Intel Atom-Based Mac Mini Due in March?

[Joe The Dragon]

There's nothing dodgy about AMD's Phenom. Clock for clock it's not as powerful as Core 2, but it's still crazy powerful, and destroys anything BUT Core 2.

also amd has dual core for under $100 each and MB with 256 on board video ram it's own way better then intel and just as good as nvidia for $100 - $150 at the max.

a $500- $600 mini with on board video useing system ram intel atom 2.5 HD, high cost laptop ram no fire wire, $30 - $100 more just to use a DVI display will be a big joke and Psystar will just look even better. Hell a lower cost refurbish mini with core 2 may end up being faster.

 

[Eidorian]

Don't get me wrong, I don't want Apple to skimp on the CPU even if Snow Leopard's technologies make it more feasible to do so. I'm just saying as undesirable as it might be, I could envision a situation where the CPU wasn't quite so important for doing the things that people typically buying a mini would use it for (media, web-browsing, e-mail etc).

But maybe it is just for a new AppleTV, I hope so. Time will tell.

This is a favorite, classic question of mine but would you sacrifice a clock speed multiplier or two for a better GPU in your Mac?

This was much more relevant in the GMA950/X3100 days.

 

[Chundles]

Guys, Open your eyes!!!

This wouldn't be for a mac mini. Its for the next Apple TV, a Intel Atom with NVIDIA Ion can do high quality 1080p with no problem, and at a much higher bit rate. And its much cheaper to build. So they can sell it to you cheaper and grab some people away from Netflix because they would be able to offer 1080p video.

Of course your gonna need a fat internet connection to get it with out having it buffer ever 2 seconds. Probably 10 mbps +

I agree that this is more suited for the AppleTV (unless they move it across to ARM) than the Mac mini. It would be a great move for making the system cheaper, cooler and more capable but a terrible idea for the Mac mini.

 

[Dmac77]

I want to see apple enslaving all other gaming consoles by turning the beloved Mac-Mini into a gaming console and using iPhone and iTouch as Wiimotes. Add to that the TV capability and we have one mean media server to replace all those cables and boxes from the living rooms. C'mon , please make this happen...

Of course for this to be realized Mac-Mini need no Atom, we need a core-2 duo in there to pump this little beasts....

Please tell me you're joking! A C2D can't power any respectable game system. The XBOX 360 has multiple workstation class PowerPC processors, and the PS3 has 7 3.2 GHz multicore processors in it. There is no way that a Core2Duo can power a game system that is on par with the two aformentioned game systems.

Don

 

[gkarris]

According to nVidia, their Ion chipset does 1080p and 7.1 sound no problem:

http://www.nvidia.com/object/sff_ion.html

so, IMHO:

AppleTV, 1.6 Atom, Ion chipset, 16 Gig Flash, $199
AppleTV, 1.6 Atom, Ion chipset, 160 Gig HD, $299
Mac Mini, 1.6 Atom (Duo?), Ion chipset, 1 Gig RAM, 80 Gig HD, Superdrive, $499
Mac Mini, 1.6 Atom Duo, Ion chipset, 2 Gig RAM, 250 Gig HD, Superdrive, Remote, $699

 

[VoR]

Please tell me you're joking! A C2D can't power any respectable game system. The XBOX 360 has multiple workstation class PowerPC processors, and the PS3 has 7 3.2 GHz multicore processors in it. There is no way that a Core2Duo can power a game system that is on par with the two aformentioned game systems.

Don

Wouldn't normally respond to one of these posts - but I'll make an exception.

Well assumed, highly amusing - thanks!

 

[queshy]

Apple should just update the mini to a C2D 2.4 with 2 gb ram, 250 gb hd, and nvidia chipset w/ superdrive standard and everyone will stop laughing at it.

 

[BJWanlund]

Sent Apple this feedback at http://www.apple.com/feedback/macmini.html. Send your feedback and hope listens!

Hello Apple.

I've been considering getting a Mac Mini, but there are a few things I'm personally concerned about with regard to the Mac Mini.

