New Intel Mac mini

[VanNess]

2 things,

One: Apple most have been selling an awful lot of minis previously if they believe the market can withstand a price increase. Granted, it's more fully featured than it's predecessor, but in the past Apple has lumped better performance/features, et al, into hardware upgrades and maintained the price point of the machine it was replacing as the final sweetener. The October 05 G5 iMac upgrade as one example. So Apple must be pretty confident about it's mini business 🙂

Two: The integrated graphics brouhaha is a non-starter for this class of machine. Intel's current IG isn't your grandfather's Intel integrated graphics. There is enough graphics horsepower in the new mini to handle Tiger's core graphics (which the preceding generation of minis with it's dedicated ATI graphics chipset could not) and H.264 1080p HD video (which not only could the previous mini not handle, but likely many of the machines connecting to this site can't handle). It may not handle the latest, resource intensive 3d games that well, but big f'n deal. The mini was never designed, conceived, or ever pretended to be a hard core gamer's box. Look elsewhere if you need that kind of functionality. For the average consumer's basic computing needs and multimedia horsepower to spare, the mini still stands out as an attractive choice.

 

[tjwett]

just grabbed this from Intel's info page on the graphics chip. most of it is the typical BS but the last two items sound interesting. does this mean the onboard graphics are somehow expandable?

 

[gkarris]

Hate to burst your bubble there chief.. but x200 and a sempron chip?

That isn't a GAME MACHINE.

🙄

Yep, works fine (in the lower resolutions, of course).

The new Mac Mini at $599 won't hardly at all...

Well, at lest I went ahead and and spent the money on an XBox 360 a couple of weeks ago...

Maybe when the Mac Mini specs get much better...

 

[stcanard]

:
1. Run an operating system?

Yup. Fortunately Apple is pretty good are releasing systems that can run their operating systems. Seems to be a habit with them.

2. Play HD trailers of upcoming movies?

You see, there's a funny thing with watching video ... there is a certain point beyond which it doesn't matter if its faster. Unless you like watching 24fps movies at 30fps. Each to their own

3. Upgrade to 10.5 or at least enjoy the eye candy of 10.5 if you choose to upgrade to it?

All depends on the requirements of 10.5, please expand on them.

4. Use Photoshop or even Photoshop Elements with a half decent digital camera?

Not on my Mac mini, certainly. That's what a desktop is for.

More and more NON game programs require a graphics card. Integrated graphics doesn't or won't meet those minimum standards.

<sorry, overly edited the quote, original poster was asking what I would plan on doing with this system>

1) View iPhoto slideshows
2) Listen to music
3) Watch some DVD's
4) Watch some streaming video
5) Maybe surf the web some
6) Maybe read email

I'll bet you this mac mini is perfectly capable of doing all that -- I have sitting beside me an Athlon with integrated (older) graphics that is perfectly capable of doing that and more.

Yes, it will not play video games. But after 10 years of Apple consistenly releasing computers that are not aimed at video gamers, maybe you can finally get the @#$(*& clue that Apple is not aiming at the video game market?

 

[thejadedmonkey]

Hate to burst your bubble there chief.. but x200 and a sempron chip?

That isn't a GAME MACHINE.

🙄

Actually...Semprons have the horsepower for most games these days, and if you have a descent video card, I can see it. It's better than my comp in the basment, and I use it for gaming.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

I just bought this machine a few months ago:

Compaq Presario Windows XP:

AMD Sempron 3400
512 Megs RAM
Integrated ATI x200 with an Extra PCI-Express Slot Expansion
Dual Layer DVD RW Drive
160G HD
Keyboard
Mouse

Price after rebate $309.

THIS IS A GAME MACHINE. Even more if I get a PCI-Express Video Card.

$599 for a Mac Mini that you can't even play games on???? Sucky graphics

This is only proving Wintel fans right...

Good lord, are you nuts? Go look at the bechmarks I posted earlier...the ATI x200 is barely better than a GMA950. Look at my sig to see a proper "gaming" graphics card (i.e. no shared memory). The Core Solo will outrun your Sempron plus the Mini has DVI out and digital audio. If you get a proper video card for gaming you'll bump your machine's cost up further, plus that Presario won't run OS X or iLife.

I'm not saying the Mini is without faults but the machine you're talking about is hardly what even the most hardcore Wintel fans would call a "gaming machine".

 

[neoelectronaut]

I just bought this machine a few months ago:

Compaq Presario Windows XP:

AMD Sempron 3400
512 Megs RAM
Integrated ATI x200 with an Extra PCI-Express Slot Expansion
Dual Layer DVD RW Drive
160G HD
Keyboard
Mouse

Price after rebate $309.

