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Mac Mini 2014: Which Model to Buy
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The 4gb ram is 'fixed' by adding a thunderbolt ssd as your booter.
the 499 model is the only one worth buying just add a thunderbolt ssd as your booter clone it to the internal for a backup. Once a month clean the external booter with an after market ssd trim program . done.
When the next mini comes out move the external booter like you move the tv . done.
This.
As a heavy A/V user, I say skip this round. Wait for the next-gen processors (Skylake?) And if Apple presents another "fun-size-choiceless-plus" grannymac, then FTS and just get a Mac Pro and a big TB2 hub, or switch sides: If you're a Pro Tools user, there are other options:
http://www.adkproaudio.com/choose2.asp
http://www8.hp.com/us/en/campaigns/workstations/avid.html
http://www.musicxpc.com/all_products.php
If you're doing 3D stuff:
http://www.boxxtech.com/
Will Apple still be making computers in 10 years?
As a heavy A/V user, I say skip this round. Wait for the next-gen processors (Skylake?) And if Apple presents another "fun-size-choiceless-plus" grannymac, then FTS and just get a Mac Pro and a big TB2 hub, or switch sides: If you're a Pro Tools user, there are other options:
http://www.adkproaudio.com/choose2.asp
http://www8.hp.com/us/en/campaigns/workstations/avid.html
http://www.musicxpc.com/all_products.php
If you're doing 3D stuff:
http://www.boxxtech.com/
Will Apple still be making computers in 10 years?
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heres a short and simple answer: none.
i really, really wanted to pick one and was waiting along everybody for this update but then apple disappointed me big time. looking at it as a basic "mac for beginners" or "my first mac" kinda thing is a mistake and total BS if you ask me.
they can make better one and charge accordingly but don't make a limp version and try to get people excited. keep the iMac for people who want that form factor and let others get what *they* want. i like working with several monitors, and having a non-apple screen next to an iMac annoys me greatly. if they'd released a monitor that is basically an iMac without the interior for a sane price ($1000 is a lot of clams especially when you get an iMac also. I'm not asking for a 5K retina with all the shenanigans for $100, but something like Dells 24" and 27" U something-or-other series would be great) then i wouldn't be as disappointed.
i really, really wanted to pick one and was waiting along everybody for this update but then apple disappointed me big time. looking at it as a basic "mac for beginners" or "my first mac" kinda thing is a mistake and total BS if you ask me.
they can make better one and charge accordingly but don't make a limp version and try to get people excited. keep the iMac for people who want that form factor and let others get what *they* want. i like working with several monitors, and having a non-apple screen next to an iMac annoys me greatly. if they'd released a monitor that is basically an iMac without the interior for a sane price ($1000 is a lot of clams especially when you get an iMac also. I'm not asking for a 5K retina with all the shenanigans for $100, but something like Dells 24" and 27" U something-or-other series would be great) then i wouldn't be as disappointed.
The real reason for the bean counting
A stock holder perspective completely and clearly explains this new bean counter attitude like the ram situation and performance downgrade. Since the giant stock price slide a couple of years ago, Tim Cook was constantly berated in print and on televsion business shows. His leadership was doubted, and he was portrayed as a weak ineffective replacement for Jobs.
Further, a certain billionaire stockholder was constantly breathing down his neck and making unsolicited suggestions and more. Unlike Jobs who didn't care about Wallstreet or care about what others said about him, it cut Tim to the quick.
Cook suddenly instituted a stock buy back plan and greatly increased dividends etc. which boosted stock price to an all time high. He was suddenly the analyst's favorite CEO. They starting advising that the stock should trade at at least 25 percent more than $100 based on PE when compared to other gold plated tech stocks.
However, the only way to have forward quarterly earnings constantly increasing is now to have maximize profits even if it means burning up goodwill and improved customer experience in the Apple eco system. He has swung the pendelum too far to the other extreme, and while it will raise stock prices for the next 2 or 3 years, the company will follow the same path as Dell who ticked off their own client base. He has to find that balance and keep the loyal Apple fans happy about paying premium prices for the product in the pipeline.
A stock holder perspective completely and clearly explains this new bean counter attitude like the ram situation and performance downgrade. Since the giant stock price slide a couple of years ago, Tim Cook was constantly berated in print and on televsion business shows. His leadership was doubted, and he was portrayed as a weak ineffective replacement for Jobs.
Further, a certain billionaire stockholder was constantly breathing down his neck and making unsolicited suggestions and more. Unlike Jobs who didn't care about Wallstreet or care about what others said about him, it cut Tim to the quick.
