Apple today unveiled the new Mac mini with the Intel Core Duo processor, delivering performance up to four times faster than its predecessor and providing even greater expansion in the same innovative and incredibly compact design.* Starting at just $599, the Mac mini is the most affordable way to enjoy iLife ’06, the next generation of Apple’s award-winning suite of digital lifestyle applications, and features the Apple Remote and Front Row so you can play your music, enjoy your photo slideshows, watch your DVDs, iMovies, music videos and television shows from across the room.
“With the new Mac mini, Apple has now moved 50 percent of its entire product line to Intel within 60 days—a record transition,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing in the press release. “The new Mac mini is now up to four times faster with the Intel Core Duo, includes even greater expansion in the same incredibly compact design, and is the most affordable way to enjoy Front Row and iLife ‘06.”
Featuring the next generation of Apple’s breakthrough Front Row media experience, the new Mac mini gives customers a simple way to enjoy their digital lifestyle content on the Mac mini including music, photos and videos from across the room using the Apple Remote. With the latest version of Front Row, customers can now effortlessly access shared iTunes playlists, iPhoto libraries and video throughout their home via Bonjour, Apple’s zero configuration wireless networking built into Mac OS X.
The new Mac mini offers a completely new system architecture for performance up to four times as fast as the previous Mac mini, including a 667 MHz front-side bus and 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM memory expandable to 2GB. With the latest high-performance connectivity options, every new Mac mini now includes built-in 10/100/1000 BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet for high-speed networking, built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11g WiFi for fast 54 Mbps wireless networking, built-in Bluetooth 2.0+EDR (Enhanced Data Rate) and a total of four USB 2.0 ports, twice as many as the previous generation. Mac mini includes a DVI interface and a VGA-out adapter to easily connect to a variety of displays, including many of today’s most popular flat panel televisions, and now features both analog and digital audio outputs to easily connect to a home stereo.
The new Mac mini includes iLife ‘06, the next generation of Apple’s award-winning suite of digital lifestyle applications featuring major new versions of iPhoto, iMovie HD, iDVD, GarageBand and introducing iWeb, a new iLife application that makes it super-easy to create amazing websites with photos, blogs and Podcasts and publish them on .Mac for viewing by anyone on the Internet with just a single click. All the iLife ‘06 applications are Universal applications that run natively on the new Intel-based Mac mini for maximum performance.
Every new Mac mini comes with the latest release of the world’s most advanced operating system, Mac OS X version 10.4 “Tiger” including Safari, Mail, iCal, iChat AV and Front Row, running natively. Mac OS X Tiger includes an innovative software translation technology called Rosetta that lets customers run most Mac OS X PowerPC applications seamlessly.
The new Mac mini is shipping today and will be available through the Apple Store, Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers.
The new 1.5 GHz Mac mini, for a suggested retail price of $599 (US), includes:
• 1.5 GHz Intel Core Solo processor
• 512MB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM, expandable up to 2GB
• a slot-load Combo (DVD-ROM/CD-RW) drive
• 60GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm
• Intel GMA950 graphics processor
• built-in AirPort Extreme wireless networking & Bluetooth 2.0+EDR
• Gigabit Ethernet (10/100/1000 BASE-T)
• four USB 2.0 ports
• one audio line in and one audio line out port, each supporting both optical digital and analog
• DVI-out port for external display (VGA-out adapter included, Composite/S-Video out adapter sold separately)
• Infrared Apple Remote.
The new 1.66 GHz Mac mini, for a suggested retail price of $799 (US), includes:
• 1.66 GHz Intel Core Duo processor
• 512MB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM expandable up to 2GB
• a slot-load 8x SuperDrive™ with double-layer support (DVD+R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
• 80GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm
• Intel GMA950 graphics processor
• built-in AirPort Extreme wireless networking & Bluetooth 2.0+EDR
• Gigabit Ethernet (10/100/1000 BASE-T)
• four USB 2.0 ports
• one audio line in and one audio line out port, each supporting both optical digital and analog
• DVI-out port for external display (VGA-out adapter included, Composite/S-Video out adapter sold separately)
• Infrared Apple Remote.
Build-to-order options and accessories include up to 2GB DDR2 SDRAM, 80GB, 100GB and 120GB Serial ATA hard drives, iWork ’06 (pre-installed), AirPort Express and AirPort Extreme Base Station, Apple Wireless Keyboard, Apple Wireless Mouse, Apple USB Modem and the AppleCare Protection Plan.
See the new Mac mini here.
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Related MacDailyNews article:
Old Apple Mac mini G4 vs. new Mac mini’s graphics and video specs – February 28, 2006
Let the upgrading begin!