THIS IS A GAME MACHINE. Even more if I get a PCI-Express Video Card.

$599 for a Mac Mini that you can't even play games on???? Sucky graphics

This is only proving Wintel fans right...

So when exactly did a Sempron processor qualify as a gaming machine?

 

[balamw]

5400 or 7200?

http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APP...CqzIH/3.0.19.7.0.8.3.49.1.1.1.9.0.0.3.1.1.3.0

Hard Drive

The larger the capacity of your hard drive, the more space is available to store your files and applications. A typical application today takes 10 to 50 megabytes (MB); graphics files can occupy more than 100MB; and video files are often many gigabytes in size. With files growing larger and hard drives becoming bigger, faster, and more affordable, it makes good economic sense to buy a hard drive with enough capacity to last. Capacity is typically measured in gigabytes (GB).

A variety of hard drive capacities are available for Mac mini. All Mac mini models include standard Serial ATA hard drives featuring data transfers up to 1.5 Gigabits per second. All hard drives run at 7,200 revolutions per minute (rpm).

Your hard drive will come already formatted with the Mac OS Extended file format for efficient storage of your data.

*For hard drive capacity measurements, 1GB = 1 billion bytes; actual formatted capacity less.

As a non-3D-gamer, the integrated video is a disappointment, but not a fatal flaw. 5400 rpm drives, however are a real limit to the performance of the mini. If the above think is correct, and the specs page is wrong, the new mini uses 7200 rpm. The 17" iMac still looks like a much better value though...

One thing I'd like to suggest here that I haven't seen anyone say yet is, the $499 model will be back. We're just entering the Intel transition, and the Core Solo/Duo processors are still the most expensive item in the BOM of the mini.

The one thing you can take to the bank about Intel is that the price of their CPUs will go down rapidly over time. In a few months, the cost should have come out of the 1.5 GHz Core Solo and the current $599 model will probably drop to fill the $499 spot. Keep in mind that most people didn't expect the Core Solo to be available in quantity until June.

B

 

[srobert]

Whew. I was worried they were going to launch an Airport Express AV!

Sounds to me that they did. ^_^ Although they bundled a DVD drive, HD and some RAM with it.

 

[Evan_11]

Is this a complete joke or what? lol *throws on the uniform, starts dodging the women 😎 😛

The last part is to put emphasis on the types here who consistently whine.


Why do you guys think Dvorak loves pushing your buttons so much. It's because you can't take it.

 

[gkarris]

Good lord, are you nuts? Go look at the bechmarks I posted earlier...the ATI x200 is barely better than a GMA950. Look at my sig to see a proper "gaming" graphics card (i.e. no shared memory). The Core Solo will outrun your Sempron plus the Mini has DVI out and digital audio. If you get a proper video card for gaming you'll bump your machine's cost up further, plus that Presario won't run OS X or iLife.

I'm not saying the Mini is without faults but the machine you're talking about is hardly what even the most hardcore Wintel fans would call a "gaming machine".

Runs a lot of my games... at $300 more, the Mac Mini better have those things you talk about....

 

[Abulia]

Ever time I read "Core Solo" I hear Jabba The Hutt's voice in the background laughing. 🙂

 

[JtheLemur]

"In other words, THIS IS THE MEDIA CENTER MAC MINI!"

Really? Good thing it has HDMI or Component video output. Right? Oh, it doesn't, so stop.

I'd probably have purchased one of these in a split second if it offered HDMI output. As it has DVI, I need an HDMI adapter, then I'd need a separate audio connection - so scratch that unless you have a separate sound system. At least it could have had component output - there are some "media extender" devices that are small and accomplish this by using a DVI port to deliver the signals through a cable that terminates with component plugs.

How is it that Apple has this push for HD with its software and system specs, yet the Mini only really supports S-Video without a lot of extra work and hardware?

 

[Lord Blackadder]

The one thing you can take to the bank about Intel is that the price of their CPUs will go down rapidly over time. In a few months, the cost should have come out of the 1.5 GHz Core Solo and the current $599 model will probably drop to fill the $499 spot. Keep in mind that most people didn't expect the Core Solo to be available in quantity until June.

I agree, the current pricing model will probably change more rapidly than in the past.

 

[Yvan256]

True. But why downgrade form a Radeon 9200 to a GMA950 and raise the price? At least keep the same GPU! You're forgetting one one thing too. Integrated graphics THRASH the fsb and memory a hell of a lot more than dedicated cards. Not ideal when you're looking at high res media performance.