Cook suddenly instituted a stock buy back plan and greatly increased dividends etc. which boosted stock price to an all time high. He was suddenly the analyst's favorite CEO. They starting advising that the stock should trade at at least 25 percent more than $100 based on PE when compared to other gold plated tech stocks.
However, the only way to have forward quarterly earnings constantly increasing is now to have maximize profits even if it means burning up goodwill and improved customer experience in the Apple eco system. He has swung the pendelum too far to the other extreme, and while it will raise stock prices for the next 2 or 3 years, the company will follow the same path as Dell who ticked off their own client base. He has to find that balance and keep the loyal Apple fans happy about paying premium prices for the product in the pipeline.
I have been reading the info over at iFixit, but can't figure out yet if you can add an SSD to the stock HDD model. Anyone figured this out yet?
Bait & Switch
That's $499 for the 1.4GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 with soldered-in 4GB RAM.
$799 is for the 1.4GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 with soldered-in 16GB RAM. That's about what I paid for my Late-2012/i7.
$1399 is what you'll pay for a 3.0 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5, 16GB RAM and a 256GB PCIe-based Flash Storage. That's a lot of dough for a "No User Serviceable Parts" Dual-Core/Downgrade computer.
Less Bang, More Buck.
http://store.apple.com/us/buy-mac/mac-mini
That's $499 for the 1.4GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 with soldered-in 4GB RAM.
$799 is for the 1.4GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 with soldered-in 16GB RAM. That's about what I paid for my Late-2012/i7.
$1399 is what you'll pay for a 3.0 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5, 16GB RAM and a 256GB PCIe-based Flash Storage. That's a lot of dough for a "No User Serviceable Parts" Dual-Core/Downgrade computer.
Less Bang, More Buck.
http://store.apple.com/us/buy-mac/mac-mini
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You Upgrading it Wrong
Sure! You can feel free to select that option when you BTO:
http://store.apple.com/us/buyFlowCTOLearnMore/MGEQ2LL/A?group=hard_drivesolid_state_drive_z0r8
https://www.macrumors.com/2014/10/20/mac-mini-2014-teardown/
Sure! You can feel free to select that option when you BTO:
http://store.apple.com/us/buyFlowCTOLearnMore/MGEQ2LL/A?group=hard_drivesolid_state_drive_z0r8
https://www.macrumors.com/2014/10/20/mac-mini-2014-teardown/
I can totally understand why a small minority of people are disappointed with the new Mac Minis. But for the vast majority of people this machine is targeted at, a 2014 Mac Mini will be the most powerful and functional computer ever purchased.
The new Mini is pathetic and shows Apple taking the p**s on its customers.
Just like the "cheap" iMac, you can now pay more to get less. Brilliant financial engineering, but a complete reversal of the customer focus Apple has had in the past.
If people haven't already, they should submit feedback to Apple at apple.com/feedback. Oh, and everyone should ignore dumastudetto. It might be one of the first shill-bots.
Just like the "cheap" iMac, you can now pay more to get less. Brilliant financial engineering, but a complete reversal of the customer focus Apple has had in the past.
If people haven't already, they should submit feedback to Apple at apple.com/feedback. Oh, and everyone should ignore dumastudetto. It might be one of the first shill-bots.
I've been trying to figure this out as well. At $500 the base model is looking like a cheap solution. Too bad they didn't just offer an SSD without having to spend $800. I can't justify that for what I what I want it for, but cringe at the thought of a spinning disk.
So, I am SOL now in putting an SSD in there along with the (included) 1TB fusion drive then?
No. Here's my story:
My seven-year-old Dell desktop finally crapped out over a weekend, and I had been waiting to replace it (the last Windows box in the house) with a Mac. Since it isn't a vital computer for the family (everybody's got a MacBook or iPad of some sort), I figured a cheaper investment was better. We'll reuse our monitor and other stuff, and get the Mini, right? At less than $500, it seemed to fit the bill.
So I've had the 1.4gHz/4GB model for a couple of weeks now, and tomorrow it's going back, being exchanged for the 2.6gHz/8GB model. Here's why:
* the 1.4 Mac Mini is slower than my 5-year-old MBP
* the Mini beach balls for nearly every command
* the Mini has delays and lags when switching between users
* the Mini has delays when logging in
Quite frankly, this Mini is slower than the 2007 C2D it replaced. All it is tasked with is Safari browsing, iTunes, and MS Office, and it has dragged its feet at almost all of it.
I have a fair bit of "I told you so" coming, and I admit it. But IMHO, for Apple to sell this low-end machine in 2014 is a disgrace. I thought it would be a fine basic, bare-bones machine, and I was wrong. Buyer beware.
