2014 Mac Mini Teardown Highlights Increased Difficulty For User Upgradability

[BlackMax]

Where does it state that RAM is user replaceable? Because computer companies allowed for this? Do you know how many RAM modules are improperly installed by the consumer? Do you know how many 3rd RAM modules are POS? Almost every computer I installed 3rd party RAM had problems about a year after I installed the memory.

Getting quality 3rd party memory and storage is difficult because a lot of it isn't passing the same tests that Apple requires. If you go to Kingston Memory site, they discuss how their memory is tested, which is consistent to Apple, as they are a certified RAM supplier, but the majority of the RAM that people buy is pure crap RAM that Apple wouldn't use.

But it's not just the quality of the RAM, it's the user's inability to comprehend that they need to wear a wrist strap, and these RAM modules are EASILY installed improperly.

You have to look at this from Apple's perspective. Why would they want a customer, that's typically not a trained service tech that's been trained using quality service parts can fix or upgrade these things? Would you want to sell a product that became more problematic when your customers start to do their own modifications to the unit? Remember, every time your customer screws up, it costs your company money to deal with the problem. You have to pay people to answer calls on issues that were caused by the customer and/or a 3rd party component that failed. These things have very slim margins as is.

Also, if what you are explaining were true, then the more expensive Mac Pros would be the systems Apple would prevent the incompetent end user from touching... Not the cheap, disposable Mac Mini.

This move is all about parting the Apple consumer from more of their money. Plain and simple.

 

[MyopicPaideia]

It's not. An upgrade from 8 to 16 GB is $200, an upgrade from 4 to 16 is $300. Add the cost of the original RAM, and you'll get double market price.

How do you calculate the cost of the original RAM?

You can't. It doesn't matter either, because you can't buy the machine with zero RAM. Your additional cost to upgrade is whatever you pay for the new RAM.

Then of course you can try to sell the old RAM...what does used RAM go for these days???

 

[cfedu]

What do you expect for a low end computer that's this small? They are trying to make it as inexpensively as humanly possible, plus people have reliability issues when they screw around with these things and start installing 3rd party components.

What we don't know is the amount of Support Calls from customers that install 3rd party drives/RAM, and have problems due to faulty components and people simply screwing up the computer because they weren't wearing a wrist strap. It causes a lot of frustration for the customer and it drives up support costs for problems that wouldn't have happened if they just kept the unit the way it was from the factory. The cons to having user upgradeable systems are it makes the unit exposed to problems caused by the consumer and the use of bad quality components.

Buying a computer and going on iFixit does not make someone an expert service tech or selecting and procuring quality 3rd party components.

Most products people buy are usually not user serviceable. Ever look at your other appliances, TVs that have those stickers on the product that tell you NOT to open up the unit and to contact the company for servicing? It's just a way to ensure that any problems are fixed by an authorized person that's trained to fix the product.

If you want to add storage, they have Thunderbolt ports for that.

There will always be pros and cons to this.

iFixit is more concerned with selling parts and tools to make money. Consumers just want to get something as cheaply as possible and a computer they can become Tim "the Tool Man" Taylor with.
Apple is trying to build a reliable product for as little as possible so they can drop the price and offer something that's reliable and not altered by the customer.

If you don't like it and you want to let Apple know. By all means, submit your feedback to Apple directly as they do read the submissions. They may not always do as you want, but many times they might surprise you. I've submitted LOTs of ideas and many of them do get implemented in future products and it's a great way to let them know directly.

www.apple.com/feedback

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Apple will repair whatever is in need of being replaced. Think of it as a normal consumer product that has a sticker on it that is serviced through the mfg. that made it.

Do you break open your TV when it needs to get a new power supply or some other serviceable part? How about your refrigerator, other appliances.

I'm sure what they are doing makes it a more reliable product, which makes for a happy customer because the thing doesn't have as many problems, and Apple's Tech support doesn't have to get involved with discussions with the customer over falty 3rd party components that were installed improperly by the customer.

People seem to get an attitude that they are a qualified service tech when they buy a computer, it's kind of hilarious. The Tim "The Tool Man" Taylor syndrome surfaces amongst mostly men with a righteous set of tools when it comes to computer. It's funny.

So apple is doing is a favour by reducing the price 100$ ($70 if you need the DVI adapter) so that we ca buy a $200 thunderbolt drive? A $60 dollar internal drive can fix that.

Do you really need to be an expert to swap out RAM in the mini?
One day the apologist say no one one to upgrade ram except for .0001% of enthusiasts. Next post tells us that everyone is breaking their mac mini's because they are to stupid to rotate a 10 inch disk.

