Apple Updates Mac Mini and Adds Server Option

[MacRumors]

Apple today updated its Mac mini, offering spec bumps to its existing $599 and $799 models and adding a new $999 server model.

Apple today also announced that the Mac mini, the world's most energy efficient desktop, is now faster, offers more storage and comes standard with double the memory. Starting at $599, the entry level Mac mini features a faster 2.26 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor and 2GB of DDR3 1066 MHz memory, a 160GB hard drive, five USB 2.0 ports, FireWire 800, NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics and a SuperDrive. The $799 Mac mini features a 2.53 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 4GB of memory and a larger 320GB hard drive. Apple now offers a $999 Mac mini that is specially configured with Mac OS® X Snow Leopard® Server. Mac mini with Snow Leopard Server features two 500GB hard drives for a total of 1TB of server storage in the tiny 6.5-inch square by 2-inch tall Mac mini enclosure.

The server model runs Mac OS X Snow Leopard Server and replaces the Mac mini's usual optical drive with a second 2.5-inch hard drive, allowing for the 1 TB total hard drive capacity.

Article Link: Apple Updates Mac Mini and Adds Server Option

 

[mainstreetmark]

A thousand dollar mini, eh?

 

[thegoldenmackid]

Yay for the Mini.

 

[profets]

talk about an over priced mac mini server...

 

[Eidorian]

A thousand dollar mini, eh?

The cost of the server license? Otherwise what market is it targeting? Mini servers aren't an Apple invention.

 

[cube]

mini server has no optical disk, low end hard disk is too small 😡

 

[Veri]

Finally, a regular expandable Mac to act as a home server/test platform... oh, in a /mini/ case. Wait, 2.5" server drives?

 

[QCassidy352]

I know people will knock this, but keep in mind it comes with OS X server, which sells for $499 by itself. This isn't a bad deal at all.

 

[jdl8422]

I guess the mini server is good if you dont have a really large company. I dont think its easy to expand, but I guess you can always buy 2x1tb or 2x2tb. Assuming it can handle that.

 

[thegoldenmackid]

A thousand dollar mini, eh?

$3,800 iMac?

 

[Eidorian]

I know people will knock this, but keep in mind it comes with OS X server, which sells for $499 by itself. This isn't a bad deal at all.

It's a product with no target market.

 

[Small White Car]

This is probably a good time to mention the secure server facility that will host your own Mac Mini for you.

Get one of these in there and you're in business!

 

[profets]

I guess the mini server is good if you dont have a really large company. I dont think its easy to expand, but I guess you can always buy 2x1tb or 2x2tb. Assuming it can handle that.

you can't be serious about using a mac mini as server in a company?

 

[tseitz89]

Still $100 to much, needs to be $500 they could sell so many more mac minis if that was the price

 

[mainstreetmark]

you can't be serious about using a mac mini as server in a company?

We have a mac mini that serves FileMaker. So what?

 

[DipDog3]

Can't say that I am really impressed with these updates.

 

[rgarjr]

Not much updated on the mini but a CPU speed bump.

 

[profets]

We have a mac mini that serves FileMaker. So what?

what if the disk fails mid-day?

 

[ltldrummerboy]

I found a new Apple Remote on the Mac mini BTO page.

 

[Small White Car]

what if the disk fails mid-day?

I can't answer you for the guy who currently uses it, but the whole point of this new one is that it has 2 drives which you could mirror raid.

So as for your original question "who would use this?" I don't see why you couldn't.

 

[fungus]

The mini gets the update love, but not the price drop 🙁

If that server was $800 and could do RAID 0/1, I'd be taking an expensive lunch break at the mall today...

 

[Ted13]

you can't be serious about using a mac mini as server in a company?

I guess you've never heard about MacMini Colo and others like it. Actually if you have a crowded server room or need smaller test/QA machines, the Mini server is a godsend.

And another thing -- what's more reliable -- a single Xserve or a pair of redundant Minis for less money? Yes, clearly the XServe has way grater performance, but not all server tasks require major horsepower.

 

[profets]

I can't answer you for the guy who currently uses it, but the whole point of this new one is that it has 2 drives which you could mirror raid.

So as for your original question "who would use this?" I don't see why you couldn't.

ok, so even this new one, $1000, you get 2x 2.5" 500gig, 5400rpm disks with no expansion options... dont you think for the money you could get much better disks or solutions for the price?

 

[rgarjr]

I found a new Apple Remote on the Mac mini BTO page.

Is that remote made out of Alu?

 

[ChrisA]

mini server has no optical disk, low end hard disk is too small 😡

The mini uses the smaller notebook size disks. 500GB is the largest size made. The mini server comes with two of these. Apple has packed the most amount of disk space possible into the mini server. OK may you need more? Buy a RAID box and plug it into the FW800 port.

Why would you want an optical drive on a server? Servers are typically kept in a dark closet, many times without a keyboard or monitor plugged in. If you want to rip a CD you'd put the CD into the desktop computer and store the files on the server.

That said, I'd prefer to have a BSD or Solaris based server with space inside for more and larger disks. But there are people who like Mac OS Server and this is a bargain. The OS costs $500 so in this case you gt the Mac Mni for only another $500.