Apple Says Mac Mini is 'Important' But Remains Tight-Lipped About Future Updates

[762999]

Yes! I need to update my Mac Mini. It runs as a headless Plex Server and the new H.265 files are burdening it super hard.

Since we have no release date you could also convert those files to h.264 to make them more mini friendly.

I run plex on a hold i3 and it can handle all contents without any issues. I'm running it on Linux.
[doublepost=1491356272][/doublepost]

You couldn't pay me to run desktop Linux.

You should check elemantaryOs on YouTube.. it's the most MacOS like distribution. Its not a MacOS theme, it's inspired by Mac and feel like it too.

Keep an open mind!
Cheers

 

[John.B]

You can use visual studio 2017 to build cross platform apps. You either have the choice of :

LOL, "cross platform apps". That's something your corporate IT department does (assuming you're lucky enough to have an IT department that supports the iPhone).

 

[smacrumon]

You can use visual studio 2017 to build cross platform apps. You either have the choice of :

- use shared code + dedicated UI code for each platform (which let you use specific API of each platform.
- use xamarin forms and build app that share 100% compatible code ( but you won't be able to call specific platform API)

For building & debugging, they still require a Mac. The visual studio IDE will connect via SSH to the Mac.

Cheers
[doublepost=1491355763][/doublepost]

The 2012 version was great, the only thing that shows it's age is the lame GPU.

For non-gaming or you intensive stuff this machine rocks. I told my brother to get one and we added RAM and SSD and it shines. I'm sure he would be good for another 10 years. The problem is he won't get security updates unless I wipe it with Windows later on.

Interesting, many thanks!

 

[John.B]

You should check elemantaryOs on YouTube.. it's the most MacOS like distribution. Its not a MacOS theme, it's inspired by Mac and feel like it too.

Keep an open mind!
Cheers

I wrangle databases on Windows servers and Linux servers all day. There's no way I'm bringing that stuff home, it just doesn't work for me. Anymore than I'm willing to fight with Hackintosh drivers. But great if it works for others.

 

[762999]

I wrangle databases on Windows servers and Linux servers all day. There's no way I'm bringing that stuff home, it just doesn't work for me. Anymore than I'm willing to fight with Hackintosh drivers. But great if it works for others.

I'm not imposing anything, just suggesting. I work with all three.
[doublepost=1491357788][/doublepost]

LOL, "cross platform apps". That's something your corporate IT department does (assuming you're lucky enough to have an IT department that supports the iPhone).

You may not believe in it but it exists. If you can't afford desktop client you can still make a web app

 

[Chris Blouch]

Perhaps while waiting, you could get something more usable for the kids' games. Maybe something like NVidia Shield TV (also excellent for playing back media/movie files).

The nice bit has been that a single Mac Mini has performed all the tasks I've asked of it. Play DVDs, DVR live TV, centralize our iPhoto library, iTunes music library, play games, web surfing etc. If I wanted another basic media and game player I'd just got AppleTV rather than an Android box. It's also been nice with Back To My Mac that from most anywhere I can screen share back home for a quick and dirty way to schedule a recording I forgot about in eyeTV. I have file sharing turned on and use some space on the Drobo for Time Machine backups. I even added an external BluRay drive to watch movies in that "bag of hurt" format, with some measure of success. A little less success setting up a Minecraft PE server I would love to be able to just swap the mini to a newer one and keep on going without having to reinvent and reinvest in another platform.

 

[Haswell]

Apple would say that every product is important.

 

[Santabean2000]

I love my Mac mini but what was great about it they destroyed. Upgrading the ram and putting in 2 HD (one SSD) was what sold me on the mini. Over 5 years running it's still a great machine.

Exactly. The old mini was a great Mac for Mac lovers. Not your ordinary, mass-market, 'just-make-it-work' crowd, but more the family tech guy/girl.

I believe these people are grossly underestimated in the overall importance of the Apple ecosystem. They are the folks who help guide a huge network of family, friends, colleagues, and in some cases - business/schools, in their buying decisions.

Throwing these people an affordable, flexible and modular computer to tinker with is far more valuable than any raw profit numbers in a spreadsheet may suggest.

 

[Marshall73]

We install loads of Mac minis these days for device management both iOS and mac. No way would the customer cough up for an extra iMac or Mac Pro to sit as a server to run that stuff.

I actually have ine older site which runs esxi on an older i7 mininserver. It runs OS X and windows server quite happily.

 

[dragje]

Lol it is powerful enough to run Plex. I have the latest one (2014 I guess), bought it last year and it does everything I need it too and runs Plex server fine.

you're right, mea culpa.

The thing I was trying to say was that my Mac mini does run Plex fine but is quite slow on doing other task. I've got a previous model Mac mini, I think one model previous before your model came out, and yes, that thing is starting to get really slow....

 

[Easttime]

It's no toy for me. I got squeezed last year when my 2011 iMac died. I decided I needed a bridge until Apple gets out new models. Ended up getting a refurb 2014 Mini to use as my main desktop: 2.8GHz dual-core Intel Core i5, 1TB Fusion Drive with 128 SSD, 8GB RAM, running latest Mac OS. Heavy MS Office type professional user (not heavy AV type use case). Works surprisingly very well given the concern around those specs. Love the peripherals flexibility. Two large monitors. Turned it around so the ports are in the front. I never really liked the iMac form factor: too big, ports hard to reach in the back. I'd happily go Mini again.

