Now that the June 2010 Mini is here... what do we reckon will be in the new one?!

[dh2005]

Okay, okay... I'm partly kidding, partly not.


I'm aware that 'new version' threads are a pain in the arse to the more experienced users of this board, but there's a reason why I'm asking.

I think that the rapid improvements in spec that the Mini has seen since March of 2009 suggests that maybe Apple are kicking-on with this product line. Two significant GPU upgrades in quick succession suggests a trend that I find pleasing.

It also seems to be that the Mini is following the spec of the low-end MBP, as I have noted other users observing in the past.

Do the more senior members agree that, whatever happens to the 13" MBP can be relied-upon to happen to the Mini within a few months? Because, if so, I think I'll keep my powder dry until the new MBPs are announced - that way, I'll know whether the next Mini is worth waiting for.


Put it this way... if my understanding is correct, when the 13" MBP goes i5/GT 330M, I'll be keeping a very close eye on apple.com...!

 

[AppliedMicro]

Personally, I cannot really see that worth waiting for. I mean... you can wait and wait and wait, and still hold off when the next model will be released. When Apple release a i5/330M Mini, the next great thing will already be around in the iMac/MBP, eventually trickling down to MacBook & Mac mini.

With the tight new interior design of the new Mini, notebook CPUs are practically guaranteed as a choice for the next Mac mini. And while the mobile Core i5 is (just) "some percent" faster than the current generation, it is still just a dual-core processor, as we've had them for the last 4 years.

I think Quad-Core CPUs will be the next milestone worth waiting for, in terms of CPU choice and performance. And then maybe some new form of external connectivity (Light Peak?), as current options (USB/FW800) are more and more becoming the limiting factor for the performance of external HDs...

Or... buy one just now. The minis just got a brand new sexy case design

 

[indg]

I think that the rapid improvements in spec that the Mini has seen since March of 2009 suggests that maybe Apple are kicking-on with this product line. Two significant GPU upgrades in quick succession suggests a trend that I find pleasing.

i don't really consider the 6-8 month timeframe for a minor spec (and price) bump as "rapid". more like normal pace of progress. i wouldn't expect to see any cutting edge cpu's or gpu's until you see them up the mac chain first. hopefully apple designed the new case with room for future specs.

 

[GodWhomIsMike]

You know that the Mac Mini sometimes doesn't get updated for over a year, right?

 

[Hellhammer]

Put it this way... if my understanding is correct, when the 13" MBP goes i5/GT 330M, I'll be keeping a very close eye on apple.com...!

It likely won't. They are too hot for 13". Apple would have used i3 already if they wanted, but they didn't. Mainly because iX needs a discrete graphic chip, not an integrated like 320M. Hold till 2011 if you can, Sandy Bridge is out due Q1 and it should again provide a bump in performance with such low TDPs that are suitable for 13"

You know that the Mac Mini sometimes doesn't get updated for over a year, right?

That happened once. Now, there has been 3 updates within a year and few months. I doubt they'll do it again, Mini just got a new design so Apple must care about it, at least a little.

 

[dh2005]

Personally, I cannot really see that worth waiting for. I mean... you can wait and wait and wait, and still hold off when the next model will be released. When Apple release a i5/330M Mini, the next great thing will already be around in the iMac/MBP, eventually trickling down to MacBook & Mac mini.)

Oh, you misunderstand me. I don't want 'the next big thing'. If I did, the Mini would be a s**t choice.

But the video performance that the GT 330M brings is significantly better than the 320M, which is itself significantly better than the 9400M - and video performance is very important to me. The CPU class would need to change to the i series for this move to occur, because the C2D can't work with it.

CPU speed is a secondary concern of mine. Not that I don't care about it, but I care about GPU speed a whole lot more.

Plus, regarding waiting... I won't be back at university until the end of September, and my father has a Mini at the parental home that I can use in the meantime. Waiting three months or so would be no penalty at all, for me.

i don't really consider the 6-8 month timeframe for a minor spec (and price) bump as "rapid". more like normal pace of progress.

Not normal for the Mini, when you consider its history. The Mini had that f**tard Intel GMA 950 for eighteen months, but they moved up from the 9400M after only fifteen. And when you consider that there's only one MBP that uses the 320M, when the MBP series gets a spec-bump, you have to figure on the the C2D/320M partnership ending. The Mini is sure to follow suit, because it usually does. I wouldn't be surprised if Apple used the same motherboards in the 13" MBP and the Mini for the convenience of manufacture (does anyone know whether they do...?).

