New Intel Mac mini

drift1492 · Feb 28, 2006, 01:26 PM

http://news.com.com/2061-10801_3-6044066.html?tag=nl

WOW? So much fun.

thejadedmonkey · Feb 28, 2006, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drift1492

http://news.com.com/2061-10801_3-6044066.html?tag=nl

WOW? So much fun.

You'll get more...just chillax man. They're up to the iPod stuff...although I sure do hope it gets better, as an iPod boombox is rather lame sounding. and overpriced.

geekologist · 03:51 PM

I hope Steve will suprise us like he did with the Nano. Pull a MacBook out of the back of his shirt.

Quote:

Originally Posted by thejadedmonkey

You'll get more...just chillax man. They're up to the iPod stuff...although I sure do hope it gets better, as an iPod boombox is rather lame sounding.

Why would they come out with all these new iPod accessorys if they were releasing a new iPod?

aswitcher · Feb 28, 2006, 01:45 PM

What about the HDD max size and the graphics card?

NYmacAttack · Feb 28, 2006, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by geekologist

I hope Steve will suprise us like he did with the Nano. Pull a MacBook out of the back of his shirt.

Hope so too. rather unlikely though.

kettle · Feb 28, 2006, 01:54 PM

Oh and one more thing....

"There are trash cans situated either side of the exits, please leave the auditorium in a clean and tidy condition."

NYmacAttack · Feb 28, 2006, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aswitcher

What about the HDD max size and the graphics card?

Intel GMA950 graphics processor.

JUNK

MacRumors · Feb 28, 2006, 02:04 PM

http://www.macrumors.com/images/macrumorsthreadlogo.gif

At the media event February 28th, Apple unveiled a revised Mac mini featuring either a 1.5Ghz Intel Core Solo or 1.66Ghz Core Duo processor, offering up to a 5x increase in overall speed from the previous model. The form factor for the machine remains unchanged.

The new mini sports the Apple Remote with Front Row, up to 2 GB memory, Intel GMA950 graphics processor, DVI connector w/ VGA out option, Slot loading optical drive, up to 120GB hard drive, built-in gigabit ethernet, analog and digital audio, USB & Firewire ports, iLife '06 and Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger.

1.5Ghz Intel Core Solo Model: $599
1.5GHz Intel Core Solo processor
2MB L2 Cache
667MHz Frontside Bus
512MB memory (667MHz DDR2 SDRAM)
60GB Serial ATA hard drive
Combo drive (DVD-ROM/CD-RW)
Built-in AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth 2.0
Apple Remote

1.66Ghz Intel Core Duo Model: $799
1.66GHz Intel Core Duo processor
2MB L2 Cache
667MHz Frontside Bus
512MB memory (667MHz DDR2 SDRAM)
80GB Serial ATA hard drive
Double-layer SuperDrive (DVD+R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
Built-in AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth 2.0
Apple Remote

All Mac mini models also include an integrated Intel GMA950 graphics processor with 64MB of shared DDR2 SDRAM(1), 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet, four external USB 2.0 ports, FireWire 400 port, optical digital and analog audio in/out, and built-in mono speaker.

jmsait19 · Feb 28, 2006, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aswitcher

What about the HDD max size and the graphics card?

the graphics card is an intel gma950 with 64meg shared ddr.

nagromme · 02:26 PM

I like it! I'm a pro, but if I ever want a low-end machine to tide me over, I won't be sorry to grab a Mini

* The iPod was fake but the Chinese characters were real! I am shocked!

* Single core Mac Mini to keep the bottom-end price from rising too much, AND dual for maximum power in our favorite tiny package. Perfect. Duals aren't just for pros anymore! Forget the marketing numbers, Intel Core has shown its speed in plenty of real world tests. The already-good Mac Mini just became a MUCH better buy.

* Higher bottom-end price: a shame. But with those specs, WELL worth it. The same specs for $199 would have pleased me even more of course

Maybe Core Solo will come down in price in future.

* Front Row across the line--good. Keeping your music on your computer is commonplace. Being able to control it from across the room should be too.

* More pro features moving down the line: gigabit ethernet--good. Digital/optical audio out is a surprise to me on the low-end, but cool! Wi-Fi and Bluetooth now standard on the low-end model. $100 seems like less and less...

