So we are taking this rumour as news? Are we assuming this is not guess work, because it was on Bloomberg and told in a tone of seriousness? No source to this, nothing...
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Apple to Debut Low-Cost MacBook Air With Retina Display, Revamped Pro-Focused Mac Mini in 2018
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Mac mini pro
every other mac has gone pro, from iMacs, to iPads, macbooks...mac mini will go Pro
every other mac has gone pro, from iMacs, to iPads, macbooks...mac mini will go Pro
I've recently replaced my 2011 iMac with a new 5K iMac 4.2GHz CPU, 64GB Ram, 1TB SSD. It's better than my old 2011 iMac in every measurable way. Out of interest, what makes you convinced that my older 2011 iMac is a better machine? I've still got it in it's box what could it do that my new iMac can't that would make me want to use it again?
Yep, I'm pretty sure any new Mac Mini will have little or no user modification capability unless you pull out your soldering iron. It probably won't have many ports either. Expect to pay out the backside to make it truly pro.
I almost purchased a MBA to replace my 15" 2013 MBP that I sold several months ago. Ended up going with a 2015 12" rMBP instead since I wanted something small and lightweight to run MS Office and compliment my 10.5" IPP.
Although I'm curious about what the price point will be for the low-cost MBA.
Although I'm curious about what the price point will be for the low-cost MBA.
That's why I was thinking it could be bigger and use a blade SSD so there is more thermal room inside for CPUs and RAM. Although full sized RAM sticks would be kinda difficult to install into such a device.
I was just thinking the same thing. Why not just upgrade it for gods sake? Why take it to the 'enth degree and jack the price up so high it's no longer a good option for a compact multi-head Mac that doesn't have to be Pro specs? It's like they have taken the criticism that they don't support Pros, over the top! Back off a little, not every Mac has to be $1000 and pro specs.
OMG STOP WITH THE BLOODY 'PRO'
why can't they fill in the product lines properly. You either get an expensive moderate/low end computer, or a expensive overthe top device that doesn't actually fit wider use cases... and everything getting soldered locked down
why is it so bloody hard for Apple to release a Mac Mini that's a simple, consumer grade, middle of the road device? Put your standard run of the mill i5-i7 desktop processor. Put in a 2.5" drive bay, and a m.2 slot. throw in a few Thunderbolt 3 ports for expansion and voila. Even if it's moderately more expensive than you could custom build, it would at least hit a sweet spot that Apple seems to refuse to sell to right now.
it's either lower end facebook/candy crush preformance, or super niche content creator. Nothing in the middle. Stop this Apple. Get someone in charge of your computer division who actually pays attention to what the hell people are buying for computers.
why can't they fill in the product lines properly. You either get an expensive moderate/low end computer, or a expensive overthe top device that doesn't actually fit wider use cases... and everything getting soldered locked down
why is it so bloody hard for Apple to release a Mac Mini that's a simple, consumer grade, middle of the road device? Put your standard run of the mill i5-i7 desktop processor. Put in a 2.5" drive bay, and a m.2 slot. throw in a few Thunderbolt 3 ports for expansion and voila. Even if it's moderately more expensive than you could custom build, it would at least hit a sweet spot that Apple seems to refuse to sell to right now.
it's either lower end facebook/candy crush preformance, or super niche content creator. Nothing in the middle. Stop this Apple. Get someone in charge of your computer division who actually pays attention to what the hell people are buying for computers.
Yeah, I just wonder how they would make the CPU modular without going full proprietary. I'd be fine with proprietary as long as the components are regularly updated and only have a ~15% markup over off-the-shelf components (after all, there should be an extra cost for whatever enclosures and connectors they use, along with R&D cost and the benefit of being easy to use). But I worry about 50-100% markup. I guess in the end if it comes out being even a little cheaper and less wasteful to keep a Mac going over the years then I won't complain too much.
It would also be cool if they added options for AMD components like their beastly Threadripper.
