Apple Releases New Mac Mini

[shareef777]

Updates???

That is the most pathetic update made by Apple. 6 months after the Mac mini was released, the only thing they can come up with is the following:

$499 model: We'll throw in another 256MB of RAM for free.
$599 model: We'll throw in the above along with APE w/ BT
$699 model: We'll throw in the above along with a superdrive, no wait, that was ALWAYS a $100 option.

Wow, took 6 months to get the engineers at Apple to come up with that?

 

[Hemingray]

Good God, people, what did you expect?

Overall, this is a pretty above average update for the iBook, so why is everyone complaining? They upgraded the hard drive, processor, graphics card, bluetooth, and RAM.

Everyone knows Apple has to stretch thin the updates until the Macintels hit. Plus prevent the iBook from cannibalizing the PowerBook, which has already pretty much hit the upgrade ceiling.

 

[RobHague]

How come you can't get a bigger HDD? 80Gb i mean across the entire range? Maybe i wasent looking hard enough but i dont recall seeing an option to upgrade it either.... maybe you can fit one yourself when you get it but buying a shiny new MacMini then having to whack it open with a putty knife and change the HDD/reinstall the OS first day isnt my idea of user friendly.

IMO the Mac's seem to be needing a graphical boost more than anything. That's what strikes me straight away - the Mac Mini needs a rather large graphical kick into 2005. The one thing you cant change in the iMac/eMac and Mac Mini (as well as the CPU i guess but forget that for a moment) is the graphics system. Something which impacts on a lot more than just 'games'. So you get a fast enough CPU, loads of RAM, all the extra's and you are still stuck with the integrated graphics choice... for the life of the product.

There are some really nice low-power solutions out there now, surley they could get a GeForce 6600 chip into the iMac?? Or the mobile versions that are currentley in laptops and put the 9600 to shame. The 9600 in the iMac is enough to put me off purchasing one - if it was a little more powerful it would be perfect for my needs. However i could not justify spending £1300-£1500 on a system with a graphics card that is very dated now! Imagine in a years time! Not much value for money imo.

The Mac Mini looks like a CUBE, well as close as you can get right now, but it wouldnt be a good solution for me because the HDD is only 80Gb - id fill that in days - and the integrated graphics chip would mean any kind of gaming is going to be a chore.

There really isnt an 'intermediate' solution for someone wanting a complete entertainment solution. The powermac systems are the only ones with enough beef to make good use of those 20" cinema screens apple are selling. Even then you have a choice, Radeon 9600 or Radeon X850 - Which is one extreme or another. How about the choice of an X700?? Or anything.

 

[shareef777]

Good God, people, what did you expect?

Overall, this is a pretty above average update for the iBook, so why is everyone complaining? They upgraded the hard drive, processor, graphics card, bluetooth, and RAM.

Everyone knows Apple has to stretch thin the updates until the Macintels hit. Plus prevent the iBook from cannibalizing the PowerBook, which has already pretty much hit the upgrade ceiling.

I was looking at the $499 Mac mini to get for my wife. The original mini in all honesty was more then enough for her. But after 6 months, the only thing Apple can come up with is a ram upgrade???

I'm pretty sure most people that bought the original Mac mini upgraded the ram right away. So what makes this mini any different then the last one. And I'm talking about the $499 model.

 

[nagromme]

I still want to know if the iBook has always had 5.1 channel audio via optical output!

No. And PowerBooks haven't had it long. Nice!

I don't think optical 5.1 out is to be demanded on a low-end machine (which the Mini is--people turn it into a home theater machine, but that's not how it's sold). But it's great to have, and seeing it in the iBook makes me think all Macs will have it in future.

That is the most pathetic update made by Apple. ... Wow, took 6 months to get the engineers at Apple to come up with that?

Conspiracy theory time... What if Apple engineers have been working more on a new Mini with a different processor, and less on the current Mini? What if a whole new LINE of Macs with a different processor architecture is in the works?

 

[nagromme]

I'm pretty sure most people that bought the original Mac mini upgraded the ram right away. So what makes this mini any different then the last one. And I'm talking about the $499 model.

Who said the $499 model was "different?" It's CHEAPER than the old $499 + RAM was.

There really isnt an 'intermediate' solution for someone wanting a complete entertainment solution.

Regardless of the home entertainment niche specifically, there IS definitely a hole in the lineup between Mini and PowerMac, if you don't want a built-in screen (not a problem for many: the iMac G5 was the top-seller last I heard). Not everyone wants a screen built in, and not everyone needs a full PowerMac tower.

I think what many complainers REALLY want is not so much a better Mini (it's a GREAT low-end value: shop at Dell and try to match that package), but rather a MID-range headless. That's not what the Mini is, but I do see a need for something to fill that gap.