* Audio IN (both analog AND digital?)--that's new to the Mini I think. Good--I like to play sources through my Mac sometimes (like listening to music while gaming), and this makes GarageBand more useful too.

* Extra USB ports--Apple listens!

* Connect to TV--every Mac for years has had that ability. Does he mean they include the required adapter in the box now, or is he just noting an optional adapter that was always available?

* Bonjour music/photo sharing--makes sense, if iTunes and iPhoto can do it, Front Row should too. Great if you've added a Mini as a second machine but want your main library to stay on your other machine. (And I'm glad the feature is being offered for free to existing Front Row users. Only fair.)

* Sharing/streaming iTunes videos and TV shows--is that something iTunes can do already? Or is that totally new with the new Front Row? (Does anyone get the feeling Front Row is kind of sneaking up on something bigger yet to come? Amazing how Apple can do something small but well--and not have it seem unfinished even though bigger things might be in store later.)

* No PVR. (PVR in Apple's low-end machine? That rumor never made sense to me.) But it sounds like Apple is acknowledging people's interest in using the Mac Mini in quasi-HT ways. Apple's not TRYING to be a media center replacement, they're just letting you do the most common things (like music and DVDs) in really easy ways. Which is all that is needed to make a computer replace a stereo component for many people. PVR would be a great option, but we've got El Gato for that if Apple doesn't go there.

* Same Mini form factor: I was thinking about whether I'd rather have a full-size non-laptop HD in there. For me, no. I'd rather keep the Mini small.

* What's the GPU? EDIT missed it: integrated. (That's OK for a low-end system--low-end PCs often have worse. Does the 64 "shared" VRAM cut into the main RAM like I'm used to with low-end PCs? I wonder what 3D games this can or cannot play.)

* If anyone told me Infrared was making a big Apple comeback in 2005-2006 I would have laughed. But hey, it's cheap and does the job. (A Bluetooth Front Row remote is an accessory I'd buy if the range was decent.)

* I'm surprised Apple still doesn't offer a low-end display. So you can't walk out of an Apple Store with a complete low-end system. (Although the power of the new Mini makes using it for higher tasks--with a 20" screen--more tempting.)

* Now it's time for endless Dell.com comparisons, looking at Dell's bottom-end dual core desktops. (Does it have optical audio I/O? DVI out? TV out? Firewire? Software bundle to rival iLife 06? Gigabit ethernet? Wireless? Combo drive? Slot-loading? Remote control? Is its integrated graphic chip higher or lower than the Mini's? Is it quiet and compact?)

* I see Apple finally updated their store's "Back Soon" graphic to the new font. Last I checked they still used Garamond. (Not the biggest news of the day.)

* Thanks to iLounge, Endgadget, MacCentral, LoopRumors, and of course MR for the coverage. (Suggestion to iLounge: may as well run some ads to help pay for it! I try to click an ad on every live coverage site.)

* The "live photo" coverage from iLounge and Engadget was a cool new twist

(Even Engadget couldn't always handle the traffic! But MR did... at least until the forums get hit!)

And remember... whatever you were hoping for (like iBooks) may still be in the works soon. Pie-in-the sky guesswork from analysts doesn't mean a whole lot. Movie store? Maybe sometime, not today.

NYmacAttack · Feb 28, 2006, 02:06 PM

Intel GMA950 graphics processor. Integrated graphics YUK

denial · Feb 28, 2006, 02:06 PM

Integrated graphics? Oh dear.

newportnews · Feb 28, 2006, 02:06 PM

Intel Integrated Graphics -- C'mon guys -- I know there is a Core Duo in the high-end -- but Intel Integrated graphics... Ugh!

slidingjon · Feb 28, 2006, 02:07 PM

Pretty underwhelming experience. The "see you soon" might mean that they are really close on some other things (i.e. MacBook), but they weren't ready for today?

ColdFlame87 · Feb 28, 2006, 02:07 PM

they should had left it at 499

but hey who could complain pretty good update overall altough it felt like there should have been more...

doowrehs · Feb 28, 2006, 02:08 PM

Well, that was the most boring Apple event I've ever have had the pleasure of not attending.

'Fun' 'New' = the mini, some leather cases and a boombox?!

thequicksilver · Feb 28, 2006, 02:09 PM

I want one.

One worry though. Integrated graphics?

mmmcheese · Feb 28, 2006, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NYmacAttack

Intel GMA950 graphics processor.

