The new Mac mini is almost certainly coming

[gusping]

Also wish the mini had a discreet GPU, and this will likely push me to the iMac when I finally upgrade, especially since all my screens are very old. I really don't understand why the Mini can't be like an iMac without a screen.

If I hadn't already invested £400-500 in a 4K monitor when I got my mini, I would almost have certain got an iMac. But hey ho, been enjoying my Mac mini for over a year now. No (major) complaints yet!

 

[sublunar]

No refurbished Mini's at all in the US store right now. But B&H Photo (large US supplier) has new 2018 base i3/128gb Mini's for $629, which would be 503 pounds at current exchange. Of course, US prices don't include tax, which in my state would raise the real price to $673 or 538 pounds.

I got my 2014 2.8ghz/8gb Mini for $500 (new) during a big sale at B&H last year. At that same time, Apple was selling the exact same configuration as a refurb for over $800! Now, that was unusual, due to the sale. However, several years before, I got another new 2014 Mini from B&H and the price was only about $25 more than a refurb from Apple, so I got the new one instead. Apple refurbs often aren't all that compelling in terms of price.

Also wish the mini had a discreet GPU, and this will likely push me to the iMac when I finally upgrade, especially since all my screens are very old. I really don't understand why the Mini can't be like an iMac without a screen.

I recall that certain UK retailers had 2014 Mini stock to clear out at similar prices for a brief period after the 2018 was introduced. Naturally that stock didn't last long and usually this happens for a brief time after the model is superseded.

You can see certain 2017 iMac 21.5" models being cleared out at similar amazing prices. I can't help but believe that Apple had given the nod for this stock to be sold at those prices without affecting the residual value of the product.

It's why some people over time have noticed that refurbs are 'as good as new'.

Right now you can see in the UK that the iPhone Xs and Xs Max is available at some very special prices at Amazon - below the entry price of the iPhone 11 in fact.

Back to the Mini though, the 2018/20 reconfiguration has allowed Apple to sell certain Mini specs at more affordable prices without affecting the brand. I think this is a good thing especially with the world economy likely to be in a poor state for some time.

In a way, it could also offer them a back door to reduce iMac prices if they were to do something as simple as a storage bump in the existing iMac range without actually going through with a full product refresh this year.

But this would only delay the introduction of the T2 CPU across the Mac range. I believe that Apple will be wanting to introduce that, and that a full redesign is intended the year (recession notwithstanding). Apple may even have enough time to manoeuvre to finalise redesign spec and price if that decision hasn't been locked down yet.

Any refresh may allow them to reduce the price of the existing iMacs as refurbs.

 

[Boyd01]

I recall that certain UK retailers had 2014 Mini stock to clear out at similar prices for a brief period after the 2018 was introduced. Naturally that stock didn't last long and usually this happens for a brief time after the model is superseded

The B&H sale went on for a surprisingly long time (several months) with prices fluctuating up and down a bit over time. They were also blowing out the base 1.4ghz/4gb 2014 Mini for something like $350 IIRC. There are some old threads about this. Have not seen a similar situation with other discontinued Macs, and assumed that they just had a huge inventory of 2014 Mini's that nobody wanted.

 

[sublunar]

The B&H sale went on for a surprisingly long time (several months) with prices fluctuating up and down a bit over time. They were also blowing out the base 1.4ghz/4gb 2014 Mini for something like $350 IIRC. There are some old threads about this. Have not seen a similar situation with other discontinued Macs, and assumed that they just had a huge inventory of 2014 Mini's that nobody wanted.

To be fair, those 2014 models weren't gone in days - they did linger for a few weeks and it may have seemed tempting for some at that price. The 2020 iMac spec bump has made the 2018 minis affordable for many via the refurb store. And I'll guess a few will be eyeing up external Thunderbolt storage for boot drives.

Apple do have to look to keep sales going and these back door clearances help with the inventory I guess.

 

[philipma1957]

If I hadn't already invested £400-500 in a 4K monitor when I got my mini, I would almost have certain got an iMac. But hey ho, been enjoying my Mac mini for over a year now. No (major) complaints yet!

they have been doing this forever well since the 2006 mac mini. Back in 2006 at least you could add ram and a bigger hdd. I have a love hate relationship with apple. I need an iPad mini and a mac mini. But they have now turned the mac mini into an impossible to justify the price item. i5 with 1tb ssd and 16gb ram is about 1350 at the veteran store. If I wait til july 1 I can get 5% off that which means my sales tax would net to 2% so 1377 for an i5 with 1tb and 16gb

I guess it would do but it is a lot for just the intel 630 graphics. I have a 4k screen I like.
It would be nice if it was about 900 for that vs 1377 or if it was 1377 a decent gpu.