Most likely due to the 500GB 5400rpm HDD. If came with an 128SSD, it would essentially be a base MacBook Air, which, I guarantee would not be slow.
Really, even if it had a 12 core Xeon it would still feel slow. Any speed difference you will feel by going for the higher end model will purely because of the 1TB HDD which has a denser platter.
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For some of us, this is absolutely a no_go_and_buy Mac Mini. It is an anemic castrated computer that Apple thinks that people will love. I think several will love this machine in its various builds because they simply don't know any better. Just a little research shows that the 2012 Mac quads were superior machines and that many newer apps really do take advantage of multi-core cpus making them a better buy than the latest moron-mini offering.
The only thing one gets with the new Mac Mini is TB2 and a later model on board GPU. Sorry but this isn't worthy of the price or the fact you get 2 out of 3 parts soldered in that improve speed/performance. In short, as some have said, Apple doesn't care about the Mini fan base nor for that matter providing forward thinking offerings in this particular computer. GREED in this case is truly an ugly thing called a 2014 Mac Mini. Gee thanks Apple.
The only thing one gets with the new Mac Mini is TB2 and a later model on board GPU. Sorry but this isn't worthy of the price or the fact you get 2 out of 3 parts soldered in that improve speed/performance. In short, as some have said, Apple doesn't care about the Mini fan base nor for that matter providing forward thinking offerings in this particular computer. GREED in this case is truly an ugly thing called a 2014 Mac Mini. Gee thanks Apple.
For the most part, I agree. There is a base model MBA in the house and it is much more responsive.
Whichever model you want it is more important to upgrade to a Fusion Drive. The 5400 laptop hard drive is a real bottleneck.
Any of the Mini's will perform fine really for most needs. I think the mid model though with 8gb of RAM is a sweat spot since that is something that is not upgradeable anymore. Plus you get better graphics.
The base model is basically a Macbook Air and the mid is a rMBP. Just upgrade to a Fusion Drive/SSD. It will make a world of difference.
Any of the Mini's will perform fine really for most needs. I think the mid model though with 8gb of RAM is a sweat spot since that is something that is not upgradeable anymore. Plus you get better graphics.
The base model is basically a Macbook Air and the mid is a rMBP. Just upgrade to a Fusion Drive/SSD. It will make a world of difference.
Most people aren't concerned about the particulars of their computers. Just interested in the machine doing what they need it to do. And most needs are simple.
Then there are the rest of us who are interested in improving the situation. A bit more demanding.
Apple is becoming unfriendly, but only following the trend of becoming a dominant business force. So much for imagination and creativity. So much more of interest in the buck.
My perception is that there will be someone out there who has some vision. It is prime time for this, for an effort that is visionary. It is unfortunate that the impediments involve governments, corporate conglomerates, and indeed, ourselves and what we accept as acceptable.
Poor us.
Still, there is someone out there, I trust, who will come to the fore with a simple operating system that is more efficient than what we have now. And who will, by simple appeal, overcome the obstacles of corporations and government, greed and rebuke.
I have used computers since the mid 80s, back when it was DOS and the Mac had 2 megs of storage. The latest iteration of the Mac Mini is disturbing for two reasons:
It is a corporate ploy by a company that has been a mainstay in its consideration of you and I, and
There is no vision, no creativity here, such that it improves the tool that helps us, assists us to simply do things better, live our lives with greater ease. None of this.
This is the stuff of accountants, not visionaries. But then, as our society goes, so our technology follows. And stiltifys. Good fortune to you. I would recommend to object, as much as you can.
Then there are the rest of us who are interested in improving the situation. A bit more demanding.
Apple is becoming unfriendly, but only following the trend of becoming a dominant business force. So much for imagination and creativity. So much more of interest in the buck.
My perception is that there will be someone out there who has some vision. It is prime time for this, for an effort that is visionary. It is unfortunate that the impediments involve governments, corporate conglomerates, and indeed, ourselves and what we accept as acceptable.
Poor us.
Still, there is someone out there, I trust, who will come to the fore with a simple operating system that is more efficient than what we have now. And who will, by simple appeal, overcome the obstacles of corporations and government, greed and rebuke.
I have used computers since the mid 80s, back when it was DOS and the Mac had 2 megs of storage. The latest iteration of the Mac Mini is disturbing for two reasons:
It is a corporate ploy by a company that has been a mainstay in its consideration of you and I, and
There is no vision, no creativity here, such that it improves the tool that helps us, assists us to simply do things better, live our lives with greater ease. None of this.
This is the stuff of accountants, not visionaries. But then, as our society goes, so our technology follows. And stiltifys. Good fortune to you. I would recommend to object, as much as you can.