(The other big hole of course is the lack of a low-cost 15" Apple LCD to make the Mini a one-stop choice.)

 

[joecool85]

^ Wow, that would just be crazy. A whole new chip architecture you say! Insane, never gonna happen. Oh wait, it is going to happen. I have to say, the only thing I'm depressed about is that I was hoping for a 64mb VRAM upgrade...or at least as a BTO option, or only on the highend mini or something. Oh well. Maybe next time.

 

[sillycybin]

Conspiracy theory time... What if Apple engineers have been working more on a new Mini with a different processor, and less on the current Mini? What if a whole new LINE of Macs with a different processor architecture is in the works?

Thats just crazy talk! Where did you come up with that one? heh

 

[robbieduncan]

How come you can't get a bigger HDD? 80Gb i mean across the entire range? Maybe i wasent looking hard enough but i dont recall seeing an option to upgrade it either.... maybe you can fit one yourself when you get it but buying a shiny new MacMini then having to whack it open with a putty knife and change the HDD/reinstall the OS first day isnt my idea of user friendly.

Because there is only enough space for a laptop drive and 100Gb drives are pretty expensive in this form factor.

 

[ejl10]

This can't be the end for the Mini... I have a hard time believing that they won't follow this up with a real update sometime relatively soon. And I'll give them the benefit of the doubt - maybe the hard drives are all 5400RPMs now and they just didn't want to announce it... such an announcement would bring attention to the slow drive they've had in there since day 1. But above and beyond they deperately need a 64MB Radeon 9600 chip and a mic/line in port. Seriously... who ever heard of having to use a precious USB port to hook up your mic?

Now how to proceed... hold my sister back a little while longer, or just get her a Dell? 'Cause I sure as heck can't get her this future-"proof" Mini.

 

[shareef777]

Conspiracy theory time... What if Apple engineers have been working more on a new Mini with a different processor, and less on the current Mini? What if a whole new LINE of Macs with a different processor architecture is in the works?

If they can update the iBook graphics then there is no reason why they couldn't upgrade the Mac mini graphics. What gets me is that all these stories are coming out about "Apple Releases New Mac Mini." Please! Dell gives free upgrades on ram, hard drives, processors, media drives, and VIDEO cards on a lot of their systems. Sometimes more then one upgrade, other times just one upgrade. And they change the deal basically every week, so according to Apple, Dell has been releaseing a "new" Dimension 2400 every week for the past few years. It would have been nice for Apple to just say same old mini, but with free upgrades.

 

[nagromme]

Now how to proceed... hold my sister back a little while longer, or just get her a Dell? 'Cause I sure as heck can't get her this future-"proof" Mini.

I'd go for the Dell. As long as she doesn't mind paying more to bring the package up to similar specs, and doesn't care about security, privacy, productivity, ease-of-use, a great software bundle, or a tiny and quiet form factor.

The "big" updates will come with Intel, and that means early next year. Hard truth, but there it is. That doesn't change the BIGGEST benefit of the Mini: Mac OS X Tiger.

If you're seriously torn between Tiger and Windows XP for your sister, ask yourself what will she be able to do better with the Dell than with the Mini? Not specs on paper, but what she can actually get DONE, and enjoyably enough to get the most out of it.

Then ask the same question in reverse. What can she do better with the Mini and Tiger? An easy call, in my book.

 

[jiv3turkey748]

im still in shock at how bad of an update that was im sorry but apple laptops are such a rip off man im really dissipionted can either the ibook or mac mini really be comsidered an "update" their still outdated especially the ibook

 

[wdlove]

I'm very happy to see the Rev. B update to the Mac mini. Now it will perform even better. Again Apple is offering us more at the same price. Now even a better model for the beginner.

 

[brianus]

This can't be the end for the Mini... I have a hard time believing that they won't follow this up with a real update sometime relatively soon. And I'll give them the benefit of the doubt - maybe the hard drives are all 5400RPMs now and they just didn't want to announce it... such an announcement would bring attention to the slow drive they've had in there since day 1.

More likely, they've removed that part of the spec from their sites precisely because they don't want to draw attention to the fact that the slow hard drive is the same one they've had in there since day 1. They don't want the update to look as pathetic as it is.

But above and beyond they deperately need a 64MB Radeon 9600

Yup. And I wish the apologists would realize that that simple request is not a "BIG update" that we'd have to be "greedy" to expect. It's not a major redesign, nor is it anything that wouldn't be found in a low-end Mac (eMacs, people, have you no recollection!? god).

 

[mtrctyjoe]

Mac Mini = iBook = Boat Anchor

The mini update is absolutely WORTHLESS... I am so disapointed I can not see straight... and a worthless video card in the iBook too.. way to go apple... looks like my next computer will be a PC with a real video card in it... I will check back in a few years and see if you actually come out with a computer that is not 2 years old the day it launches...

