Intel Atom-Based Mac Mini Due in March?

[MacRumors]

Tom's Hardware reports that the expected Mac mini refresh will be coming in March and will be based on NVIDIA's new Ion platform utilizing Intel's dual-core 1.6 GHz Atom 330 processor. The Ion platform, announced in mid-December, also utilizes the GeForce 9400M integrated graphics found in the current MacBooks and MacBook Pros.

An Nvidia partner confirmed to us that Apple was the first to receive samples of Nvidia's Ion platform, which we covered extensively during CES. In fact, Apple received prototype units long before Nvidia partners who opted to work on Ion. We're told that some partners still only have blue prints of Ion.

The source also revealed that the new Mac mini should be released around the time of the CeBIT computer expo beginning March 3rd in Hanover, Germany. No pricing information has been revealed, but Tom's Hardware believes that the new Mac mini will be priced in the same $500-$700 range as the current model. They also believe that the use of this platform will enable Apple to reduce the size of the already-diminutive Mac mini.

Evidence found in OS X configuration files in mid-December has pointed to the use of NVIDIA chipsets in upcoming Mac mini and iMac revisions, but this is the first indication that Apple plans to use Intel's low-power Atom processor instead of the larger Core 2 processors found in Apple's notebook computers and the current Mac mini.

Article Link: Intel Atom-Based Mac Mini Due in March?

[Eidorian]

Please not Atom.

[Kilamite]

Why on earth Atom?

We are talking about a desktop machine here - don't under power it for goodness sake. A decent CPU - Core 2 Duo 2.0GHz starting level. Anything less and Apple really is taking the piss.

[nigrunze]

An Atom? Seriously?

EDIT: The first 100 or so posts will follow a pattern. They already are at the first 3.

[crackintosh]

I hope apple is going to release it as another product line. I have been waiting forever to get a core 2 duo mac mini with an nvidia chipset.

[Eidorian]

Originally Posted by Kilamite

Why on earth Atom?

We are talking about a desktop machine here - don't under power it for goodness sake. A decent CPU - Core 2 Duo 2.0GHz starting level. Anything less and Apple really is taking the piss.

I wouldn't settle for anything less then a Pentium-Dual Core. We're talking cheap Mac mini here not pathetic.

[Tallest Skil]

Okay, we JUST had a thread on the "Ion-based Mac Mini".

When will people realize that they're all idiots?

Picture a MacBook logic board in a Time Capsule case.

THAT. is the new Mac Mini.

Oh, and coincidentally, the MacBook logic board FITS in a Time Capsule case with NO modification. Kudos to whoever said that earlier. It might have been Eidorian.

[sonofmof]

an Atom ?

Please I hope this is used only in an Apple Net Book.

This would kill the Mini, for me at least.

Unless of course they Atom the Mini, and introduce the Fabled Mac Midi Tower (or whatever it may be called).

[Bentov]

It's probably the only way that Steve would let them create another mac mini...changing to the Atom is the only way they can keep the profit margins up. But I'm guessing since I have no idea what an atom chip costs.

[segfaultdotorg]

People who have gotten OS X working on Atom-powered netbooks say it's really slow. That's not a scenario OS X was optimized for, since it's not authorized Apple hardware, but still, I'm not sure the Atom is powerful enough for OS X. It's certainly not powerful enough for Vista.

[123free]

Maybe mac mini-mini

[Bentov]

Well, I loaded OSX on my msi wind, and it seems to run fine. I have a friend that uses a 17" MBP at work and he was surprised at how it ran on it. Also it will have the dual core version version of the Atom

[poundsmack]

they will be using Core 2 Duo chips based off the quad ones found here http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20081119PD209.html

[plumbingandtech]

Up and Atom Apple!!!

[GeekLawyer]

Dual core Atom.

Does that make it better?

Or maybe the dual core Atom is actually going to power Apple TV Rev.B??

[true777]

Sounds unlikely given that the current, terribly dated minis are 1.83 and 2.0 GHz. Maybe this is for the rumored "larger than iPhone" tablet device?

[hiptobesquare]

Wow. This could be bad.

I understand that people want computers that they can carry around, and call them net-books. I get that. Low power, internet browser, ok...

But we are talking about a computer that for most uses, will have a keyboard, mouse, and some sort of monitor plugged in, at least some or most of the time.

This may be portable for a desktop, but it is still a desktop, and not THAT portable.

So why on earth does it need to be low power, low speed, and the size of a postage stamp?

The current Mini is a fine size, and I wouldn't argue if it got a little bit bigger, as long as it was for a good reason, like PCI-type expandability, Quad-core processing, desktop grade DDR3 RAM, and maybe a 3.5 inch convertible (1x3.5, or 2x2.5) hard drive assembly, and a second optical drive or hard drive option bay.

But what I just listed is NOT a good machine to be powered by an Atom Processor.

How about making something that DOES THE WORK that people need it to do, and do it well, quietly, and with utter rock solid stability.

Smaller low power desktop based machines would seem to be more useless than most ideas that people around here like to pan, like an Apple net book, or better yet, a slate-tablet model with multi-touch, running a full mobile hardware and full Mac OS software set.

[NintendoFan]

An Atom for $500 to $700? Pass.

[Tallest Skil]

Originally Posted by hiptobesquare

The current Mini is a fine size, and I wouldn't argue if it got a little bit bigger, as long as it was for a good reason, like PCI-type expandability, Quad-core processing, desktop grade DDR3 RAM, and maybe a 3.5 inch convertible (1x3.5, or 2x2.5) hard drive assembly, and a second optical drive or hard drive option bay.

xMac. Not happening.

[MrFrankly]

Wouldn't this make much more sense as the new Apple TV? The nVidia ion is touted as a Atom based computer with 1080p capabilities.

[GottaLoveApple4]

How about for the apple tv? Why does it have to be for the mac mini?

EDIT: MrFrankly beat me to it!!

[iMacDave]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 2_2 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/525.18.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.1.1 Mobile/5G77 Safari/525.20)

An Atom?!!!!!

Couldn't resist. Seriously, this better be bad info.

[Kilamite]

Originally Posted by Eidorian

I wouldn't settle for anything less then a Pentium-Dual Core. We're talking cheap Mac mini here not pathetic.

Even if they released this as a "pathetic Mini" at an even lower entry price - it would still be rubbish. I can't think of any reason to use the Atom. It runs off the bloody mains and there is plenty room for cooling, we're not talking a tiny wee netbook.

Unless this is the netbook - the Mac Nano rather than Mini.

[JG271]

I seriously hope not. Why cripple the mini further!

[Tallest Skil]

Originally Posted by GottaLoveApple4

How about for the apple tv? Why does it have to be for the mac mini?

It's not for either. The point of the Apple TV is to play video.

YOU CAN'T PLAY 1080P VIDEO ON A FRICKING ATOM.

So anything that happens to the Apple TV will NOT be as sucktacular as an Atom.