It likely won't. They are too hot for 13". Apple would have used i3 already if they wanted, but they didn't. Mainly because iX needs a discrete graphic chip, not an integrated like 320M. Hold till 2011 if you can, Sandy Bridge is out due Q1...

What's Sandy Bridge, dude?

Thanks for the insight. As I've suggested above, a move to the i3 plus a GT 330M would be just fine by me.

 

[DesmoPilot]

What's Sandy Bridge, dude?

Thanks for the insight. As I've suggested above, a move to the i3 plus a GT 330M would be just fine by me.

SB is the next generation of Intel processors; hence what Apple will be using in the future. If you understand the technical differences between the old Core 2 tech and the Core i series you'd understand why you won't see a core i3 in Apple's smaller computers (13" laptops and Mini's) for a while to come. Not to mentioned the performance difference between the Core 2s and i3s isn't anything to write home about.

 

[flopticalcube]

The Mini had that f**tard Intel GMA 950 for eighteen months, but they moved up from the 9400M after only fifteen.

The GMA950 was in the mini for 3 years. Early 2006 to Early 2009. The only reason, really, is that the X3100 was such a POS that Apple decided to stick with the GMA950.

 

[tpm1999]

The intel gma "3d" chip is what prevented me from buying my first ever Mac. One can complain about the 9400 chip, but the intel gma chip couldn't even run 6 year old games well (like world of Warcraft). As long as apple stays with a sensible 3d chip I will stay with the mini as my main pc for a long time.

I predict the next low end Mac mini will be the current higher end version. 2.6 C2D , 4 gb ram, 500gb HD.

 

[DesmoPilot]

I predict the next low end Mac mini will be the current higher end version. 2.6 C2D , 4 gb ram, 500gb HD.

Possibly; but more likely they'll wait til something can be done with SB. Due to Core 2s being discontinued by Intel during their 3rd quarter this year.

 

[dh2005]

If you understand the technical differences between the old Core 2 tech and the Core i series you'd understand why you won't see a core i3 in Apple's smaller computers (13" laptops and Mini's) for a while to come. Not to mentioned the performance difference between the Core 2s and i3s isn't anything to write home about.

I don't understand how they work on a micro-technical level, no. I leave that to people who care about such things more than I do. All I care about is what they can do for me, as an end-consumer. My academic interest in computing ended five or six years ago. I used to be really into it, but I've become something of a casual user, these days.

Please, do enlighten me. All I know so far is what I've been told about about the 320M - that it's tied to the Core 2 Duo. Thus, I don't reckon we'll see the back of it until the C2D has been replaced. And the next thing along the food chain, to my eye, is the i series. And if they can put an i series into an MBP, why not a Mini...? Seriously - I'm curious to know.

The GMA950 was in the mini for 3 years. Early 2006 to Early 2009. The only reason, really, is that the X3100 was such a POS that Apple decided to stick with the GMA950.

Hahaha...!!! Jesus, was it really that long?! I instinctively thought it had been two years, but checked the Wikipedia article because I wasn't sure - clearly, I misread it.

 

[DesmoPilot]

I don't understand how they work on a micro-technical level, no. I leave that to people who care about such things more than I do. All I care about is what they can do for me, as an end-consumer. My academic interest in computing ended five or six years ago. I've become something of a casual user, these days.

Please, do enlighten me. All I know so far is what I've been told about about the 320M - that it's tied to the Core 2 Duo. Thus, I don't reckon we'll see the back of it until the C2D has been replaced. And the next thing along the food chain, to my eye, is the i series.

Basically it's Intel being a baby over licensing rights. If Apple were to put an i3 (for example) in the mac mini, or whatever, they'd be forced to use Intel's integrated graphics (which is pretty bad to say the least). While with the Core 2 series they're free to use an integrated graphics solution outside of Intel; which is good.

Intel is discontinuing the Core 2 Duo in its third quarter; so I imagine Apple is stocking up to tie them over until SB comes out.

 

[dh2005]

Interesting. Thanks.

So, is this 'baby' crap specific to the i3? Because the MBP i5 and i7 machines have Nvidia GPUs in them, don't they...?


