What will happen to the current Mac minis?

[imrazor]

I know we’ll have an answer in 24 hours, but it’s always fun to speculate. What do you think will happen to the current Minis? Will the Intel be discontinued? Will the base M1 model remain as a low end option or get the axe?

I’m pondering buying a refurb and thinking it’s probably better to wait until tomorrow…

 

[dizmonk]

This is very good question.. Assuming the new Mac Mini is released tomorrow... I bet they keep the existing M1 and ditch the Intel one. I'm going over to the refurbed store to take a look.

 

[Fozzybadfeet]

This is very good question.. Assuming the new Mac Mini is released tomorrow... I bet they keep the existing M1 and ditch the Intel one. I'm going over to the refurbed store to take a look.

That's what I'm thinking too.

 

[Boil]

I know we’ll have an answer in 24 hours, but it’s always fun to speculate. What do you think will happen to the current Minis? Will the Intel be discontinued? Will the base M1 model remain as a low end option or get the axe?

I’m pondering buying a refurb and thinking it’s probably better to wait until tomorrow…

I think the rumored Mac Studio is the replacement for the high-end 2018 Intel Mac mini, just coming in at a higher entry price...

Base model would be a double-binned M1 Pro SoC with 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD & Gigabit Ethernet - $1499

This chassis would scale up to dual full-die M1 Max SoCs with 128GB RAM, 8TB SSD, & 10Gb Ethernet - $6999

The Mn-series Mac minis will get a new smaller chassis & come in a rainbow of colors...

 

[rm5]

Yes, I think the high-end Intel Mac mini WILL be replaced by whatever is announced tomorrow.

Like others have said though, the only way to find out is to wait...

 

[Boil]

Yes, I think the high-end Intel Mac mini WILL be replaced by whatever is announced tomorrow.

Like others have said though, the only way to find out is to wait...

I mean, if you had access to time travel technology...?!?

 

[rm5]

Obviously we are relying on leaks which are almost never accurate, so we don't ACTUALLY know that a new "Mac Studio" and "Studio Display" will be released tomorrow, but we can all hope.

 

[Realityck]

I know we’ll have an answer in 24 hours, but it’s always fun to speculate. What do you think will happen to the current Minis? Will the Intel be discontinued? Will the base M1 model remain as a low end option or get the axe?

I’m pondering buying a refurb and thinking it’s probably better to wait until tomorrow…

I think the M1 Minis will stay put as they are only 1 year 4 months old (be years end for next increment), the 2020 Intel Mac mini gets an updated CPU, and the Studio is not just a larger Mac mini. We'll see.

 

[russell_314]

I know we’ll have an answer in 24 hours, but it’s always fun to speculate. What do you think will happen to the current Minis? Will the Intel be discontinued? Will the base M1 model remain as a low end option or get the axe?

I’m pondering buying a refurb and thinking it’s probably better to wait until tomorrow…

Yes Intel will be discontinued. Apple is transitioning to Apple Silicon so there’s no reason why the Mac mini would be exempt from this transition. This part we know. I can only speculate on the other things

As to the base model being axed I don’t see that happening. It might be upgraded to an M2 version but the base model Mac mini is too popular to be discontinued. Not everyone needs a pro level machine so the base Mac mini is the cheapest way to get a Mac for general purpose computing. The advantage of Apple Silicon is that it’s more powerful than the high end i7 Intel version in many ways.

 

[Boil]

Just had a thought...

What if the rumored Keyboard Mac was the Mn-series SoC-powered Mac mini replacement, and Apple had a 24" Studio Display lined up to introduce with the Keyboard Mac mini...?

Single cable from display to keyMac, full-featured hub in the display...?

 

[rm5]

Just had a thought...

What if the rumored Keyboard Mac was the Mn-series SoC-powered Mac mini replacement, and Apple had a 24" Studio Display lined up to introduce with the Keyboard Mac mini...?

Single cable from display to keyMac, full-featured hub in the display...?

Are you talking about the "all-display" Mac with a virtual keyboard? Because if we're thinking of the same thing, I SINCERELY doubt it will be released tomorrow.

That would be really cool though, I would totally buy one.

 

[Boil]

Are you talking about the "all-display" Mac with a virtual keyboard? Because if we're thinking of the same thing, I SINCERELY doubt it will be released tomorrow.

No, the retro physical keyboard with built-in computer & single TB4/USB4 output...

Recent rumor of such with patent-related filing by Apple...?

Seems like a good match with a Super Hub / 24" Studio Display...?

Would not expect for tomorrow, but who knows what the Fall might bring...?!? ;^p

 

[velocityg4]

I expect nothing will happen to the M1. They'll remain and at the same price until October/November or whenever Apple is ready to release M2.

Whatever comes out will likely be the Mac Studio. Or whatever they want to call it. Replacing the remaining Intel model. Being basically an MBP without screen, battery, keyboard, trackpad or webcam. Able to handle one more monitor than the MBP. Due to no internal display.

I'd be shocked if they threw us a bone with an M.2 slot for adding internal storage. The SSD will definitely be integrated. But it would be nice to at least be able to add some fast storage without wasting money on a Thunderbolt enclosure.

