This is what's so frustrating about Apple's recent business model. In the past I would buy a Macbook Pro/iMac/iBook etc with a relatively modest spec, and then upgrade it a few years later to give it some extra life. It was the equivalent of spreading the cost. Now they force you to spend $2000+ up front. I understand why they are doing it, so they get that money rather than a third party part supplier, but what they seem to have forgotten is that a lot of people can't afford or don't want to buy a $2000 computer from the get-go.
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would you buy a new mac mini with soldered ram, a t2 chip and storage that can’t be replaced?
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This is what's so frustrating about Apple's recent business model. In the past I would buy a Macbook Pro/iMac/iBook etc with a relatively modest spec, and then upgrade it a few years later to give it some extra life. It was the equivalent of spreading the cost. Now they force you to spend $2000+ up front. I understand why they are doing it, so they get that money rather than a third party part supplier, but what they seem to have forgotten is that a lot of people can't afford or don't want to buy a $2000 computer from the get-go.
Whereas a 8GB RAM/256GB SSD i5-7260U (64MM eDRAM) NUC, similar to the base MBP 13", can be had for $600 - windows though...
or a (noisy) 16/512 i7-7567 NUc for $900
or a more powerful 16/256 i5-8259U (similar to 13" MBP 2018-model) NUC for $970:
https://simplynuc.com/cart/
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Yes, but in that case I would max it out to be future proof as much as possible. I am gonna buy it one way or another.
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What...why?
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What...why?
But how much would you be willing to pay? The cheapest 2014 Mini with those specs is the 2.6ghz i5/16gb/256gb for $1099...
that same $1099 IF it has the i5-8259U (with 128MB eDRAM), like the 2018 tb 13" MBP, AND enough ports (for the 16gb/256gb)
Hell NO !
Count me out if Apple decides to go that route. There's way too much competition out there for PC purchases where the OS's are on par with one another. I've been using OS X since 2002 and Windows 10 and Linux are equally as robust, stable and feature rich. I can buy or build my own ungimped Micro PC for less than what Apple sells them for and I can upgrade them when I want and load whatever OS I choose. The day Apple stops supporting my 2012 Mini is the day i'll load Windows 10 on it and say bye, bye.
Let's hope commonsense prevails at Cupertino.
Count me out if Apple decides to go that route. There's way too much competition out there for PC purchases where the OS's are on par with one another. I've been using OS X since 2002 and Windows 10 and Linux are equally as robust, stable and feature rich. I can buy or build my own ungimped Micro PC for less than what Apple sells them for and I can upgrade them when I want and load whatever OS I choose. The day Apple stops supporting my 2012 Mini is the day i'll load Windows 10 on it and say bye, bye.
Let's hope commonsense prevails at Cupertino.
Sure. At least a quad-core CPU with a decent GPU (something that can provide 4K@60Hz at least), 32GB RAM,512GB SSD and a good selection of ports, i.e., USB-A, TB3, HDMI, Ethernet, etc.
EDIT: Oh yeah, providing all of the above at <$2k.
EDIT: Oh yeah, providing all of the above at <$2k.
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If it comes with a desktop quad-core or hexa-core Intel Core processor, 16 GB DDR4-2400 MHz memory and a 512 GB SSD with Radeon Pro 560 or 570 equivalent discrete graphics, I'd be willing to pay up to £1,099 GBP / $1,429 USD. If it's quite modular, I may be willing to pay more. It depends. Ask me again on October 30th ;-).
Remember that the premium on laptop prices is dictated by mobility; screen, peripherals, battery, and size/weight considerations. Apple could easily release a blazing modern Mini close to its current prices. See Intel's NUC machines which can include discrete Radeon graphics.
I would probably end up buying another used 2012 Mac mini to hold me over as long as possible, then wait until the new Mac Pro is released next year and consider buying the lowest-cost one (unless everything is soldered and glued on it as well).
Nope. It would need to be like the 2012 Mac Mini: user upgradable memory and storage. Not interested in a T2 chip either.
Just curious - does this mean that when Apple transitions all their computers to include a T2 or similar chip you will be done buying Apple computers? It seems possible they will be including a "T" chip with all their computers eventually. I could be wrong.
Yes, if the specs and price were right. I know what I'm getting into when it comes to Apple computers and I know the days of being able to upgrade any internal components are numbered. Aside from maybe the GPU on a desktop gaming machine (and I don't really game much anymore), the days of me upgrading parts on my computers every few years are over. Things are good enough where I can spec out a machine that will last me 5 - 6 years without upgrading RAM/storage/etc and that's good enough. Besides, I have a home server with plenty of storage so I wouldn't need a whole lot of storage in a Mini.
So what implications for the user experience does this T2 chip have? I just read up on it and it seems secure boot would be an annoyance for a home machine but it appears you can just disable it (probably first thing I'd do after opening the packaging 
). Other than that where does it get in the way?
). Other than that where does it get in the way?
Dude, give up the trolling...
Why would Apple stick with 1333 DDR3 RAM, the last Intel CPU architecture that used DDR3 was Broadwell...
Awesome, you want Apple to upgrade the Mac Mini from Haswell to Broadwell, one whole generation...
Sky Lake, Kaby Lake, Coffee Lake; all DDR4 platforms...
And your SSD is SATA II, when modern SSDs are PCIe x4 / NVMe...
SMH...
...It depends?
The only things I replaced in my current little "gaming" PC is the Ram, and I swapped the HDD with an SSD. I never did anything with my current iMac.
If the Mac has enough Ram that I feel will be good enough for the time that I will use it and if it has a fast SSD, then realistically I wouldn't need to open it up. By the time I need something faster, I'll buy something faster. For my uses, it's not something I'm really all that concerned about.
The only things I replaced in my current little "gaming" PC is the Ram, and I swapped the HDD with an SSD. I never did anything with my current iMac.
If the Mac has enough Ram that I feel will be good enough for the time that I will use it and if it has a fast SSD, then realistically I wouldn't need to open it up. By the time I need something faster, I'll buy something faster. For my uses, it's not something I'm really all that concerned about.