First, the fact that you cannot upgrade a Mac Mini (unless you hack it and void the warranty and the design). What if, say, I wanted to add a new video card, a new optical drive, or what if I wanted to add some kind of new functionality? PC owners have it real easy: All they have to do to play a new game is pay a certain amount of money for a new video card, or a new optical drive. For us Mac owners, the only truly upgradeable Mac in your line at this moment in time is your most expensive model: The Mac Pro.

There are a couple of smaller computers that CAN allow you to upgrade the video card, optical drive, etc. Falcon Northwest (a competitor of yours) has something called the FragBox, which is a higher-end version of the Mac Mini with more upgradeability. We can handle relative non-upgradeability in laptops, but it is almost inexcusable in desktops that can have that functionality but don't (the iMac doesn't count).

Second, how long have you kept this design for the Mac Mini? Shouldn't you re-think how the Mac Mini looks, and maybe let people upgrade their Mac Minis when new tech comes out?

Third, the wimpy video card. Yes, that video card currently in the Mac Mini is WIMPY. Nobody can play the newest games on that thing! That graphics card is 2000-era technology. Let's get real here. People (like myself) would love to have a Mac Mini that could serve as a media server and video conversion box (which doesn't even come close to fitting inside an Apple TV). What can we do for ourselves?

Fourth, this is a major concern to me. I'm actually looking for a mouse, keyboard, and monitor built-in! Yes, I know it's supposed to be "modular", but let's get real here: I'd have to buy it all separately, and the price is rapidly approaching the iMac range when and if I want to buy a Mac Mini, plus a mouse, keyboard, AND monitor! Could we please have a nice monitor included with the next iteration, like maybe the 24" LED Cinema Display?

Last, can we please get a real computer for $600 (or even less) in direct competition with other computer manufacturers, thus proclaiming this machine has no crapware, and everything you need (both hardware AND software) are included.

I hope that you can take this feedback into consideration for whatever the new Mac Mini will be able to do.

Sincerely,

BJ Wanlund

 

[digitalbiker]

Not Mac Mini - Macbook Mini

Think about it!

The atom processor is not for the mac mini. It is for a new, yet to be announced Macbook mini.

Apple has most likely been working on a netbook that uses the atom processor and nvidia ion graphics.

One hint to this is the new iwork.com initiative and mobile me. Apple is slowly setting the stage for a killer lightweight superior designed net book.

Does anyone doubt that Apple can't improve on the Dell Inspiron mini 9?

 

[madmax_2069]

People who have gotten OS X working on Atom-powered netbooks say it's really slow. That's not a scenario OS X was optimized for, since it's not authorized Apple hardware, but still, I'm not sure the Atom is powerful enough for OS X. It's certainly not powerful enough for Vista.

well all of the current netbooks is single core. they will be using a dual core version of the atom (which also has HT) in the mini plus with the Geforce 9400m.

the only reason that OSX ran so slow on the netbook was due to the CPU being a single core and the onboard GPU they use.

 

[amac4me]

I'm hoping for an update to Apple TV!

 

[JPark]

First Steve, now this. What a crappy week it's turned into. Wake me up when the rumor is proved wrong and Steve is back.

 

[gkarris]

Sent Apple this feedback at http://www.apple.com/feedback/macmini.html. Send your feedback and hope listens!

So, you want an iMac for $600?

 

[spacecadet610]

this better not be true. maybe for an apple tv it would make sense.

the item is fit for a netbook, not a mac mini desktop

 

[AidenShaw]

We're Mad As Hell And We're Not Going To Take It Anymore

Isn't it about time to simply tell Apple that it's time to bring out the mini-tower with desktop parts? http://www.apple.com/feedback/macmini.html

Enough with buying toy computers, when you can get much, much better quad-cores for the same price? Enough with crazy compromises to make it small - but you need to connect a half dozen pieces of crapola to make it usable.

Enough. http://www.apple.com/feedback/macmini.html

(The line is from a wonderful movie called "Network"... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dib2-HBsF08)


Lenovo $799:

Apple $799:

2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
1GB memory
120GB hard drive
DVD burner

Tell Apple you're Mad As Hell about paying the same price for less than half the CPU, a quarter of the memory, an eighth of the disk space, no Blu-ray - and far crappier graphics.

