Sleek Concept Imagines New Mac Mini in Space Gray With Apple Display and Magic Keyboard With Touch Bar

[MacRumors]

Apple on Tuesday will take the stage at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, where it is widely expected to unveil the next-generation iPad Pro with Face ID and updates to a wide range of Macs, including the MacBook, iMac, and Mac mini.

Ahead of the keynote, which starts at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time, Hungarian industrial design student Viktor Kadar has created concepts that imagine a new Mac mini paired with a new Apple Display and a Magic Keyboard with a Touch Bar.

Before anyone gets too excited: it's unclear what the new Mac mini will look like, a new Apple Display isn't coming until 2019, and there haven't been any recent rumors to suggest Apple plans to add a Touch Bar to the Magic Keyboard. But who doesn't love some sleek mockups to hype up tomorrow's Apple Event?

The new Mac mini as Kadar imagines it would feature a Space Gray finish with the addition of four Thunderbolt 3 ports, while the new Apple Display would be similar to Apple's discontinued Thunderbolt Display, but with slimmer bezels.

Kadar shared the concepts with Hungarian blog iMagazin and later with MacRumors.

Two reliable Apple scoopsters in Ming-Chi Kuo and Mark Gurman both expect the new Mac mini to feature upgraded processor options, while Gurman added that the portable desktop computer will gain new professional-focused features. Neither source has revealed details about its design or other tech specs.

Way back in April 2017, the blog Pike's Universum said that a new high-end Mac mini would be released with a design that "won't be so mini anymore," suggesting the most expensive configuration might have a larger or taller design to accommodate for upgraded tech specs. The blog has a hit-and-miss track record.

We do know Apple is working on a new professional display to complement a new Mac Pro. Apple made the rare move of confirming both products will be released in 2019, as part of its reassured commitment to professional users. Apple could surprise us with a sneak peek of those products tomorrow, but we haven't heard anything.

In any case, we'll find out tomorrow. MacRumors will be live on location at Apple's event inside the Brooklyn Academy of Music, with coverage on MacRumors.com and through @MacRumorsLive on Twitter.

Looks real nice. I'd take that. Related: here's a look back on the history of Mac mini: https://t.co/VCQig8dodu - Brian Stucki (@brianstucki) October 29, 2018

Article Link: Sleek Concept Imagines New Mac Mini in Space Gray With Apple Display and Magic Keyboard With Touch Bar

 

[KrisLord]

Concepts are a bit pointless when there’s no actual leak of anything tangible on which to base them on.

At least concept iPhones have loads of case schematics to work with.

 

[CWallace]

Four USB-A and two USB-C/TB3 is the more likely configuration (based on the current model and the iMac).

 

[MakeAppleAwesomeAgain]

These are great if you want to maximise your disappointment for tomorrow's event!

 

[AngerDanger]

As unlikely as it is, I'd prefer a keyboard with the same travel as Apple's current offering.

I wonder if the butterfly mechanism was developed—not only for thinness but also—to make the transition from physical keys to touchbar less jarring.

 

[hlfway2anywhere]

I thought Apple was getting out of the display business. I guess I missed that. Cool concepts.

 

[fokmik]

Someone actually bothered to conceptualize an Apple display despite Apple making it explicitly clear they want to be out of that business.

Apple in 2017 they said that are working on the next mac pro and apple display.

 

[Smeaton1724]

One of the weakest Concepts I've seen for a while, literally changed the color of the mini and thrown loads of ports on the back, the Ethernet and HDMI don't look to the correct scale?

I actually hope the new Mac Mini is a tiny Cube form-factor.

 

[csurfr]

Someone actually bothered to conceptualize an Apple display despite Apple making it explicitly clear they want to be out of that business.

Apple has said that they are going to be marketing new displays with the new modular Mac Pro. Schiller himself said that on stage, I do believe.

 

[rdowty]

Someone actually bothered to conceptualize an Apple display despite Apple making it explicitly clear they want to be out of that business.

Apple announced they were going to introduce a new Apple made display with the upcoming Mac Pro.

