New MacBook Pro and Mac Mini With M2 Pro Chips Likely to Launch in November

[Gudi]

Awhile back I just hoped that Apple would at least stick a M1 Pro in a updated Mac mini or a larger iMac.

It's doable and even logical, since the Mac Studio starts with an M1 Max. But an M1 Pro (M2 Pro) in the Mac mini should still require a thermal redesign. Apple will probably want two fans and a bigger exhaust to keep the Mini quite under load.

The larger iMac will come and it might even start with an M2 Pro at the entry level.

 

[ProfessionalFan]

If they release a Midnight color for the new MB Pro I may be tempted.

 

[james2538]

I am going to be very disappointed if new mac minis aren't announced in Nov / Dec.

It’ll be November or next year. Apple has never introduced a laptop in December in the past 20 years.

 

[cicalinarrot]

M2 Mini is a day one purchase for me.

Only if there’s the M2 Pro, otherwise it’s the same computer with a minor power bump and no discounts.

 

[Gudi]

M2 gets hardware accelerated ProRes. M1 doesn't have it at all.

And that's exactly the only use case in which the M2 has a noticeable 2x speed advantage over the M1. For everything else the difference is neglectable. But if you really export ProRes that often, you might still prefer an M1 Pro or M1 Max.

 

[EugW]

And that's exactly the only use case in which the M2 has a noticeable 2x speed advantage over the M1. For everything else the difference is neglectable. But if you really export ProRes that often, you might still prefer an M1 Pro or M1 Max.

There's also the advantage of more RAM on the M2.

16 GB RAM should be fine for me, but I'm strongly eyeing 24 GB RAM anyway, especially since I tend to keep my Macs for a very long time. (My 2017 iMac has 24 GB RAM.)

Put it this way:

If I had the chance to buy the two-year old M1 Mac mini 16 GB for 15% off, I'd skip it, and I'd just wait for the M2 Mac mini. The 24 GB RAM option and a two more years of macOS support are enticing.

OTOH, if I had the chance to buy the two-year old M1 Mac mini 16 GB for 30% off, I'd probably buy it.

 

[DeepIn2U]

Same - waiting to see what the mini and studio announcements are. I think I will cancel my $139 ATV 64GB rev 2 order for the new $149 128GB ATV. $10 isn't worth worrying about considering how Apple supports these - should gain at least 2 years over the previous revision, and I'm still running 1 ATV HD.

Not sure the studio will come around a second year. If the M2 Pro Mini or M2 Max mini debut it’s likely the Studio is a temporary solution until the Mac Pro debuta which feels like a year late already.

 

[Realityck]

Not sure the studio will come around a second year. If the M2 Pro Mini or M2 Max mini debut it’s likely the Studio is a temporary solution until the Mac Pro debuta which feels like a year late already.

That an interesting thought that the Mac Studio is akin to a iMac Pro. Designed to fit a temporary need before other updated Mac products supersede it.

 

[cbaca51]

I’ve been a PC guy all my life and been wanting to get my first MacBook! So I am definitely one of those people that are extremely excited for these yet to be announced MacBook Pro M2 Pros!!!!!!

 

[Gudi]

OTOH, if I had the chance to buy the two-year old M1 Mac mini 16 GB for 30% off, I'd probably buy it.

Especially for the larger memory and storage options a look at the second hand market will be worthwhile.

 

[Gudi]

That an interesting thought that the Mac Studio is akin to a iMac Pro. Designed to fit a temporary need before other updated Mac products supersede it.

The cue is in the name. Mac Studio was conceived with a specific group of users in mind for whom the Mac Pro is overkill and a Mac mini is not enough. I don't think that will change with either upgrade.

 

[Beautiful Opinion]

Just give me a 27 inch iMac already.

 

[JippaLippa]

Very glad for those who waited to the mini.
I hope in a redesign though; I'd love to see something smaller and more colourful.

 

[Tofupunch]

Agreed. And also, how can either of these be more than ‘Max’. Their processor naming logic bothers me.

My order would be:

• Pro
• Extreme
• Ultra
• Max

Yes, absolutely agree. Unless they've been watching too much Spinal Tap and reason it can go to 11. Heck, even 12, 13...