JUNK

It's not junk, it's the perfect processor for a low end, entry level machine that can also be used for a media centre. They don't expect people to be doing 3D games, or graphically intensive work with this machine. This application is what the Intel graphics processor was designed for.

cube · Feb 28, 2006, 02:09 PM

Freaking Intel graphics!! I was about to buy even with the inflated Core Duo price difference!!

MacSA · Feb 28, 2006, 02:11 PM

UK price starts at £449 only 20 more than the old Mini at £429... not bad at all

kwajo.com · Feb 28, 2006, 02:12 PM

integrated graphics?

I suppose it might be alright if it supports Core Image extensions, but if not the mac mini is a terrible deal. Heck even if it had an ATI or nVidia GPU, the iMac is better value IMO. I'll pass

FoxyKaye · Feb 28, 2006, 02:12 PM

Not bad for the entry level. Seems like everyone is going with Intel integrated graphics on their low-end machines - not sure how I feel about it, but not being a heavy graphics user, I'm not sure I'd ever notice the difference.

Would love to compare the benchmarks on the new Minis to my iMac G5 from last year - hopefully Barefeats will get them up soon. By the time I'm ready to replace my G5 in a few more years (goodness willing, 2010), the Intel Macs should really be screaming fast.

MacSA · Feb 28, 2006, 02:12 PM

UK price starts at £449 only 20 more than the old Mini at £429... not bad at all

Superdrive option is only £40 now

srobert · Feb 28, 2006, 02:13 PM

If used only to stream and play video to a HDTV at 1920 by 1080, how will the integrated Intel GMA950 graphics processor perform? Good enough?

ScottB · Feb 28, 2006, 02:14 PM

It's not that bad an update actually, what with a dual core processor, dual layer superdrive and front row. Too bad about the intergrated graphics that sucks!

Feb 28, 2006, 01:26 PM	#1
drift1492 macrumors newbie Join Date: Feb 2006	Just an intel mini? http://news.com.com/2061-10801_3-6044066.html?tag=nl WOW? So much fun.

Feb 28, 2006, 01:45 PM	#4
aswitcher macrumors 601 Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Sydney OZ	What about the HDD max size and the graphics card? __________________ Never underestimate the Geekfactor Switcher since June '04 iPhone 3G \| 24" Alu iMac \| 15" MacBookPro \| Elgato EyeTV/IceTV \| SecuritySpy User

Feb 28, 2006, 01:54 PM	#6
kettle macrumors 65816 Join Date: May 2002 Location: England, Great Britain (Airstrip One)	Oh and one more thing.... "There are trash cans situated either side of the exits, please leave the auditorium in a clean and tidy condition." __________________ Well gentlemen, a great deal of money has been invested in this project... ...and we can't allow it to fail. File Under - METAL Feel like you could have put that differently? please register your complaint here...

Feb 28, 2006, 02:04 PM	#8
MacRumors macrumors bot Join Date: Apr 2001	New Intel Mac mini http://www.macrumors.com/images/macrumorsthreadlogo.gif At the media event February 28th, Apple unveiled a revised Mac mini featuring either a 1.5Ghz Intel Core Solo or 1.66Ghz Core Duo processor, offering up to a 5x increase in overall speed from the previous model. The form factor for the machine remains unchanged. The new mini sports the Apple Remote with Front Row, up to 2 GB memory, Intel GMA950 graphics processor, DVI connector w/ VGA out option, Slot loading optical drive, up to 120GB hard drive, built-in gigabit ethernet, analog and digital audio, USB & Firewire ports, iLife '06 and Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger. 1.5Ghz Intel Core Solo Model: $599 1.5GHz Intel Core Solo processor 2MB L2 Cache 667MHz Frontside Bus 512MB memory (667MHz DDR2 SDRAM) 60GB Serial ATA hard drive Combo drive (DVD-ROM/CD-RW) Built-in AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth 2.0 Apple Remote 1.66Ghz Intel Core Duo Model: $799 1.66GHz Intel Core Duo processor 2MB L2 Cache 667MHz Frontside Bus 512MB memory (667MHz DDR2 SDRAM) 80GB Serial ATA hard drive Double-layer SuperDrive (DVD+R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW) Built-in AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth 2.0 Apple Remote All Mac mini models also include an integrated Intel GMA950 graphics processor with 64MB of shared DDR2 SDRAM(1), 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet, four external USB 2.0 ports, FireWire 400 port, optical digital and analog audio in/out, and built-in mono speaker.