If the enthusiasts are the ones doing it, I'm sure they will do a job just as well as Apple. I've had Apple scratch up the underside of my Mac Mini, put the computer back together with the case of a POWER PC mini, another time they forgot to reconnect the IR cable.

Changing RAM does not require a certain level of training, it requires some knowledge and that about it. I bet a monkey could change the RAM on a 2012 Mac mini after watching an IFixit video.

 

[Renzatic]

Do you know how many RAM modules are improperly installed by the consumer?

Let's check the Q&A!

Q: "Hey, Apple! My name's Billy Murkermire, and I just got some fancy new RAM. How do I check and see if I installed it properly?"

A: "That's easy, Billy! Once you install the RAM, press the big power button and see what happens. Did it boot up all the way, doing things like it's always done after you turn it on? CONGRATULATIONS! Your RAM is installed properly!"

 

[jfischer]

Shame on you Apple! SHAME ON YOU!

This new Mac Mini update is just a cream pie (or Apple Pie ) thrown in Apple's customers faces who were waiting for the new Mac Mini.

I tried my local Apple resellers to see if by any chance they still had the 2012 model in stock but no avail. They are awaiting shipment of the new piece of garbage Mac Mini.

I am going to be selling my base model 2012 Mini, with 16GB of RAM and a 240GB Samsung SSD if you're interested

Think I'll toss it up on eBay now that it's a desirable machine.

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Do you really need to be an expert to swap out RAM in the mini?

Not on the 2012s it isn't. Piece o' cake.

 

[Carlanga]

I'm wondering what the percentage of units actually get upgraded from the original state? Out of those that get upgraded by the owner having problems and call Apple blaming them for a problem that's related to the owners bad choice in components or poor servicing? How many buy bad quality RAM, Storage devices for these things? How many additional problems do people have because of the consumer cracking the thing open so they can become Tim "the Tool Man" Taylor when they aren't a Certified and Trained Apple Service Tech? How many people service computers without wearing a prescribed wrist strap?

Probably very little if you realize how easy is to change ram in a computer in the first place; it usually has a separate door area for it or is the first thing you see. Ram can only go in or out one way. Usually the people that have no idea get the ram upgraded in the store they buy it.

 

[snorkelman]

What a discussion here ... not a long time ago computers had mainboards with physical bus systems, socketed CPU(s) and RAM. Components like video cards, network cards, harddisk controllers or sound cards could be plugged into the mainboard bus. This modular concept helped to repair and upgrade systems.

And now, only because Apple does this, everything soldered to one logic board should be a good thing ? It saves Apple a few cents in manufacturing and everything else is worse. Is this so hard to understand for some people ?

Nopes, but its kinda hard to get my head around folks puffing their chests about a lack of upgradability based solely on whether the RAM is soldered or not

Will cars only stop being seen as user serviceable once the hub caps no longer come off?

If the upgradability of a wee box like the mini was a major concern then the time to complain about the way things were going was well before now.

 

[brdeveloper]

Apple hopes people will love Continuity in Yosemite at the point they won't care if they have cra**y desktop computers. Sometimes I think Apple overestimates its software.

 

[BoulderAdonis]

And, could have used a Mac Mini until the recent downgrade.

And now they can .... for $200 less. They're welcome.

(Wow -- you've got too much time on your hands. -- But, you joined in 2006 - so I'll concede. )

 

[groovyd]

ya, not available yet.. but it may/will be soon, u can bet on that..

Thus, would the score change ?




I wish Apple did come to MR... They would learn allot from us

is clear apple does not want people tinker-toying around with most of their devices. to me that is a good thing.

 

[MyopicPaideia]

Welcome to Disposable Mac Mini Appliance Land!

Although this is not completely unexpected for those of us who are old enough to remember Steve Job's original vision for the Mac. Steve always wanted Macs to be closed systems that the end user could not upgrade.

I'm surprised this isn't a point made more often. It isn't as if this is Apple's new MO. It's pretty much always been something Jobs wanted. I wonder what Wozniak thinks about this update...

 

[BigInDallas]

The fact that you are so out of touch with reality shows that you have never spent any time around people who are in such unfortunate situations that they are just happy to have the free phone that is provided to them by the few companies who will offer the government subsidized program to those who need a phone.

You know what... it's never a cheap garbage phone that they hand out. Well, except the blackberries that they gave out one year. Even those were good phones, just had lots of people complaining about the signal strength (dropped calls at inconvenient times).

Each year, it's a different phone that is issued. It's whatever they want to promote that year. It's a good strategy. There are a lot of people who rely on this program in order to have any phone at all. Them walking around with a particular phone adds to the appearance of that phone being popular. It's the people who are in the program who recognize other people who are in the program by the specific model and color of the phones they see come out of other people's pockets. But, your average consumer sees tons of these phones around, and thinks oh, that's cool, look how many people have these, I want one too.

