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The new Mac mini is almost certainly coming

Spectrum said:
I don't quite see it happening, but I agree that it would be great if one could purchase separate compute, storage and graphics modules. A base mac mini could be an all-in-one, not too dissimilar to the outgoing 2014, with HDD and integrated graphics. This would be entry level.

Next tier would be a range of compute-only modules (with RAM) ranging into the i5, i7, i9 quads, hexes, and octo-cores, and on into Xeons similar to used in the iMac Pro. Basic integrated graphics could be onboard all of these too.

These could then connect to external storage modules (Apple or third party), and to eGPU boxes where performace scales as high as you want.

All modules could share a similar footprint and could be stacked (some would be taller than others). Each with a separate cooling system and power supply.

Maybe CPU compute boxes could even be added as slaves to the main CPU module (depending on software), similar to the way a farm of mac minis had been used in the past - but now as a stack on a communicating via TB3.

Far-fetched? Possibly.
Modular, customisable and upgreadeable? Absolutely.
Click to expand...

I’d guess that tb is pretty slow for interconnecting cpu’s.
And making modular pieces for mini alone would be way too small for Apple to bother.
But let’s say they make modular ram expansion. They now charge about 3x prices for ram compared to ”free market”. They can’t make expansion cheaper. So how much would they charge for that?
 
s15119 said:
I've no interest at all in another platform. I demand OSX. If a mini is not released, I will soon replace my mini with another Mac, probably the lowest cost current notebook. I think we will see a mini. I know the complaining, no matter what they release will be loud and manic. The rest of us will be busy enjoying our new machine.
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Agreed.. anything other than macOS just isn't acceptable. I'm quite happy with my Mac mini7,1 but I might be buying an iMac next year if the Mac mini line isn't refreshed this year.
 
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revmacian said:
Agreed.. anything other than macOS just isn't acceptable. I'm quite happy with my Mac mini7,1 but I might be buying an iMac next year if the Mac mini line isn't refreshed this year.
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I'll buy a lower end iMac 5k if the new Mini isn't good enough, but it wouldn't be my desired route due to desk space.

The overall cost of buying a new MacBook and repurposing my current 2015 MacBook Pro is more than I want to spend.
 
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kevink2 said:
I'll buy a lower end iMac 5k if the new Mini isn't good enough, but it wouldn't be my desired route due to desk space.

The overall cost of buying a new MacBook and repurposing my current 2015 MacBook Pro is more than I want to spend.
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Correct me if I'm wrong, but Target Display Mode still hasn't returned to iMacs, has it?
Which basically means you're stuck with a slab on your desk that can't display any external sources at all.

I would have expected by now that as a worst case it would be possible to utilise the egpu-over-thunderbolt system as an alternative to 'directly' driving it.
 
I'd suggest nobody get their hopes set too high for Tuesday's "alleged" Mac Mini.

1. It may not come to pass
2. And if it does, most assuredly and without any doubt Apple will have seen to it that it won't steal the interest or the thunder of the next Mac Pro. It'll be a mini- not suitable for heavy duty work.
 
Che Castro said:
So the rumor is this will be a pro Mac mini. So I’m guessing it won’t be $600 for the new entry Mac mini
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Phil Schiller said:
"On that I'll say the Mac Mini is an important product in our lineup and we weren't bringing it up because it's more of a mix of consumer with some pro use. ... The Mac Mini remains a product in our lineup"

Will almost certainly retain a sub $600 base model with 8GB RAM and a HDD so folks here can carry on whinging about Apple gimping the Mini.

Top end off the shelf and and custom builds will include specs and options to suit the needs of professionals and the desires of geeks after bragging rights, at substantially greater cost. Could even be a Mac Mini Pro.
 
Micky Do said:
Will almost certainly retain a sub $600 base model with 8GB RAM and a HDD so folks here can carry on whinging about Apple gimping the Mini.
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The base 2012 did NOT come with a quad core CPU, it was an upsell, yet we didn't hear whining about the 2012. It's only when the quad core option was removed and the components were either soldered in, or locked behind a medal plate, did the legitimate complaining start.

So not sure where that comment came from.
 
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been lurking this thread since my og 5k imac crapped out a couple years ago, had to use windows desktop ever since. please apple, bring an end to this thread with style. a lot people still think there wont be a new mac mini on tues, so im not getting my hopes up.
 