Communication is at a premium right now…!
MDN Magic Word: Things.
that is no good i want a Macbook
Is it just me, or has the entire Engadget site been down since 10 minutes after the event started?
I feel very isolated!
ME BUY!!!
go to http://www.macrumors.com 1 minute update in new tab keep macdaily news refreshed in other tab.
MAC MAC MAC MAC MAC MAC MAC MAC MAC!!!!!!!!!!!
Yay! Engadget is back online!
YEHEHESSSSSSSS!!!
Now there is an “iPod Hi-Fi” home stereo box….
No firewire??
I was thinking the same thing – No firewire? 🙁
Man, it is sooo tempting to buy a mini to tide me over until the Macbook with the Merom processor comes out.
Did they say anywhere how much this new mini will cost?
How underwhelming!
I’m glad to see gigabit ethernet. I’ll prolly get one of these. I’d like to see what graphics it has though.
I think that firewire is in the specs – check again.
I looked at Intel’s web page and found that the Core Solo is only available in a 1.67Ghz model. Do you think Apple is underclocking it to 1.5Ghz in order to delineate their product line?
Firewire 400. Yeah, got worried there for a sec. Interesting thing is that graphics use the main memory. “Minimum graphics memory usage is 80MB, resulting in 432MB of system memory available.”
No word yet how much memory it can hold as that page isn’t working yet……
HAHAHAH…the POS has an crap intel integrated video. Look at its pitiful performance: http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=2427&p=1
Hey MDN, first viruses, now integrated video. It seems only yesterday you were laughing it up how only winblows boxes had integrated video. What do you have to say for yourself now???
WE WANT ANSWERS
Firewire is definately in the spec plus 4 USB 2.0 ports.
It would be nice if it had componant video out instead of, or in addition to the S-Video out so that it could work with HD-TV’s with out DVI or HDMI (most HDTV’s over 1 year old do not have DVI or HDMI input).
Integrated graphics card. I never thought I would see the day Apple would do that. So you need a minimum of 1 gb of RAM to make it usable as 512 mb = about 400 mb in real use. Plus, they charge you another $100. Granted it actually has a real processor now, but what a great disappointment that machine really is.
Ugh!
Everything Else Looks Fine…
I was expecting bigger news. I think Steve is cooking up something major and this is just to divert our attention for now.
Hey, I had a teacher named Rob Nash….
There is a firewire port on these. At least in the photos on apple.com. Now, my question is: Steve said it will hook up to televisions. Is that in place or in addition to your regular display?
Prices increased on this baby to 600, the faster model 800, essentially its taken the place of the eMac, but no screen. I guess its ok, but we need more variety.
But I wanted it to toast my bagels too!
Yet again uk customers ripped off. How does the currency conversion over there
Boo.
A price INCREASE? It’s nudging up against the iMac now, once you get the monitor, kb, mouse. And definitely doesn’t bode well for the intel iBook price expectation.
Memory can be expanded to 2GB.
Says so in the article.
I don’t care if it has integrated video or not, it’s a low end system. Find me a low end name brand PC under $800 that doesn’t have the exact same thing. If you want/need a real graphics card, get an iMac or Power Mac.
It’s not simply that they upped the price $100, but more that they no longer offer the Mac mini without Airport Extreme and Bluetooth 2.0. They used to offer a $499 model without wireless options, and added the wireless options for about $100.
Now you have to pay extra to have wireless, whether or not you want it. It’s pretty much built into the Intel chipset, so this is not surprising. Integrated poopy graphics are also built into the chipset.
The only surprising thing is that Apple is offering an underclocked Core Solo, and that they are overcharging for the Core Duo upgrade ($100 extra rather than $50 at Dell).
I wanted one. But integrated graphics? ARGH.
I wonder how the 1.42 PPC stacks up against the solo 1.5 x86 for performance?
If I’m to believe all the talk on this website from pre intel days, the PPC should kick ass . . .
MDN word . . .trying. . . .trying to figure this out.
SHARED VIDEO MEMORY?!?!?!
Intel GMA950 graphics processor with 64MB of DDR2 SDRAM shared with main memory
In the past Apple products were better than the Wintel world. Now we get cheap Wintel crap with OS X on it
MS: “value” as in where’s the value?
Bullshit. We’ve been laughing at integrated graphics for years. This thing costs MORE ? Just crazy.
Integrated graphics…:( Of course this wasn’t going to be everything we hoped for, but to downgrade the GPU is a really bad move. I hope that, as the Core prices start to fall, Apple will reintroduce dedicated graphics and maybe even sell a $499 base model again. My biggest fear right now is that the new iBooks will have integrated graphics.