Feb 28, 2006, 02:06 PM	#10
nagromme macrumors 601 Join Date: May 2002 Location: Blinking blue dot	I like it! I'm a pro, but if I ever want a low-end machine to tide me over, I won't be sorry to grab a Mini * The iPod was fake but the Chinese characters were real! I am shocked! * Single core Mac Mini to keep the bottom-end price from rising too much, AND dual for maximum power in our favorite tiny package. Perfect. Duals aren't just for pros anymore! Forget the marketing numbers, Intel Core has shown its speed in plenty of real world tests. The already-good Mac Mini just became a MUCH better buy. * Higher bottom-end price: a shame. But with those specs, WELL worth it. The same specs for $199 would have pleased me even more of course Maybe Core Solo will come down in price in future. * Front Row across the line--good. Keeping your music on your computer is commonplace. Being able to control it from across the room should be too. * More pro features moving down the line: gigabit ethernet--good. Digital/optical audio out is a surprise to me on the low-end, but cool! Wi-Fi and Bluetooth now standard on the low-end model. $100 seems like less and less... * Audio IN (both analog AND digital?)--that's new to the Mini I think. Good--I like to play sources through my Mac sometimes (like listening to music while gaming), and this makes GarageBand more useful too. * Extra USB ports--Apple listens! * Connect to TV--every Mac for years has had that ability. Does he mean they include the required adapter in the box now, or is he just noting an optional adapter that was always available? * Bonjour music/photo sharing--makes sense, if iTunes and iPhoto can do it, Front Row should too. Great if you've added a Mini as a second machine but want your main library to stay on your other machine. (And I'm glad the feature is being offered for free to existing Front Row users. Only fair.) * Sharing/streaming iTunes videos and TV shows--is that something iTunes can do already? Or is that totally new with the new Front Row? (Does anyone get the feeling Front Row is kind of sneaking up on something bigger yet to come? Amazing how Apple can do something small but well--and not have it seem unfinished even though bigger things might be in store later.) * No PVR. (PVR in Apple's low-end machine? That rumor never made sense to me.) But it sounds like Apple is acknowledging people's interest in using the Mac Mini in quasi-HT ways. Apple's not TRYING to be a media center replacement, they're just letting you do the most common things (like music and DVDs) in really easy ways. Which is all that is needed to make a computer replace a stereo component for many people. PVR would be a great option, but we've got El Gato for that if Apple doesn't go there. * Same Mini form factor: I was thinking about whether I'd rather have a full-size non-laptop HD in there. For me, no. I'd rather keep the Mini small. * What's the GPU? EDIT missed it: integrated. (That's OK for a low-end system--low-end PCs often have worse. Does the 64 "shared" VRAM cut into the main RAM like I'm used to with low-end PCs? I wonder what 3D games this can or cannot play.) * If anyone told me Infrared was making a big Apple comeback in 2005-2006 I would have laughed. But hey, it's cheap and does the job. (A Bluetooth Front Row remote is an accessory I'd buy if the range was decent.) * I'm surprised Apple still doesn't offer a low-end display. So you can't walk out of an Apple Store with a complete low-end system. (Although the power of the new Mini makes using it for higher tasks--with a 20" screen--more tempting.) * Now it's time for endless Dell.com comparisons, looking at Dell's bottom-end dual core desktops. (Does it have optical audio I/O? DVI out? TV out? Firewire? Software bundle to rival iLife 06? Gigabit ethernet? Wireless? Combo drive? Slot-loading? Remote control? Is its integrated graphic chip higher or lower than the Mini's? Is it quiet and compact?) * I see Apple finally updated their store's "Back Soon" graphic to the new font. Last I checked they still used Garamond. (Not the biggest news of the day.) * Thanks to iLounge, Endgadget, MacCentral, LoopRumors, and of course MR for the coverage. (Suggestion to iLounge: may as well run some ads to help pay for it! I try to click an ad on every live coverage site.) * The "live photo" coverage from iLounge and Engadget was a cool new twist (Even Engadget couldn't always handle the traffic! But MR did... at least until the forums get hit!) And remember... whatever you were hoping for (like iBooks) may still be in the works soon. Pie-in-the sky guesswork from analysts doesn't mean a whole lot. Movie store? Maybe sometime, not today. __________________ nagromme Would you like a treatment? Last edited by nagromme : Feb 28, 2006 at 02:26 PM. Reason: GPU details

Feb 28, 2006, 02:06 PM	#11
NYmacAttack macrumors 6502 Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: NY	Intel GMA950 graphics processor. Integrated graphics YUK __________________ My For Sale Thread Black MB C2D 2.16 Cheap Web Hosting

Feb 28, 2006, 02:06 PM	#12
denial Registered User Join Date: Jun 2005	Integrated graphics? Oh dear.

