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Intel Atom-Based Mac Mini Due in March?
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Don't jump the gun. Apple will release it in the Mac Mini in 2011, and all at the incredibly low price of $499. And for a limited time, they'll even take Firewire 400 away from you, at no extra charge! You're welcome.
I don't understand why people are defending Apple by saying that their single core netbook, or even dual-core nettop, can run OS X. Who bloody cares if it can. Nobody is arguing that they can't. However, when did people become happy with paying the same amount of money, but getting less in return? It doesn't make sense, and if you really believe it's OK, then just buy a used Mac Mini with the 1.6 GHz Core Solo and be done with it. It'll cost you around $150, at most.
If Apple is using an Atom in the next Mac Mini, I don't expect it to cost any more than $299. Sorry, but those chips costs netbook makers around $32 for the single-core models found in netbooks. Dual core desktop versions only cost sliiiiightly more.
No Nvidia with Atom
As far as I know Intel is not allowing any outside parties to use the Atom cpu without the Intel chipset. Thats just what I heard.
As far as I know Intel is not allowing any outside parties to use the Atom cpu without the Intel chipset. Thats just what I heard.
"To prove you wrong," comes readily to mind.
Good enough for me. Except the whole "does it actually look good or does it skip like almost any other hardware" part.
An overpriced and underpowered Mac mini just to make it smaller sounds exactly what Apple would do.
So Apple can make ONE BOARD for both the Mini and the new AppleTV...
The new AppleTV will just be a Mini without the optical drive, but with the AppleTV ports, probably a small SSD drive for those who stream (I don't even use the 40 Gig in mine) or with the 160 for those who sync.
I haven't read all the post but I think using the Atom and nVidia chipset we will actually see the new AppleTV with the same specs...
hmmm anything but dell for me maybe a diy hackintosh
Yea, I have been fighting the urge to switch back or build a hackintosh but Apple just is not coming up with ideas any more.
After reading this rumor my 1.66 GHZ Mini feels faster. Hopefully they have stock of the current Mini because I may be forced to buy.
Yeah, unfortunately. I'm holding out hope though that this is really for the amazing $399 mini-tablet thing that runs full OS X (or Windows)
I will buy one to replace my Palm TX.
However even if it IS a mini-tablet, I bet it'll run mobile OS X instead of a full OS
Yea, I have been fighting the urge to switch back or build a hackintosh but Apple just is not coming up with ideas any more.
tell me about it im not sure to buy a hackintosh build one, or get an apple, ill probably cave in to the apple casue i dont want a huge BOX sitting and such there ugly and all the wires ick
What do I care if it saves 10W or so compared to the mobile Core 2 Duo, but runs at a fifth of the speed? We're talking desktops here.
Replace your light bulbs with more efficient models first, before you're starting to buy desktop computers because of 10W lower power consumption. Or switch off your heating when it's not needed instead of opening the windows.
So Apple can make ONE BOARD for both the Mini and the new AppleTV...
The new AppleTV will just be a Mini without the optical drive, but with the AppleTV ports, probably a small SSD drive for those who stream (I don't even use the 40 Gig in mine) or with the 160 for those who sync.
I haven't read all the post but I think using the Atom and nVidia chipset we will actually see the new AppleTV with the same specs...
Yup - change the I/O, different system software, provide an optical drive for the Mini with minor case revisions, and Apple can use similar hardware for two platforms saving a lot in both development costs and ongoing manufacturing costs.
And in this price range, saving every little bit of money will help with their profit margins.
Plus - if Windows 7 is being designed to run on netbooks with similar hardware like the Ion, maybe Snow Leopard will also run OK on this type of hardware also?
I think it's very feasible that this rumor has some truth to it.
It doesn't seem to make alot of sense for Apple to use an Atom in a Mac Mini.
Unless those cpus are much cheaper and will let Apple drop the price of a Mini down even further to grab the low-end market share.
Size-wise an Atom cpu ain't going to help much. There's still the hard drive and disc drive in there. And the thing still has to have all these ports on the back. So I doubt it can get much smaller, plus it doesn't need to be smaller.
Or perhaps this rumor means a netbook or something else is coming?
Unless those cpus are much cheaper and will let Apple drop the price of a Mini down even further to grab the low-end market share.
Size-wise an Atom cpu ain't going to help much. There's still the hard drive and disc drive in there. And the thing still has to have all these ports on the back. So I doubt it can get much smaller, plus it doesn't need to be smaller.
Or perhaps this rumor means a netbook or something else is coming?
I was hoping for a beefier Mac Mini with dual monitor support and a desktop hard drive so this news about a low-power, single monitor, smaller form-factor Mini sounds just about right.
/I REALLY want to buy a new Mac but Apple just refuses to make a decent low-cost expendable desktop.
/I REALLY want to buy a new Mac but Apple just refuses to make a decent low-cost expendable desktop.