It’s Apple , You always pay extra at first
Well, as much as I hate to see it, integrated graphics was the only way they were going to get the video boost the mini needed and keep it as small as it is. It ain’t easy to stuff 10 lbs of sh*t into a 5 lb bag. The max memory is 2 gigs which should be a pretty decent performer. I can’t say that I’m totally blown away by this product but I’m not disappointed and it’s way better than the first mini.
anyone know if the cpu is zif? ie removable? ergo can I put a core duo cpu in my core solo socket?
$800.00 for the better model (boo on the Core Solo), memory upgrade required for any kind of good performance (especially if using Rosetta), Intel integrated graphics, and, if you don’t already own either you need a dispay and a keyboard.
I’d recommend to anyone to just get an Intel iMac 17″
While the Mac mini is improved, it is too close in price point (the Core Duo model) to the iMac 17″ – for $400.00 more you get a 17″ wide screen display, dedicated graphics card, keyboard, and a faster larger HD. Hmmmmmmmmmmm. I suppose it will find it’s way into peoples hands who already have displays and keyboards, but I still think it is too close in price point to the iMac 17″.
Underwhelming is right. This explains why the invite was so sparse and only used generic adjectives like “fun” and “new” to describe the products. But of course, the invite was over-hyped. How could Apple actually deliver on this when we thought the invite was some type of secret code hinting at an amazing new life-changing device with PDA, cellphone, and iPod functionality that would end world hunger, cure cancer, and let you simultaneously stream your music, photos, and movies to anyplace in your living room or on the planet? In any case, the consumers might not care about the integrated graphics, but the price increase will surely be noticed. Both are real bummers.
Yeah, what’s with the graphics?
Yeah, it IS a low-end system, POOR (MDN Magic Word), I’d say.
BUT… Ay yi yi! Crappola!
Still, it’s rather tempting, especially since my 1999 vintage DVD player could stand replacement.
Just think… Call of Duty on a wide screen TV? Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm…………
i have to say, i’m a little bummed. i had my hopes set on a tivo-like (but better) DVR with the ability to buy movies from front-row. i hope it comes soon!!! i want it!!
Integrated video w/ shared RAM? This thing sounds so PeeCee. WTF is Apple turning into? iMean the lowly Mac Mini G4 had dedicated video & RAM, this is really a step backwards.
Rory – “My biggest fear right now is that the new iBooks will have integrated graphics.
Rory say it isn’t so! That’s a legitimate concern. Hopefully, it will not happen. Time will tell.
Do Intel Macs run Classic? I have legacy apps (eg Bentley Microstation) I need to use. I don’t fancy spending thousands of pounds buying/learning Autocad on a poxy PC. I suggest Apple uses some of it’s several billion $ in cash to subsidise the porting of credible enterprise software onto the Mac platform to kick-start the corporate/ business markets into revising their attitude towards Macs.
Ignorant question:
What’s the deal with integrated video whatchamacallit? Why’s that so bad? This is a sincere question.
sorry, this is not my idea of ‘progress’:
so you get a new processor (not necessarily much of an improvement in real-world performance), shared graphics memory (embarassing) and a price rise. someone will have to point out what i am missing as i cannot see an up-side.
MW : best, as in this cannot be their best, surely?
Something is wrong.
Things are not going right in Apple land.
Disappointing MacWorld, then this hyped up announcement is just so, so much ado about nothing.
Overpriced minimacs – crap graphics. $100 buck cover for an iPod. $400 for a pair of speakers. Sheesh. No wonder Apple stock is dropping.
But still no viruses!!!
LOL
Man… this was one SERIOUSLY underwhelming presentation. I can’t believe they are going with a built in graphics chipset. I really can’t believe they’ve done this. And where’s the front row with DVR capabilities? I mean, they hire the president of El Gato and they DON’T add EyeTV style recording capabilities to a box that is PERFECT for it. If there’s ever been a perfect media PC, the Mini is approaching it and to come up short at this point in the game is really gonna hurt.
Re: Nick
Wireless isn’t built into the Intel chipset, though the module is bundled in Intel’s pricing on their website. The price difference between the T1300 set (1.67 Core Solo) and T2300 set (1.67 Core Duo) is only $32 at the non-discounted rate. BTW, the cost of the chipset and the wireless module apparently only makes up about $65 of the cost, so the wireless by itself is probably half of that. So Apple using a 1.5GHz (which is not even on Intel’s list) and charging $200 more for the Duo is inexcusable. The price difference for the 60->80 hd and optical drive are fairly small and certainly don’t make up the difference on the $200 increase. The whole mess is just price stratification, which annoys consumers.
http://intel.com/intel/finance/pricelist/index.htm
HAHAHAH…the POS has an crap intel integrated video. Look at its pitiful performance: http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=2427&p=1
Hey MDN, first viruses, now integrated video. It seems only yesterday you were laughing it up how only winblows boxes had integrated video. What do you have to say for yourself now???