Ah. But they also have Intel chipsets in there too, don't they? And there's some kinda auto-switching between the two, right...? Do you not think the same dual arrangement could be implemented within the Mini, also?

 

[Jawnathin]

Interesting. Thanks.

So, is this 'baby' crap specific to the i3? Because the MBP i5 and i7 machines have Nvidia GPUs in them, don't they...?


Ah. But they also have Intel chipsets in there too, don't they? And there's some kinda auto-switching between the two, right...? Do you not think the same dual arrangement could be implemented within the Mini, also?

Okay, lets clear things up.

Any of the Core-i processors are in this silly dispute. Intel is not allowing Nvidia to develop any chipset, which holds the integrated GPU, with Core-i processors. Intel is the only one providing a chipset for this.

However, this leaves Nvidia free to make a dedicated GPU for use as needed. This is why you see them on the 15/17" MBPs, because it has enough room and real estate for a dedicated GPU.

For the smaller 13" MBPs, MacBooks, and Mac Mini, there isn't enough room for a dedicated GPU, and it must use the integrated one on the chipset. In the case of the Core-i processors, it would be limited to Intel's GPU offering, which is quite poor in performance.

However, since this doesn't apply to the Core2Duos, Nvidia is free to make the chipset, thus the 9400m and 320m as an option. If Apple went with the Corei3 in the Mini or 13" Macbooks, GPU performance would drop big time, which is more significant than the benefit you'd get with the upgrade to the Corei3.

Apple did the right thing by sticking with the Nvidia graphics, despite the slower processor. I much rather have a C2D/320m package, than a Corei3/Intel GPU setup.

I wouldn't hold my breath for a dedicated GPU on the Macbook/Mini anytime soon. They've never had one, ever. Additionally, there is no room to put it either.

 

[dh2005]

Right. So it's a physical 'real estate' issue, rather than an i3 vs. i5/i7 issue. Gotcha.

Man. Intel sure do suck, sometimes. That policy of theirs, effectively, kills the gaming capability of a whole generation of small form-factor computers. I mean, do they want people to buy their i-series chips, or don't they...?!

Certainly, Apple made the right move. Nonetheless, I'm slightly peeved that I may have to wait six-plus months before I can replace my Mini.

 

[flopticalcube]

Right. So it's a physical 'real estate' issue, rather than an i3 vs. i5/i7 issue. Gotcha.

Man. Intel sure do suck, sometimes. That policy of theirs, effectively, kills the gaming capability of a whole generation of small form-factor computers. I mean, do they want people to buy their i-series chips, or don't they...?!

Certainly, Apple made the right move. Nonetheless, I'm slightly peeved that I may have to wait six-plus months before I can replace my Mini.

Intel doesn't care. You will buy an Intel chip regardless if its i3 or C2D. Its win/win for them. They probably make a bit more on the older C2Ds anyhow.

 

[dh2005]

True enough. But still, it's mean.

Looks like I'm waiting until the end of the year, then.

 

[Jawnathin]

True enough. But still, it's mean.

Looks like I'm waiting until the end of the year, then.

What exactly are you waiting for?

 

[anthorumor]

What exactly are you waiting for?

bluray, or dedicated graphics?

 

[Jawnathin]

bluray, or dedicated graphics?

As great as both would be to have, I wouldn't hold my breath for either of em, even with the next refresh.

I hope I'm wrong, because I'd buy one to replace the one I have now.

 

[DesmoPilot]

bluray, or dedicated graphics?

Doubt the Mini or MacBook will ever had dedicated graphics. Bluray will more then likely come one day though.

 

[sdv5]

Mini could have dedicated GPU if the case were just a bit bigger. It would still look fantastic even if the height were one half inch greater.

 

[DesmoPilot]

Mini could have dedicated GPU if the case were just a bit bigger. It would still look fantastic even if the height were one half inch greater.

It could, but it won't. Apple's consumer line's (Low end iMac, MacBook and Mac Mini) won't ever have a dedicated GPU; at least not one worth writing home about.

 

[Mr.T]

Just pray that when future apple products are released, that companies such as intel, nvidia, ati, etc are not having a spat about licensing.
That being said, it will be interesting if Apple go down the ATI/AMD path for future products. I wonder how exclusive to Intel apple are.

 

[Hellhammer]

What's Sandy Bridge, dude?

Next micro-architecture from Intel and it's due to be released in early 2011

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandy_Bridge_(microarchitecture)