 

[Nütztjanix]

While not a screamer, the UHD 630 graphics is sufficient for dual 4K screens (I use it that way).

 

[Neodym]

But they have now turned the mac mini into an impossible to justify the price item. i5 with 1tb ssd and 16gb ram is about 1350 at the veteran store.

Sounds like bargain: A similar mini on the German Refurb(!) Store runs close to $2.000

 

[philipma1957]

Sounds like bargain: A similar mini on the German Refurb(!) Store runs close to $2.000

I got the I5 with 8gb ram and a 1tb ssd today at the USA veteran store on apple . 1269 with tax and shipping. I have a CC promo 200 off 1000 purchase 1 year to pay 0% so 1069 and a year to pay.

I hope it works.

 

[Spungoflex]

With the announcement of new Intel chips this week, any chance Apple grow a pair and give the Mini an actual update this year?

Would be nice to have a 4 core/8 thread i3 entry-level Mini.

 

[BootLoxes]

With the announcement of new Intel chips this week, any chance Apple grow a pair and give the Mini an actual update this year?

Would be nice to have a 4 core/8 thread i3 entry-level Mini.

Im sure its coming. They updated the Air to support the XLR display so I would imagine all macs will get an update to support it before the transition to arm

 

[PickUrPoison]

With the announcement of new Intel chips this week, any chance Apple grow a pair and give the Mini an actual update this year?

Would be nice to have a 4 core/8 thread i3 entry-level Mini.

So far there’s no indication that Intel has the chips available that Apple uses in the mini, but maybe they’re waiting until Apple announces.

Unfortunately there’s a new socket, so Apple would have to redesign the logic board. Re: i3, I’d rather have a 6-core in the base model, with 8- and 10-core options. Same with the 27” iMac.

 

[saulinpa]

Apple just updated the MBP and the base still on gen 8 chips and no support for new display. Likely the mini will sit for a bit.

 

[CWallace]

Apple just updated the MBP and the base still on gen 8 chips and no support for new display. Likely the mini will sit for a bit.

Since the lower-spec configs are still on 8th Generation CPUs, I expect Apple did not make any updates to the systemboard which means they are still on the older Alpine Ridge TB3 controller which cannot drive a Pro XDR Display at 6K (only 5K) due to only supporting DisplayPort 1.2.

The higher-end models that received 10th Generation CPUs likely have a new systemboard and the TB3 controller would have been updated to the newer Titan Ridge which can drive a Pro XDR Display at 6K thanks to supporting DisplayPort 1.4.

 

[fastlanephil]

I think Apple is going to milk the 2018 Mac Mini for at least another year. That’s why they upped the storage and put the “New“ designator under it at the Apple store.

 

[sublunar]

I think Apple is going to milk the 2018 Mac Mini for at least another year. That’s why they upped the storage and put the “New“ designator under it at the Apple store.

That's a perfectly logical assumption to make. October 2020 would have marked 2 years since the 2018 Mini was launched. I was willing to wait till then, but a mid term spec bump just illustrates how cheap NAND storage has gotten for Apple. They could easily wait till October 2021 now when Rocket Lake S, Intel Xe graphics, and USB 4 could be significant updates.

The 15w 13" 2020 MacBook Pro is also stuck on 8th generation CPUs while the it's possible that the 21.5" iMac may also get 'rested' for another refresh cycle.

 

[Micky Do]

The Mac Mini seems to be on a 4 year upgrade cycle, so I wouldn’t expect a new one until 2022.

It would be nice to get 10th gen CPUs as they now all have hyperthreading and much improved onboard graphics.

I’m likely going to build my own PC (maybe hackintosh) based on the 6 core/12 thread 10th gen i5. Or I’ll get an iMac, which will likely have an option including that CPU.

The Mac Mini has seen updates at intervals ranging from a couple in a year, to more than 4 years since it arrived on the scene in 2005 (and I bought the original)...... and folks have been forecasting its demise since 2007. Neither cyclical nor predictable, methinks, except that the new Mac Mini is almost certainly coming.

 

[Nütztjanix]

As Comet Lake CPUs need a new socket (which means redesigning the MLB), I don't see Apple doing this for the marginal performance gains expected. That leads me to believe we'll not see another (meaningful) refresh until Rocket Lake CPUs ship in volume (if they ever do - Intel might once again change their plans). Depending on when that will be, we might also not see a new Intel Mac Mini ever again. Maybe we're well into Apple ARM CPU land by then …

 

[sublunar]

It might conceivably be the last Intel mini if Apple are serious about transitioning to ARM.

 

[sublunar]

It's time to resurrect this famous old thread with a bit of news. Coffee Lake S CPUs are being discontinued this year by Intel. I know the Mini uses BGA (soldered variants) of this, but Apple only bumped the storage this year - it's still a 2018 version that's on sale at the moment.