WE WANT ANSWERS
here is the answer:
The integrated VGA is on the PCI express chain, pci express has direct access to the system ram, and the system ram being DDR2 is as fast or faster than most ram on most mid range video cards. therefore, ergo: the ‘integrated’ video on this platform is not that bad. the only downside is the fact that you are losing some system ram. solution: get at least 1GB ram… hell get 2GB…….
I love Apple as much as the next Apple-ite, but today’s announcement was anemic at best. I think they may be drinking a little too much of their own Kool-Aid.
Shared-Memory-Graphis in a Mac is like a 3-cylinder-engine in a BMW – no fun!
What is the CoreDuo processor good for anyway with this crappy graphics?
The definitely best buy is a 17″ iMac now.
You’re all missing the point on the Mac Mini, it’s aimed at technophobes. So look at it from that perspective and it looks pretty good. Me thinks this will fly of the shelves.
“Huh”:
integrated graphics suck because
1) way slower than any other graphics solution
2) they gobble up your main memory.
<i>Huh – “Ignorant question:
What’s the deal with integrated video whatchamacallit? Why’s that so bad? This is a sincere question.”
NOT an ignorant question. Integrated video uses system RAM instead of dedicated RAM that is on a card. Therefore, it’s eating up memory on you – basically with either of these two models a memory upgrade is probably nescessary and that means more $$.
I noticed that Apple didn’t push out the delivery dates of the mini’s before the announcement. They are getting wiser to the clues of thier new product releases…
People… GET IT THROUGH YOUR HEADS!
The MacMini WILL NEVER HAVE BUILT IN DVR FUNCTIONS…
Apple is in the business of SELLING TV CONTENT on the iTMS.
They’d be pissing off a lot of network partners and shooting themselves in the foot if they introduced a Mac that records free tv content, while they are trying to sell that same content at the iTMS for $1.99 per episode..
A MacMini DVR WON”T HAPPEN!!
Get it???
NO… NOT… NEVER… GIVE IT UP ALREADY!
Apple stock is tanking on these announcements. Time to buy.
The only thing I find significant about this is the $100 increase.
Great that they moved to Intel, but I always thought the great thing about the mini was that it broke the $500 price barrier.
“.”
Wow, $32 difference is even lower than I thought. I found that if I configured the 1.5Ghz Core Solo mini to be identical to the 1.67Ghz Core Duo, it was $100 difference at the Apple Store. So Apple is charging $100 extra for a $32 more expensive CPU, and justifying it by underclocking the 1.67Ghz Core Solo to 1.5Ghz.
I hate price stratification.
INTEGRATED VIDEO SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I’m NOT buying one now. C’mon Apple, integrated video is cheesy crap.
Does this mean the iBook has a good chance of integrated video?
INTEGRATED VIDEO SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
INTEGRATED VIDEO SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
INTEGRATED VIDEO SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
INTEGRATED VIDEO SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
INTEGRATED VIDEO SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
INTEGRATED VIDEO SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
INTEGRATED VIDEO SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
INTEGRATED VIDEO SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
INTEGRATED VIDEO SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
INTEGRATED VIDEO SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
INTEGRATED VIDEO SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
INTEGRATED VIDEO SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
INTEGRATED VIDEO SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
INTEGRATED VIDEO SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
INTEGRATED VIDEO SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
INTEGRATED VIDEO SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I truly hope I’m wrong but this doesn’t bode well for the revamped iBook wrt integrated graphics.
Just went to the site and spec’d one out –
Core Duo model, added: 1GB RAM, keyboard and mouse, and AppleCare – 1,126.00
Like I said, too close to the iMac 17″
And if you don’t have a display…..there is no reason NOT to get a iMac 17″
4 times faster than what, an ipod? Intel Macs are a joke.
Is everyone forgetting about the speed gains of the new Mini’s.
These processors are brand new technology and a minimum of twice the speed of the antiquated g4 chips… They also cost alot more to manufacture…
The price increase is no big deal.. for 100 bucks more you get.
1. Significant speed gains.
2. Front Row
3. Remote control
4. Bluetooth and airport standard.
The integrated graphics is a bit of a bummer, but this is not a hi end machine so it’s really not a big deal..
With the HDI output, this is truly a media center… I’m with Aiden in that we will not see a Mac with built in DVR functions..
Overall, this a very nice upgrade.
