Apple Announces New Space Gray Mac mini With 4-Core or 6-Core Intel Processor and Up to 64GB RAM, Starting at $799

[arkmannj]

How many RAM slots does it have? Two or four?

If pictures out there are an accurate representation of the real thing then, pictures look like 2 slots.

 

[Nikiaf]

Thank you for sharing that with us, it is of unprecedented value to this thread.

Realistically, it's your comment that added literally nothing to the thread. OP was just voicing an opinion, as people are encouraged to do on a forum.

 

[Sabelonada]

The $399 inspiron on dell's business site includes an i3, 4GB of RAM, a 1TB SATA, USB 3.0. Dell does throw in a keyboard, mouse, and DVD drive. Apple as usual charges a premium, but it's not completely ridiculous considering the new mini's I/O options and value of OSX.

That's a hard drive and not a SSD.

 

[Yvan256]

In an $800 desktop computer, you're telling me I can't have an internal 500GB HDD? That's pathetic. No amount of telling me connecting external drives is easy is going to change my position on that.

We may argue on the value and the difference in price, and while I also think that 128GB for an 800$ computer is a bit of a rip-off* but you're only looking at the difference in storage capacity. Have you ever used the entry-level 2014 Mac mini? Running macOS from a slow 5400 RPM hard drive is not something Apple should have ever approved.

And prices aside, it's not like Apple is not offering bigger storage options and preventing anyone from connecting external drives. For a small desktop computer, it's a perfectly acceptable option to connect external drives and devices.

* Then again this is Apple we are talking about and it's a high-end PCIe SSD, not an bargain entry-level SATA SSD like the one I added to my Mac mini myself which was still a huge improvement to the 5400 RPM HDD it replaced.

 

[NutFlush920]

I didn't realize one could Boot Camp from an external drive.

Yep. I’ve done it. Lots of instructions online.

 

[DVD9]

A number of inexpensive Thunderbolt 3 (and USB-C) docks have audio in and out ports.

Nothing that is Thunderbolt3 is "inexpensive".

 

[ikir]

Great update, base price is Meh considering it’s got an i3.

But 4 Thunderbolt, T2 are great features in base model too. Last i3 is quite powerful.

 

[StrangeNoises]

Heard so much from many of you regarding wanting a refresh. Now that we have a refresh which of you is actually gonna buy one?? I’m guessing very very few. Which is why we won’t get another refresh for 100 more yrs!!!! RIP MM

I've bought five Mac Minis so far, starting with the very first G4 model. I've always liked the form-factor, and until a few years ago I liked what you could get *in* that form factor. But the last one was the 2011 MM Server. The line's been moribund for too long.

I think there's a fairly good chance I'm going to be getting this, especially as I'm completely Macless at the moment and I've been missing it something rotten. (Ubuntu on XPS13 is nice... but it's not a Mac. And this one is at *last* a mac desktop that outpaces the Haswell box I used to run as a hackintosh but isn't *ridiculously* expensive.)

 

[ikir]

Wonder if the SSD is upgradable too.

You can't with T2. Anyway some eGPU have also SSD slot for example:
https://www.egpu.it/recensione-mantiz-venus-thunderbolt-egpu-box/

 

[Sabelonada]

If pictures out there are an accurate representation of the real thing then, pictures look like 2 slots.

It looks like it will require a bit of wrangling to upgrade the memory. I won't let that stop me however.

 

[StrangeNoises]

You're luckier than me. The computer I'm typing this post on, a mid-2010 Mac mini, is worth a free recycling from Apple.

I sold my 2010 mac mini server on ebay for £150 a few weeks ago. People are crazy, but I'll take it... (I did even point out it won't run Mojave.)

 

[Haswell]

Overpriced! Hackintosh FTW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Logamaniac]

So Mac event and still sitting on iMacs with 7th gen arc while intel is busy pushing 9th to its oem partners. sigh.

 

[DVD9]

Here's a source saying memory is upgradable. Sounds like it isn't as easy as some other Macs but possible.

"I reached out to Apple about this and was told: "Yes, Mac mini is configurable up to 64GB and uses industry-standard DDR4 SO-DIMMs. While we don't consider the memory directly end-user accessible, service providers can access the internals of the Mac mini to upgrade the memory."

https://www.zdnet.com/article/the-new-2018-mac-mini-is-a-pro-machine-in-a-tiny-package/

So you void the warranty when you upgrade the RAM yourself?

Tim Cook says "Merry Christmas!"

 

[bigpoppamac31]

The i3 in the new Mac minis is on par with the i5-7500 or even better, than you can find in the 2017 iMacs 4k and entry level 5k.

If it is this CPU or similar:

Intel Core i3-8100:
https://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=Intel+Core+i3-8100+@+3.60GHz&id=3103

Intel Core i5-7500:
https://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=Intel+Core+i5-7500+@+3.40GHz&id=2910

So the i3 would be more than plenty for everyday tasks? If I’m going to upgrade from my 2014 MBP I want something that will last me 5-6 years.

 

[StellarVixen]

There are reports of people who say that RAM is socketed, but is meant to be replaced only by Apple authorized technicians.

