/512, which is the base M1-Pro config, is 1099 for the M1 and 1299 for the Intel.
 
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TSE

macrumors 601
Jun 25, 2007
4,032
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St. Paul, Minnesota
I'm not sure if we will, but I sure hope we do. The Mac mini, in my opinion, has been so underutilized to Cheap-o desktop, possibly TV Media Center PC for too long. Really could be a sweet little powerhouse with great value if Apple targets it that way - $1299 for the M1 Pro Config, $1799 for the M1 Max.

And correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't the current AppleTV have a ton of empty space with the M1?

Perhaps they could have the current Mac mini house the Professional-grade processors while an even smaller entry-level Mac mini take up the next generation M2. That would be pretty sweet.
 

bobcomer

macrumors 601
May 18, 2015
4,949
3,699
And correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't the current AppleTV have a ton of empty space with the M1?
Apple TV doesn't have an M1. It doesn't even have an A14, it has an A12!
$1299 for the M1 Pro Config, $1799 for the M1 Max.
No way it'll be that cheap with the amount one would want with a Pro level desktop, or even a common config for an Intel Mac Mini. I have 64G of RAM and 2TB SSD in mine.
 
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