Definitely expecting to see Mac mini with M2. Don’t know which Mac will be getting M2 first.
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Updated Mac Mini Still Coming With M2 and M2 Pro Chips
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All I want is a Mac mini with HDMI 2.1 to replace my 2018 model. I don't care what CPU it uses or what it's called. I always used a mini as a media centre and I want to start planning for 8k.
Prior to yesterday's spring event, rumors suggested that Apple might unveil a new Mac mini, but instead we got the all-new Mac Studio, which is something of a mix between a Mac mini and a Mac Pro. Apple isn't phasing out the Mac mini with the debut of the Mac Studio, and a new version is still in the works.
The Mac Studio uses the M1 Max and new M1 Ultra chips, but for the next Mac mini, 9to5Mac claims that Apple will transition to the M2 chip. Apple is allegedly working on two versions of the Mac mini, one with a standard M2 chip and a second higher-end model with an M2 Pro chip.
We've already heard a bit about the M2 chip from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. It's expected to feature the same 8-core CPU, but with speed and efficiency improvements, along with a 9 or 10 core GPU, up from 7 or 8 cores in the M1.
As for the M2 Pro, we don't know full details yet, but it could feature a 12-core CPU. The current M1 Pro chip has a 10-core CPU and 16-core GPU, so we could also see a GPU boost. Testing on the M2 is already underway as evidenced by references to the chip in the latest beta of macOS Monterey.
According to 9to5Mac, Apple "had plans" to introduce high-end versions of the Mac mini with M1 Pro and M1 Max chips, but these plans were "probably scrapped" in favor of the Mac Studio, with Apple instead opting for an M2 refresh.
Prior rumors suggested a future Mac mini could get a redesign with a smaller chassis, a plexiglass like top, and two-tone color options.
The Mac mini could see a refresh later this year, and perhaps the best supporting evidence that the machine is not being phased out is the fact that Apple left the Intel model in the lineup. For right now, the 2020 M1 Mac mini is still being sold alongside the older Intel version.
There's no word on specific timing for a refresh, but Gurman has suggested that Apple could introduce additional Mac updates as soon as May or June.
Article Link: Updated Mac Mini Still Coming With M2 and M2 Pro Chips
I do not believe Mac mini will get M1 Max / M2 Max. "Restricting" it to M1 Pro / M2 Pro means it cannot encroach upon Mac Studio and provides an upgrade incentive to Mac Studio.
If and when the mini moves to M2, I do believe the M1 model will stick around and see a price drop. I'm thinking $599, but that would be $549 with the education discount.
I'm on my third mini since maybe 2010, when I gave up on all-in-ones. I'm happily running the 3.2GHz i7 mini, a six-core CPU, a BTO I bought in January 2019 but they still sell today.
The one thing the Intel minis have always suffered with is the limitations of integrated graphics. For a while it looked like eGPUs would be the solution, but that turns out to be some other universe's timeline, not this one's.
And the only thing that would move me off my current machine is a big leap in graphics capabilities that isn't too expensive (i.e. isn't the Studio).
I don't do video, but as a hobby I play with the open-source Godot game engine, which has alpha support for Vulkan via MoltenVK. I currently use it and Blender on a middle-of-the-road PC with a GTX-1060, but I'd move it to the Mac if I could.
I'm weighing the delta in graphics capability with the price. And like a lot of others in this forum, I've found the right answer -- an M1 Pro mini -- doesn't exist yet. An M1 Max Studio is parked close to, but on the wrong side of, my budget equation, and an M1 mini doesn't offer enough of a bump in graphics capability to knock me off my present machine.
The only time I've dropped $2K on a Mac was in 2017, when they still had that lone pre-TouchBar, pre-de-portification model MacBook Pro left, the butterfly keyboard was in full flight, and it looked like it might be half a decade before Apple made another laptop worth buying. I thought it would be better to say "that's more machine than I usually buy, but it's great, my keyboard still works and I've got MagSafe" than to say "damn, should have bought it when I could." Fortunately things aren't so desperate in the Mac lineup now.
The one thing the Intel minis have always suffered with is the limitations of integrated graphics. For a while it looked like eGPUs would be the solution, but that turns out to be some other universe's timeline, not this one's.
And the only thing that would move me off my current machine is a big leap in graphics capabilities that isn't too expensive (i.e. isn't the Studio).
I don't do video, but as a hobby I play with the open-source Godot game engine, which has alpha support for Vulkan via MoltenVK. I currently use it and Blender on a middle-of-the-road PC with a GTX-1060, but I'd move it to the Mac if I could.
I'm weighing the delta in graphics capability with the price. And like a lot of others in this forum, I've found the right answer -- an M1 Pro mini -- doesn't exist yet. An M1 Max Studio is parked close to, but on the wrong side of, my budget equation, and an M1 mini doesn't offer enough of a bump in graphics capability to knock me off my present machine.
The only time I've dropped $2K on a Mac was in 2017, when they still had that lone pre-TouchBar, pre-de-portification model MacBook Pro left, the butterfly keyboard was in full flight, and it looked like it might be half a decade before Apple made another laptop worth buying. I thought it would be better to say "that's more machine than I usually buy, but it's great, my keyboard still works and I've got MagSafe" than to say "damn, should have bought it when I could." Fortunately things aren't so desperate in the Mac lineup now.
Fortunately, I have owned my M1 2020 mini paired with the LG 24 inch monitor (sold though Apple) long enough now to make the investment worth while. There hasn't been anything released from Apple since then that would make me want to upgrade or change platforms due to need. I also have the newest 12.9 iPad Pro for face time, team meetings, etc. I create music videos, etc. and the mini works flawlessly.
