Mac 128
macrumors 603
That's not really true. Many professionals have found that they can use a laptop quite effectively in place of a traditional desktop computer.
The new Mac mini is almost certainly coming
- Thread starter GabrieleR
- Start date
-
- Tags
- mac mini new mac mini
- Sort by reaction score
That's not really true. Many professionals have found that they can use a laptop quite effectively in place of a traditional desktop computer.
Crosscreek
macrumors 68030
Yeah and that's why Apple is probably making that new display for.
philipma1957
macrumors 603
yeah if you like a 15 inch screen. we live in a world were 60 inch 4k screens are low cost.
the mac pro is the only mac properly equipped to drive a 240mhz 4k screen.
So apple has left out anyone with this larger high resolution screen.
imac has a 27 inch screen far too small even it has good resolution. nothing new here.same old bs on apples part.
Hey guys, I understand that the 2014 Mac Mini had dual core processors due to the Haswell quad core processors requiring different parts which would force Apple to create a new logic board (or something long those lines).
Does anyone know if the relevant skylake processors for the Mac Mini will allow Apple to go back to quad core processors?
Imagine a quad core mini, and with the power of thunderbolt 3, allowing you to connect an external GPU!
Does anyone know if the relevant skylake processors for the Mac Mini will allow Apple to go back to quad core processors?
Imagine a quad core mini, and with the power of thunderbolt 3, allowing you to connect an external GPU!
Crosscreek
macrumors 68030
Socket is the same for Skylake processors.
jpietrzak8
macrumors 65816
Imagine a quad-core Mini with a decent internal GPU! Or even an expansion slot!!!
It would actually be a lot cheaper and easier to just place all the equipment inside a single box with direct connections to the motherboard and a single power supply. That's how normal computer manufacturers do it...
So I guess the new Mac Mini is definitely going to be dual core then?
Yup, but that would cannibalise Apple's sales, and therefore I doubt it'll ever happen.
I guess it's back to Hackintoshing for me. Just wanted a break from loading kexts, double checking if audio and USB 3 speeds are working, and not being scared to click that update button. Sigh.
Crosscreek
macrumors 68030
They all use the same socket. I wasn't very clear.
Ah, so there's a chance we could see a quad core mini then? As Apple wouldn't have to redesign anything?
Crosscreek
macrumors 68030
Possible but more like doubtful.
To be even clearer they DON'T use the same socket. The U Series Haswell (dual core) used socket FCBGA1168 while the HQ series Haswell (quad core) used FCBGA1364. For Skylake we have FCBGA1356 on the dual core U series and FCBGA1440 on the quad core HQ series.
For Kaby Lake we only have the 15w U series to go on but the Intel ARK site says that uses FCBGA1356 as well (unsurprisingly the same socket as for Skylake). I would say when HQ series Kaby Lake CPUs come along they will be FCBGA1440 as with the Skylake ones.
If Apple's budget for engineering the Mac Mini remains the same they'll have to choose between dual core U and quad core HQ CPUs. Given that Kaby Lake HQ cpus don't even exist at the moment (only Skylake out at the moment) and that the only U series dual core Kaby Lake cpus are the 15w ones (the 28w ones aren't out till early next year) the easy betting is for the Mac Mini to use the 15w Macbook Air Kaby Lake CPU across the board.
You might then find that the HD 620 graphics on the Kaby Lake 15w CPU actually outperforming Haswell Iris Graphics 5100 used in the 2014 Mac Mini. If you hand the 2016 Mac Mini a decent cooling solution and fast enough DDR4 RAM it might well be able to run rings around a system that uses almost twice the power for sustained periods.
Here's the link to HD 620 (probably the next Macbook Air 2016), and here's the link to Iris Graphics 5100 (2013 Macbook Pro 13"). And Iris Graphics 6100 (i.e. 2015 Macbook Pro 13")
Considering the fact that the clock speeds between the processors are now roughly the same, with CPU benchmarks probably favouring the Kaby Lake architecture, and then perhaps make sure that every 2016 Mac Mini comes with SSD to speed up IO, and Apple being able to utilise economies of scale by buying the same CPU in bulk for the Macbook Air and you have a win-win-win situation for Phil Schiller on Thursday.
Is this the time to suggest that the recent mentions of the Macbook Air in multiple rumours could be because Apple have decided the Kaby Lake 15w chips are here, and are an adequate upgrade to go into a retina laptop that will supplant the Macbook Pro 13"? The graphics would get a nice boost from the use of fast DDR4 memory (which is a slightly bigger power drain but battery capacity would increase if the 15w CPUs went into a Pro style case), and we might even see a price reduction.
Realistically, the range looks simpler if we had:
5w Kaby Lake CPU - 12" Macbook (with significant price cut or lower entry level)
15w Kaby Lake CPU - 14" Macbook Air with Retina (or call it 14" Macbook Pro)
45w Skylake CPU - 16" Macbook Pro (with AMD Polaris GPU)
Give it 2 models of each.
And then release a Mac Mini using that 15w Kaby Lake CPU, keep the same form factor if 2.5" hard drives for Fusion are still a factor - otherwise consider making an all SSD model smaller.
And assuming the iMac is waiting for Kaby Lake desktop CPUs and high performance Vega GPU, and a 27" 5k Retina Cinema Display is delayed could that leave us waiting on a refreshed Mac Pro which may also be also waiting on Vega GPU but already planned to use Xeon E5v4 Broadwell EP CPU?
All of these models would have USB-C/Thunderbolt 3.
Last edited:
hartleymartin
macrumors regular
The last Quad-Core Mac Mini was the 2012 i7 model (I think).