Didn’t the original Mac Minis have only 32 MB of VRAM, like the current iBooks? Seems to me, that given what the previous fellow said regarding PCI Express, this is in fact a graphics upgrade. More VRAM (32 is useless) and better memory interface. Not to mention we now have dual core processor that will add a decent speed boost a few months down the road with more Universal Binaries. That has to help performance as well. I think this is an improvement.
What a bunch of Fusking winers. I guess you should all switch to Dell now. After all you all know how to run a company better than the folks at Apple.
RE: integrated graphics
Problem is it eats up valuable RAM for video. The higher the resolution you want your screen to be, the more RAM you lose for other uses. When using Rosetta you need as much RAM as possible. Less RAM will significantly affect system performance.
Also, don’t forget that CORE graphics and many cool eye candy that is built into the Quartz engine cannot be used. If Apple wants to wow technophonbes, you want the eye candy.
The Intel Chipset is not as fast as other chipsets like the ATI. There is also poor graphics performance which limits what resolution and image quality you can run games. This may not be important to mac users initially, however, to PC users who crave games, it may be. Also, I do not know if the Intel CPU and the graphics chipset can do 1080p, or 1080i. This is important to know if you want to attach it to your nice plasma TV and get a decent resolution. Currently, the G4 mini can’t do 720p.
I don’t think gamers should, in general, be using Mac Minis.
The mini can do CORE graphics
according to a footnote on the Apple website, “The Intel GMA950 graphics supports Tiger Core Graphics and the latest 3D games. “
They really didn’t need a media event for this. I think it actually HURT Apple’s momentum.
This isn’t a powermac folks…
This is the entry level Mac that costs $600..
It has just doubled it’s processor performance, became a media center, included frontrow and added airport and bluetooth…
What are you complaining??
If you need bleeding edge performance and graphics the MacMini is not the machine you oughta be looking at…
If you are a casual user and want your first Mac… This is a damn good deal..
There are obviously alot of newbies on the board right now..
Apple stock ALWAYS tanks on the day of a new announcement..
I think that this particular Mac mini will be a stop gap. Something amazing will replace it very soon.
The $499 price point was great for marketing, but in reality, no one bought the base model…
Compared to yesterdays MacMini, we’ve just seen a hell of an upgrade… Quit your bitching.
You do realize that no PC/Mac at this price point is going to play games well either, right? The old Mini was not for games; nor is this one. The new iMac will run CoD and universal AA very well…
AL – the gma950 does support core image. other than that you’re completely right. this is a real bummer. i guess let’s just wait for the benchmarks to start coming in. hopefully it won’t be as bad as we all think. i guess just remember that the radeon 9200 that was in the old g4 mac mini was just a differently-clocked radeon 8500, which has been around for what, five years now?
Mark & Nick…
The integrated VGA is on the PCI express chain, pci express has direct access to the system ram, and the system ram being DDR2 is as fast or faster than most ram on most mid range video cards. therefore, ergo: the ‘integrated’ video on this platform is not that bad. the only downside is the fact that you are losing some system ram. solution: get at least 1GB ram… hell get 2GB…….
also: biggieG: that benchmark has slower vga ram by 133Mhz, and if the 92xx from the olde mini doesnt come close to the 6000 series they are comparing the 950 to, so I feel comfortable in saying the GMA950 is not bad.
now that the memory speed is there integrated graphics takes on a whole new meaning.
also people, if you need ram and are really REALLY upset about giving up 64MB to your vga, then a: buy a different computer, or b: get more effing ram.
either way, imo this new intel mini is currently the worlds most cost effective comptuer.
damn, I was hoping it would be free!!
Whiners, Apple is running a business. They are trying to stay relevant in a computer business dominated by Windows machines. Apple has their margins that they are trying ot maintain so that they can continue to sell Mac computers to all of us.
Don’t like what Apple is selling? There are numerous other companies that will willingly take your money.
Now, am I impressed by the announcements? Not really. I wa hoping for more. However, the iBooks will be out soon and hopefully we can be again underwhelmed.
I am expecting the Mac Books to have the mobile GMA950, and I am not going to have a problem with it, know why? because its MORE POWERFUL THAN ANY OTHER VIDEO THATS EVER BEEN IN AN IBOOK!…. people are stupid, integrated graphics sucks, bitch you couldnt detect integrated graphics if it was a** fu*king you!
TT:
see for yourself how terrible the integrated graphics performance is compared to competing cheap-ass solutions by ATI and NVidia:
http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=2427&p=2
“Whiners, Apple is running a business. They are trying to stay relevant in a computer business dominated by Windows machines. Apple has their margins that they are trying ot maintain so that they can continue to sell Mac computers to all of us.
Don’t like what Apple is selling? There are numerous other companies that will willingly take your money.”
