Apple’s Mac Mini to get new processors and graphics chip
By Jonathan Schlaffer
Mediocre and overpriced hardware; that’s the apt description of the Mac Mini. It may be a “low cost” Mac but it has stagnated while it’s more capable bigger brothers like the MacBook and MacBook Pro have received better and more regular update cycles. Now, finally, the Mac Mini is getting an incremental boost in processing and graphics power.
Apple has decided not to pull the plug on the Mac Mini as it was previously thought it might do. I don’t know which is better or worse, perpetuating the below average nature of the Mac Mini or canceling it all together.
On one hand, no more underpowered insignificant horsepower; on the other hand, no more “entry level” Mac. You decide which alternative is the least objectionable.
I wouldn’t exactly call the update to a starting point of 2.1GHz Core 2 Duo processors, Intel GMA X3100 graphics (the same used in MacBooks) and a bump from 667MHz front side bus to 800MHz, extraordinary. But, it is a slight improvement. Here’s hoping the memory gets bumped from 1GB to 2GB as well, a boost in standard hard drive capacity would be welcome too.
Apple Insider reported on these plans but it’s not clear when it will roll out the changes to its Mac Mini line but third party retailers have begun clearing stock of existing models of the Mac Mini and even iMacs in preparation of eventual updates to those computers.
Assuming all Apple changes is the processor and graphics, the Mac Mini would still ship with a standard 1GB of memory and an 80GB Hard drive for $599. To get a Mac Mini worth owning you will need to pony up for a better processor, double the memory and at least a 160GB hard drive which would run $949 which encroaches on MacBook territory.
A decent MacBook will cost $1,299, class, does someone want to tell me which is the smarter investment here? Anyone? It’s the MacBook, even the $1,099 model would be better than the best Mac Mini. And if you have an extra $500 then you may as well buy a MacBook Pro.
Sometimes I think Apple does this by design, if you spend $949 on a Mini you may as well spend $1,099 on a MacBook and some would do just as well to make the additional $500 jump to the (closeout) MacBook Pro models.
If Apple were to replace the Mac Mini with the Mac Mini Pro then that might be a different story.
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March 22nd, 2008
you don’t get it, obviously.
the lowest-priced minimum-spec version of the Mini works great for all the situations where only basic computing is needed - not power users or techies or gamers - and the monitor/keyboards are already on-hand from past years. that includes most business offices and home computers. even a “mere” 2.1 GHz machine is plenty of power for Leopard and iLife apps.
the Mini is also widely used as an HTPC. more speed helps here, sure, when doing work with video/movie files. but folks clearly find the Mini adequate already - they use it.
when will the blogger technocrati get it that they are not typical customers? if you got hardware lust, go buy a Mac Pro, don’t project it on a piece of equipment that has a totally different purpose.
(and for storage, by the way, adding external hard drives is always a much better deal price-wise than getting a larger internal drive. so a bigger drive is not even needed.)
March 22nd, 2008
Exactly right John E
the entry level Mac Mini will do a great job and satisfy large portion of users.
2GB Ram would then allow WMware/parallels to run windows just fine too.
March 23rd, 2008
You’ll be surprise at the power of the mini, i am using a duo 2 core running at 1.66ghz, it is more than adequate for my work.
I can have photoshop, freehand (old fashioned), itunes and a few apps running at the same time there is no lack in speed (I am not talking about Mac pro speed) and I am more than happy.
I know the architecture is that of the Macbook but i think the difference is the sata drive.
I don’t know whether you have try one before please do and then give us some feedback as compare to the Macbook.
Yea I am using a 22 in LCD monitor (not the Apple one).
March 23rd, 2008
Yeah, he don’t get it all right.
I started with a 1.66 Duo and a really cheap keyboard, mouse, and monitor I had laying around. Over the next year I bought better bits (like my 1440×900 LCD screen, and my 250g USB2 external drive) when I could afford them.
The *only* thing this isn’t good for is hard core 3D gaming, and I have a friend with a Wii, so I just don’t care.
It’s a perfectly stable system, it’s quiet, and a gig of RAM does just fine under Leopard. So what exactly do you want? If you want to double the power, buy two and hook them together!
March 24th, 2008
I could go on about the merits of the Mini at more length than you’d care to read, but I’ll stick with just one topic: The Mini makes a fantastic ultraportable wireless file server for a small mobile workgroup. And it has absolutely no peer (that I’m aware of) in this regard.
April 1st, 2008
HTPC? Make it an HTPC that PC fanboys will buy. This means it needs to push 1080p. Add optional Bluray (I did say OPTIONAL) and combined with a remote control, you are now getting into territory that is just not happening elsewhere right now (Windows Vista Media Center??). I want a new HTPC right now but I am not going to give up my Winblows machine because it pushes 1080p, 5.1 optical, 42″ LCD TV and 22″ monitor, and can game.
April 10th, 2008
I have no problem with the specs. As so many have rightly pointed out it does just fine for 90% of consumers..
But it’s way overpriced. Drop the price to $399 and include a KB and Mouse and it will be a good value.
July 24th, 2008
Mac Mini is a perfect pain in the ass for Apple, Apple TV is great For Canada / USA in Europe it’s no big deal, in fact its a flop.
The mac mini is the ultimate machine for the average user.
The only reason Apple don’t kill it is because it has more people than Apple TV.
You will not get Blu-Ray in the Mini yet, Sony now have total control of the the Digital environment.
Think of this If they said No to Apple all Mac’s would never have Blu-Ray……