Will never happen. A pro focused mini would look like this and be called a Mac Pro.
This should have been the Mini from day 1, sold with an i5-i7, and with consumer grade GPU options (Single option for even greater thermal headroom)
trying to make that into the Pro niche device was a mistake that was easy to see a mile away.
And who in their right mind believes that longevity is a significant driver in Apple's design and marketing philosophy? Don't just take my word for it: here's someone who knows:
“There are over 600 million PCs in use today that are over five years old ... This is really sad, it really is.” - Phil Schiller, Apple’s vice president of worldwide marketing
If the hardware has a 4 yr update schedule, it had better last well over 4 yrs.
Yeah, this is a new design and Apple we are talking about. Some people think that $1499 is too low! What I described is basically a headless 27" 5K iMac without the discrete GPU but with an SSD of lower capacity. So that's approximately where I got my price.
While you're not entirely wrong on the costing factor on price, and that profit also needs to be made, When regularly numbers of profit margins of close to 40% are touted, that indicates that there is absolutely room to lower the prices while still maintaining all costs with no problems.
Profit margins are AFTER costs are factored in. So yes, these products must cost more than the sum of the parts, they do not need to cost what they're currently going for. would 30% profit margins be too low? how about 20? 15?
at some point, profiteering for profiteering sake starts to impact user opinion. especially if on the flip side the company is also cutting costs as much as possible just to maintain those margins.
There's no easy answer to whats acceptible profit margins, But to claim that profit pays for R&D is incorrect as R&D and the other associated overhead are already factored into the overall costs.
It's happening every day, although the people doing it are unlikely to post here. And their giving up on Apple isn't their problem - it's yours. Or it will be, when Apple finally pulls the plug on its computer marketing due to inadequate sales.
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Will never happen. A pro focused mini would look like this and be called a Mac Pro.
I disagree. IMO, a Pro Focused Mini will look more like this:
Simple spec bump this year maybe even a silent upgrade. In 2019 an ARM based Apple TV sized mini for the consumer market. Mac mini name makes sense.
The modular pro is ... modular. Makes sense that at the lower levels it’ll be the “Mac mini pro” a lot of you want and expand / spec it up all the way up to higher end workstation quality Mac Pro levels.
My own needs I’d be happy with. 799 somewhat decent Mac mini for now. Nothing too fancy. And I would LOVE (my needs) the Apple TV sized mini. I travel a lot. Typically spending 6 months in a new country. Imagine chucking a little Apple TV in my laptop bag with an external kB and trackpad. Get to my destination and buy a cheap tv or monitor and voila ... my workstation is with me. A laptop doesn’t cut it. At the end of the day even my non pro requirements do need a 24” screen to edit.
And if that hypothetical Mac mini can use an iPad as a monitor I’d fork over whatever premium they want.
This year ? Everyone’s setting themselves up for disappointment By expecting anything more than a processor jump to meet the MBP13 and perhaps SSD standard across the board.
799. Latest processor. 8 gen ram. 256 Ssd.
The modular pro is ... modular. Makes sense that at the lower levels it’ll be the “Mac mini pro” a lot of you want and expand / spec it up all the way up to higher end workstation quality Mac Pro levels.
My own needs I’d be happy with. 799 somewhat decent Mac mini for now. Nothing too fancy. And I would LOVE (my needs) the Apple TV sized mini. I travel a lot. Typically spending 6 months in a new country. Imagine chucking a little Apple TV in my laptop bag with an external kB and trackpad. Get to my destination and buy a cheap tv or monitor and voila ... my workstation is with me. A laptop doesn’t cut it. At the end of the day even my non pro requirements do need a 24” screen to edit.
And if that hypothetical Mac mini can use an iPad as a monitor I’d fork over whatever premium they want.
This year ? Everyone’s setting themselves up for disappointment By expecting anything more than a processor jump to meet the MBP13 and perhaps SSD standard across the board.
799. Latest processor. 8 gen ram. 256 Ssd.