Really, the first time, this is the first time you've heard of Apple I take it, or am I missing the sarcasm.
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New 2014 Mac Mini Has Soldered RAM, Not User Replaceable
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The theory was actually that the amount of transistors double, that was used to increase clock speed during the 90's. But it's been pretty much limited at ~3.x Ghz since then simply because heat would destroy it. The entry level model is likely a mobile chip with a lower base frequency, same as the Air perhaps, it does speed up to 2.7Ghz when required though (that's intel's Turbo Boost). It's the same in the mid level, but there the range is from 2.6Ghz base to 3.1Ghz.
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https://www.ifixit.com/Device/Mac_Mini_Late_2012
I like it how they sell the installation kit that includes everything you need to install it, even the extra cable to connect the second drive to the motherboard. That's not something you can just hop onto newegg.com and buy.
If you've got the money, you can dual SSD.
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Because the Mac Mini has soldiered RAM and specs that most casual users don't care about?
Um....ok.
Most casual users could give a damn about dual core vs quad core. They could give a damn about user replaceable RAM. They just want something cheap that they can use to check their email and update their Facebook status.
That's who this is for. If you are a power user that requires quad core processing, then Apple has other parts of the product line they'd like you to look at.
I had a feeling the new mini was redesigned to be thinner and in order to do that had soldered ram and the new Broadwell cpu from Intel. However, due to the delay, Apple had to backtrack a bit and somewhat blended (or botched) the old and new with the only cpu's they could get.
Once the Broadwell cpu is ready for Apple, the nMini will go the way of the "It's so thin" mentality and then all of these components will make sense in an ultra-thin form factor.
So with soldered RAM, Broadwell cpu, a fanless design, it would lose it's appeal to the tinkerer's and upgrades but for the masses who doesn't care how fast the cpu is or how much ram, as long as they can get their stuff done, it will look stylish and will be functional.
If anyone is still reading, I've shown the updated mac mini RAM is upgradeable. At least based on logical evidence.
Page 14 of this thread, just in case anyone TL;DR:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1803460/
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I actually was hoping for that during this upgrade. Two years of since it's last update, I was hoping for a redesign of the case itself. I was hoping they spent the last 2 years redesigning and reengineering everything to be smaller and more efficient, like the MBA/MBPr, with it's physical dimensions somewhere between the Apple TV and the current mac mini.
Same pony, same trick, just slightly faster (maybe? maybe not? slightly faster graphics but slower CPU?). Apple seems to be running on Steve Job's momentum, is it slowing down?
Page 14 of this thread, just in case anyone TL;DR:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1803460/
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I actually was hoping for that during this upgrade. Two years of since it's last update, I was hoping for a redesign of the case itself. I was hoping they spent the last 2 years redesigning and reengineering everything to be smaller and more efficient, like the MBA/MBPr, with it's physical dimensions somewhere between the Apple TV and the current mac mini.
Same pony, same trick, just slightly faster (maybe? maybe not? slightly faster graphics but slower CPU?). Apple seems to be running on Steve Job's momentum, is it slowing down?
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It's "upgradeable" before buying it, yes. It's not upgradeable after buying it. LPDDR3 = soldered = not user-replaceable/upgradeable.
PS: +200$ for additional 8GB of RAM? Good grief.
I guess my 2012 quad Mini with extra SSD and RAM Upgrade keeps it's value a little longer.
This is nothing new with the Mini though, I remember when they got rid of the Optical drive and discontinued the GPU one.
This is nothing new with the Mini though, I remember when they got rid of the Optical drive and discontinued the GPU one.
Depends on how much one cares about video. The Intel Iris 5100 GPU in the 2014 Mac mini is much better (nearly double the performance for some benchmarks) than the Intel HD 4000 GPU in the 2012 mini.
Directly soldered DRAM is the future. We're going to need to get used to it. Using a 2012 era computer for the rest of our lives is not an option for most of us.
but...,but...,
if we all ditch Mac minis and iMacs and started using Mac Pros then that would not send the correct message to Apple
http://www.legitreviews.com/corsair-vengeance-8gb-ddr3-low-voltage-1600mhz-review_1777
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820233366
Not the same size stick, probably not the same terminology. These are Low Power and Low Profile. Hmm.
I guess I'll have to wait. When I get it in my hands.
You may be right, based on a quick search on that term in newegg: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...=BESTMATCH&Description=lpddr3&N=-1&isNodeId=1
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However:
"Apple has confirmed that your Mac will need 2GB of RAM to run Yosemite. You will also need 8GB of available storage."
Just to "RUN" the operating system alone, you need 2GB or Ram and 8GB of storage. Just to RUN THE OS.
I'm not saying Windows is any better:
Windows 8.1
If you want to run Windows 8.1 on your PC, here's what it takes:
RAM: 1 gigabyte (GB) (32-bit) or 2 GB (64-bit)
However if you wish to direct your complaint about lazy programming, Apple are just as lazy as everyone else.
That's basically how computers are now, especially mobile products. That's how it gets smaller, faster, and more efficient. I think intel is planning to replace RAM all together and just have it directly inside the CPU, the way integrated graphics are. That'll probably take several generations to get to the point where you won't even need to worry about buying RAM sticks when you're building a new computer. Not enough RAM and have to page data? No problem, SSD will be more than fast enough to do that, you won't notice anything. Today, SSD is topping around 700MB/s read and write, but it will get faster. 10GB/s will be the "base model" one day and we all will complain that's not fast enough.