Will they make the mac mini avaliable for sale right after the keynote? I plan to make a trip down apple store on november 5th if that is the case.
 
toke lahti said:
I’d guess that tb is pretty slow for interconnecting cpu’s.
And making modular pieces for mini alone would be way too small for Apple to bother.
But let’s say they make modular ram expansion. They now charge about 3x prices for ram compared to ”free market”. They can’t make expansion cheaper. So how much would they charge for that?
Click to expand...

Nothing is too small if it’s for long term use. R&D cost money. A new design you can either handle in-house and pay for everything or sell units and turn a group into beta testers.

VW developed a lot of technologies and lost $6million per Bugatti Veyron sold. Obviously that’s a small market but it allowed them to put new technologies into the market to see how its work out.

Apple could very easily push a product even if to small masses.
 
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i hope the mini gets redesign inside out in Tims era, like iphone ipad macbook pro and almost imac pro did
 
now i see it said:
I'd suggest nobody get their hopes set too high for Tuesday's "alleged" Mac Mini.

1. It may not come to pass
2. And if it does, most assuredly and without any doubt Apple will have seen to it that it won't steal the interest or the thunder of the next Mac Pro. It'll be a mini- not suitable for heavy duty work.
Click to expand...

Nobody expects (or wants) the Mac Mini to be a Mac Pro clone. That was never its purpose.

It seems the majority of us just want a legitimate upgrade on the 2012 Mac Mini. We’ve been waiting 6 years.
 
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bumfluff said:
been lurking this thread since my og 5k imac crapped out a couple years ago, had to use windows desktop ever since. please apple, bring an end to this thread with style. a lot people still think there wont be a new mac mini on tues, so im not getting my hopes up.
Click to expand...

This thread is almost certainly eternal, as new Mac Minis will almost certainly keep coming, occasionally, for the time being.
 
Naimfan said:
Pathetic how 2012 was the last real Mac Pro, the last worthy Mini, and the last upgradable MacBook Pro . . .
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2011 was actually the last truly upgradeable Apple laptop. Quad cores, up to 16GB RAM, and these days you can squeeze in a pair of 2TB SATA SSDs if you need the storage.
 
Spectrum said:
2011 was actually the last truly upgradeable Apple laptop. Quad cores, up to 16GB RAM, and these days you can squeeze in a pair of 2TB SATA SSDs if you need the storage.
Click to expand...

Ahem. The 2012 non-retina allowed the user to upgrade RAM, storage, and to remove the optical drive in favor of more (albeit slower) storage.
 
Naimfan said:
Ahem. The 2012 non-retina allowed the user to upgrade RAM, storage, and to remove the optical drive in favor of more (albeit slower) storage.
Click to expand...
That’s what I’m stick rockin’

Still a fantastic machine, that is now sitting on a stand, and hooked up to a monitor 99% of the time.
 
Naimfan said:
Ahem. The 2012 non-retina allowed the user to upgrade RAM, storage, and to remove the optical drive in favor of more (albeit slower) storage.
Click to expand...
Oh.. the non-retina . Got you :) Thumbs up!

Was the 2012 any different to the late 2011...?

EDIT: Ah yes - I see that the 2012 MBPro and Mac mini pretty much matched each other for processor specs with a slight bump from 2011 quads that were available:

https://everymac.com/systems/apple/mac_mini/specs/mac-mini-core-i7-2.6-late-2012-server-specs.html

https://everymac.com/systems/apple/...re-i7-2.7-15-mid-2012-unibody-usb3-specs.html
 
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FlyingTexan said:
Nothing is too small if it’s for long term use. R&D cost money. A new design you can either handle in-house and pay for everything or sell units and turn a group into beta testers.

VW developed a lot of technologies and lost $6million per Bugatti Veyron sold. Obviously that’s a small market but it allowed them to put new technologies into the market to see how its work out.

Apple could very easily push a product even if to small masses.
Click to expand...

Oh well, Apple could do a lot of things. Which they won’t do ”because it’s not in their DNA”...
 
I'm sure they get a much bigger return on smartphone technolgy than anything related to the Mac. I'm just happy that we are finally going to get a Mini update.... whatever it is. (but I won't believe it until I see it)
 
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