Rumors were pointing to possible launch at WWDC but that never panned out and was probably just speculation. Anyone see any updated rumors on a launch date?
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M1X/M2 mac mini in 2021?
- Thread starter rhaezorblue
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They won’t launch this before the MBP gets it but perhaps at the same time depending on supply.
It’s also possible that they wait to release the new Mac Mini till when the new larger screen iMac is ready to try to avoid likely large screen iMac customers going for the higher spec Mac Mini.
So we could be looking at MBP later this year, with the iMac and Mac Mini to follow early next year.
Seeing as the M1 Mac mini didn't fully replace the 2018 Mac mini, it wouldn't surprise me if Apple had plans to complete the Mac mini's portion of this transition as soon as they could. Given that we're due for something that isn't as limited as the M1 (in terms of maximum RAM, maximum number of external displays, and maximum number of Thunderbolt/USB4 ports), it wouldn't shock me to see the Mac mini in line for something like that so that there are less reasons for anyone to consider the 2018 Mac mini instead. Because, if you need 32GB or 64GB of RAM, more than two Thunderbolt ports, and more than two external displays, you still kind of need the 2018 model as the M1 model won't suffice.
All that to say that a fall release seems likely. Apple will likely keep some Intel Macs in the lineup for a bit of time after this transition completes across the entire lineup, but I really don't see the 2018 Mac mini being among them. Similarly, I don't see the 2020 Intel 4-port 13" MacBook Pro or the 27" iMac being among them either. I'm thinking those will be the Mac Pro and the 16" MacBook Pro.
I'm not sure what the logic is here. It's not like the MacBook Pro NEEDS to go first. They'll both likely go at the same time. But there's nothing inherent in the MacBook Pro that mandates that it gets all new technology first. In many cases, in recent Apple history, it hasn't gone first. Though, certainly, there are two Intel MacBook Pro models that are in need of replacing (with the 16" MacBook Pro having been due for a refresh for longer than the 2020 Intel 4-port 13" MacBook Pro).
I'm similarly unsure as to where you come to this conclusion now, especially seeing as the M1 Mac mini already outperforms the entry level M1 iMac and otherwise matches the 8 GPU Core/4-port model. Apple doesn't seem to care about the Mac mini having the same performance as other Macs that, in the Intel era, were deemed higher-end (21.5" 4K iMacs typically were faster and more capable than their Mac mini contemporaries). I do think that the larger screen iMac will get a much beefier SoC than the Mac mini and 24" iMac will, but that doesn't mean that Apple can't do with M2/M2X what they did with M1 and give multiple Macs (that in the Intel era would never have the same computing power) the same computing power.
All signs point to us getting one MacBook Pro model this year and that likely being the 14" (primarily due to supply constraints with the Apple Silicon 16" MacBook Pro). Given that this model needs to replace the 2020 4-port Intel 13" MacBook Pro, we'll probably be getting an SoC that isn't M1. Given that the Mac mini, even in the Intel era, typically used CPUs that also found their way into the smaller sized MacBook Pros, it getting the same SoC at the same time seems likely.
I suspect that the 16" MacBook Pro will remain in a separate class of performance from the 13"/14" in the Apple Silicon era as it did in the Intel era and that we will get an even beefier SoC in the 16". Though, that has no bearing on announcement and release cadence (which, honestly seems to be at the mercy of the supply chain more than anything, at this point).
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I would be surprised if they gave Mac mini this much priority after years of neglect. It’s time for the redesigned Pro models to launch which will truly make all Intel Macs obsolete.
Years of neglect? It was one of the first Macs to at least start the transition to Apple Silicon! It started making the transition sooner than the freakin' iMac did!
I am looking to get a Mac Mini, but difficult to make the decision at this point in the year. Buy now and there is a chance a new one will be arriving in the next 5 months with a decent upgrade, both in terms of performance and aesthetic. Wait 5 months and if they do not update I'm even later in the cycle.
I mean this the same old dilemma. At least with the iPhones the release is pretty certain so you can make that choice. I don't plan to upgrade for around 3-5 years after this so do not want to regret "jumping the gun". I currently have a 5 year old self built PC which is showing its age a little. Wanting to shift to something compact and reasonably powerful and, as I have switched to console gaming, it can be a Mac. Makes me half tempted to get an iMac M1 as at least its new and unlikely to be replaced soon. 24 inch display a little small though and the difference in price is a little off putting as i have decent keyboard, mouse and displays. Integrated system nice and clean though.....
I mean this the same old dilemma. At least with the iPhones the release is pretty certain so you can make that choice. I don't plan to upgrade for around 3-5 years after this so do not want to regret "jumping the gun". I currently have a 5 year old self built PC which is showing its age a little. Wanting to shift to something compact and reasonably powerful and, as I have switched to console gaming, it can be a Mac. Makes me half tempted to get an iMac M1 as at least its new and unlikely to be replaced soon. 24 inch display a little small though and the difference in price is a little off putting as i have decent keyboard, mouse and displays. Integrated system nice and clean though.....
There are also rumours about a redesigned Mac mini, not sure how real they are, but it's true that the Mac mini design is barely unchanged since eleven (!) years ago. That would be awesome if they pair the new design with the powerful versions of silicon.