 

[IlluminatedSage]

Nothing more to say today !!!! So the mac mini is not dead. Its clear they focus for this year imac and macbooks and for next mac pro. So in 2019-2020 probably mac mini

I think your statement is enough to show people they need to get loud and demand a Mac Consumer/Professional Bill of Rights:

1. Apple must offer yearly product refreshes for each of the Mac product lines. Major design updates can happen on Apple cycle, but the basics like CPU update, GPU and basics like USB-C and USB 3 (or Sd card reader on MBP) are important
2. Apple must allow consumers to add ram, upgrade memory drives and even graphics chips/cards (in desktops, soon even for laptops)

Kaby Lake is here, but Apple has not done much with them. Why does Apple refuse to update motherboards? I know the designers run the show at Apple, but do they really have to block basic chipset updates to have Apple keep pace with other manufacturers? Apple loves to tout the performance advantages of something over prior generation, but at this point the Mac product line is a joke.

 

[michaelmac84]

Maybe, Apple is waiting for an upgrade that justifies the difference with the current one. Mac Mini with an AMD Ryzen CPU would be a superior upgrade from the Intel U Series on many levels.

 

[phrehdd]

Maybe, Apple is waiting for an upgrade that justifies the difference with the current one. Mac Mini with an AMD Ryzen CPU would be a superior upgrade from the Intel U Series on many levels.

I am unsure Apple would stray from its laptop hardware and make the Mini unique as far as CPU. Let's recall that Apple still remains form over function and within function, will often go for 2nd best if it means cutting costs and at the same time, continuing to charge with the "Apple tax."

 

[currocj]

Love, love, loved my 2012 Mini which I fusioned (1tb hdd+180gb ssd). Was a sweet machine until I decided that my eyeballs need retina all the time. So I wanted 4k 60Hz. Impossible with any Mac mini (sad to say) so I moved up 100x volume wise to a cMP 5,1. For about $1200 I have a screaming 6 core with 32gb ram and gorgeous 4k 60Hz. The machine is amazing will plenty of room to grow. Sadly, Mac OS Sierra is likely the last OS apple will officially support for this machine.

All I want for Christmas is a Mac mini with: Kaby Lake, 4k or dare I say 5k 60Hz, TB 3, removable RAM and a removable M.2 slot. Is that too much to ask?

 

[inmnbob]

I just bought one today. Specific use in my music studio. Replacing a MacBook pro which was always used plugged into a monitor. Figured for close to the same specs a $600 investment gave me a laptop back to use more often. I will be using it with Logic pro primarily.

 

[winmacuser]

If they really will present a new Mini, it would be something similar to Macbook (Air): soldered RAM and PCIe-SSD in a much smaller case.
The only question is the price. 500 bucks for the current crippled machine with 5400rpm drive is a joke.

 

[jamilecrire]

Apple finalized their joke of being a "computer" company when they removed Computer from their name.

I only use Macs for software development and the mini is more than enough. I've been waiting on an upgrade for almost 5 years now so hackintosh it is. I would use the Mac for music but it's just too risky.

For those of us that have been around since before Y2k (or even the Macintosh itself), this is beyond ridiculous. The G3/G4/G5 fiasco was preferable to this nonsense.

Tim et. al. can go suck it. I guess Jobs ego wanted someone that wouldn't outshine him, well, he got it.

 

[bigtomato]

Apple finalized their joke of being a "computer" company when they removed Computer from their name.

I only use Macs for software development and the mini is more than enough. I've been waiting on an upgrade for almost 5 years now so hackintosh it is. I would use the Mac for music but it's just too risky.

For those of us that have been around since before Y2k (or even the Macintosh itself), this is beyond ridiculous. The G3/G4/G5 fiasco was preferable to this nonsense.

Tim et. al. can go suck it. I guess Jobs ego wanted someone that wouldn't outshine him, well, he got it.

Totally agree a bunch of B.S. excuses...P.C. companies come out every six months, apple has billions and billions because of us, we deserve better and replacing tim would be a very good idea. All they are doing is milking with the iPhone. Microsoft has out innovated them in every way, they should lease mac os/x if they don't want to bother any longer. Having people wait another year is also ridiculous they just want the hype train to continue to run. Shame on upper management.

 

[EliasM]

What I don't get, and this is more me being stupefied than me being critical, is how Apple can be bigger than ever in terms of staff numbers and at the same time slower than ever to bring out new Macs? What are all these people doing? They can't all be designing door knobs for the new Apple campus, can they?

 

[Chase R]

Would really love to replace my Plex server with a Mac Mini + Drobo. Perhaps Apple is waiting for new AMD Zen/Vega-based APUs.

 

[M.PaulCezanne]

The mini has been so valuable to me in many cases. Profit margins probably aren't very high, though, so "important" may be all they can muster. They aren't getting rich from minis.

 

[Moolani]

Love my 2012 quad core Mini, but it is starting to show its age. Don't know what to buy if it ever dies. Hurry up Apple!

 

[teohyc]

Bring back the Mac Mini quad-cores, or even more cores. The Mac Mini 2012 Quad and Macbook Pro 2015 are Apple's finest machines from the last 10 years. I thought computers are suppose to get better with time but somehow they didn't with Apple.

 

[steve333]

No Mini no me