Worst case scenario, I was expecting a Radeon 9550/64MB in the Intel Mac mini. The Core Duo high-end model is a nice surprise, but that GMA950 is a deal breaker for me. 🙁

 

[Evan_11]

Yes, it will not play video games. But after 10 years of Apple consistenly releasing computers that are not aimed at video gamers, maybe you can finally get the @#$(*& clue that Apple is not aiming at the video game market?

Mac Geeks getting a clue? Hah. There's a reason they whine about every new release after staying up countless nights waiting. They have no life.

 

[BlizzardBomb]

Wow, 10 pages of complaints! Does anyone else see this Rev A lasting for a month? 😛

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Worst case scenario, I was expecting a Radeon 9550/64MB in the Intel Mac mini. The Core Duo high-end model is a nice surprise, but that GMA950 is a deal breaker for me. 🙁

Like I said before, the Mini is less a worry than the iBook replacement - it already has a 9550, which is probably 2-3x faster than a GMA950...oh God, if they go to a GMA950 in the new iBook replacement...😱 🙁 😡

 

[tjwett]

just ordered my Core Duo mini btw! why on earth would i but this piece of crap? well, for one i just sold my dual G5 last week (i know, i'm an idiot) and i need a desktop. i'm sure i'll miss power of the Power Mac (i already do 🙁 ) but with this whole Intel transition happening i'm not ready to plunk down the cash for a serious workstation at the moment. and luckily i won't need that kind of power for the next 6 months or so as i'll be taking a break from design work and doing more light-weight projects (AppleScripting, FileMaker, etc). i think this thing will hold me over quite nicely until the next generation of beasts comes to market. at that point i can move this mini to living room if i need to upgrade. not gaming on it so i'm not ultra concerned with the GPU. we'll see how it works out when it arrives. i'm officially a Rev A guinea pig. 🙂 🙁

 

[dvdiva]

Yup. Fortunately Apple is pretty good are releasing systems that can run their operating systems. Seems to be a habit with them.



You see, there's a funny thing with watching video ... there is a certain point beyond which it doesn't matter if its faster. Unless you like watching 24fps movies at 30fps. Each to their own



All depends on the requirements of 10.5, please expand on them.



Not on my Mac mini, certainly. That's what a desktop is for.


<sorry, overly edited the quote, original poster was asking what I would plan on doing with this system>

1) View iPhoto slideshows
2) Listen to music
3) Watch some DVD's
4) Watch some streaming video
5) Maybe surf the web some
6) Maybe read email

I'll bet you this mac mini is perfectly capable of doing all that -- I have sitting beside me an Athlon with integrated (older) graphics that is perfectly capable of doing that and more.

Yes, it will not play video games. But after 10 years of Apple consistenly releasing computers that are not aimed at video gamers, maybe you can finally get the @#$(*& clue that Apple is not aiming at the video game market?

I'm glad you have such low expectations for a computer with this price tag. Looks like a custom fit. For the rest of us that actually expect something for the 600-750 final price tag it's not a good fit. Judging from your minimal needs a g4 mini or a g3 imac would be suitable. Most don't have 600+ to spend on something that has poor performance. But if poor performance is what you want looks like they have an order.

 

[~Shard~]

Not sure if it's been said yet or not, but I would argue that this pretty much cements the future iBook's processor specs - 1.5 GHz core solo low-end, 1.66 GHz core duo high-end. 😎

 

[cr2sh]

Not sure if it's been said yet or not, but I would argue that this pretty much cements the future iBook's processor specs - 1.5 GHz core solo low-end, 1.66 GHz core duo high-end. 😎

Good point Shard!

I concur!

 

[Yvan256]

Well, I hope we'll soon see WoW benchmarks comparing the Radeon 9200/32MB vs the GMA950/64MB...

 

[dvdiva]

Like I said before, the Mini is less a worry than the iBook replacement - it already has a 9550, which is probably 2-3x faster than a GMA950...oh God, if they go to a GMA950 in the new iBook replacement...😱 🙁 😡

Unfortunately I think you are spot on. I think that is exactly what will go in the Ibook. Looks like Apple is trying to save a few bucks and shooting themselves in the foot instead.

 

[BlizzardBomb]

Not sure if it's been said yet or not, but I would argue that this pretty much cements the future iBook's processor specs - 1.5 GHz core solo low-end, 1.66 GHz core duo high-end. 😎

Well if the last Mac Mini was pretty much a headless iBook, say hello to the the new Macbook specs everyone.

Second page 😉