A phone is exactly that, it's all on a single motherboard, with a few accessories connected to it like cameras, switches, and a battery, all inside a case.
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The mini was neglected for "way too long" indeed. But the more we find out details about this recent "update", the better the previous gen quad-core minis look! Epic!
Most of your "casual" users look to upgrade the the computer "ram" or "storage" before spending hundreds of dollars to upgrade their computer
Casual users don't see the need to buy a computer every 4 years, they want it to last.
which is why i don't see casual users buying these base models.
the base model is great for a computer I'm gonna slap on the back to my smart TV, but besides that.
No.
how long is that base model going to last? with upgrading the OS, apps, storing work files, pictures, videos, music. running multiple programs? without lagging as the OS gets upgradeS?
they might get fooled once, but after they need to upgrade after a two-3 years of use. they're not going to get fooled again.
labtops fine, but desktops? ridiculous.
But the problem is that the difference between a Mac mini and a nMP is vast!
Perhaps if they offered a reasonable 4-6 core desktop-class i7 CPU and single graphics card in the nMP chassis, people would go for it. (For about £1500) But you have to need/want something substantially better than a mini to be able to justify the >£1500 price hike over what was their previous top-of the line quad-core Macmini (2012).
Heck, once you add equivalent storage space to the nMP you are hitting >£3000
For most people the nMP is ridiculously overspecced. It's great at what it does for those few people that need the multicore options or dual graphics, but for those hobbyists needing a multicore with decent graphics, and a bit of expandability (i.e. RAM and HD) it is massively overkill.
The 2012 Mini almost achieved these requirements (aside from slightly weak graphics).
All the 2014 model needed was to drop in the i7 quad core/Iris Pro combo from the 15 inch rMBPro as an option, and I think there would be very few complaints. That could have easily charge £1200 for such a model with 16GB RAM and 256 GB PCI-E. Essentially the low end 15 inch rMBPro without screen.
There would be few complaints I think. Given that the 15 rMBPro is £1600 and includes a keyboard and screen, this is about right price-wise.
Perhaps some would want the NVidia 750M card too (I would prefer it) and think that it ought to fit in the MM case since it does in the top-end rMBPro), but I can see that Apple weren't bothered.
I can see that they care even less now.
Perhaps if they offered a reasonable 4-6 core desktop-class i7 CPU and single graphics card in the nMP chassis, people would go for it. (For about £1500) But you have to need/want something substantially better than a mini to be able to justify the >£1500 price hike over what was their previous top-of the line quad-core Macmini (2012).
Heck, once you add equivalent storage space to the nMP you are hitting >£3000
For most people the nMP is ridiculously overspecced. It's great at what it does for those few people that need the multicore options or dual graphics, but for those hobbyists needing a multicore with decent graphics, and a bit of expandability (i.e. RAM and HD) it is massively overkill.
The 2012 Mini almost achieved these requirements (aside from slightly weak graphics).
All the 2014 model needed was to drop in the i7 quad core/Iris Pro combo from the 15 inch rMBPro as an option, and I think there would be very few complaints. That could have easily charge £1200 for such a model with 16GB RAM and 256 GB PCI-E. Essentially the low end 15 inch rMBPro without screen.
There would be few complaints I think. Given that the 15 rMBPro is £1600 and includes a keyboard and screen, this is about right price-wise.
Perhaps some would want the NVidia 750M card too (I would prefer it) and think that it ought to fit in the MM case since it does in the top-end rMBPro), but I can see that Apple weren't bothered.
I can see that they care even less now.
There it is...lol.
Post #48, took longer than I expected.
The optimized by Apple argument.
This.
We must admit that computer technology is already way beyond the level where the majority of the users had to check the "power" of a computer before buying it. Even I, who uses his computer for quite a bit heavier tasks (like music production, basic video editing, desktop simulation, etc.), find that a CPU as old as 3-4 years and 4 gigs of RAM is just plenty enough for everything. Heck, for the basic stuff (browsing, text processing, listening to music, watching movies) even a C2D with a good SSD should do the trick.
Of course this doesn't mean that Apple should just sit on its ass not pushing technology forward. But I don't see this as a huge problem nowadays for the average user. And who is the Mac mini for? Average users.
Hence like I said, only two Macs left with user-accesible RAM. The 27" iMac and new MacPro. All 21.5" iMac has no user-accesible RAM. Well maybe you can, only if you tear it down.
Please... what on earth are you thinking? This is so much 20th century... I've been there, too. I built my first PC from parts seperetaly ordered and I was proud like hell. But this is the past. "Casual" users don't even need 500 gigs of storage, and if they notice some slowdown, they sure as hell don't come to think of upgrading the internals...
It would not be terribly difficult for Apple to add a quad-core version if there will be sufficient demand. If enough people walk into Apple stores and ask to buy a quad-core Mac mini and then walk out empty-handed when told they aren't available, Apple will produce them.
i wanted a mac mini since early this year, held back because lack of an update and expected this to happen. no idea why people that have been waiting so long are surprised by this. glad i went with a hackintosh and looking forward to adding to it been stable for 8 months now with yosemite working great