Bad idea to get an intel mac mini now?

[opeter]

Well, if you can get an Intel Mac for cheap, like, I don't know... 500 € for i3 and max. 700 € for i5, than go for it.
But here is already the catch, because between 750-800 € you can get a new base M1 Mac mini in some european stores.

Anyway, if you have some old applications, that needs macOS Mojave, than it is no brainer. You need an Intel Mac. For everything never, well, the M1 is the way to go.

 

[macdos]

Couldn't hook up my two 4K DP monitors and my external harddrive with an M1, as there are only two ports.

16 GB RAM is not a joke, it is just plain silly. I barely cope with my 64 GB.

If you are like Apple folks, doing some fancy word processing in Pages and a simple spreadsheet in Numbers, you will probably be OK. But if your workflow consists of Photoshop + Indesign + Illustrator, you are just so fracked.

 

[opeter]

That is why I am waiting for the WWDC to see, if there will be any update to the Mac mini or not. I am in the phase, to replace my 2014 model, just not sure what to get.

Maybe I should ditch the Mac platform altogether.

 

[argon2020]

The applications you use will drive the decision of intel vs. M1. If you have intel-only apps, well there you go. If all your apps have an M1 edition available, go for the M1.

Apple's move away from intel was perfectly timed, as intel is stuck in a rut with their manufacturing process. The past few cycles have seen intel throwing more and more power into the chips to get any meaningful performance improvement. The problem with this approach, is the increasing amount of heat that must be dissipated. Not a huge deal in a server or desktop chassis, but in a laptop or mini, that means tiny little fans that run at screaming loud speeds. If you buy the Intel mini, just know that it's technologically a dead end at this point. But again, the apps you use will dictate which architecture you should select.

 

[sazali]

The applications you use will drive the decision of intel vs. M1. If you have intel-only apps, well there you go. If all your apps have an M1 edition available, go for the M1.

Apple's move away from intel was perfectly timed, as intel is stuck in a rut with their manufacturing process. The past few cycles have seen intel throwing more and more power into the chips to get any meaningful performance improvement. The problem with this approach, is the increasing amount of heat that must be dissipated. Not a huge deal in a server or desktop chassis, but in a laptop or mini, that means tiny little fans that run at screaming loud speeds. If you buy the Intel mini, just know that it's technologically a dead end at this point. But again, the apps you use will dictate which architecture you should select.

There is no news about new mac mini in WWDC2021, I just bought M1 last month

 

[majus]

Since WWDC21 was an utter nothingburger, hardware-wise, does anyone have any guidance on a most likely timeframe for new hardware announcements, excluding the MBP? What has Apple done in the past?

 

[vbctv]

Since WWDC21 was an utter nothingburger, hardware-wise, does anyone have any guidance on a most likely timeframe for new hardware announcements, excluding the MBP? What has Apple done in the past?

Oct/Nov or March

 

[PeterJP]

Since WWDC21 was an utter nothingburger, hardware-wise, does anyone have any guidance on a most likely timeframe for new hardware announcements, excluding the MBP? What has Apple done in the past?

Everything is possible. Apple has done events in July and special events e.g. for education at many different times. But at the moment, we have an extra indicator. Apple wants to finish the switch to Apple silicon in 2 years. That means they have just one more year to launch an extra Mac mini (if at all), a high end 13-14 and all 16 MBP models as well as a large iMac. And possibly a Mac Pro. So I would expect the next processor to be finished and the first machines with it launched later this summer.

 

[opeter]

Oct/Nov or March

You forgot to write the year.

 

[vbctv]

You forgot to write the year.

Did I though???? The Bloomberg article along with others clearly said that the M1X/M2 Mac mini could be cancelled or never be released by Apple.

 

[opeter]

Did I though???? The Bloomberg article along with others clearly said that the M1X/M2 Mac mini could be cancelled or never be released by Apple.

Yes, that can happen.

I can also imagine, that the Mac mini wont be updated for at least 2 years (or even more). Wouldn't be the first time.