…and that is the same excuse you’ll be using when Steve Jobs decides to package his day old sh#t and sell it to you for $500. Get a clue already!
So you can share playlists from other computers with iTunes. Can I access my library of DivX movies that are not in iTunes? Just on a drive on another computer?
In case anybody cares…the video chipset on this thing was MADE for home theater! It has hardware motion compensation, MPEG-2 hardware decoding, support for native HDTV resolutions and 16×9 aspect displays..among other nice stuff. It’s NOT a big 3d gaming platform but definitely has the stuff for decoding video.
http://www.intel.com/products/chipsets/gma950/
Nick aka dumbass: read my post!!
“that benchmark has slower vga ram by 133Mhz, and if the 92xx from the olde mini doesnt come close to the 6000 series they are comparing the 950 to, so I feel comfortable in saying the GMA950 is not bad.”
the intel 950 is like twice as fast as the 9200! (but still slow for most games)
So yah its better, I wanted more ram anyway, this will just give me the extra incentive to get it.
Crap graphics, but small form factor.
It’s an office PC, albeit a bloody expensive one. If you don’t like it, stop being so cheap and get an iMac.
It’s good news if the Mac evangelists on this site are disappointed… It only means that Apple have a hit on their hands and that it will sell to the masses..
Remember all the whining and complaining about the orignal iPod, the iMac G5, the iPod mini, the iPod nano… All were HUGE products and all of them were slammed by the so called “Mac-Faithful.”
When someone came on this board and said that the price Apple pays for powerPC processors is/was cheaper, sometimes half the price of equivalent intel processors, most people laughed. I haven’t been able to find out how much Apple pays for the PPC’s because neither IBM not Apple has released anything, but seeing how the machines aren’t getting any cheaper, haven’t added any features, have lost some features, and the only change has been the processor, I’m tempted to think he was right.
I think everyone who expected the intel switch to drop Apple’s prices and significantly boost their performance was smoking something. The switch was not made for desktop performance. High end PPC is equal or better than top of the line intel, and eventually all those high end chips make it into desktops. The problem was notebooks and while it looks to me like IBM could have solved it, Apple claims that’s why they switched and it’s possible, but I’m not convinved. The intel switch is definietly not my favorite thing. If Steve announced tomorrow that it was a joke, and all intel machines were EOL’ed I would honestly be very happy.
To all the switchers and newbs,
This is an excellent deal for an entry level Mac! shared video memory with pci express and DDR2 is not as slow as your grandmother’s shared memory Compaq.
If you need more performance and have the bones, by all means get an iMac, Macbook or PowerMac.
To those that are “underwhelmed”. You shouldn’t be. What did you expect when the venue was on campus?
“I think everyone who expected the intel switch to drop Apple’s prices and significantly boost their performance was smoking something. “
No. That’s just their way of rationalizing their complete faith in Steve Jobs.
At least it has like 4 USB ports! And that’s 1 more than the iMac. Although the iMac has two FireWire ports. It seems that Apple has listened to some of the complaints! Question: Where is the IR port located? Is it on the top where the logo is?
For $600 bucks, this thing rocks. Here are the benefits over yesterday’s G4 Mini….
1. Smoking processor twice as fast
2. Faster Ram
3. iLife 06
4. Front Row
5. Bluetooth 2.0 (standard)
6. Airport wireless (standard)
7. Gigabit ethernet
8. Digital audio in and out
9. DVI out for HDTV (media center)
10. Apple Remote
How can anyone in their right mind think that this is not a worthy upgrade over yesterday’s G4 MacMini??
MacMania: “To those that are “underwhelmed”. You shouldn’t be. What did you expect when the venue was on campus?”
I don’t know, maybe something that didn’t take several steps backwards while raising the price.
cup half empty there Jay?
The intel core solo and duo cpus are the worlds most efficient cpus, how are they a bad choice again?
and what featureas did they take away? it looks all around more powerful to me, bigger hdd, faster hdd, gigabit ethernet, better video, DDR2 memory support, dual channel memory support… more usb ports? shall I continue?
TT aka Kool Aid drinker:
I did read your useless post. You looked at the Intel integrated graphics getting massively outperformed by cheap integrated NVidia graphics and you provided some lame excuses.
Apple could have charged an extra $50 to offer non-poopy graphics, but they did not. They could have kept wireless as a $100 option, but they made it a manditory purchase. They could have offered a $50 upgrade to a Core Duo chip, since it costs $32 more for it, but they did not.