A lot of professionals do use MacBook Pros, but would have preferred if Apple still made the 17" model. I also wish that they made a BTO-option for the 13" MacBook Pro to have the Quad-Core i7 CPUs. I do know that most 13" get used as a basic laptop, but I would invest in a more powerfully equipped computer for longevity.
A lot of professionals do use MacBook Pros, but would have preferred if Apple still made the 17" model. I also wish that they made a BTO-option for the 13" MacBook Pro to have the Quad-Core i7 CPUs. I do know that most 13" get used as a basic laptop, but I would invest in a more powerfully equipped computer for longevity.
i like this reality. it's sane and predictable, something apple has been lacking in recent years in regards to their pro base
How is it that selling Minis cannibalizes Apple sales? The Mini is a Mac. A happy Mini owner will have a perfectly functional Mac desktop for a lot of serious work, and be more likely to buy iPhone, iPad and Watch. That's me. The Mini kept me in the Apple system when my iMac died. So, isn't the Mini good for business?
navaira
macrumors 601
+1 to @Easttime. Also if Mini is an entry model, surely the point of it should be making people think "this is cool, I wonder how cool the iMac is going to be" rather than "this annoying thing is slower than my Commodore Amiga, I'm going to sell it on eBay and buy a Dell"?
Underpowered CPU, yes. Non-upgradeable memory, yes. Spinner drive that takes two minutes to start the system up, NO.
Underpowered CPU, yes. Non-upgradeable memory, yes. Spinner drive that takes two minutes to start the system up, NO.
navaira
macrumors 601
I have no clue how big those are now, but what about storage then? Or would they offer 4 GB RAM, 16 GB storage and iCloud?
Solution to people complaining about USB-C: remove all slots!!!
Micky Do
macrumors 68020
I don't understand this term "entry level", and suggestions that the Mac Mini is underpowered.
If the Mac Mini really was an underpowered, entry level machine, no one would give a hoot about whether a new Mac Mini is almost certainly coming, or not. Every one would be hankering for more….. There are those who reckon the Mac Mini will be dropped from the line up. They reflect their own narrow point of view.
In truth, the Mac Mini is all the computer that many folk need, though there are those who wish it was more than it is.
I have had two base level Mac Minis, the 2005 original and then the early 2009 that I am using now. The 2005 did have its shortcomings from my point of view. The 2009 remains adequate for my present needs, but doing a lot more with photography now when I replace it I am likely to choose a slightly higher specced model.
There are those who do move on to iMacs, MacBooks or even Mac Pros as their needs or desires dictate. There are those who use a Mac Mini or two or more to supplement other Macs and iDevices; I know people with an ecosystem of several Apple devices. And then there are those of us for whom just a Mac Mini is just fine.
Mac mini is underpowered for the price it is. I know and understand apple products are expensive but one must be awake enough to know when you are fooled or when you pay a premium quality product. There are people that cannot buy a new computer every year and in third world countries like ours apple computers cost way more. Just research what you are buying and make a comparison and you will see.
Partron22
macrumors 68030
Rumor has it, no Mini or Pro at event this week.
Either end of life, or Apple has fallen Badly off its proper pace.
May have to gang a dozen Raspberry Pi's together for next machine.
If Apple doesn't announce by spring, I think we can all assume the two devices are dead.
Be nice of Apple to tell us, but they're not known for that.
Either end of life, or Apple has fallen Badly off its proper pace.
May have to gang a dozen Raspberry Pi's together for next machine.
If Apple doesn't announce by spring, I think we can all assume the two devices are dead.
Be nice of Apple to tell us, but they're not known for that.
Here's something interesting. Have been looking at Minis on B&H Photo's website over the past few weeks since I was considering upgrading. The cool thing about them is that they stock many of the custom configurations that must be special ordered at other places. I hadn't realized there were so many different "flavors" of mini until I went there in fact. I was considering the 3hgz/16gb/256gb SSD version and they had it in stock for example. I think there were about 8 different configurations in stock.
Anyway, just had a look again and today they only show three models in stock. Pretty sure they also raised the price on the base model a bit. https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?atclk=Stock_In+stock&ci=10009&N=4110474298+35
Do you suppose there could be something significant here? Like clearing out stock in advance of new models? Or maybe this is just the end of the line for the mini?
Anyway, just had a look again and today they only show three models in stock. Pretty sure they also raised the price on the base model a bit. https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?atclk=Stock_In+stock&ci=10009&N=4110474298+35
Do you suppose there could be something significant here? Like clearing out stock in advance of new models? Or maybe this is just the end of the line for the mini?
EnesM
macrumors 6502
Here's something interesting. Have been looking at Minis on B&H Photo's website over the past few weeks since I was considering upgrading. The cool thing about them is that they stock many of the custom configurations that must be special ordered at other places. I hadn't realized there were so many different "flavors" of mini until I went there in fact. I was considering the 3hgz/16gb/256gb SSD version and they had it in stock for example. I think there were about 8 different configurations in stock.
Anyway, just had a look again and today they only show three models in stock. Pretty sure they also raised the price on the base model a bit. https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?atclk=Stock_In+stock&ci=10009&N=4110474298+35
Do you suppose there could be something significant here? Like clearing out stock in advance of new models? Or maybe this is just the end of the line for the mini?
If they raised the price they are almost certain no new Mini is coming soon...and it definitely isn't judging by all recent leaks including the lates Russian one
Crosscreek
macrumors 68030
Do you suppose there could be something significant here? Like clearing out stock in advance of new models? Or maybe this is just the end of the line for the mini?
Means Apple will keep milking the 2014.