No, people on this program aren't busy playing games with the phones. They don't come with data plans. But, everything else works. It's just a phone. Something they are happy to have. They don't care what it is, just that they have one.

Having something like a phone helps them to put out job applications, and be able to receive calls for interviews.

Now, if you could come down out of your penthouse for a while, and dare to place yourself among the people who really are struggling, as in those who are genuinely struggling to feed their families, not those who just think they don't have enough money, but the ones who really are appreciative to just be somewhere, anywhere, happy that they have a home, and are fighting to do everything they can to better their situation... now, if you can bear to sink so low as to humble yourself and speak with them, get to know them personally, listen to them, maybe and just maybe you might learn something about reality.

You claim that poor people don't need technology and computers? You know what? In this world, they aren't getting ahead without it. And, they'll do what they have to do to provide their children a chance to keep up, learn, and have a shot to live a better life.

You speak the insensitive shallow words that you hide behind to pretend that you're not part of the problem. People like you love to spout things like poor people are just lazy bums, if they got off their butt they could make as much money as you, etc... such insensitive, shallow, and detached thought processes are exactly the problem.

Let me ask you a question... When was the last time you were living on the street and sacrificed all the food you had managed to come up with to someone else you stumbled upon who hadn't eaten for a longer time period than yourself?

You know what? It might surprise you that some of us here come from that life. Some of us have lived it, and spent years fighting against all odds to slowly elevate ourselves from being destitute and doing what we had to do for our kids in the mean time. And, those of us who lived through it, remember those who are still there and do what we can for them.

Enjoy your arrogant self centered perspective while you can. You had just better hope that when something takes you down, that the person who finds you is more compassionate than you are.

So we should just continue and support a large part of the countries population, because they dont want to work.

I see many people everyday at my job who have the latest phone, clothes, pocketbooks, toys ye they hand me welfare card as insurance

 

[2010mini]

LOL at all the folks complaining about an entry level machine. How dare apple not make a pc I can buy cheap and tinker with to turn into a mini Mac Pro!!!!

Stop being cheap and go buy the nMP or riMAC. Those are actually made for pros like you.

For Pete's sake, they already give you the software for free!!!

 

[Analog Kid]

No European could claim to have discovered the Americas after Columbus, so the usage is still wrong. Nothing can be "discovered" twice, by definition. It is not a synonym for "confirmed" or "also found." Not nearly. Every day is a new adventure in the English language at MR.

Sorry, my sarcasm slipped through, I think... I was enjoying your humor.

(Columbus perhaps re-discovered America, but certainly wasn't the first. There's evidence of others before him, including Leif Erikson from across the Atlantic and likely the Chinese from across the Pacific. More obviously, Columbus found people already there when he landed...)

 

[Renzatic]

LOL at all the folks complaining about an entry level machine. How dare apple not make a pc I can buy cheap and tinker with to turn into a mini Mac Pro!!!!

Stop being cheap and go buy the nMP or riMAC. Those are actually made for pros like you.

For Pete's sake, they already give you the software for free!!!

I know! How dare people try to both save money, and get a computer that better fits their needs. THE CADS!

 

[heimo]

Can't innovate my ass! I think this new Mac mini is real innovation and I'm getting one right now before Apple innovates more and makes mass storage soldered into motherboard and removes the "extra" core from the CPU.

Seriously, I am getting one (2.8GHz, 16GB, 256GB SSD). Mini is a great, capable machine, and it's hassle-free. Yes, sure - upgradable RAM would ne good, but then again it's fine to get what you need from the get go. GPU boost is good and there's a bit of hope that it won't take another two years for the next update.

I'm gonna enjoy my mini. I love this little thing. But for god's sake, it's only a computer.

 

[Crosscreek]

What do you expect for a low end computer that's this small? They are trying to make it as inexpensively as humanly possible, plus people have reliability issues when they screw around with these things and start installing 3rd party components.

What we don't know is the amount of Support Calls from customers that install 3rd party drives/RAM, and have problems due to faulty components and people simply screwing up the computer because they weren't wearing a wrist strap. It causes a lot of frustration for the customer and it drives up support costs for problems that wouldn't have happened if they just kept the unit the way it was from the factory. The cons to having user upgradeable systems are it makes the unit exposed to problems caused by the consumer and the use of bad quality components.

Buying a computer and going on iFixit does not make someone an expert service tech or selecting and procuring quality 3rd party components.

Most products people buy are usually not user serviceable. Ever look at your other appliances, TVs that have those stickers on the product that tell you NOT to open up the unit and to contact the company for servicing? It's just a way to ensure that any problems are fixed by an authorized person that's trained to fix the product.

