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The new Mac mini is almost certainly coming

What would you want more guys, for next Mac Mini?

Kaby Lake-G: 4C/8T CPU with 24CU dGPU on package, or separate packages, but 6C/12T CPU + 28CU Vega Mobile?

Both locked in the same enclosure similar to Mac Pro design or eGPU from BlackMagicDesign?
 
enc0re said:
It looks like HP has leaked the 8th gen of 15W chips ("Whiskey Lake") which would be an appropriate, even likely, candidate for a refreshed Mac Mini. They would also be suitable for the bottom end MacBook Pro (if it's continued) and the speculated "affordable MacBook."

Of course Apple often has Intel make custom chips with slightly different profiles. Here's what the specs appear to be. All of these run UHD 620 graphics:

i7-8565U: Quad 1.8/4.6GHz, 8MB cache
i5-8265U: Quad 1.6/4.1GHZ, 6MB cache
i3-8145U: Dual 2.1/3.9GHz, 4MB cache

Personally I'm still hoping for 28W chips with Iris Plus graphics in a refreshed Mini, but I have to be realistic in that it wouldn't fit Apple's usual behavior with respect to the Mini.
Click to expand...

The 28w CPUs would be great for the top 2 SKUs - at a probable cost of a lower cost SKU.

At this point I would expect to see a discounted Kaby Lake Refresh CPU (i5-8250U) but with dGPU options for a higher SKU where used in desktop options. A single motherboard solution.

In the Mini - for example -

Lower SKU - There to meet a price point
Middle SKU - The one with the dGPU (eg AMD Radeon Pro 550X) - moderate storage expansion options
Top SKU - No dGPU but the best storage options - optional dGPU.

This would also work when put into an iMac 21.5" with a more powerful dGPU to run the 4k screen.

As far as the Xeons are concerned, the 'custom' CPUs are probably lower clocked parts that Apple either made got to meet their cooling requirements for the iMac Pro or on a substantial discount because they didn't meet the standard for the regular parts - or both.
 
Snappers said:
How stable is a NUC Hackintosh? Sorry, I don't want to hijack this thread. I built a "hackintosh Pro" two years ago and it is quite buggy and will freeze up doing the most basic tasks (like the animation from clicking on a drop down menu will cause it to reboot). I find it completely frozen sometimes after a day of being idle. So, I can't rely on something with that kind of performance. Have you heard if NUC Hacks are as stable as the real deal?
Click to expand...


Don't worry, it was on my mind too, I never really investigated hackintoshes, but I'm casually thinking about it. the NUC may not be the best option, the forum I was skimming mentioned GPU incompatibilities among other things.

I just want something small but with grunt that can sit under my TV and run macOS
 
koyoot said:
What would you want more guys, for next Mac Mini?

Kaby Lake-G: 4C/8T CPU with 24CU dGPU on package, or separate packages, but 6C/12T CPU + 28CU Vega Mobile?

Both locked in the same enclosure similar to Mac Pro design or eGPU from BlackMagicDesign?
Click to expand...


I know you wrote LIKE, but let’s be realistic. Mini is the entry level Mac, desktop and server configurations alike. I fully expect the “modular” Mac Pro to utilise eGPU, so Mini will not. dGPU seems unlikely in a modern Mini.

Apple is all about eeking the most performance from the least hardware at this level. The last Mini refresh was less powerful than its predecessor, no quad core, and the next Mini could go that way… or with Apple’s recommitment to Mac, it could go 6 core and dispense with dGPU for Mini.

My biggest fear is One USB-C port and nothing else on a puck like gen 2 and 3 Apple TV. Thunderbolt 2 at best, but I can hang quite a bit off my 2015 MacBook with a good dock, so USB-C may suffice. As long as it can run as a server without thermal throttling, that might be where Apple goes this year.
 
On bright side, they've announced no plans to move Xcode over to iOS devices yet.*
So they have to keep making new Macs.
Although they are trying to push Devs into the evil software rental model.

---------
*Thus proving that the iPad is not ready for prime time, no matter what they say.
 
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Pray for clarity ... should Apple dick around or discontinue the Mini - we'll need to set our budget straight. If they falter with the new MacPro, delay or set the bar so high that only an AIO or laptop will do then the consequence of leaving MacOS will be at hand.

This is perhaps a turning point we can only wait so long- getting real with a trajectory for the next 10-years ... either way it should present some measure of clarity as in which camp we belong.
 