They could have offered a $450 iMac Core Duo 1.67Ghz with no wireless built-in, but instead you have to shell out $799 for something with an iMac Core Duo 1.67Ghz.
realist:
what step backwards did they make? name one?
the video is better so that doesnt count…
Remember all the whining and complaining about the orignal iPod, the iMac G5, the iPod mini, the iPod nano…
Of course not! We’re all Kool-aid-drinking Mac zealots who never have the slightest criticism for Apple! All the complaining above is just joking around!
(Sorry, but a recent spate of “If Apple did [some stupid crap their competitors did], you zealots would all support it” posts has rubbed me the wrong way. Todays comments have disproved that about a million times over!)
I don’t think gamers should, in general, be using Macs.
this sucks! i wanted to buy a cheap mac for people who have no use for bluetooth, no use for airport and no use what so ever for anything faster than 1.25Ghz, guess i’ll have to hurry and pick one of the old ones up.
This is really dissapointing apple!
John and Mike,
In the technology world, everything moves forward. It is always getting better, faster, and cheaper. It’s quite obvious this machine would have technologically better parts than its predecessor, but that’s not the question. The debate is about whether the parts in the mini have improved at the same rate as the rest of technology. Comparing technology in one system to an older system is not that useful if you’re going to completely ignore how technology in general has changed.
Nick:
You obviously did NOT read my post becasue I didnt provide any lame excuses… it comes down to this…
The video in the new mini is better than the old one.
Any other stupid remarks you want to make?
“When someone came on this board and said that the price Apple pays for powerPC processors is/was cheaper, sometimes half the price of equivalent intel processors, most people laughed. I haven’t been able to find out how much Apple pays for the PPC’s because neither IBM not Apple has released anything, but seeing how the machines aren’t getting any cheaper, haven’t added any features, have lost some features, and the only change has been the processor, I’m tempted to think he was right.”
I’ve read many times before that the PowerPC was cheaper to produce. It’s cheaper, because the PowerPC is less complex to manufacture, I believe. It was the people from the PC camp who thought that going Intel meant going cheaper, because everything PC is cheap, right? PowerPC was a very cost effective chip. Those damn PC journalists!
thanks for answering my question before I asked it guys!
the new mini supports core image! yay!
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that was the only thing preventing me from buying the G4 mini!.
good god, all this bitching about integrated video is pissing me off. AFAIAC, integrated video is good for 420p, 720p, and even 1080p, as the ram required for throughput can be leveraged up to 224megs! If you’re bitching about losing that to system memory, I wonder how you run photoshop while you’re running a 720p mpeg-2 stream. Maybe you’re just too cool for the mini.
going to the apple store right now!… wait is it there yet?
“(Sorry, but a recent spate of “If Apple did [some stupid crap their competitors did], you zealots would all support it” posts has rubbed me the wrong way. Todays comments have disproved that about a million times over!)”
That is because these critical comments are not being made by the zealots. Once these rational minds get bored with this site and leave, the zealots come back in full force.
Additionally, you’re also kind of implicating yourself as a zealot by once again defending all things Apple.
I wonder if this chipset allows for hardware accelerated H.264???? Also, could this box run a Plazma at 1080P? If it can, there are some compeling uses for this little box. (altho it feels like an interim product to be sure)
$600 – $800 isn’t bad for the computer, not great either, but Apple seems to be really pushing this for the living room. For there it’s too expensive. I was hoping I could put this next to my TV, and just use it for media viewing and streaming. But it’s too expensive just for that. People don’t want a full fledged computer for their living room. I’m not going to edit movies, surf the web, shop, email, quicken, garage band, iphoto (editing), ichat, write letters, write exams, solve complex math problems, etc., on the TV.
I agree with others, that for a computer, the imac is a much better deal.
There is a logical explanation for the integrated video…
Apple is obviously trying to market the mini as a media center… Using integrated video is the only way to keep costs at $600 yet still allow the graphics engine to use as much Ram as needed for HD video content…
Movies are the next step for Apple folks.. And hi-def movies require alot of RAM.. Apple is certainly not going to include a 256 mb graphics card and still keep the price at $600… Integrated video with shared Ram was the solution…
How can anyone in their right mind think that this is not a worthy upgrade over yesterday’s G4 MacMini??
For the same reason the same people screamed and bitched when the original Mac mini was introduced!
“Oh, it’s sooooo slow!”
“I can’t play games with this!”
“Photoshop won’t run worth crap!”
Get it through your thick skulls, people! This is an ENTRY LEVEL MAC. If you care about speed, this is not for you! If you care about graphics power, this is not for you! Sure, people come up with all kinds of innovative uses for this tiny computer, but that’s all beyond Apple original target market: beginning non-techie Mac users.
I bought an original Mac mini for my terrified-of-computers aunt. I could never use it — it’s too slow for me. But she loves it! For her needs, it’s perfect! She doesn’t need speed, it’s easy to use, and it doesn’t take up much space on her office table!
