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The new Mac mini is almost certainly coming
- Thread starter GabrieleR
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Forgive me if this has already been posted, it’s a great read from a year ago. Looking back it’s amazing how many red flags were raised even then...
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/201...-giving-apples-frustrated-pros-a-place-to-go/
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/201...-giving-apples-frustrated-pros-a-place-to-go/
Great post! I love reading the timeless comments:
"Why be loyal to a company that is disloyal to you?"
"It's very simple. Dear Apple, please just make a decent ****ing computer worth buying and people will buy them."
"Apple has over $250 million in reserve and they can't manage to keep their computers up to date."
Some things never change...
I thought Apple would send you to jail for running a hackintosh.
But............. can it make phone calls?????? LOL!Whatever Apple would present, would be met with great scpetiscism. For example, think of a mini the size of the AppleTV, with one of Apple‘s own Ax CPU/GPU combos, running macOS (perhaps iOS optionally).
In other words: a new entry platform, which might be shared by the new MacBook (Air) and perhaps directly derived from an iOS device. 2-4x USB-C, 1xHDMI 2.0, 1xEthernet (I know I’m optimistic here
Would you buy at the current mini’s price point(s)?
While that comment was partly sarcastic given Apples approach to the Mac these past few years, and the 2014 Mac mini, i'm not kidding. I would expect people to have more than zero faith in them, you seem to have given up.
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There was no news piece, I am saying there will be a new Mac Mini 'soon' and it will be quad-core.
You can choose to believe me or you can choose to call me delirious as you have done.
I honestly don't care, although maybe an apology would be nice when you're proven wrong. Or just an acknowledgement that you were wrong.
So, what Macintosh desktop options are there for pre-2014 Mac Mini users?
Mac Mini 2014? - nope, I need 4-cores processor and 16gb (at least) user upgradeable memory, also I find it odd to consider Mac Mini 2014 model in 2018 (for some reason I don't find it odd to consider Mac Pro 2013 in 2018, hmm...)
iMac? - nah, never liked the AIO concept, prefer to keep using my humble 1920x1080 display. A headlesss iMac (iMac internals without screen, packaged into some nice box, let's call it Mac Midi) would be nice though.
Mac Pro 2013 (aka 'trash can')? - this one may come close, for lack of other choices, but still I don't really need that much horsepower - and, more importantly, I don't want to waste electricity way above Mac Mini levels.
So, let's wait and see what new Mac Mini 2018 and Mac Pro 2018 models Apple geniuses will come up with (assuming they will).
Mac Mini 2014? - nope, I need 4-cores processor and 16gb (at least) user upgradeable memory, also I find it odd to consider Mac Mini 2014 model in 2018 (for some reason I don't find it odd to consider Mac Pro 2013 in 2018, hmm...)
iMac? - nah, never liked the AIO concept, prefer to keep using my humble 1920x1080 display. A headlesss iMac (iMac internals without screen, packaged into some nice box, let's call it Mac Midi) would be nice though.
Mac Pro 2013 (aka 'trash can')? - this one may come close, for lack of other choices, but still I don't really need that much horsepower - and, more importantly, I don't want to waste electricity way above Mac Mini levels.
So, let's wait and see what new Mac Mini 2018 and Mac Pro 2018 models Apple geniuses will come up with (assuming they will).
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You said that Apple "has admitted [its] mistakes and reaffirmed [its] commitment to the Mac"... and I asked for proof that Apple admitted anything concerning the Macs. I am still waiting.
And for the record, I don't believe you... and updates to the Mac mini will be a minor spec bump, if they come at all.
I have hope that they will once again release a computer worth buying, which is why I come to MacRumors. I have zero faith though. I don’t actually believe Apple will release a mini or a reasonable pro machine. Zero faith, but a dash of hope. Sigh.
What has Apple done to give people faith?
- Mention an updated Mac Pro replacement that will come SIX YEARS after the disappointing trash can pro? And even then, there had to be an uproar of people blasting Apple for their poor decision with the trash can.
- Release a 2014 Mac Mini that was a downgrade in nearly every category, over the 2012 Mac Mini. And then, only say the "mini is important", while not updating it, and not providing ANY plans for it.
- Release an iMac Pro that doubles down on what Pros DON'T want - glued in part, non-upgradeable, and can't be serviced
- Release a MBP without an ESC key, for PROs? Do they have no clue at ALL? Included with that is dongle hell for PROs(the ones that actually utilize the machine for more than Word and watching youtube videos), forcing one's eyes OFF of the screen to look for non-feedback, changing touchbar controls, etc...
PLEASE show me ANYWHERE, where there is faith to be had?
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I wish I could like this more than once...
At least when the "trash can pro" no longer works... some day it could still effectively be used as a small desktop trash can. The same can't be said for all the other outdated Macs.
