The real 2014 Mac mini announcement

Like I said before, if the system does not meet your needs find something else. What is the point here exactly?

"Ooooh somebody online wants a quad core. QUICK lets spend millions of R&D to develop a dual logic board setup so this person can have quad core."

xWhiplash said:

Like I said before, if the system does not meet your needs find something else.

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Golly Gee Wilikers everybody, let's all go find something else.

xWhiplash said:

Like I said before, if the system does not meet your needs find something else. What is the point here exactly?

"Ooooh somebody online wants a quad core. QUICK lets spend millions of R&D to develop a dual logic board setup so this person can have quad core."

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We got it, if it's good it's Apple if not it's their supplier . There is no point; resistance is futile, we will be assimilated.

xWhiplash said:

"Ooooh somebody online wants a quad core. QUICK lets spend millions of R&D to develop a dual logic board setup so this person can have quad core."

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Even the 2012 Mac mini has a different logic board for the quad core processor.

I wonder, if the current 1.4GHz model has the some board as the other versions. But the number of different boards however cannot be an issue, as they now solder the RAM directly to it.

BJonson said:

Golly Gee Wilikers everybody, let's all go find something else.

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I followed your and xWhiplash's advice and found a pile of cash in my wallet that I didn't waste on the Mac Mini (2014)... Thanks again for the advice.

AndyJapan said:

I followed your and xDicklash's advice and found a pile of cash in my wallet that I didn't waste on the Mac Mini (2014)... Thanks again for the advice.

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Right. So I am a **** for pointing out that this system was never designed for movie studios or professional photographers?

What do you NEED quad core for? Do you think the GENERAL USER cares about rendering a few seconds faster?

Why do you need the ability to upgrade the RAM? It is pointless with a system like this.

Have you read what I said previously? I have upgraded my ram TWICE in my life. Having a $4,000 Mac Pro and getting new RAM at $399 is much better than buying a new $4,000 Mac Pro with little performance improvements (for what I use it for).

Getting a Mac Mini at $399 that has BUILT IN GRAPHICS is much more beneficial to have the entire system be updated in a couple years instead of the RAM.

IF you could upgrade: I can get a base Mac Mini for $399 with 4GB of RAM. On Newegg, I see 16GB memory is $145.99+

NOTHING at the moment can drive a 5K display unless you do the two cables thing. In a couple years, even integrated graphics will be able to do that with the new Thunderbolt and Displayport versions. Good enough reason to upgrade to me.

Newer processors in a couple of years will be better than they are today. Good enough reason to upgrade to me.

SSD only option will be available in a couple of years (or at least it better). If they add PCIe flash to the Mac Mini in a couple of years, that will be an amazing upgrade.

So how exactly am I being a **** here? The Mac Mini was NEVER intended for this type of thing. It was meant to be a buy it and forget it box. The Mac Pro is intended for this purpose. Even the newer one is very upgradable. iFixIt said even the CPU was able to be removed with minor effort.

As I said, if you see a computer that does not fit your needs, find a different one. What would be the point in me complaining all day long that the $249.99 Dell laptop does not come with the best mobile graphics? I simply find a different system instead.

I am not happy with any gaming computers that are offered these days. Do you know what I am going to do? Build my own.

xWhiplash said:

Like I said before, if the system does not meet your needs find something else. What is the point here exactly?

"Ooooh somebody online wants a quad core. QUICK lets spend millions of R&D to develop a dual logic board setup so this person can have quad core."

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It's an Intel reference design motherboard with very minor changes. About all Apple engineers have to do is design the shape of the logic board and place the components. If this costs so many millions in R&D that the product was not possible, Apple has major flaws in how the company is set up.

The reality is that a powerful mac mini doesn't fit Apple's plans for the rest of their lineup. For most people, why buy an iMac if a mini is more powerful, more upgradable, and lets you keep your expensive 5k screen while replacing the computing hardware? If a powerful mini existed why would anyone buy a new MP unless it was specifically as a render workhorse?

They neutered the mini because they expect it to help them sell more expensive macs, and judging by all the "I hate the new mini so much I bought an iMac" rants, Apple is right about that.

Oracle1729 said:

.....They neutered the mini because they expect it to help them sell more expensive macs, and judging by all the "I hate the new mini so much I bought an iMac" rants, Apple is right about that.

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....... or they neutered the mini because they wanted to clear their stock of old mini's before releasing the real new mini; (rumor: it will look like a hockey puck) .

TPadden said:

....... or they neutered the mini because they wanted to clear their stock of old mini's before releasing the real new mini; (rumor: it will look like a hockey puck) .

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Given how fast each batch of 2012 minis sells out in the refurb store, I doubt they have a big glut they're itching to unload.

