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

[coolfactor]

I still don't understand why the infrared sensor on the current Mac mini is so close to the edge. Seems out of place. Might seem silly to point out something like that, but with all of the effort that Apple puts onto balanced design, that seems like a serious design oversight.

 

[miroco]

My take on a new Mac mini is a design taking cues from both the Mac Pro and the discontinued Airport Extreme/Time Capsule - a form factor that's conveniently vacant. Tomorrow will tell.

 

[redheeler]

The current Mac mini form factor in Space Gray would look great. I hope Apple does keep the IR sensor and power light on the Mac mini (sadly it's unlikely the IR sensor will be kept, but a third-party dongle can be used instead).

 

[coolfactor]

The concept has forgotten the signature rounded corners of Apple screens now. The inside corners of any new Apple monitors will be rounded, not square.

 

[now i see it]

From Apple's perspective (and probably most customers), that mock up is an iMac with the computer removed from the monitor. There would be no incentive or point for Apple to make an iMac killer.
The Mac mini (if it hasn't already been axed) will not get an apple display.

 

[coolfactor]

From Apple's perspective (and probably most customers), that mock up is an iMac with the computer removed from the monitor. There would be no incentive or point for Apple to make an iMac killer.
The Mac mini (if it hasn't already been axed) will not get an apple display.

The core concept of the mini was always "bring your own keyboard, mouse and display". Apple will not bundle anything, if they stay true to this principle.

 

[redheeler]

The concept has forgotten the signature rounded corners of Apple screens now. The inside corners of any new Apple monitors will be rounded, not square.

Rounded corners wouldn't work as well on MacOS, where Apple has less control over the size and positioning of applications. Especially if someone has chosen to hide the menu bar and Dock to use the full screen area for application windows, the cropped space in the corners would become a real problem.

 

[ThunderSkunk]

That’s what the Mac mini’s been missing.
A light-up touchscreen emoji keyboard.

 

[gugy]

Damn this Mac Mini and display mockups are the laziest effort I ever seem. Come on.

 

[Martius]

I hope Apple is gonna introduce not just a high-end 8K display, but also a little cheaper 5K (I mean cheaper in Apple prices – $999-$1299?). Thunderbolt display is still the best looking computer monitor!

 

[hlfway2anywhere]

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

Did you not read anything in the article?

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

I was mistaken. Feel better now?

 

[charlituna]

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.

From what I’ve been hearing they are going to go to a modular set up. And I rather like that idea. I have no issue with the basic form of the current Mini. I could see it being more or less the design for a modular based design. The “Mini” would be the most basic spec set up for a base unit. Maybe something along the lines of the top spec current Mini. Then you could “Pro” your setup with a combo of customizing your base with some higher specs as well as adding eGPU units, perhaps storage units etc.

 

[tdar]

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

I don't believe that you will ever see this. The new Mac Pro is described as "modular". I am sure that means that you can add some thing like GPU's a and storage as stack on packages. The rest goes in a Thunderbolt connected external enclosure sourced from a third party. Understand that's not what you and many want. But I think it's what Apple wants to provide.

 

[Appleaker]

It looks nice, but it's not what we'll see. What we'll see will be a lot nicer, and like the Mac Pro, Apple do also realize the hardware demands of its enthusiast customers.

 

[charlituna]

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.

The hold up is apparently getting the tech right in the current models. There have been all sorts of stories about the Touch Bar failing for folks. Enough that it suggests a possible design or manufacturing issue. Apple would be stupid to go wide with the tech if that’s true

 

[Westside guy]

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.

I suspect it’s more likely the purpose is to make the transition to a haptics-only keyboard easier (from the company’s perspective). If they’d moved directly to a type-on-metal interface from a keyboard with decent travel, it would be obvious to even the most rabid fanboy that Apple was degrading the user experience.

 

[gigapocket1]

Academy of music is where the event is held.. I assume this also means some big music upgrades.. Apple Music loseless files.. new AirPods.. new premium headphones as well...

 

[Westside guy]

... the Ethernet and HDMI don't look to the correct scale?

Those are the new, proprietary 10G Ethernet Maxi and Space-Saver Compact HDMI connectors.

 

[lec0rsaire]

I hope they release a Touch Bar Magic keyboard. It’s time people say good buy to a static function row for good.

 

[kazmac]

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).

Microsoft did have a plan like that for the Surface line, you could pay off and trade in for a new Surface product after two years, but they kaboshed that plan this summer.

A payment/trade in plan for Macs would be fine by me if they swapped out the drives before recycling the returned machines. I’d certainly consider this and I would appreciate it if Apple offered something like this directly rather than going through Barclays just to pay the machine off. If initiated, I would like also like a system in place to swap out the machine if it cannot be repaired.

As far as that Mini concept, it’s fine except for the Touchbar keyboard.

 

[justperry]

I hope Apple is gonna introduce not just a high-end 8K display, but also a little cheaper 5K (I mean cheaper in Apple prices – $999-$1299?). Thunderbolt display is still the best looking computer monitor!

Second best, the ones before them, all aluminium were the best looking.

 

[Morgenland]

The Mac Mini concept only makes sense in conjunction with a single monitor: Compared to the iMac, you only invest in one monitor with three subsequent computers. The money saved benefited Apple's margin, a simpler hardware design and a high-quality monitor.

Finally the topic monitor comes into the discussion. I hope there will be a 24-inch 4K/5K "retina" monitor with Apple logo and FaceID. Because the screen is the most important interface to any Apple device.

Monitors larger than 24-inch are IMHO disproportionate in most private rooms (as the giant screens of the iPhones are unfortunately no longer oriented to the anatomy of the human hand, but to the unreflected misconception that "bigger is always better").

 

[EightyTwenty]

Why are you posting an imaginary concept from some random student? What’s the point? Is this really the right place for this sort of thing? It’s not even a rumor.

 

[drewsof07]

Second best, the ones before them, all aluminium were the best looking.

Agree. 23" was the perfect size for its day. Just a pita with the all-in-one cable disaster under the desk.

 

[EightyTwenty]

From what I’ve been hearing they are going to go to a modular set up. And I rather like that idea. I have no issue with the basic form of the current Mini. I could see it being more or less the design for a modular based design. The “Mini” would be the most basic spec set up for a base unit. Maybe something along the lines of the top spec current Mini. Then you could “Pro” your setup with a combo of customizing your base with some higher specs as well as adding eGPU units, perhaps storage units etc.

So what you are saying is they are releasing the Mac Pro tomorrow?

In my opinion, the idea that the Mac Mini would be the basis for the Mac Pro never made any sense. They are two completely different products.