 

[kasakka]

This concept is idiotic. The touchbar + MBP style keyboard would be a horrible device considering how awful those feel on the laptop.

 

[Tucom]

Someone actually bothered to conceptualize an Apple display despite Apple making it explicitly clear they want to be out of that business.

Did you not read anything in the article?

Apple explicitly states they’re designing and getting back into the display business. Multiple times.

 

[AngerDanger]

These are great if you want to maximise your disappointment for tomorrow's event!

Do you know something the rest of us don't?

 

[Icaras]

That’s not a redesign....

 

[George Dawes]

how about using the apple tv as the template for the new mini

is that technically feasible ?

 

[topgunn]

Here is what I would like to see announced.

 

[wwooden]

I wonder what the hold up is for getting the touchbar to other Apple computers? I feel like for it to gain ground and be developed for across professional and other programs, it need to be on more than just the MBP.

I'm guessing is has to do with security since it includes the TouchID. It may not be secure over wireless or USB? Maybe they can figure it out over Thunderbolt 3. Or they may have to create a proprietary connector. I'm just guessing at this point. Maybe they'll finally release the TouchBar keyboard with the new Mac Pro next year.

 

[polaris20]

Totally would buy this.

 

[Chancha]

Here is what I would like to see announced.
View attachment 799226

That will be interesting if it were true. I frequently see 2nd hand tcMPs at sub-2000 price and ponder about the idea of buying one and use as a Mini on steroids. Also the Mac Pro going back to the vintage Cheese Grater of course is welcomed by some.

 

[Moonjumper]

I wonder what the hold up is for getting the touchbar to other Apple computers? I feel like for it to gain ground and be developed for across professional and other programs, it need to be on more than just the MBP.

I'm guessing is has to do with security since it includes the TouchID. It may not be secure over wireless or USB? Maybe they can figure it out over Thunderbolt 3. Or they may have to create a proprietary connector. I'm just guessing at this point. Maybe they'll finally release the TouchBar keyboard with the new Mac Pro next year.

I assume cost. The MBP rose significantly in price when it was added, without anything else to justify the increase.

 

[aaronhead14]

This is pretty cool and all... but I need a user-upgradeable Mac Pro with PCIe.

 

[Moonjumper]

That will be interesting if it were true. I frequently see 2nd hand tcMPs at sub-2000 price and ponder about the idea of buying one and use as a Mini on steroids. Also the Mac Pro going back to the vintage Cheese Grater of course is welcomed by some.

I hope the new Mac Pro will be as flexible as the cheese grater, although I expect it to be smaller by doing such things as replacing the 3.5" bays with NVMe slots.

 

[brendu]

I want new Mac mini but I need to be able to game on a discrete gpu in windows. I’m preparing to be sad tomorrow.

 

[Snahbah]

It’s the Big Apple BABY!!!! Monster stack of Mac Pro you can build to the @*#%ing sky! Who’s comin’? Anyone...? Anyone..? No? Okay, I’ll go away then.

 

[Mr. Dee]

Apple has said that they are going to be marketing new displays with the new modular Mac Pro. Schiller himself said that on stage, I do believe.

Actually, he said it to a select group of journalists at the Apple campus in early 2017 when discussing the process of working on the next modular Mac Pro.

 

[macduke]

They should change the name to Mac (more simple, like the MacBook) and make it beefier. I want a Mac Upgrade Program. I want it to have a mid-range discrete GPU, mid-range six core processor, a fast SSD, and upgradeable RAM. Somewhere around $2000 every four years, and after you've made 24 months of payments, you can trade in for the new model. Around $500/yr to always have a new Mac, or you can pay it off if you want to keep it.

I do professional work, but it's mostly photography, graphic design, and web design/development. I sometimes edit video, but it's rare. I've come to the realization that the only reason I buy higher-end Mac hardware is because I want it to last a long time. But I would be perfectly fine with mid-level hardware if I had a bi-yearly upgrade path. And after two years, a new mid-level machine is likely to be similar to a two year old high-end machine. After four years, it will be even better. I'm currently on a 6 year cycle with my personal Macs (my work one is in my sig because I gave my personal one to my grandpa).