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

LogicalVue said:
It does look like RAM is upgradeable, although I'd really like to see that officially confirmed somewhere. It's not mentioned specifically on the tech spec page from what I could tell.

But at about $1700 for a suped-up one that I upgrade that RAM on this could make a compelling upgrade from my 2009 Mac Pro. It'd be faster in every way and 1/50th the size. As a software developer this would certainly be "pro" enough as I don't really care about GPU as long as it can run 4K/5K which it can.
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Apple uses different specific language when the RAM is not upgradeable. They make it clear like this:

Note that the 21.5-inch iMac comes with 8GB of memory built into the computer. If you think you may need more memory in the future, it may be preferable to upgrade at the time of purchase. Memory can only be upgraded by an Apple Authorized Service Provider if you choose to upgrade at a later date.

The Mini doesn’t have the same language.
 
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So let's think this out, price aside, as the moaners have that well covered as well as all the other negativity.

The Mini in 2014 offered no upgrade path, what you bought was what you were stuck with, it's the single biggest 'gripe' given the outdated spec.

Today then:

  • Upgrading from Mobile to desktop CPU's with 4/6 Cores.
  • All SSD, blazing fast, no spinning rust.
  • You can start with 8GB ram and self upgrade to 64GB if/when required (Warranty issues considered).
  • T2 and other various, anticipated features.
  • 4x USB-C and so on.

Non-upgradeable CPU and SSD are the way things are now, this is everywhere you look on small form factor devices and will only get more widespread as most other manufacturers will go smaller and smaller. Manufacturers don't make money encouraging you to hold onto your device too long.

So pick your CPU carefully and to a slightly lesser degree the storage.

  1. Dependant entirely on your workflow the CPU chosen could easily support you for the next 5 years.

  2. Upgrade the ram as and when required.

  3. Make a bad choice with the storage? In a year or whenever, you can use a USB-C and an external SSD for a low cost, fast storage add-on. It's all about having the option.

  4. No GPU but you can go eGPU, more cost of course however more flexibility, if it did have dGPU it would not be great and never be upgradeable, becoming irrelevant far quicker than the CPU.
Now this is no perfect solution, we can all agree on that, but it is better than the previous model, if Apple waited another 4/5 years most would still get by with this new device, more successfully than the previous version.

I have ordered mine, it may not suit everyone, but I see it as my desktop device for the next 5 years, if it lives that long I will be happy.
 
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Juggar said:
Not sure how you got that out of what I said but alrighty then.....
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200 dollars to upgrade from 128gb to 256 and 400 to upgrade to 512gb. They are out of their mind but unfortunately so many people will be ripped off. Or they'll buy the 128gb version and end up running out of space in a year or two.
 
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Mac Mini
3.2GHz 6-core i7
8GB ram
256GB boot drive
- no dedicated GPU = $1,300

32GB memory kit = $300 (about?)
eGPU chassis = $200
MSI 8GB RX 580 - $210 (Finally the video cards are cheap again)
1TB SSD External - $230

Total = $2,240

I can dig that. I would rather have the 8GB RX 580 inside the Mac Mini, even if it meant the Mac Mini had to get a bit taller. But alas, this is something I can make work for my needs. And price works for me. :)
 
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Mr. Dee said:
Can’t believe this took them nearly 5 years.
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I guess they tried to ride the iMac as much as they could. And not having an Apple monitor to sell as a bundle made the Mac mini the least profitable of their machines.

But, from watching the reaction by most here, it seems they will see a ton of upgrades. Still, doesn't seem IMO a machine for the average JOE but rather a machine for a specific niches here and there (IT departments, professionals that work with external monitors, etc).
 
Wow! That new Mac Mini sure looks cool! I know what my next Mac desktop will be somewhere down the road, even if it is more pricey. I'd probably go for the 6-core i5 version with a 512 GB SSD, but that'd raise the regular price to $1300. And I'd also buy it with the stock RAM, so I can upgrade it myself somewhere down the line, as it would be cheaper than Apple's own RAM upgrades. Then I'd also get a Thunderbolt 3/USB-C hub that includes 3.0 ports, and maybe even the new USB-C card reader to use with it, since I doubt I'd be using all four Thunderbolt 3 ports (currently on my quad-core 2012 Mini I'm using three of the four USB 3.0 ports (at least when I have my LG external Blu-Ray burner hooked up), along with the FireWire to Thunderbolt adapter should I need to capture footage from my MiniDV and Hi-8 videotapes for archiving purposes.
 
Is the ram a the standard size, or the smaller laptop size? And, is the SSD upgradable later, like is it a M.2 drive?
 
LillDrutten said:
Not really, SSD dies often. Much more unreliable than mechanical disks. But they have a failure pattern. In our office they last about 2 years. (Mostly Intel or samsungs) Nothing strange about it, and they also some times reports that they soon will fail. And now you have a failed machine for $US 1200 than can not be repaired on a component that everybody know has this predictable failure. It is like a car manufacture that does not allow you to replace oil on your car.
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This flies in the face of all industry data. But whatever, not worth arguing with you.
 
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StrangeNoises said:
Short lifetime of flash is a total myth. The very first SSD I bought (Crucial C300) was in 2010 and it's still working flawlessly as the system drive in my old house server, and I don't think that's even supposed to be a really good model *of the time*. They've only got better since then. (And no, none of the newer ones I've had ever failed either.)

If you utterly, utterly thrash it with write cycles for its entire life then maybe yeah, in that case you probably need an enterprise level spinner, or rather an array thereof. The uses to which the system drive in pretty much *any* Mac will be put, an SSD would probably last longer than anything else.
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Agreed. I’ve utterly thrashed some SSDs and only one finally went beyond rated writes (840 EVO 1TB) and it works great regardless. Plus, endurance has greatly improved since those models.
 
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Necross said:
Is the ram a the standard size, or the smaller laptop size? And, is the SSD upgradable later, like is it a M.2 drive?
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If only Apple would publish this information...

Memory
8GB

  • of 2666MHz DDR4 SO-DIMM memory
Configurable to:

  • 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB
 
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