Ready to pull the trigger on one. Just knowing my luck they'll release a new one soon!! I had heard that it maybe they would release new ones, but only at higher end (higher cost), leaving the current one as the base model. The M1 is likely more than enough performance for my needs.
I reckon October 2022 for the next Mini release.
I'll be surprised to see one sooner...
I'll be surprised to see one sooner...
Yes, this can happen... I mean, it can happen, that the Mac mini won't be updated this year. At all.
Apple probably doesn't want the Mac mini to "eat" into the profits/earning of the MacBook Pros and bigger/more expensive iMacs. Because these machines will be the first to get the more powerfull, M1X/M1 Pro/M2 (or whatever it will be called), new Apple Silicon SOCs.
I can also imagine, that the Mac minis upgrade cycle will be eventually switched over to at least 2 years.
Yeah, I see this happening as well. Even if Apple has promised to phase out all Intel within 2 years, that can be done in many ways. They can refresh the top minis in a year. Or they can just drop the Intel ones and keep only the current M1 ones. Apple's been neglecting the desktops for a decade or so, so I wouldn't be surprised.
On the other hand, I also wouldn't be surprised if the small-and-pretty gang within the company had their way and they came out with a mac mini pro anyway. Which is a scenario I would very much appreciate. Except it'll either be glued and soldered tight and affordable, or expandable with super expensive high end stuff.
We will definitely get an M1X mini soon because I finally gave up and just bought an M1 mini.
One thing to note:
The current i5 6-core mini uses an 8th generation Intel chip 8500B which has been discontinued by Intel. Apple probably has a very small stockpile of these mini’s, but certainly as it stands, Apple would want to transition away from these chips as soon as possible.
Sure they could just sell the 8700B model instead, but why would they want to hold on to an aging chip that’s over 3 years old. Whenever the higher-end apple chips come, there’s no reason why Apple would delay the mini. It’s in apples best interest to get consumers onboard with their own chips as soon as possible.
The 16” MacBook Pro has not been updated in a long time. If Apple doesn’t uodate it this year, they would go over 2 years without an update to their flagship laptop. I don’t see this happening. I think the 16” will get updated this fall, and we will also see the higher end Mac mini at this time.
The current i5 6-core mini uses an 8th generation Intel chip 8500B which has been discontinued by Intel. Apple probably has a very small stockpile of these mini’s, but certainly as it stands, Apple would want to transition away from these chips as soon as possible.
Sure they could just sell the 8700B model instead, but why would they want to hold on to an aging chip that’s over 3 years old. Whenever the higher-end apple chips come, there’s no reason why Apple would delay the mini. It’s in apples best interest to get consumers onboard with their own chips as soon as possible.
The 16” MacBook Pro has not been updated in a long time. If Apple doesn’t uodate it this year, they would go over 2 years without an update to their flagship laptop. I don’t see this happening. I think the 16” will get updated this fall, and we will also see the higher end Mac mini at this time.
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The Mini with Tiger Lake would probably make for a good system for those that need x64.
Plus the 16” used the same CPU from the previous year’s 15”, I believe, so it’s really 3 years old cpu-wise. Pretty crazy for a flagship.
Sure but Apple won’t do this.
Apple wants devs to transition to Apple silicon ASAP. It’s been over a year since devs first had access, and Apple was very clear they were in a 2-year transition window. That was essentially saying “hey y’all better get onboard quick cause we aren’t slowing down”
Sure but that doesn’t change apples mindset on wanting to transition ASAP. If Apple wanted to put 11th gen chips in the mini they could’ve already done that. But it’s likely the M1X or whatever it’s called is close enough that it’s not worth it.
I'd disagree. It looks like Apple doesn't have enough control over the supply chain to announce the launch.
Apple will likely put 11th gen chips in the Mac Pro. They could do the same thing for the 27 inch iMac and the Mac Mini.
There are lots of customers that will not be able to move off of x64.
As far as we know, the major issue is displays. Not chip shortage as Apple has priority at TSMC. So having Intel chips they could use doesn’t solve the other issues they have in the supply chain.
It was already rumored Apple would put Intel in the next Mac Pro as they don’t have a chip to replace the 28 core just yet. The 27” iMac has been on a two year cycle before, so they could just wait until next summer and it would not be unusual.
This is a non-issue for Apple. Chip shortages or not. Apples not going to keep legacy hardware around longer than they absolutely need to. This is a transition period but soon x64 and x86 will be in the past. Apple has already done the math and has stats on who uses what and at this point they’ve decided they can lose legacy customers if they can’t live without x64 but I don’t think it will hurt their bottom line. That’s just my guess though.
They are still selling 27 inch iMacs and Intel Minis so display issues would not be a problem to go with 11th gen Intel chips.
As I wrote, I still don't think that Apple has control over the supply chain where they are comfortable enough to even announce the new systems. In 2020, they announced the new systems in June and launched them in November. They have not announced the M1X chip or systems yet.
The biotech industry is a big user of Intel Macs and there are a lot of tools that are simply not ready for M1 and it will probably take a couple of years to get them ported, running and certified. It's not really an industry any vendor wants to lose.
As we've seen, though, rumors are rubbish, and the rumor mill has had its nose rubbed into the ground.