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macfan01 · Mar 5, 2007, 07:03 AM

The mac mini hasn't been upgraded for a long time now, and I hope there will be soon a new revision of this computer. Question is what will be changed.
Hope for a new processor and evolution of the DVD but I also would like to see a SerialATA connector to be able to transform the mac mini in a real Home Server and attach to attach it a raid array.

Any other idea !

Rev2Liv · Mar 5, 2007, 04:32 PM

Yeah, the Mac Mini is getting a bit long in the tooth. eSATA would be an excellent addition, but I fear that it might be at the expense of say the FireWire port. Incidentally, firewire appears to have lost traction in the consumer market which is quite sad as it is much more advanced than USB 2.0

I would ilke to see:

low cost discrete graphics chip
Core 2 Duo
Support for >3GB RAM
support for Dual Link DVI
Faster bus

The Mac Mini was really cute and cheap when it debuted a few years back in G4 form. However, at $799 for the 1.83ghz model sans keyboard/mouse, it now looks downright expensive when compared to PC offerings. I continue to be a loyal Mac Mini user mainly due to the form factor.

iDaver · 12:59 AM

Originally Posted by Rev2Liv

Support for >3GB RAM
support for Dual Link DVI

With just those two things, I'd eBay my G5 tower and replace it with a mini. Won't happen, unfortunately.

Rev2Liv · Mar 6, 2007, 03:21 AM

Don't say that, 'heh. In 2007 for 800 smackers and savings on BYOKDM, even in a mobile factor, the Mac Mini is overpriced. Refurb baby all the way.

A Core 2 Duo upgrade is a given. However, everything else is up for grabs. My feeling is that Apple will quietly introduce Core2Duo's much the same way they introduced 1.5ghz G4 mini's which is to say by checking the system profiler and popping the hood to see if your eyes are deceiving you.

Intel's mobile 945M Mobile Intel� 945GM Express Chipset chipset supports x16 PCI-E discrete graphics an up to 4GB RAM @533mhz.

Originally Posted by iDaver

With just those two things, I'd eBay my G5 tower and replace it with a mini. Won't happen, unfortunately.

Simon · Mar 6, 2007, 04:23 AM

The Mac mini is the cheapest Mac available. It yields the smallest profits for Apple.

It won't offer anything that other Macs don't already have. It won't offer features that would lure people away from buying an iMac or MP.

Franz · Mar 6, 2007, 08:40 AM

I've been waiting for the next mac mini revision, i hope it'll be worth the wait.

getting kind of impatient, i've got all the money and just waiting for something to be released now. there hasn't been an update since early september...

Voch · Mar 6, 2007, 11:17 AM

I'm modestly hoping for a Core 2 Duo speed bump on the next models. 1GB of RAM on the low-end Mac mini would be terrific (but very unexpected) as it would help me with my short-term plans for my future mini purchase but I would inevitably bump it to 2GB anyway.

Rev2Liv · Mar 6, 2007, 04:46 PM

Originally Posted by Simon

The Mac mini is the cheapest Mac available. It yields the smallest profits for Apple.

It won't offer anything that other Macs don't already have. It won't offer features that would lure people away from buying an iMac or MP.

I agree with your second statement. I prefer Mac's with a small footprint. At the time in 2001, I found the iconic G4 Cube to be my favorite desktop Mac ever. I added a fan, threw in a DP G4 500mhz card and a Radeon with a 17" Apple ACD and felt it was the system ever. That thing was a hot rod.

The Mini is targeted to a different segment, but if a Mac Pro Cube were ever to appear, i'd pick one up in a heartbeat.

fx9xx04 · Mar 6, 2007, 10:59 PM

Originally Posted by Voch

I'm modestly hoping for a Core 2 Duo speed bump on the next models. 1GB of RAM on the low-end Mac mini would be terrific (but very unexpected) as it would help me with my short-term plans for my future mini purchase but I would inevitably bump it to 2GB anyway.

I agree. It's a far fetched idea but I can't wait until 1 GB is the minimum for a Mac, even though 512 MB is functional. With iLife you need at least 1 GB for great performance. I'd buy one right now, regardless of the Core Duo, if it had 1 GB. Once it goes Core 2 Duo (and hopefully an N-draft card like the other C2D equipped Macs), it'll seem more attractive. (Reluctantly) selling PCs all day makes the Mac Mini way over priced, especially since a PC with a C2D and a few other features goes for at least 800 (I know, wireless, BT and size are not factored in). Also, I would expect that the Apple makes 150 dollasr profit on the 799 version, which isn't too bad (18% margin). I know they're keeping it basic, but geez it's kind of a rip-off now.

iDaver · Mar 6, 2007, 11:10 PM

Heck, I'd be pleased if Apple would just put the 512 into one slot. Then, you could buy an additional stick and not have to throw memory away. I know they're getting those 256M chips for next to nothing, but it's aggravating.

bobolicious · Mar 6, 2007, 11:32 PM

Anyone notice the iTV size @ 7.7" vs the Mini @ 6.5"?
Any bets on a Core 2 Duo with 3.5" HDs for video storage...?
Current 1920x1200 23" video does 1080p/2mp...
iPhone is also conveniently 2mp...?
Monitors may gain iSight...?
;-)
ps. no rocket science here...

iDaver · Mar 6, 2007, 11:44 PM

Originally Posted by bobolicious

Anyone notice the iTV size @ 7.7" vs the Mini @ 6.5"?