 

[SpotOnT]

That does not work when you are out of town.

You can access a home NAS remotely if you want. The two main consumer NAS manufacturers both enable that pretty easily.

Granted a lot will depend on your use case. The internet will be slower than accessing internal storage or a Thunderbolt attached SSD.

 

[GCC]

Wow I just bought a 16" M1 Max. Would not be surprised to see prices pumped for the new ones.
I think will stick to it few years its way overkill for me but would not mind maybe a M3 Max in the future

 

[CarlJ]

Lol. Please don’t be that person that “needs” to update your 14 and 16-inch MBP. You’ll be perfectly fine sitting this one out. Lol.

But my M1 Max isn't fast enough for surfing the interwebs!!1!

 

[RalfTheDog]

You can access a home NAS remotely if you want. The two main consumer NAS manufacturers both enable that pretty easily.

Granted a lot will depend on your use case. The internet will be slower than accessing internal storage or a Thunderbolt attached SSD.

That's not safe. Speed is an issue however, putting a device I don't control on the internet with my own confidential files is a non starter.

 

[Allen_Wentz]

The cue is in the name. Mac Studio was conceived with a specific group of users in mind for whom the Mac Pro is overkill and a Mac mini is not enough. I don't think that will change with either upgrade.

We fully agree. The Studio is a beautifully engineered headless box at an appropriate price point that Apple SoC made possible. It fills a previously unfilled space and is very, very unlikely to go away.

Coincidentally ;~) Studio suits my particular needs well and may move me back to a two-box workflow (desktop + laptop) instead of constantly unplugging/plugging the MBP. The Studio's only flaw is that it currently is only available in first-generation M1 and I prefer version 2 more advanced M2 engineering.

 

[Allen_Wentz]

Not sure the studio will come around a second year. If the M2 Pro Mini or M2 Max mini debut it’s likely the Studio is a temporary solution until the Mac Pro debuta which feels like a year late already.

Count on Studio staying in the mix. It fills a need that Mini cannot reach and MP is too complex and expensive for. Just the right performance for midrange creative usages like art directors, photogs, graphic designers, etc.

 

[Boil]

If there is no redesign only a spec bump to M2, no we don't need to see it.

I forwarded this to Tim Cook, he says thanks, Apple is gonna save a bunch by not having to place images of the new 2022 ASi Mac mini on the website...! ;^p

The first Mac I ever owner, a Centris 650, had 24*MB* ram...

The first Mac I ever owned was a Power Computing PowerTower Pro 225 with a whopping 64MB of RAM...!

It's doable and even logical, since the Mac Studio starts with an M1 Max. But an M1 Pro (M2 Pro) in the Mac mini should still require a thermal redesign. Apple will probably want two fans and a bigger exhaust to keep the Mini quite under load.

I could see a variant of the Mac Studio cooling, just half the vertical thickness...?

Not sure the studio will come around a second year. If the M2 Pro Mini or M2 Max mini debut it’s likely the Studio is a temporary solution until the Mac Pro debuta which feels like a year late already.

See previously mentioned "half-height" Mac Studio cooling; so an aluminum heat sink for the M2 & M2 Pro, and a copper heat sink for the M2 Max...?

 

[SpotOnT]

That's not safe. Speed is an issue however, putting a device I don't control on the internet with my own confidential files is a non starter.

Yes, again, your individual use case/needs/comfort levels will determine if spending thousands of dollars on internal storage or hundreds on a NAS is the better solution. Although I will point out that you do control your NAS - it isn’t rented space on a server.

For someone who wants to use their laptop in bed without plugging in an external device, which is the use case that I was responding to, a NAS seems like it would be a good solution to consider.

 

[staypuftforums]

M2 Mini is a day one purchase for me.

What if it gets a $150 price hike?

 

[staypuftforums]

M2 Mac mini will get a price increase and they will continue to sell the M1, just like they did with the MacBook Air.

I'm basically waiting on confirmation of this before I buy a new Windows PC.

 

[msterling]

M2 Mac mini will get a price increase and they will continue to sell the M1, just like they did with the MacBook Air.

Yes, but based on Apple's MacOS upgrade schedule, the Mini M1 would stop getting updates 2 years prior to a new Mini M2. I'll pay extra for that.