Much Smaller Mac Mini Coming?

MacRumors · Mar 27, 2008, 08:41 AM

Looprumors claims that they have heard that both the iMac and Mac mini are coming soon. They uniquely report, however, that the Mac mini will see a "dramatic change" in form factor, with a design that is "less than half the size" of the current design.

Both the Mac Mini and iMac are expected to incorporate the latest Penryn processors from Intel.

Article Link

dlastmango · Mar 27, 2008, 08:46 AM

The size is small enough... drop the price please!

gibbz · Mar 27, 2008, 08:48 AM

I somehow doubt Apple will drop prices. I might just have to pick one up if it is more in line with the other models in Apple's lineup. The mini has been lagging for too long now.

kornyboy · Mar 27, 2008, 08:49 AM

Wirelessly posted (iPhone: Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU like Mac OS X; en) AppleWebKit/420.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.0 Mobile/4A102 Safari/419.3)

I wonder if less than half the size means thinner like the AppleTV or less than half the size in all dimensions.

KindredMAC · Mar 27, 2008, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kornyboy

Wirelessly posted (iPhone: Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU like Mac OS X; en) AppleWebKit/420.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.0 Mobile/4A102 Safari/419.3)

I wonder if less than half the size means thinner like the AppleTV or less than half the size in all dimensions.

It would have to be half the height because of the optical drive.... unless the drop the optical drive that is.....

The mini could easily be a quarter the present height, especially if they used the MacBook Air's chip.... but than would make it a slower machine than it is now..... Hmmmmm

eRondeau · Mar 27, 2008, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dlastmango

The size is small enough... drop the price please!

Hey, all that nice white plastic is expensive you know! There's gotta be at least $195 worth of plastic covering it right now... make it half the size and there should be substantial cost savings passed along to the consumer!

(Great user name by the way! Captain Tony FTW!)

paddy · Mar 27, 2008, 08:53 AM

How reliable are Looprumors?

dhc · Mar 27, 2008, 08:53 AM

Unless they drop the optical drive, I'd of thought the mini could only really get thinner?

nyprospect · Mar 27, 2008, 08:54 AM

Just as long that it isnt bite size im fine with it.How thin can it get?

headfuzz · Mar 27, 2008, 08:54 AM

I doubt it would be as small as half in all directions - that would make it a quarter of the 2D area of the existing Mini - about the size of a coffee cup coaster!

That would, naturally ezxclude a DVD drive for starters.

iMpathetic · Mar 27, 2008, 08:56 AM

thin client FTW!

Oooh, I do hope this gets released. So, so, much. Please, please, release it.

kyeblue · Mar 27, 2008, 08:58 AM

It is already small enough as a desktop, it would be a big upgrade if apply can pack in a real graphic card, and more memory slots.

network23 · Mar 27, 2008, 08:58 AM

Why?!?

Oh. Right. Because the Mac mini has been criticized in almost all the reviews for taking up way too much space.

You reach a certain point where there there really is no need to continue to minimize form factors. Maybe that's all you can do once you've perfected a design.

Jobs: We need to update the mini's look.
Ive: I can't. I've distilled the mini down to the epitome of minimalist perfection.
Jobs: Think about sunflowers.
Ive: Done that.
Jobs: Drink coasters?
Ive: (points to mini)
Jobs: Okay then, make it smaller.
Ive: I'm kinda "smaller'd out" (points at MacBook Air)
Jobs: We need to update the mini's look.
Ive: (sighs) Alright. I'll make it smaller. (shuffles off)

QCassidy352 · Mar 27, 2008, 08:58 AM

no no no! Stop it, apple! The mini is a *desktop,* get it? Miniaturizing the Air is one thing because there's a real need for the smallest possible laptop. But there's absolutely no reason to make a desktop any smaller than the mini, especially when doing so is going to a) raise prices, or b) reduce power (even further).

The current form factor is great. All the mini needs is some penryn chips and a $100 price drop (and some low-end dedicated graphics, as long as I'm hallucinating

).

anim8or · Mar 27, 2008, 08:59 AM

one of two things i think:

1. No optical drive so a dedicated graphics card can be added with additional external superdrive as an option....

or

2. appletv-like enclosure with a bluray/superdrive built in....

Thoughts?