Don't take it any more.

 

[Scottsdale]

I think somebody is confused and put the pieces together wrong. Perhaps it's a MacBook Mini with the Atom CPU. It would be stupid to underpower the MacMini into a slower computer than currently is.

I really don't believe this rumor! Come on this is a RUMOR!

 

[alexbates]

I'll probably be the Dual Core Atom 1.6, 1 Gig RAM, 80 (or 120) Gig Hard Drive - these are the specs that will bring the price down to $499...

I just don't think that the Mac Mini will sell at all if the 2nd Generation is worse than the 1st Generation. I wouldn't even pay $499 for those specs. Maybe something like $299 would be a good price for that.

I bet the current Mac Mini's aren't selling at all. If Apple wants the second Gen to sell, these should be the specs:
-2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
-2GB DDR3 Memory
-120GB Hard Drive
-New ultra-thin design with aluminum case and black plastic top
-$499 or $599 (I can never tell what Apple is going to do when it comes to pricing. I bet it would be $599 for these specs)

 

[happydude]

wow lots of anger over this. i'm just glad rumors of the mini surviving are still coming out. one never knows what apple will do. the atom definitely seems like the wrong choice, so i hope apple chooses something a bit more powerful, and maybe with blue ray? . . .

 

[a104375]

they had better not come out with a atom mac mini... that would be the worst possible plan for the mini

 

[Cole Slaw]

I really hope this is untrue.
I'm actually interested in a mini.
I have a MBP, but over time I've ended up adding a BT keyboard and mouse, Monitor....
I'd like to get something relatively inexpensive and have myself both a laptop and a desktop.
But I'm not buying if it will have an Atom CPU. Those are *okay* for a $400 netbook, but I don't want it on a desktop.
I was hoping/expecting the next mini would basically have the same specs as the Macbook (although I wanted the Firewire retained as my externals are Firewire 800 and 400).

 

[BTW]

Why on earth Atom?

We are talking about a desktop machine here - don't under power it for goodness sake. A decent CPU - Core 2 Duo 2.0GHz starting level. Anything less and Apple really is taking the piss.

Will it matter if it comes out with Snow Leopard and fully utilizes OpenCL to use the GPU (NVIDIA's of course) for CPU chores?

Cheap CPU (read Atom) + new opportunity for NVIDIA (read discount) = Apple lowering entry point for Mac Mini to $499 and $699.

Don't doubt that, if successful, they would use the Atom in the iMac and make the display super thin. Maybe even giving a BTO option for SSD in the iMac as well. We'd see a $999 entry level iMac.

 

[Electrolytic]

no no no

I've been waiting for over a year for them to upgrade the mini to something with a decent video chip set, processor, RAM...

If they put I stinking Atom in the mini I'm done with the idea of switching to OSX... I would rather stay with windows & that's saying a lot

I really hope this is a false rumor...

 

[AidenShaw]

Will it matter if it comes out with Snow Leopard and fully utilizes OpenCL to use the GPU (NVIDIA's of course) for CPU chores?

Using OpenCL to offload the CPU will be very application specific. And initially at the 10.6 lauch, it will be of no or no help since few if any of the applications that you run will have been rewritten to use OpenCL.

It may be useful for a few use cases (e.g. video playback), but in general an Atom + OpenCL won't match a good quad core desktop.

 

[iParis]

Well this is ****** news since an updated Mac mini was going to be my new computer.
Just stay with Intel Core 2 Duo.
Low end 2.0, high end 2.4.

 

[hal1984]

This is what I expect for the new Mac Mini:

Core 2 Duo P7350 (2.00 ghz) / P8600 (2.4 ghz)
2 GB of DDR3 Memory dual-channel
at least 6 USB ports. (keyboard,mouse,scanner,printer,ipod,external memory)
MCP79 nvidia chipset (Gforce 9400 GPU)
miniDisplayPort, adapters to vga/dvi included.
160-250 HDD.
SuperDrive.

Money: 500 - 700 €