Had wondered about that but AppleTV isn't intended to sit on top of a computer. It sits across the room or in another room.

That said, Apple has to be planning some consumer Macs with massive internal storage. One can't be expected to have much of a video collection with a Mac mini's capacity. (Planned) external hard drives aren't really Apple's style. The one major drawback to the mini design in my mind has always been its mobile hard drive. I'd bet Apple could squeeze a 3.5" drive into a 7.7 inch case and still keep it at the mini's current height.

Fdanna · Mar 7, 2007, 09:47 AM

Originally Posted by iDaver

With just those two things, I'd eBay my G5 tower and replace it with a mini. Won't happen, unfortunately.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe if you go from Core Duo (32 bit) to Core 2 Duo (64 bit) then the ability to go beyond 3gb is a given. Considering that these components are shared with the laptop (and iMac) line, I'd say the >3gb thing is a shoe-in. When the iMac switched to Core 2 this is what happened.

iDaver · Mar 7, 2007, 09:59 AM

Originally Posted by Fdanna

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe if you go from Core Duo (32 bit) to Core 2 Duo (64 bit) then the ability to go beyond 3gb is a given. Considering that these components are shared with the laptop (and iMac) line, I'd say the >3gb thing is a shoe-in. When the iMac switched to Core 2 this is what happened.

I guess you're right, if you can put >3GB in two slots.

Stevesong · Mar 7, 2007, 10:19 AM

I'm considering purchasing several Mac Minis to create a computer "farm" for sampled virtual instruments in my music studio. Among the MIni's advantages are small size and low power consumption. I'm hoping the new version will have at least a 3GB RAM capacity (I'd prefer 4GB) and an option for a 7200RPM hard drive such as the recently announced 160GB Fujitsu drive. (Having a larger, faster drive would mean not having to use an external drive with each Mini to hold samples that stream from disk (minimum 7200RPM for this purpose).

badsey · Mar 7, 2007, 10:36 AM

Apple product announcements for March? - Business - Macworld UK

I believe you are going to see a bad-ass 4 core MacMini soon. Of course this MacMini will be black signifying its' badass appeal.. Part of Apple's Skunk Works Projekt 1 Beta (German Apple Corps).

MacDarwin · Mar 7, 2007, 10:56 AM

The Next Mac Mini is:
Core 2 Duo, Memory Up to 4 Go.
Better Graphic Card with more memory with Dual Link DVI up to 1080i
Faster Bus
HDMI in (Rev 1.3)
HDMI out (Rev 1.3)
DVI-HDMI Connector
USB2 and Firewire 800
Sata external connector
In the same time, new display with multi touch !
Great no !!

iDaver · Mar 7, 2007, 11:06 AM

Originally Posted by MacDarwin

The Next Mac Mini is:
Core 2 Duo, Memory Up to 4 Go.
Better Graphic Card with more memory with Dual Link DVI up to 1080i
Faster Bus
HDMI in (Rev 1.3)
HDMI out (Rev 1.3)
DVI-HDMI Connector
USB2 and Firewire 800
Sata external connector
In the same time, new display with multi touch !
Great no !!

That would be a great Mac mini. Don't count on it.

What's all this rubbish about multi touch? I keep seeing multi-touch, multi-touch in various forums in reference to displays. Who the heck wants to "touch" their display, and what possible use could there be for it? Personally, I get annoyed when someone touches my display and leaves a print. Sorry to be off-topic but I think this is a catch phrase that needs to be buried along with "asteroid."

mqualben · Mar 7, 2007, 01:31 PM

I wish that Apple would add an external SATA port to all of their Macs. Macs already use SATA for internal drives, it's cheap and much faster than Firewire 800. Hopefully Apple will lead the way in popularizing eSATA in the industry like they did for USB with the iMac.

bearcatrp · Mar 7, 2007, 10:12 PM

Originally Posted by Voch

I'm modestly hoping for a Core 2 Duo speed bump on the next models. 1GB of RAM on the low-end Mac mini would be terrific (but very unexpected) as it would help me with my short-term plans for my future mini purchase but I would inevitably bump it to 2GB anyway.

You can buy a core solo for under 500 bucks, replace the solo with a core2duo for around 300 or less, and have a nice little mini now.