Yvan256 · Mar 27, 2008, 09:01 AM

I bet it's going to be the same form-factor as the MacBook Air (but taller), with the optical drive optional (but with USB ports compatible with the MacBook Air drive), to keep its cost even lower (and allow for a smaller size).

If the computer is targeted at switchers, then they should be able to use the optical drive of their Windows PC (same thing as the MacBook Air), and for only 99$ more you can get a double-layer DVD burner to put on top of it.

Let's just hope it will at least get the same X3100 as the MacBook. A maximum of 4GB would be nice (though a minimum of 2GB max is a must). If space is cramped it could even have 2GB soldered on the motherboard like the MacBook Air. I'm betting it will use a 1.8" drive, too. Apple is planning for the future, and the future is SSD. Why not change the form-factor right now?

One thing I would like is an eSATA port, but in reality I'm just hoping they keep FireWire 400 on it (at least for mini-DV owners, for iMovie).

On the other hand, I'd much rather have a more powerful Mac mini, same form-factor as the

TV and Time Capsule (taller, I wouldn't mind), with a 3.5" drive in it, memory slots (4GB max), decent GPU with dedicated RAM, FireWire 800.

Abstract · Mar 27, 2008, 09:03 AM

Apple making the Mac Mini smaller is the only thing that makes any sense regarding that machine. Apple doesn't usually abandon something like this unless they were either getting rid of it from the product lineup completely, or working on a major change of some sort.

The best one was the "Why isn't Apple upgrading their computers?" Then BAM!!.....out comes the Intel announcement and SJ talking about the secret x86 version of Mac OS X that they've been working on since day 1.

ebfoxbat · Mar 27, 2008, 09:04 AM

How bout' a sub-notebook- an eeePC killer for $500? Sware to god I'm going to buy one of those things and put XP on it.

DoFoT9 · Mar 27, 2008, 09:04 AM

probs gonna take out the optical drive, chuck in the underpowered MBA's processor and make it tiny.

pathetic, i want power, with a real GPU. easily sacrifice some space for power. double the size for all i care

brn2ski00 · Mar 27, 2008, 09:04 AM

I bet it looks identical to that of the Apple TV.

motulist · Mar 27, 2008, 09:06 AM

Size is obviously the last thing that needs to change on the mac mini.

Unlike portable devices designed to be used on the go like the ipod or iphone, the size difference between a mac mini and a mac nano is completely pointless. If anything, the mac mini should become the mac mid. It should increase it's size by like an inch in each dimension so it can accommodate much-cheaper-per-gig full size hard drives and add room for a few more ports like analog video in and out.

drlunanerd · Mar 27, 2008, 09:06 AM

I've got a bad feeling about this.
Please Apple, do not make a desktop version of the MacBook Air

Teh Don Ditty · Mar 27, 2008, 09:08 AM

The mini doesn't need to get any smaller, it needs to get more powerful.

4GB Ram, Wireless-N, Perhaps a 3.5" HD (heat may be a factor), either x3100 or a dedicated (soldered on) GPU. Keeping FireWire would be beneficial as well.

DoFoT9 · Mar 27, 2008, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drlunanerd

I've got a bad feeling about this.
Please Apple, do not make a desktop version of the MacBook Air

oh please no!

brad.c · Mar 27, 2008, 09:12 AM

Great. Something else to get lost in the sofa cushions.

Mar 27, 2008, 08:41 AM	#1
MacRumors macrumors bot Join Date: Apr 2001	Much Smaller Mac Mini Coming? Looprumors claims that they have heard that both the iMac and Mac mini are coming soon. They uniquely report, however, that the Mac mini will see a "dramatic change" in form factor, with a design that is "less than half the size" of the current design. Both the Mac Mini and iMac are expected to incorporate the latest Penryn processors from Intel. Article Link

Mar 27, 2008, 08:48 AM	#3
gibbz macrumors 65816 Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: National Weather Center	I somehow doubt Apple will drop prices. I might just have to pick one up if it is more in line with the other models in Apple's lineup. The mini has been lagging for too long now. __________________ 32GB iPhone 3G S⃣ UMB 2.4/4GB/250GB MP 8x2.8/16GB MP 8x2.93/16GB/2x24" Apple LED Apple TV Gibbz

Mar 27, 2008, 08:49 AM	#4
kornyboy macrumors 6502a Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Knoxville, TN (USA)	Wirelessly posted (iPhone: Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU like Mac OS X; en) AppleWebKit/420.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.0 Mobile/4A102 Safari/419.3) I wonder if less than half the size means thinner like the AppleTV or less than half the size in all dimensions. __________________ Stuff

Mar 27, 2008, 08:53 AM	#7
paddy macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: I measc mo dhaoine	How reliable are Looprumors? __________________ Check out the band!