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I'm pretty happy with my 2012 mid-range dual core i5. I added 16 gb of RAM and a 240 gb SSD. A comparable 2014 with those specs lists for $1099. The base model Mac Pro with 16gb of RAM and a 256gb SSD is $2999. If I could get one of those for $1500 I would be tempted just for the fun of it, but I really don't need that much powe
The mini would make a nice ash tray
Don't ask me how I know that but the 2011 iMac makes a great picture frame...
Imho the 2013 nMP was a very nice attempt to bring elegant design to the workstation area. It failed for various reasons, most being rooted in Apple’s loss of ability to correctly predict trends (making it appear they’d set them, when they actually just recognized them earlier and were ready when the market reached a turning point).
For example, the nMP´s design assumed GPGPU to become way bigger than it actually did (at least for Apple’s target group).
And Apple decided not to develop the nMP further for too long. Despite the thermal corner they have designed themselves into (as Craig or someone from top management said along these lines), there was a lot they could have done to develop the nMP: Updated internals, earlier support for eGPU, updated ports (*cough*USB-C*cough*).
The machine was not bad and in fact is a technological marvel, but once those iHeads eventually realized how big they screwed up, it was already burned. So they had to do stop-gap measures (iMac Pro) and soothe the mob with some nebulous management statements („mini is important to us“). Not sure how big the fear of the investors was - but they obviously couldn’t be bothered to refresh the 2013 before the successor is ready. Which is a real pity imo.
But then, icons are not created by developing a machine that didn’t deliver on its promises (see the Cube). The icing on the cake would be if Apple announces that production of the 2013 nMP would be suspended indefinitely...
I think it is almost certain they are working on one. Less certain is if they will release it.
I am finding that my 2012 mini, with the mid-range i5, 16gb of RAM and a 250gb SSD, is working just fine for my uses (I have my gaming PC for other things). A 2014 mini with similar specs lists for $1099. If Apple would refresh the mini to current hardware at that price, I would be interested. I would also be interested, just for fun, in the base 2013 nMP, if it was half of it's current $2999 price.
We have lots of people who are pessimistic about the continuation of the mac mini line, and there are still some optimists left after lo these many years. I drifted into the optimistic/agnostic camp. The new mac mini is almost certainly coming, but the almost could win out. If there is no new mac mini, or news of one forthcoming, at this year's hardware refreshes of the Mac line (October? November?), I will move to pessimism, call it realism, and move on. To what, I don't know yet.
We have lots of people who are pessimistic about the continuation of the mac mini line, and there are still some optimists left after lo these many years. I drifted into the optimistic/agnostic camp. The new mac mini is almost certainly coming, but the almost could win out. If there is no new mac mini, or news of one forthcoming, at this year's hardware refreshes of the Mac line (October? November?), I will move to pessimism, call it realism, and move on. To what, I don't know yet.
I like to think this bit Phil Schiller in his very well innovated ass.
Don’t forget he proudly proclaimed that this Mac Pro design “would last for a decade!”I like to think this bit Phil Schiller in his very well innovated ass.
(That whole reveal is full of cringe today).
My prediction:
If Apple is going to say anything about mini in 2018, it's repeating that "mini will be important part of mac lineup."
What they won't say, but mean, is that mini2014 will be important part of mac lineup what they sell for years ahead.
Because people are and will buy it, because it's "good enough". If you want more power, you can buy AIO or mMP in less than a year. Doesn't matter if it costs 10x than mini. No middle ground ever for headless mac. Why would there be? If mMP is expensive for you, work harder, earn more money and use it for mMP. Or buy a laptop mac, or AIO. Pretty much the same thing than with tMP 5 years ago. Apple doesn't need to cater poor people. There are enough rich people in the world to cater with. If you want more bang for a buck, choose another OS. If you prefer macos, pay the price.
If Apple is going to say anything about mini in 2018, it's repeating that "mini will be important part of mac lineup."
What they won't say, but mean, is that mini2014 will be important part of mac lineup what they sell for years ahead.
Because people are and will buy it, because it's "good enough". If you want more power, you can buy AIO or mMP in less than a year. Doesn't matter if it costs 10x than mini. No middle ground ever for headless mac. Why would there be? If mMP is expensive for you, work harder, earn more money and use it for mMP. Or buy a laptop mac, or AIO. Pretty much the same thing than with tMP 5 years ago. Apple doesn't need to cater poor people. There are enough rich people in the world to cater with. If you want more bang for a buck, choose another OS. If you prefer macos, pay the price.
IThe mini would make a nice ash tray
There was a recent post in this forum about how a thief took many valuables including the owner's PC but left the Mini. If you took out the internal components you could also turn it into a small item storage safe.
...maybe someone should start an official "alternative uses" or "creative uses" for old Macs thread.
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So far, 5 years and counting...
Depends on how a computer based ARM processor is built. Apple's ARM processors are currently made to sip power from a battery. Without that constraint, who knows what TDP Apple can design for use in a computer.