 

[Boil]

I'd be shocked if they threw us a bone with an M.2 slot for adding internal storage. The SSD will definitely be integrated. But it would be nice to at least be able to add some fast storage without wasting money on a Thunderbolt enclosure.

I am imagining a storage expansion chassis that matches the Mac Studio chassis, designed to stack with same; holds two 3.5" SATAIII HDDs, four 2.5" SATAIII SSDs, & two M.2 NVMe SSDs; could have hardware for NAS stuff, could have multiple RJ45 10Gb Ethernet ports...?

 

[rm5]

I am imagining a storage expansion chassis that matches the Mac Studio chassis, designed to stack with same; holds two 3.5" SATAIII HDDs, four 2.5" SATAIII SSDs, & two M.2 NVMe SSDs; could have hardware for NAS stuff, could have multiple RJ45 10Gb Ethernet ports...?

It could have a door on the side that slides up OR something like on the PowerMac G4 that flips open, and you can put HDDs. That would be really nice.

 

[dizmonk]

I think the rumored Mac Studio is the replacement for the high-end 2018 Intel Mac mini, just coming in at a higher entry price...

Base model would be a double-binned M1 Pro SoC with 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD & Gigabit Ethernet - $1499

This chassis would scale up to dual full-die M1 Max SoCs with 128GB RAM, 8TB SSD, & 10Gb Ethernet - $6999

The Mn-series Mac minis will get a new smaller chassis & come in a rainbow of colors...

Okay here's my question.... Can you guestimate a price for me... Base model but with 4TB SDD? thanks.

 

[Boil]

Okay here's my question.... Can you guestimate a price for me... Base model but with 4TB SDD? thanks.

If base model is $1499, and the upgrade to 4TB on the 14" MBP is $1200, then $2699...?

I use the base 14" MBP configurator for all upgrade pricing...

 

[MauiPa]

I bet they will keep right on working

 

[bluecoast]

New chassis.

M1 is put in the new chassis and sold as an entry level Mac (which the mini was originally designed to be).

Or I wish.

Knowing Apple they’ll just sell the existing M1 as is ie in its existing chassis at a lower price.

M1 pro / M2 in a new chassis becomes the high end ‘developer’ Mac mini & will eventually serve as the basis for all models of the MM going forward. But not yet.

Intel MM immediately discontinued.

 

[imrazor]

Looks like everyone (well most everyone) was wrong. I’m still seeing the same old Mini lineup. Guess no one cares all that much because the Studio is all new and shiny. But even the base model is out of reach for me at US$2K. ?

 

[Dualica 01]

I am soooo disappointed! Was hoping for a high-end Mac mini. But no. All there is is something for the pros. And I can’t help myself but feeling cheated ? Going from the high-end (Intel) Mac mini to the low-end Mac studio costs an arm and a leg. At the price difference I can throw in a mid-end mini with good margin.

Any suggestions what to do? Wait longer? Jump at it? Will there be an external update soon, a la Mac studio with (more) thunderbolt connections?

?

 

[opeter]

For not so pros there is the "standard" Mac mini 2020 line. Thats it. This thing will probably get an upgrade cycle of 2-4 years. Like in the old times.

 

[icanhazmac]

And I can’t help myself but feeling cheated ? Going from the high-end (Intel) Mac mini to the low-end Mac studio costs an arm and a leg.

While I am also disappointed I see a couple of points:

1) A spec bumped mini would have taken some of the wind out of the sales of the low end Studio so I can see why they held out.

2) What you get for ~2x the price seems well worth the cost:

Mini 8 CPU, 8 GPU, 16 Neural, w/16g and 512 SSD $1,099
Studio 10 CPU, 24 GPU, 16 Neural, w/32g and 512 SSD $1,999

For basic surfing and email the base mini seems fine, but so does an iPad, the base studio seems much better for mid-level use.

 

[Dualica 01]

While I am also disappointed I see a couple of points:

1) A spec bumped mini would have taken some of the wind out of the sales of the low end Studio so I can see why they held out.

2) What you get for ~2x the price seems well worth the cost:

Mini 8 CPU, 8 GPU, 16 Neural, w/16g and 512 SSD $1,099
Studio 10 CPU, 24 GPU, 16 Neural, w/32g and 512 SSD $1,999

For basic surfing and email the base mini seems fine, but so does an iPad, the base studio seems much better for mid-level use.

Looks okay when you’re in the US. In my country, with VAT, I have to add ~1,160$

For surfing and mail I have an iPad which works very well. I wanted something to replace my 2016 MBP with. I don’t need to drag it around with me anymore and really wanted something like a high end mac mini at a decent price, like the high end Intel Macmini is. Just not with the Intel inside.

But I do agree with your first point ?

 

[Boyd01]

Looks okay when you’re in the US. In my country, with VAT, I have to add ~1,160$

Wow... do you really pay $1160 tax (58%) on a $2000 computer? In the US, Apple's prices don't include state and local tax. In my state that would be an additional 7% ($140).