Mar 27, 2008, 08:54 AM	#9
nyprospect macrumors 6502 Join Date: May 2004	Just as long that it isnt bite size im fine with it.How thin can it get? __________________ Mac Mini 2009 (base model) Oh yeah.

Mar 27, 2008, 08:46 AM	#2
dlastmango macrumors regular Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: West Coast - FLORIDA	The size is small enough... drop the price please!

Mar 27, 2008, 08:53 AM	#8
dhc macrumors regular Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: UK	Unless they drop the optical drive, I'd of thought the mini could only really get thinner?

Mar 27, 2008, 08:54 AM	#10
headfuzz macrumors 6502 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Brighton, UK	I doubt it would be as small as half in all directions - that would make it a quarter of the 2D area of the existing Mini - about the size of a coffee cup coaster! That would, naturally ezxclude a DVD drive for starters. __________________ HAL-9000: Quad 2.5GHz Xeon E5420 Hack/6Gb/9600 GT Nexus-6: 2.4GHz Blackbook/2Gb Macbook Nano: 1.6GHz Mini 9, 8Gb SSD iPhone 3G 16Gb

Mar 27, 2008, 08:56 AM	#11
iMpathetic macrumors 68020 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: I'm on a boat, mother****er, don't you ever forget!	thin client FTW! Oooh, I do hope this gets released. So, so, much. Please, please, release it. __________________ When did "think different" become "conform always"?: Q6600 @3.6GHz//Rocketfish case//Gigabyte X48T-DQ6//2x150GB Raptors//1000W PSU//10.5.6

Mar 27, 2008, 08:58 AM	#12
kyeblue macrumors newbie Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Long Island, New York	I am more concerned of improved performance over getting smaller It is already small enough as a desktop, it would be a big upgrade if apply can pack in a real graphic card, and more memory slots.

Mar 27, 2008, 08:58 AM	#13
network23 macrumors regular Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Wisconsin	Why?!? Oh. Right. Because the Mac mini has been criticized in almost all the reviews for taking up way too much space. You reach a certain point where there there really is no need to continue to minimize form factors. Maybe that's all you can do once you've perfected a design. Jobs: We need to update the mini's look. Ive: I can't. I've distilled the mini down to the epitome of minimalist perfection. Jobs: Think about sunflowers. Ive: Done that. Jobs: Drink coasters? Ive: (points to mini) Jobs: Okay then, make it smaller. Ive: I'm kinda "smaller'd out" (points at MacBook Air) Jobs: We need to update the mini's look. Ive: (sighs) Alright. I'll make it smaller. (shuffles off) __________________ 8500 - Yikes! - PowerMac G4 867MHz DP MDD "Windtunnel" - mini(Early 2009) Wallstreet - iBook(DualUSB) - MBP CoreDuo - MBP Core2Duo 2.66GHz 15"

Mar 27, 2008, 08:58 AM	#14
QCassidy352 Contributor Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Boston, MA	no no no! Stop it, apple! The mini is a desktop, get it? Miniaturizing the Air is one thing because there's a real need for the smallest possible laptop. But there's absolutely no reason to make a desktop any smaller than the mini, especially when doing so is going to a) raise prices, or b) reduce power (even further). The current form factor is great. All the mini needs is some penryn chips and a $100 price drop (and some low-end dedicated graphics, as long as I'm hallucinating ). __________________ "If Jesus Himself came back to earth and turned water to wine, half of MacRumors would say 'meh, this is red. I wanted white.'"

Mar 27, 2008, 08:59 AM	#15
anim8or macrumors 6502a Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Scotland, UK	one of two things i think: 1. No optical drive so a dedicated graphics card can be added with additional external superdrive as an option.... or 2. appletv-like enclosure with a bluray/superdrive built in.... Thoughts?