I was actually looking forward to getting the mini.. but with 32 megs of video ram (and it can't even run the software proprely!!!) FORGET IT.

Apple Hype can only carry me so far.......

 

[nagromme]

And I wish the apologists would realize that that simple request is not a "BIG update" that we'd have to be "greedy" to expect. It's not a major redesign, nor is it anything that wouldn't be found in a low-end Mac (eMacs, people, have you no recollection!? god).

I love my eMac, but then again, the eMac isn't the bottom end anymore. The Mini is.

Compare the Mac Mini--ALL the features, NOT selected ones--to $499 PCs by Dell and others, and you'll find it hard if not impossible to match what the Mini gives you for the price. I wouldn't say it's greedy to want even MORE than that, but in the absence of what we want (dual-core Pentium M Mini for $199 please), you still have a great, productive machine with no true competition out there.

looks like my next computer will be a PC with a real video card in it...

...I was actually looking forward to getting the mini.. but with 32 megs of video ram (and it can't even run the software proprely!!!) FORGET IT.

Yes, the Mini CAN run the software properly. You don't need 64 MB VRAM to run Mac software--I'm not sure where that myth came from. Even Core Image (if you have plans to use that) will run with 32 MB VRAM--it then uses the CPU instead of the GPU.

Windows can get you 64 MB VRAM cheaper than you get a 64 MB VRAM Mac. If that spec matters more than security, software bundle, and all the other benefits of the Mini and Tiger, then Windows is an excellent choice.

Just ask yourself what 64 VRAM Windows will do for you that 32 VRAM Tiger will not, and make the best decision for your needs. An iMac is a great option if you don't want the bottom-end, but the iMac is not right for everyone.

 

[Yvan256]

How come you can't get a bigger HDD? [...] The Mac Mini looks like a CUBE, well as close as you can get right now, but it wouldnt be a good solution for me because the HDD is only 80Gb - id fill that in days [...]

You are aware that the Mac mini uses a laptop hard drive, do you? The biggest laptop drive today is around 120GB if I'm not mistaken. To put a 80GB in the middle/upper model is quite good, they could've stuck with 30GB on the small model and 40/60GB on the upper models.

If you want more storage, you have to use an external drive, which can be a 3.5" drive (up to 400GB).

 

[Yvan256]

Conspiracy theory time... What if Apple engineers have been working more on a new Mini with a different processor, and less on the current Mini? What if a whole new LINE of Macs with a different processor architecture is in the works?

Yeah, right. Like, oh, I dunno... INTEL processors? LOL!

 

[Yvan256]

[...] It would have been nice for Apple to just say same old mini, but with free upgrades.

I do wonder if the Mac mini wouldn't sell in higher numbers if Apple was to market the new models as "Free Upgrades" models instead?

 

[jiv3turkey748]

apple really needs a low end laptop ($999 isnt low end) the mini is good for switchers, but if you dont have a lot to spend and you want a laptop then apple really isnt an option

 

[Yvan256]

apple really needs a low end laptop ($999 isnt low end) the mini is good for switchers, but if you dont have a lot to spend and you want a laptop then apple really isnt an option

If you think most people here are dissapointed... I was hoping for that rumored sub-notebook!

And don't tell me "Apple won't make a sub-notebook", 'cause "Apple won't make a cheap headless Mac" turned out to be false.

 

[dontmatter]

OK, so we didn't get our scheduled speed boost.

But I don't think that's what the Mac Mini is about. Few PC swtichers would even know that it had been updated, they would just know that they got onto a different OS. But when they go into the store, and see this pretty computer, and say, oh, 100 bucks for all this wireless stuff... hey, I know what wireless is! That's cool.... works w/ my cell, makes this computer totally clean and pretty? k, I'll take one.

Also, all the reviews of the mac mini, back when it was new, criticized it for not having extras, not being truly usable and flexible, not for it's speed.

So the bottom line? Would I have liked a little speed bump? yes. Do I think it's lame apple didn't give such a bump? Yes. But do I think this a a totally illogical, craptastic update? No. It was a well planned move by apple, and makes the product more sellable.

 

[jiv3turkey748]

If you think most people here are dissapointed... I was hoping for that rumored sub-notebook!

And don't tell me "Apple won't make a sub-notebook", 'cause "Apple won't make a cheap headless Mac" turned out to be false.

i didnt say they wouldnt i said they need to and i think eventually they will but probaly not until after the intel switch

 

[MacSA]

Smart to make the modem a BTO option. It's only a few bucks, but I'm sure that eliminating it helped offset the cost of making 512 standard.

TM

No, i think that was a stupid thing on Apples part to do, the Bluetooth should have been optional.