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Apple Classifies 2011 Mac Mini as Obsolete

I have never owned a Mac Mini but I can see the appeal. I find it mind boggling that, given Apple's resources, they couldn't devote the resources to at least keep the Mini updated with processor changes and similar upgrades. How can anyone believe Tim when he says it's an important part of the future if it has been neglected for 1100 days?
I elected to buy a MacBook Pro last year because I couldn't wait on a significant iMac refresh. I don't consider the 2017 iMac model refresh to be significant, just overdue.
It almost feels like they are just mailing it in on the Mac product line. Then again, the whole PC market segment is pretty boring. What else is left to do. Desktops and laptops seem like dinosaurs.
 
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myrtlebee said:
So confused ... we have one of these and it got High Sierra - it works just fine - does this mean it won't get the next version of Mac OS next year?
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You should be fine! Look at the older 2009/2010 iMac's which still support High Sierra. There maybe new features you might want that won't work. But we'll need to see what Apple has coming to know for sure.
 
Strelok said:
Throw an SSD in there and it should be good as new.
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My 2011 is still one of the best machines I've ever owned it has 16 gigs of memory a solid state drive and outperforms every Windows machine I've ever owned even scores higher on the Windows test and runs really really good I have no issues with it and do not plan on replacing it until a better machine comes my way I even see people on Craigslist trying to trade their 2016 and 17 models for the 2011
 
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BaltimoreMediaBlog said:
One of the reasons I refuse to get rid of my now obsolete Mac Pro is that there is no Mac model where you can put in your own DVD collection that you purchased and make a digital copy of it, which is totally legal. They've just made it technically impossible by removing the media drives from everything. I guess the Mac Mini was just too ideal for this.

Why should I have to rebuy all my movies with digital copies from Apple in sometimes lower quality?
No one has ever quite explained this to me to make any sense. I refuse to comply. It reminds me of the infamous Apple 1984 commercial about Macintosh.

When you put up restrictions, you just induce and help pirating.

I would love to see a Mac Mini with a Blu-Ray player, but that'll never happen. Too much "Bag O' Hurt" as Steve Jobs famously said. So I'll just find another way.

Apple is slowly driving me away. I can't lie. :(
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Why are you still using DVD's like it's 1995? Pretty much all of the major companies have gotten rid of drives.
 
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jarred125 said:
And they never will for this, its allllllll onboard the onboard train. While I love my 2016 Macbook Pro 15 I really despise that even the SSD is soldered in. This stuff drives me insane.
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Yet you still bought it... that's the real insane part... all that does is tell Apple that it's ok and to keep making them that way.. I voted with my wallet
 
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TheTruthsRazor said:
My 2011 is still one of the best machines I've ever owned it has 16 gigs of memory a solid state drive and outperforms every Windows machine I've ever owned even scores higher on the Windows test and runs really really good I have no issues with it and do not plan on replacing it until a better machine comes my way I even see people on Craigslist trying to trade their 2016 and 17 models for the 2011
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This is why Apple hates the Mac Mini.
MacsRuleOthersDrool said:
Means a new Mac Pro is imminent!!!
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Or just the iMac Pro...
 
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sirozha said:
RAM upgrade to 8 GB? I'm pretty sure it works with 16 GB of RAM.

Apple has a replacement - it's 2012 Mac Mini. The 2012 model works with Handoff, Universal Clipboard and Instant Hotspot. The 2011 model doesn't support those features. Unfortunately, the 2012 Mac Mini doesn't support unlocking it with an Apple Watch. However, the 2012 Mac Mini supports Metal, whereas the 2011 Mac Mini does not.

I think the 2011 Mac Mini is still a good device for a server, but no longer for a desktop.
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Mine is running 16 GB with two SSD's. Still smoking as a media server.
 
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MacsRuleOthersDrool said:
You can have those Ports back for $80-100. You don't HAVE to buy a $300 dock for that.
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Please send me a link. When my iMac and MacBook Die (each of which has 7 ports of I/O), I need to buy a dock when I replace them with Apple's current models and all of the docks I see are very expensive.
 
BaltimoreMediaBlog said:
One of the reasons I refuse to get rid of my now obsolete Mac Pro is that there is no Mac model where you can put in your own DVD collection that you purchased and make a digital copy of it, which is totally legal. They've just made it technically impossible by removing the media drives from everything. I guess the Mac Mini was just too ideal for this.