Mar 27, 2008, 09:01 AM	#16
Yvan256 macrumors 68040 Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Canada	I bet it's going to be the same form-factor as the MacBook Air (but taller), with the optical drive optional (but with USB ports compatible with the MacBook Air drive), to keep its cost even lower (and allow for a smaller size). If the computer is targeted at switchers, then they should be able to use the optical drive of their Windows PC (same thing as the MacBook Air), and for only 99$ more you can get a double-layer DVD burner to put on top of it. Let's just hope it will at least get the same X3100 as the MacBook. A maximum of 4GB would be nice (though a minimum of 2GB max is a must). If space is cramped it could even have 2GB soldered on the motherboard like the MacBook Air. I'm betting it will use a 1.8" drive, too. Apple is planning for the future, and the future is SSD. Why not change the form-factor right now? One thing I would like is an eSATA port, but in reality I'm just hoping they keep FireWire 400 on it (at least for mini-DV owners, for iMovie). On the other hand, I'd much rather have a more powerful Mac mini, same form-factor as the TV and Time Capsule (taller, I wouldn't mind), with a 3.5" drive in it, memory slots (4GB max), decent GPU with dedicated RAM, FireWire 800. __________________ Mac mini Core 2 Duo 1.83 GHz/2.5 GiB, Mac mini G4 1.42 GHz/1 GiB, 12" PowerBook G4 1.5 GHz/512 MiB, iPod touch 16 GiB, silver iPod shuffle 1 GiB.

Mar 27, 2008, 09:03 AM	#17
Abstract macrumors Demi-God Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: It's classified.	Apple making the Mac Mini smaller is the only thing that makes any sense regarding that machine. Apple doesn't usually abandon something like this unless they were either getting rid of it from the product lineup completely, or working on a major change of some sort. The best one was the "Why isn't Apple upgrading their computers?" Then BAM!!.....out comes the Intel announcement and SJ talking about the secret x86 version of Mac OS X that they've been working on since day 1. __________________ "Oh, I've always wanted to touch Stanley," signs teacher Fran Zakoor, embracing the kids… ESPN Article, 04/09/2008

Mar 27, 2008, 09:04 AM	#18
ebfoxbat macrumors newbie Join Date: Jan 2008	How bout' a sub-notebook- an eeePC killer for $500? Sware to god I'm going to buy one of those things and put XP on it.

Mar 27, 2008, 09:04 AM	#19
DoFoT9 macrumors 601 Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: NSW, Australia	probs gonna take out the optical drive, chuck in the underpowered MBA's processor and make it tiny. pathetic, i want power, with a real GPU. easily sacrifice some space for power. double the size for all i care __________________ MBP CD2.16ghz, 500gb, 2GB Ram, X1600 OC'd, 19" iMac24" 2.8ghz 750gb 4gbram Hackintosh E4600 3GHz 10.5.4 8500GT MozyMac

Mar 27, 2008, 09:04 AM	#20
brn2ski00 macrumors Demi-God Join Date: Aug 2007	I bet it looks identical to that of the Apple TV.

Mar 27, 2008, 09:06 AM	#21
motulist macrumors 68040 Join Date: Dec 2003	Size is obviously the last thing that needs to change on the mac mini. Unlike portable devices designed to be used on the go like the ipod or iphone, the size difference between a mac mini and a mac nano is completely pointless. If anything, the mac mini should become the mac mid. It should increase it's size by like an inch in each dimension so it can accommodate much-cheaper-per-gig full size hard drives and add room for a few more ports like analog video in and out.

Mar 27, 2008, 09:06 AM	#22
drlunanerd macrumors 65816 Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Pottering	I've got a bad feeling about this. Please Apple, do not make a desktop version of the MacBook Air __________________ Apple UK 2009 price policy = bag of hurt

Mar 27, 2008, 09:08 AM	#23
Teh Don Ditty macrumors Demi-God Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Long Island, NY	The mini doesn't need to get any smaller, it needs to get more powerful. 4GB Ram, Wireless-N, Perhaps a 3.5" HD (heat may be a factor), either x3100 or a dedicated (soldered on) GPU. Keeping FireWire would be beneficial as well. __________________ Disgusting.

Mar 27, 2008, 09:12 AM	#25
brad.c macrumors Demi-God Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: 44.244273,7.769737	Great. Something else to get lost in the sofa cushions. __________________ Excuse me. Where do you keep your "Self Help" books?

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