New Mac Mini Announced! [MERGED]

[Atkins]

I believe the success with iPhone and iPad has gone to their heads.
What are they smoking when the prices are determined ?

from a meeting at Apple:
- "dude, how much should we charge for the new mini?"
- "tihi, lalala, doobee....." apple guy falls over in the hazy board room.
- "U OK ?"
- "eeehh... yeah, all the way to the bank, WOOOHOOOO!!!"

There are some other things getting into how the price is determined. In fact, many other things. Don't just make it "easy" with your ridiculous example.

 

[endi78]

Remember that the prices shown in the US store exclude taxes (because of the different tax rates in different States), while the prices in european stores include taxes!

Then explain me why, for instance, the Mac Book is 999$ in the US and 999€ in Italy..

 

[dmm219]

as far as I can tell, this new mini does nothing that my 3 month old mini can't do...mostly same specs...for much cheaper.

SO GLAD I GOT MY MINI A FEW MONTHS AGO before they jacked the prices with this...

 

[Razeus]

This product is FAIL.

 

[Lone Deranger]

Apple made a lot of brilliant design decisions on this:

•Stunning design
•Internal power supply
•FW800
•8GB ram
•Good CPU/GPU combination

Well done Apple!


Then I saw the price.

 

[BobHail]

Why not buy the iMac and get the display basically for free!


"I want a Mac, but I don´t need/want a display with it".

Apple: "OK, but it´s gonna cost you extra big time!"

 

[satcomer]

Plex is your friend.

www.plexapp.com

You just sold me the new Mac mini!

 

[Anuba]

Remember that the prices shown in the US store exclude taxes (because of the different tax rates in different States), while the prices in european stores include taxes!

Yes, yes... we all know about the VAT, that's not the point.

The point is that the discrepancy between the US and EU prices on the new Mac Mini is 15-20% larger than on their other Macs. In the 15 or so years I've kept an eye on Mac pricing, this is an unprecedented move that goes way beyond currency fluctuations. So what is this?

A) They're penalizing the entire EU with some kind of temporary "Greece insurance".

B) They have decided on a new strategy called "F*** Europe in the A** forever after".

If A, I'll stick with Mac but temporarily withhold any purchases.
If B, right back at ya.

 

[Atkins]

Well, they kind of were with the mini ..

I am not sure they were aiming at the cheaper PC market with the Mac mini.

Right .. still it explains why people feel the price is to high .. subjectively (is that even a word?).

No ide, not a native speaker
But, yes, usefulness is subjective.

I think most people are fine paying a premium for the design and the OS. What people get upset about is the inclusion of a useless feature that has a large impact on the pricetag. Again "useless" being a subjective feeling.

Well, arguable, but I see your point.

I don't say it was a bad choice for Apple to go that way .. their business model seems to work great for them. I say it was a bad choice to go that way for a lot of customers.
T.

Well, this is what I don't understand - who are those "lot of customers"? Because this forum here is hardly representative of anything that can be used it "a lot of" in front. (IMHO)

 

[balamw]

That's often a bad thing with Apple products though. A prime example is the Time Capsule which craps out in about 18 months and it's always because of the extra heat generated by the internal power supply.

Yeah, that's what is giving me pause. I have a dead first generation TC and a mostly dead TV. Both from the extra heat from the internal PS IMHO. The plus here may be that at idle they have the power draw down to 10W.

B

 

[Goltar]

Way TOO expensive

799€ and I would still be missing keyboard & display! No way! Why bothering in getting a Mac mini when you can have the first iMac for 1099€ with wireless keyboard & magic mouse in standard?!

 

[Atkins]

Then explain me why, for instance, the Mac Book is 999$ in the US and 999€ in Italy..

The Macbook's price was fixed some time ago.

Yes, yes... we all know about the VAT, that's not the point.
The point is that the discrepancy between the US and EU prices on the new Mac Mini is 15-20% larger than on their other Macs. In the 15 or so years I've kept an eye on Mac pricing, this is an unprecedented move that goes way beyond currency fluctuations. So what is this?
A) They're penalizing the entire EU with some kind of temporary "Greece insurance".
B) They have decided on a new strategy called "F*** Europe in the A** forever after".
If A, I'll stick with Mac but temporarily withhold any purchases.
If B, right back at ya.

C) The current economy state. That would be my guess.

 

[DaSal]

It's more expensive in euros than in dollars? Why? That's just stupid.


Last I checked 699 U.S. dollars = 572.43469 Euros. Not 699 dollars = 799 euros.

That's just so unfair and just wrong. Thanks for nothing Apple. Was gonna buy a new Mini, but not like this.

 

[flopticalcube]

The specs are good.
The accessible undercarriage is excellent.
The price is too high.
It didn't need to be thinner.

 

[pmz]

Apple have lost my attention until they include blu ray drives in their machines.

Hmm, apparently not. It isn't going to happen, because its frigging pointless.

That's right. It's entirely without point.

 

[mabaker]

If they indeed want to chase the customers away from the MAc and guide them towards the iPad, I really think this could be the beginning of the end.

The pricing of the new mini is more then RIDICULOUS both in the US and more so in the EU.

 

[brucebrendon]

New MacMini – now Free Flights to the US Included!

Guess i might be adding one of these to my shopping basket trip to the US for my mum when i get my iPad.

(shame US aren't offering unlocked iPhone 4's)

 

[iSpoody 1243]

omg!
this looks awesome.
great update
especially with the user removable ram

 

[pmz]

I was googoo over this new shiny box for all of 3 seconds, before i realized the price is about $200 too high.

Oh well, better luck next time.

 

[Anuba]

C) The current economy state. That would be my guess.

That's the same as answer A. And yes, the Euro has some issues but many other European currencies do not. For example the SEK is worth considerably more against the USD today than it was when the price for the old Mac Mini was fixed (March 2009). So it would appear that SE/NO/DK are being penalized for the state of the Euro despite having nothing to do with it. In other words, it's alternative A, "Greece insurance".

 

[cleric]

It's also $100 more. Why is their cheapest Mac getting a price hike?

Note the loss of a USB port from the last model. Otherwise this looks like a winner.

Yea quite unnecessary.

 

[deviant]

even without the VAT (20% for me,in italy) mac mini's price is 639euro(799 with VAT),which is 785 bucks.Apple hate Europe ? :/ i can't understand
ii'll stick with my old mac mini which i bought for 490 euro with student discount.it's just a plex box,and now,with plex +hardware accelerated graphics it's perfect for all the hd content u can find.

 

[mikezang]

I just bought the old Mac mini(check my signature) just last 22 in JPY64780, I feel sad, because the new has the same price as old in Japan.

 

[Anghammarad]

I think it is safe to assume that the next time the iMacs are updated they will get a price hike of at least $200 across the line.

 

[kalsta]

Depends entirely if you're happy to use the glossy screens Apple love so much. I doubt Apple will introduce an Anti Glare iMac.

Exactly. That is the main reason I stopped buying iMacs. So the mini has really been the only reasonably priced option for a desktop.