P · 06:02 AM

Putting discrete graphics in the box is not going to happen - it's very expensive compared to the total price of the Mac mini, they produce more heat and are not useful for a large part of the people who will use it. Santa Rosa with integrated graphics (965GM) will include an updated version of the Intel graphics, GMA 3000, which will bring a graphics speed boost of about 50%. There is also a higher end version, GMA X3000, that is more powerful and adds that hardware T&L that the Intel graphics so desperately needs. If we're really lucky, we might get that.

To use over 4 gigs of RAM, you need the Santa Rosa/965 chipset, or the desktop equivalent. Core or Core 2 doesn't matter - the current iMacs don't support over 4 gigs.

bobolicious: Great find. With that space, they could ditch the 2.5" HD. A 3.5" HD would cut the price and increase capacity (they don't come in anything smaller than 160 gigs these days, do they?) and might let Apple move the bottom model down towards $499 again - that's where it belongs - and spec up the higher-end one a bit, with 1 gig RAM and an even bigger HD.

P · Mar 8, 2007, 11:43 AM

Originally Posted by mqualben

I wish that Apple would add an external SATA port to all of their Macs. Macs already use SATA for internal drives, it's cheap and much faster than Firewire 800. Hopefully Apple will lead the way in popularizing eSATA in the industry like they did for USB with the iMac.

QFT.

SLiMeX · Mar 8, 2007, 01:13 PM

Originally Posted by Franz

I've been waiting for the next mac mini revision, i hope it'll be worth the wait.

getting kind of impatient, i've got all the money and just waiting for something to be released now. there hasn't been an update since early september...

Me too! I have been watching the MacRumors site and just waiting for the next revision. I got a 19" widescreen monitor for Christmas, and although it works flawlessly with my Macbook, it kind of takes away from its "portability." Along with the monitor for Christmas, and my birthday being also towards the end of December, I got enough Apple giftcards for 2/3rd of a Mac Mini. Then, I sold all of my iPods and iMacs and my B&W, finally having enough for one.

I really would enjoy just a processor update as well as a graphics card upgrade. I'm not too concerned about max RAM, but I could see a slimmer design. Thinner, I'd guess.

Tucom · Mar 8, 2007, 11:40 PM

PLUS: you can always just hook up an external screen if the internal one goes poopy on you, but I'm sure the internal screen would last plent long, especially if you have the new-hardware crave

Peace

TomR · Mar 9, 2007, 11:15 PM

I LOVE the Mini! This here I'm typing on is a G4 mini and I LOVE IT! Runs 24/7 for the past 2 years. This is an AWESOME machine IMHO. I'd buy a new one NO PROBLEM.

Tom

SLiMeX · Mar 15, 2007, 03:12 PM

WHEN1?!?!

czedlitz · Mar 15, 2007, 03:24 PM

Originally Posted by Voch

I'm modestly hoping for a Core 2 Duo speed bump on the next models. 1GB of RAM on the low-end Mac mini would be terrific (but very unexpected) as it would help me with my short-term plans for my future mini purchase but I would inevitably bump it to 2GB anyway.

You can already increase the amount of RAM to 1GB if you order it anyways... But if they make that the default for the shelf machines it would be ALOT better.

MattJeff · Mar 15, 2007, 03:40 PM

i want to see it with a small screen option, 15 or 17" cheaper version then the 20" and knowing apple they could give it a facelift and people would love it even more.

Jasoco · Mar 16, 2007, 01:03 AM

I'm currently running on a first gen Mac mini G4 I've had since they were released. (Ordered the first week.) I love it to death. When the mini was released I swore that I would buy a new one every year because they were so cheap. But then Apple went and did something stupid. They raised the price. Now, I don't know if it was the processor switch or something else, but it really makes no sense. The mini's were supposed to be the cheap entry into the Mac world. They were amazing for the price back then. But at $600 and $800 it's just a bit out of reach now.

I want a 24" iMac now but would buy a mini instead if they returned to the roots. $500 for a mini with 1GB RAM already installed (512? WTF? 1GB should be minimum across the board.) and that's all I ask.

Though I wouldn't turn down dual-link (Could really use a second monitor) and separate graphics chip. But I'd just settle for 1GB at $500 and I'd buy right now.

Matthew_Kennedy · Jan 27, 2008, 05:56 PM

What do you think? ---|> Random Mac

TomR · Jan 27, 2008, 06:51 PM

Originally Posted by Matthew_Kennedy

What do you think? ---|> Random Mac

Do-able I would guess, Kind of cool.

imdipped · Jan 27, 2008, 09:35 PM

I've been wanting one of those for years.

macintologist · Jan 28, 2008, 10:45 AM

I bought a used intel Mac Mini core duo 1.6ghz, 512mb ram, combo drive, 60gig drive, for $325 on ebay