I strongly suspect you're right though about the hockey puck design, which is sad because it means my 2012 will be my last.

cinealta said:

Desktop PC sales are declining worldwide. It's a losing market. Everyone is going mobile. Quad, Hex, Octo -cores are readily available...just get a workstation with Xeon CPUs. Can't have everything. We're not going to get workstation class in a $500 box with OSX.

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A quad-mini is not workstation class unless it comes with a Xeon CPU with ECC ram. A quad i7 is actually pretty consumer class.

I bought a Mac mini about 3/4 months ago and I worried that a new one would come out shortly after that I would be envious of. So glad that didn't happen

brdeveloper said:

A quad-mini is not workstation class unless it comes with a Xeon CPU with ECC ram. A quad i7 is actually pretty consumer class.

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I agree, but what does that make the dual-core i5? Playskool? sub-consumer?

People that want to use facebook/twitter/email don't need a computer. Apple should stick with making computers that are capable of doing actual work.

so what is apple's slogan this time, its un-apologetically slow

Actually for those who say the Mac Mini is not a professional class device, you'd be very surprised to see how many recording studios they show up in.

They were very expandable, quiet, and powerful. The new machine is a joke.

xWhiplash said:

Right. So I am a **** for pointing out that this system was never designed for movie studios or professional photographers?

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O.K., corrected your nickname.

xWhiplash said:

What do you NEED quad core for? Do you think the GENERAL USER cares about rendering a few seconds faster?

Why do you need the ability to upgrade the RAM? It is pointless with a system like this.

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Why does Apple charge more than two times the market price for RAM upgrades? Pointless as well.

xWhiplash said:

Have you read what I said previously? I have upgraded my ram TWICE in my life.

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Not everybody is like you.

xWhiplash said:

Having a $4,000 Mac Pro and getting new RAM at $399 is much better than buying a new $4,000 Mac Pro with little performance improvements (for what I use it for).

Getting a Mac Mini at $399 that has BUILT IN GRAPHICS is much more beneficial to have the entire system be updated in a couple years instead of the RAM.

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Some people want to upgrade the RAM by themselves (right after the purchase) as Apple is charging ludicrous prices. They eliminated this option with the new Mac Mini to increase their margin. This doesn't go down well with some customers.

xWhiplash said:

IF you could upgrade: I can get a base Mac Mini for $399 with 4GB of RAM. On Newegg, I see 16GB memory is $145.99+

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What do you want to say with this?

Crucial RAM 1x 4GB (CT4999409) $42
Crucial RAM 2x 4GB (CT4999409) $84
Crucial RAM 2x 8GB (CT3650349)$166

The cost of 16GB RAM is $166. The price difference to 4GB is $124 and $82 to 8GB. Apple is charging $200 for an upgrade from 8GB to 16GB which is more than two times the price difference between 8GB ans 16GB.
I certainly would not complain if they charged slightly higher prices than retailers, but more than two times is too much.

xWhiplash said:

NOTHING at the moment can drive a 5K display unless you do the two cables thing. In a couple years, even integrated graphics will be able to do that with the new Thunderbolt and Displayport versions. Good enough reason to upgrade to me.

Newer processors in a couple of years will be better than they are today. Good enough reason to upgrade to me.

SSD only option will be available in a couple of years (or at least it better). If they add PCIe flash to the Mac Mini in a couple of years, that will be an amazing upgrade.

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You are drifting off a little bit.

xWhiplash said:

So how exactly am I being a **** here? The Mac Mini was NEVER intended for this type of thing. It was meant to be a buy it and forget it box. The Mac Pro is intended for this purpose. Even the newer one is very upgradable. iFixIt said even the CPU was able to be removed with minor effort.

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Sure, the Mac Mini is, as you said, not meant to be a highly upgradeable machine. However, Apple eliminated the upgrade options (RAM, HDD/SSD) in the 2014 model and turns it into an appliance as you pointed out. Buy, dump (after a few years) and buy a new one. That's exactly what Apple wants customers to do.

xWhiplash said:

As I said, if you see a computer that does not fit your needs, find a different one. What would be the point in me complaining all day long that the $249.99 Dell laptop does not come with the best mobile graphics? I simply find a different system instead.

I am not happy with any gaming computers that are offered these days. Do you know what I am going to do? Build my own.

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It's not necessarily about 'not fitting my needs', but the fact that Apple eliminated several upgrade (=cost saving) options while charging high prices for these upgrades (that were possible with the old model) is disappointing as Apple's objective is forcing customers to purchase rather expensive upgrades (=upselling). Therefore, I think that the Mac Mini is not good value (if you want some upgrades; e.g. 16GB RAM & Fusion drive) and do not purchase it. Just my 5 cents.

Roger and out.