Why should I have to rebuy all my movies with digital copies from Apple in sometimes lower quality?
No one has ever quite explained this to me to make any sense. I refuse to comply. It reminds me of the infamous Apple 1984 commercial about Macintosh.

When you put up restrictions, you just induce and help pirating.

I would love to see a Mac Mini with a Blu-Ray player, but that'll never happen. Too much "Bag O' Hurt" as Steve Jobs famously said. So I'll just find another way.

Apple is slowly driving me away. I can't lie. :(
Click to expand...

Buy an external drive? I’ve used an external drive for the past 7 or so years for those situations.
 
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nvmls said:
Yea one could tell since you still bought one..
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I bought it used off a friend and had not researched it prior. I had assumed that it was like my 2014 13" and was at least allowing the user to replace the SSD if they so desired.
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willnpc said:
Yet you still bought it... that's the real insane part... all that does is tell Apple that it's ok and to keep making them that way.. I voted with my wallet
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I bought it used, without knowledge that the SSD was soldered. You guys are an angry bunch here.
 
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My main work machine is a 2011 2Ghz Quad Core i7 (max turbo to 2.9Ghz), 16Gb RAM, and 2xSSD (750GB total storage) running a 27 inch+24 inch monitor. It can even boot Snow Leopard if needed (with a couple of kext hacks).

I think it is an amazing machine. It is probably getting a little sluggish in some tasks...but 16GB RAM and the SSDs give it a huge boost.

Perhaps it was too good (and the 2012 even more so) and that is why Apple appear to be mothballing the old minis?

I'd love to see a new Mini with MBPro specs, PORTS!, and replaceable RAM and HDD/SSDs.
 
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alleggerita said:
I’m sure all Macs will see some upgrades next year given that they are pretty tied up this year with the X.
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Yeah, with Apple being as tiny a company as they are they need to use the limited resources they have to focus on just getting one product out at a time. Only the pre 2010 Apple could pull that off and make it look easy. Gotta keep those profit margins going up yo. Upgrades mean higher manufacturing costs. You don't wan't them to make less profit year over year do you? Oh wait, you need a new computer? How about this mac mini from 2014? No, ok, then fork over twice as much for a slower speed laptop? Not good enough? How about paying 3 times as much for an iMac then? See, they have something for everyone.
 
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gugy said:
Come on Apple, get your act together. Update the Mini, Mac Pro, iMac and displays now!
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That iMac was updated in June.

CerebralX said:
Nearly 7 years old. Can't really complain about that.
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My Mac Pro is late 2008. Still functioning but I WANT MY NEW MAC PRO - and don't try to sell me on a 4-year-old Mac Pro with those old electronics.

sers said:
The 2017 mini should also be on that list.
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WHY?

Our 2013 Mac Mini got upgraded to 16GB RAM soon after it was bought. Didn't upgrade the HDD to SSD, though.
 
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thisisnotmyname said:
what CAD application are you running on a Mini??? You must be incredibly patient.
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Q-Cad, Turbo CAD, Draftsigt. It is extremely fast ( 2d only ). I have a late 2013 iMac as well which has a 750M video card which is a little faster but I'm here to tell you the mini is an incredible machine. FYI I only run Sierra on these.
 
I love my 2011 Mini!!! It has been reliable and is still upgradeable (the last mini to be so). And all those great ports. And yes...a headphone jack!!! The mini line was downhill after this....
 
simonmet said:
It’s very hard to take Tim Cook seriously again after those comments. He takes speaking empty rhetoric to levels not seen or heard before. I don’t think he realises how unattractive that kind of language is...
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Couldn't agree more: "Cook-speak"pockmarks his empty rhetoric with adjectives and "sadly goes where no one has gone before".
 
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Strelok said:
Throw an SSD in there and it should be good as new.
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Agree. Installed an OWC SSD a couple of years ago and my 2010 Mini is still a brute. Quad core i7 still transcodes video faster than anything since.

I’d consider a new iMac the minute they offer one with matte display. Until then (i.e. never) or a meaningful Mini upgrade, I’ll hold onto my baby until smoke comes out of the vents.
 
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