Feb 28, 2006, 02:06 PM	#13
newportnews macrumors newbie Join Date: Jun 2003	Ugh... Intel Integrated Graphics -- C'mon guys -- I know there is a Core Duo in the high-end -- but Intel Integrated graphics... Ugh!

Feb 28, 2006, 02:07 PM	#14
slidingjon macrumors member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Coralville, Iowa	Pretty underwhelming experience. The "see you soon" might mean that they are really close on some other things (i.e. MacBook), but they weren't ready for today?

Feb 28, 2006, 02:07 PM	#15
ColdFlame87 macrumors regular Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Woodland Hills, CA	they should had left it at 499 but hey who could complain pretty good update overall altough it felt like there should have been more... __________________ 2.16 Ghz 15" C2D MBP 800 Mhz 15" iMac G4 400 Mhz iMac G3 400 Mhz Powerbook G3 "Lombard" 20 GB iPod Photo, 15 GB iPod (G3).

Feb 28, 2006, 02:08 PM	#16
doowrehs macrumors regular Join Date: Oct 2004	Well, that was the most boring Apple event I've ever have had the pleasure of not attending. 'Fun' 'New' = the mini, some leather cases and a boombox?!

Feb 28, 2006, 02:09 PM	#17
thequicksilver macrumors 6502a Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Newcastle-under-Lyme, England	I want one. One worry though. Integrated graphics? __________________ MacBook Pro 2.5GHz C2D \| 4GB "Poetry is a way for bad authors to get their work published" © Me, 1999. Photos

Feb 28, 2006, 02:09 PM	#19
cube macrumors 68040 Join Date: May 2004	Noooo!!! Freaking Intel graphics!! I was about to buy even with the inflated Core Duo price difference!!

Feb 28, 2006, 02:11 PM	#20
MacSA macrumors 68000 Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: UK	UK price starts at £449 only 20 more than the old Mini at £429... not bad at all

Feb 28, 2006, 02:12 PM	#21
kwajo.com macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Bay of Fundy	integrated graphics? I suppose it might be alright if it supports Core Image extensions, but if not the mac mini is a terrible deal. Heck even if it had an ATI or nVidia GPU, the iMac is better value IMO. I'll pass __________________ My Time on the Tropical Island of Newfoundland: http://gallery.mac.com/darkharbour/

Feb 28, 2006, 02:12 PM	#22
FoxyKaye macrumors 65816 Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Oakland, Terre d'Ange, Bas Lag	Not bad for the entry level. Seems like everyone is going with Intel integrated graphics on their low-end machines - not sure how I feel about it, but not being a heavy graphics user, I'm not sure I'd ever notice the difference. Would love to compare the benchmarks on the new Minis to my iMac G5 from last year - hopefully Barefeats will get them up soon. By the time I'm ready to replace my G5 in a few more years (goodness willing, 2010), the Intel Macs should really be screaming fast. __________________ G5/2GHz iMac \| G3/600MHz iBook \| iPod 5G, 60GB \| 8GB CF modPod Mini The afternoon, born on the day of the sunlight streaming through the leaves.

Feb 28, 2006, 02:13 PM	#24
srobert macrumors 68020 Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Montreal, Canada	If used only to stream and play video to a HDTV at 1920 by 1080, how will the integrated Intel GMA950 graphics processor perform? Good enough? __________________ Zapp: The alien mothership is in orbit here. If we can hit that bullseye, the rest of the dominoes will fall like a house of cards. Checkmate.

Feb 28, 2006, 02:14 PM	#25
ScottB macrumors regular Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Britain	It's not that bad an update actually, what with a dual core processor, dual layer superdrive and front row. Too bad about the intergrated graphics that sucks!

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