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My biggest fear about mini is, that it will not get an update before new MP is out for good.
And how does that story go?
"Headless mac division" has about 8 guys working on new MP. ("We needed to keep the team small, so that all signatures would fit inside the new mini's case.") Due to some amazingly imaginery aesthetic design decision, they will have to postpone announcing date from next spring to fall. The division gets doubled for the time they put the band aid to new great MP. Hopefully the keyboard isn't soldered to the motherboard. After the crisis, the team gets halved to just 4 guys, who now design even smaller mini, because only 4 signatures are needed inside the case. This will go on for the most part of 2020.
 
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arkitect said:
Nice machine. Butt ugly though — but I'll just shove it below my desk. :)

Problem is, I think Apple are definitely capable of doing this and with better looks… they just don't want to it seems.

Hell of a shame on them.
Click to expand...
I don't keep my mini on my desk, it's under it, my PC's are under the desk, personally I like them under the desk and my nMP would be there but ran out of room, LOL. And i agree, shame on  if they can't do this.
 
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jasnw said:
Xcode on iOS is not the canary-in-the-cave to be watching, it's Xcode on Linux.
Click to expand...
You’re suggesting Apple will release Xcode for Linux?!?
[doublepost=1534344797][/doublepost]
Martyimac said:
I don't keep my mini on my desk, it's under it, my PC's are under the desk, personally I like them under the desk and my nMP would be there but ran out of room, LOL. And i agree, shame on  if they can't do this.
Click to expand...
It’s not about “can’t” - of course they can. They just choose not to.
[doublepost=1534345130][/doublepost]
Martyimac said:
If  can't do a mini like this, then they have truly lost their mojo, https://www.pcmag.com/news/363106/intels-core-i7-bean-canyon-nuc-costs-499
Click to expand...
Of course they can if they wanted to. They choose not to.

And it’s an odd suggestion that Apple - who are becoming more and more successful all the time - have “lost their mojo” if they don’t release a new Mac mini, which is a niche segment of a niche market that few people really care about. Some could argue the exact opposite - that they would be wasting their time and resources if they were to focus on the Mac mini instead of bigger opportunities (which is, actually, exactly what they have been doing).
 
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Lammers said:
You’re suggesting Apple will release Xcode for Linux?!?
Click to expand...
No, I'm hoping they don't. I'm saying that if Apple releases Xcode for Linux that could indicate the end of the line for desktop Macs other than an ever-thinner, non-upgradable, iMac appliance computer and maybe a Mini-ATV mash-up. If the iOS apps developer base can develop apps on a non-Apple platform, I see that as game over for the sort of computers most of us on this thread want to see from Apple.
 
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jasnw said:
No, I'm hoping they don't. I'm saying that if Apple releases Xcode for Linux that could indicate the end of the line for desktop Macs other than an ever-thinner, non-upgradable, iMac appliance computer and maybe a Mini-ATV mash-up. If the iOS apps developer base can develop apps on a non-Apple platform, I see that as game over for the sort of computers most of us on this thread want to see from Apple.
Click to expand...

Ah, okay. I think it is extremely unlikely that Apple would do that - feels like there would be more downside than upside.
 
BmGupQvj-x_
Lammers said:
focus on the Mac mini instead of bigger opportunities
Click to expand...

The home entertainment / automation segment is also a "big" opportunity - a segment where the Mini fits perfectly. To suggest producing a "full product-line" as extraordinary focus is sad in the very least. Computing needs to be flexible with the capability to suit many needs -- considering the "Accessibility" options built into MacOS one would expect a Mini to be quite suitable for those solutions that are not "off-the-shelf".

In my home setup below there are 3 Mini's, you cannot even detect a computer, it's important to maintain this aspect.
 

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Lammers said:
Ah, okay. I think it is extremely unlikely that Apple would do that - feels like there would be more downside than upside.
Click to expand...
I really see no downside from their perspective if Apple management has decided to limit the future of the desktop computer line to AIO sealed boxes and maybe a media box of some kind. Get rid of the pesky developer and DIY geeks (like most of us) and focus on the corporate money maker, mobile hardware. Put those eight or nine macOS developers and six MP and Mini hardware engineers on the Apple iJalopy and call it a day. That's why I watch for the porting of Xcode to a non-macOS platform as a hard piece of evidence of Apple's intentions. Bog knows they won't tell us what their intentions are - never have, never will.
 
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