If you want to add storage, they have Thunderbolt ports for that.

There will always be pros and cons to this.

iFixit is more concerned with selling parts and tools to make money. Consumers just want to get something as cheaply as possible and a computer they can become Tim "the Tool Man" Taylor with.
Apple is trying to build a reliable product for as little as possible so they can drop the price and offer something that's reliable and not altered by the customer.

If you don't like it and you want to let Apple know. By all means, submit your feedback to Apple directly as they do read the submissions. They may not always do as you want, but many times they might surprise you. I've submitted LOTs of ideas and many of them do get implemented in future products and it's a great way to let them know directly.

www.apple.com/feedback

----------



Apple will repair whatever is in need of being replaced. Think of it as a normal consumer product that has a sticker on it that is serviced through the mfg. that made it.

Do you break open your TV when it needs to get a new power supply or some other serviceable part? How about your refrigerator, other appliances.

I'm sure what they are doing makes it a more reliable product, which makes for a happy customer because the thing doesn't have as many problems, and Apple's Tech support doesn't have to get involved with discussions with the customer over falty 3rd party components that were installed improperly by the customer.

People seem to get an attitude that they are a qualified service tech when they buy a computer, it's kind of hilarious. The Tim "The Tool Man" Taylor syndrome surfaces amongst mostly men with a righteous set of tools when it comes to computer. It's funny.

All ra ra go Apple thing yeah for the home team is hilarious. You are the perfect sheep that drinks the Apple cool aid.

 

[2010mini]

So we should just continue and support a large part of the countries population, because they dont want to work.

I see many people everyday at my job who have the latest phone, clothes, pocketbooks, toys ye they hand me welfare card as insurance

Funny you don't mention the millionaires and billionaires who regularly receive welfare from the gov't. But yes lets rail against the poor because they are easier targets.

 

[Crosscreek]

Can't innovate my ass! I think this new Mac mini is real innovation and I'm getting one right now before Apple innovates more and makes mass storage soldered into motherboard and removes the "extra" core from the CPU.

Seriously, I am getting one (2.8GHz, 16GB, 256GB SSD). Mini is a great, capable machine, and it's hassle-free. Yes, sure - upgradable RAM would ne good, but then again it's fine to get what you need from the get go. GPU boost is good and there's a bit of hope that it won't take another two years for the next update.

I'm gonna enjoy my mini. I love this little thing. But for god's sake, it's only a computer.

Until you need to clean the fan and then you can pay the service center a $200 to do it.

 

[jfischer]

Until you need to clean the fan and then you can pay the service center a $200 to do it.

Or use some compressed air to do the job?

 

[peterdevries]

LOL at all the folks complaining about an entry level machine. How dare apple not make a pc I can buy cheap and tinker with to turn into a mini Mac Pro!!!!

Stop being cheap and go buy the nMP or riMAC. Those are actually made for pros like you.

For Pete's sake, they already give you the software for free!!!

People are not complaining about the capabilities of the Mac Mini, but about the fact that there is a trend towards less user sided customization and a decrease in performance.

It might help to spend some thought on why people are complaining before commenting this way.

In addition, "LOL" doesn't help you in the credibility department.

 

[2010mini]

I know! How dare people try to both save money, and get a computer that better fits their needs. THE CADS!

If a nMP is what you need. Then get the nMP. It is designed specifically for a niche market.

Modding a Mini to work like a nMP is like putting rims on a Chrysler 300 because you can't afford a Bentley.

 

[LordVic]

Nopes, but its kinda hard to get my head around folks puffing their chests about a lack of upgradability based solely on whether the RAM is soldered or not

Will cars only stop being seen as user serviceable once the hub caps no longer come off?

If the upgradability of a wee box like the mini was a major concern then the time to complain about the way things were going was well before now.

sucuh a terrible analogy I laughed.

RAM is a non-cosmetic, integral component of a computer.

A hubcap is to make steel rims not look like steel rims.

it would be more akin to a car company saying "you can never replace the rubber on your tires, just buy a new car".

guess what, people would FLIP.

 

[jfischer]

it would be more akin to a car company saying "you can never replace the rubber on your tires, just buy a new car".

guess what, people would FLIP.

Literally!

 

[Renzatic]

If a nMP is what you need. Then get the nMP. It is designed specifically for a niche market.

Modding a Mini to work like a nMP is like putting rims on a Chrysler 300 because you can't afford a Bentley.

The Mac Minis small size and expandability made them popular with people who wanted to build cheap render farms or server clusters around OSX. An nMP would be absolute expensive overkill for a task like that.

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Literally!

I see what you did there.