Mac Pro is a tiny niche product in terms of sales. There’s no way they make a SoC just for it. They’ll just support dual or quad ultras and call it a day. Will it have some sort of PCI bus? That will be a good question.
Well no, because that runs iOS, and is all about the great camera and display that the Mini won’t have at all. And it only has one lightning port. The Mini will run MacOS on M2 and have several USB-C ports. But yeah, it’d have the same size and battery life as iPhone 13 Pro.
Yeah I don’t think this isn’t happening. Apple can afford to drag its heels with M1 because it still blows the competition out of the water. M2 will probably be next year.
I think there could be some overlap at the $2K price point if a M2 Pro mini doesn't hit the market until late this year or early next. But by the time a M2 Max Studio is ready after that, the overlap is gone.
Apple's going to run into the same problem as Intel and PC manufacturers: if your machines are super performant and get faster every year which one do you buy? An M1, M2, M1 pro, etc?
For most consumers the M1 is way more than enough. Will Apple push it to an even lower cost Mac? Unlikely. But - what if Apple could stuff a Mac into an iPad form factor at a $350 price point? Would it be any better than an iPad?
For most consumers the M1 is way more than enough. Will Apple push it to an even lower cost Mac? Unlikely. But - what if Apple could stuff a Mac into an iPad form factor at a $350 price point? Would it be any better than an iPad?
I would agree. Considering I hold onto my macs for a while (have a 2014 mac mini now) - this will be the one I upgrade I go for as it will serve me for a while.
But probably still the lowest-selling variant? I'm lumping together the Max and the Ultra.
I think it should be quite obvious now:
M1, M2, Mx is the generational differentiator in the Chip names.
Pro, Max, Ultra is the performance differentiator within their SoC generation.
After yesterday, it‘s IMO also very unlikely that there will be a third „tweener“ desktop Mac between the current Mac mini and the Mac Studio (and a fourth headless Mac, when you count the Mac Pro).
We also know that the current M1 Mac mini chassis is ridiculously oversized for the CPU and board it‘s housing. Though may very well stay that way as long as they‘re selling the Intel minis.
Here‘s what’s most likely to happen in my view:
M2 will be geared towards power efficiency and find their way into
- a non-pro MacBook (as well as next-generation iPads) that will be smaller than the current Air AND
- a smaller Mac mini - think more, „honey, I shrank the (desktop) computer“, of an Apple TV-like form factor
Next Mac Pro could be anything, but more probably an M2 UltraPro or something.
New OS releases will eventually cut off support for older hardware - I could imagine it’s going to happen largely according to SoC generation („macOS 18 will run on any M2 Mac or newer“).
M1, M2, Mx is the generational differentiator in the Chip names.
Pro, Max, Ultra is the performance differentiator within their SoC generation.
After yesterday, it‘s IMO also very unlikely that there will be a third „tweener“ desktop Mac between the current Mac mini and the Mac Studio (and a fourth headless Mac, when you count the Mac Pro).
We also know that the current M1 Mac mini chassis is ridiculously oversized for the CPU and board it‘s housing. Though may very well stay that way as long as they‘re selling the Intel minis.
Here‘s what’s most likely to happen in my view:
M2 will be geared towards power efficiency and find their way into
- a non-pro MacBook (as well as next-generation iPads) that will be smaller than the current Air AND
- a smaller Mac mini - think more, „honey, I shrank the (desktop) computer“, of an Apple TV-like form factor
Next Mac Pro could be anything, but more probably an M2 UltraPro or something.
New OS releases will eventually cut off support for older hardware - I could imagine it’s going to happen largely according to SoC generation („macOS 18 will run on any M2 Mac or newer“).
Maybe? M1 Max was really backlogged for awhile, but that could be due to low yields as much as overwhelming demand outstripping even full supply.
Expanding on this. I think Apple will launch "SE" lines for the Macs.
And after the M2 …
How many are waiting for the M3?
That's how I feel about people saying they were waiting for the iPhone 14 (and 15?) after the 13 had just been released. I mean, I'm waiting for the 14 too, just to see what they have come up with to differentiate it from the 13, but the 13 did just come out.
But the creativity that TSMC and Apple are showing means I can't wait for the M2, and its cousins. My company used to sell Intel processors, and I'd have to go to their dealer seminars and hear all the sales-speak on the new chips, and some of them were so... Underwhelming... *yawn* I was joking with someone about an Ultra Max coming out someday. Imagine, two Ultra 'chips' in one SOC, or two Ultras on the same wafer. Exciting...
Eventually the M12 Maxi Mac S Plus
Yeah, the unexpected Mac Studio leaked just the day before, which made it fun to be still somewhat surprised at the new release. Especially after so many predicted a pretty humdrum event, which made no sense based on event's name.
It doesn't make sense for Apple to keep production of the M1 just for the iPad Air when the MBA, Mac mini and iMac transition to M2 soon. Just my guess though.
I hope it comes with an updated M1 (perhaps called an M2). The M1 chip is great save for the GPU and I/O. I would be very happy if the fixed this for the next Mini. I like the small form factor of the current Mini - you can take this desktop machine on a flight. Not possible with the Studio. So, if it gets more powerful, it may also get thicker due to the need for more cooling.
If they do decide to add a more powerful chip, then from a business standpoint, it made sense to release the Studio first so sales don't get cannibalized by the new Mini.
If they do decide to add a more powerful chip, then from a business standpoint, it made sense to release the Studio first so sales don't get cannibalized by the new Mini.
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I guess me since I bought a 14" MacBook Pro and 2020 Intel iMac 5K in the past six months so I am years away from replacing them.