I'd have thought that Apple would be interested in the multithreaded Comet Lake boards but there's currently no confirmation that there will be a B variant (BGA soldered onto the motherboard) that's suitable for Apple.

I wonder if they could stretch out the Mini to last till Rocket Lake is available - with 20 PCIe 4.0 lanes (up from Coffee Lake's 16 PCIe 3.0 lanes) - where onboard SSD speeds could double and there will be Intel Xe graphics for the people who would prefer better integrated graphics. Rocket Lake opens the door to an onboard dGPU while continuing to enable the 4 Thunderbolt 3 lanes that the Mini is used to if Apple choose to make the mini that bit bigger.

 

[CWallace]

Intel did not offer a 7th nor 9th generation "B" model CPU, but did offer a 6th and 8th generation which Apple used in the Mini. So it could be a sign Intel intends to offer a 10th generation "B" model.

That being said, the current 8th generation "B" models were not in the list of discontinued SKUs. An oversight? Or a sign Intel will still be making them (which means Apple has nothing to use to upgrade the current Mini in terms of CPU).

 

[sublunar]

Intel did not offer a 7th nor 9th generation "B" model CPU, but did offer a 6th and 8th generation which Apple used in the Mini. So it could be a sign Intel intends to offer a 10th generation "B" model.

That being said, the current 8th generation "B" models were not in the list of discontinued SKUs. An oversight? Or a sign Intel will still be making them (which means Apple has nothing to use to upgrade the current Mini in terms of CPU).

Well, if Apple are the only customers for that Coffee Lake B CPU and want to keep paying a bit longer I'm sure that Intel will take that coin off them.

If the mini is on the list for an ARM switch next year then there's probably no profit in engineering work for Comet Lake in the Mini, not least because Apple would want to compare ARM to Coffee Lake rather than Comet Lake.

 

[CWallace]

Well, if Apple are the only customers for that Coffee Lake B CPU and want to keep paying a bit longer I'm sure that Intel will take that coin off them.

Intel's marketing says the "Core-B" series are meant for embedded applications like All-In-One PCs where the case height doesn't allow for a traditional socketed CPU (like the "Core-S" models). The 2018 Mac mini case has the same height as the 2014 model, which would explain why they went with 8th generation "B-Core" CPUs.

So this means that if Intel does not offer "B-Core" CPUs going forward and Apple want to offer a CPU upgrade on the Mini, they would either have to make the Mini case taller to accept "Core-S" or they might be able to seat the systemboard lower by soldering the RAM like in 2014 to allow a "Core-S" CPU to clear, but having given us back socketed RAM in 2018 makes me think this was important to a large enough base of what Mini buyers were left to offer it again.

The other upgrade path would to go with "Core-H" mobile CPUs (which are also soldered, not socketed) though that would mean lower base clocks (but higher turbo clocks).

 

[sublunar]

Intel's marketing says the "Core-B" series are meant for embedded applications like All-In-One PCs where the case height doesn't allow for a traditional socketed CPU (like the "Core-S" models).

The 2018 Mac mini case has the same height as the 2014 model, which would explain why they went with 8th generation "B-Core" CPUs so I am guessing Apple would have to make the Mini taller to accept "Core-S" or they would have to go with "Core-H" mobile CPUs (which are also soldered, not socketed) though that would mean lower base clocks (but higher turbo clocks).

For the Colo buyers - who presumably value multicore benchmarks - I suspect Comet Lake is decent value. I've previously argued for a situation where the Mini just borrows the same Comet Lake H chipset as the forthcoming MacBook Pro 16" - minus the dGPU - while the 21.5" (or 23" later) takes the same chipset and pairs it with a more powerful dGPU.

The other argument is that a B version of Rocket Lake might be a better bet for them with PCIe 4.0 offering faster SSD and Intel Xe graphics for the folks who need that bit better iGPU. The downside - as with Comet Lake S - could be excessive heat from these increasingly dead end 14nm CPUs.

 

[T'hain Esh Kelch]

Given Bloombergs confirmation that this is the year we finally get the ARM chip transition announcement, I now believe that the next Mac Mini will be ARM based, and won't arrive until 2021.

 

[Micky Do]

The new Mac Mini needs to be coming........ At a retail outlet recently, where they have an Apple products section, and the young saleswoman had never even heard of the Mac Mini.

Right up until the rather costly 2018 incarnation, the Mac Mini was a staple in stores selling Apple products..... Now they don't waste their space on something that pros and pundits received well, but has little to offer for the average Joe or Jill consumer, wanting a good value for money, easily occasionally transportable Mac on their desk, along with peripherals of their own choice.