If that is true, that sucks. It would mean upgrading the RAM would void the warranty.

 

[jwdsail]

I don't know why people would expect a discrete GPU in the Mini. It didn't make sense.

Because the Mini has had discrete GPUs in the past? I didn't expect it in any base config, but a BTO option would have been nice?

 

[simonb76]

Hello. Did anyone notice the morse code message in the Mac Mini video?

 

[Juggar]

The CPUs in the new Mac mini
Core i3-8100 - 4c/8t
Core i5-8500B - 6c/6t
Core i7-8700B - 6c/12t

Geekbench numbers are not to be found on i5 and i7, so will be interesting to see.

8th Gen upped cores on i3 to 4 and i5 and i7 to 6 w/ and w/o HT. All have turbo boost except the i3. Basically, it’s the Wild West now.

Stop spreading disinfo. The i3 is a quad core/ 4 thread chip.

 

[bigpoppamac31]

NO! The i3 is a quad core chip! Historically quad core was only for i5's. In fact, this is the first generation that the i3 has ever been a true quad core chip. So, for example, if we were still using 7th gen intel terminology, this would be an "i5".

This i3 is clocked the same as the i3-8100 @ 3.6GHz a quick search would show:
Passmark of: 8095 and single thread rating of : 2103

The best quad core ever offered previously was the i7-3720QM.
Passmark of: 8123 and single thread rating of: 1817

https://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=Intel+Core+i3-8100+@+3.60GHz&id=3103
https://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=Intel+Core+i7-3720QM+@+2.60GHz&id=895

So you are at worst equal to the previous best processor ever offered and your single thread power would be 14.59% better.

For a base CPU, its pretty damn good.

The 6 core i5 option is a massive step up at almost 50% faster overall, very likely the sweet spot for these macs.

I would order: i5, 8gb ram(upgrade later for cheap) and as much storage as you can afford or feel adequate with.

https://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=Intel+Core+i5-8500+@+3.00GHz

Is the Ram or SSD upgradeable by the user in the future?? That would be so much better!!

 

[StrangeNoises]

I have two 2TB SSDs in my current 2012 mini. Does anyone happen to know what sort of performance hit I'd see if I turned both of these drives into externals? I would probably opt for the cheaper traditional usb, rather than thunderbolt.

I believe the thing to look for in USB enclosures for existing fast SATA SSDs, is "UASP". ("USB Attached SCSI Protocol").

 

[millar876]

Way to go apple for not quite getting the “budget” part of the Mac mini appeal. My 2012 Mac mini was the top consumer model (non server) at the time and was less than the base model new one. For me to get a new Mac mini with an i7 and enough ram and enough storage for my iTunes library I’d be looking at the best part of £2000 that’s a far cry from the £750 that mine was in 2013.

 

[arkmannj]

Because the Mini has had discrete GPUs in the past? I didn't expect it in any base config, but a BTO option would have been nice?

This... I've owned 2 mac mini's that had discreet GPU's. Would be nice as a BTO option, especially if that meant smart gfx switching like McBook Pro's and such use.

 

[STC1709]

You can buy an I7-8700 for about $310 retail at Amazon, $320 at NewEgg so the $300 up-charge doesn't seem excessive. Order the 8GB of memory and upgrade yourself. The SSD is not upgradeable right now but it looks like it's on a separate daughter card so third party upgrades may be available in the future, we'll have to wait for the iFixIt tear down report and OWC to see if anything is coming. 128GB is enough storage for the system drive and a home directory if you put your rarely used media files on a NAS or external drive.

I think that the $799 + I7 upgrade may be the way to go. => $1,099 + tax

This is EXACTLY what i had in mind. That 6core i7 should near the top as far as performance goes and may meet or exceed that of the imac. I also think 128gb is fine i dont have video or audio storage and on my imac i only have used 20gb of space. I also have a back up hd as well

I have a 2009 24in imac so my next mac is going to feel insane. Im still rocking 4gb of ram and 640 gb hdd

 

[Juggar]

Is the Ram or SSD upgradeable by the user in the future?? That would be so much better!!

the RAM is 100% upgrable, easily done so by the user. RAM prices have been inflated recently across the industry.

Apple wants $600 to go to 32GB, you can do it yourself for about half the cost. I imagine most will upgrade to 16GB if apple includes a single 8GB stick of RAM in as the base option. It would only cost you about $75 or so to go to 16.

Storage is not upgradable.

 

[marclondon]

So, buy the i3 Mac mini: upgrade to a 256GB SSD, add a magic mouse, keyboard and LG 4K display - £1856

Or, buy a 21.5" Retina i5 iMac: upgrade to a 256GB SSD, comes with mouse, keyboard and 4K display - £1429

The new Mac mini looks seriously overpriced considering it doesn't even come with a keyboard or mouse.

Indeed - am also in the UK and am weighing up replacing my Mini or getting an iMac. I think if iMacs had been refreshed it would be a no brainer if you want a high res display. As it stands an i5 iMac on the refurb store is probably the way to go but may wait and see if we get a quiet iMac refresh.