My only worry here is the $100 bump in price. That could scare off part of their target market, which often looks for the cheapest deal. But if the $500 model wasn’t selling well anyway, there’s little to lose — plus we might see a price drop later.
b says “People don’t want a full fledged computer for their living room. I’m not going to edit movies, surf the web, shop, email, quicken, garage band, iphoto (editing), ichat, write letters, write exams, solve complex math problems, etc., on the TV.”
Why not? If you’ve got a hi-def tv.. I think a Mac Mini would be ideal.. Especially with a wireless bluetooth keyboard on the coffee table..
Imagine going to the iTMS to buy a movie or a tv show, switch on front row and begin viewing immediately on a 42″ hi-def LCD tv.. Brilliant
Additionally, you’re also kind of implicating yourself as a zealot by once again defending all things Apple.
Heh? How am I “defending all things” Apple by pointing out that, yes indeed, Apple fans will criticize the company?
I’m not completely satisfied with this new mini. I think it’s $100 too expensive. There, am I cool now?
Mike,
That would be nice, but only if I had two living rooms, each with it’s own 42″ hi def TV and so my wife could watch TV in the other living room. She definitely isn’t interested in watching me surf the mac web.
The pricing on the mini is all psychological..
Nothing is more expensive.. In fact you are getting a heck of alot more today than you did yesterday for the same price point of $599..
The only thing that has changed is Apple took away the $499 entry level model which did not include bluetooth and airport… Partly because Apple is now targeting the mini as a media center and partly because the $499 model did not sell well.. The best selling g4 mini was the $599 model..
B,
I’m not talking about surfing the web although it certainly is an option, I’m talking about shopping the iTMS for a movie or tv show from your sofa and then bam…. switch to front row and begin watching..
There are so many possibilities with the mac mini and front row hooked up to your living room hi-def tv!
b:
Sounds like a personal problem.
really what in the world does you not being able to afford or have space for or whatever 2 tvs have to do with ANYTHING that relates to the mini?? wtf is wrong with peoples heads?
TT,
It’s no problem for me, I’m not going to buy one.
Mike,
my point is that it’s expensive for doing that. Not that you wouldn’t want to do that. And you can do that if you like.
Sheesh. No wonder Apple stock is dropping.
—
Huh? Typical for an event like this. You must be joking.. they just announced a billion songs sold and a 78% share for iPods..
MAYBE THATS THE REASON THE STOCK IS DROPPING!
See? See how easy it is to spout nonsense?
Buy on hype, sell on arrival, remember? You should have sold shares just before the event. How many times have you had to learn this?
The 1.5Ghz Core Solo model actually slower than the old 1.25Ghz G4 at running non-universal binaries. Apple could have gone with the Core Duo, since it costs $32 more.
The graphics performance is the worst you can get in a new computer, and causes the Mac mini to have less memory than it used to. TT’s mother even told me so.
Hardly anyone is going to need the wireless that they are paying $100 for. It’s a desktop computer.
Once you add a display, keyboard and mouse, you might as well spend a few hundred more for the WAY better iMac.
1. Smoking processor twice as fast
2. Faster Ram
3. iLife 06
4. Front Row
5. Bluetooth 2.0 (standard)
6. Airport wireless (standard)
7. Gigabit ethernet
8. Digital audio in and out
9. DVI out for HDTV (media center)
10. Apple Remote
—
THANK YOU!
Seriously you geeks are so bitter and negative. Look what Thurrott says: “Intel-based Mac mini comes with $100 price hike” .. That’s the headline. As if there’s no actual NEW FEATURES. The things like 4 times faster and you cheap bastards are whining about $100? A HUNDRED BUCKS?! Amazing.
Look.. no one worrying about HDTV is allowed to bitch about A HUNDRED BUCKS.. LOOK AT ALL THE FEATURES!
is there anyway for the new mini to run dual monitors?
i doubt it, but anybody know?
thanks in advance.
No, it cannot.
thanks Mike.
i may still get one, but i may wait to see what the new iBooks have.
Any guesses how cool (or warm) the Core Duo mini will run?
After seeing the iMac G5’s run plenty warm, I wonder how the smaller case will handle the Core Duo’s heat.
So if people upgrade from a 1.25Ghz G4 Mac mini to a 1.5Ghz Core Solo Mac mini, how much worse do you suppose all of their PowerPC-only applications will run?
Man, that graphics chip is junk. What a shame.
Here’s another good article comparing it to the Nvidia GEForce 6200.
http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,1821808,00.asp
WHY does Apple constantly cripple great machines with BAD graphics cards? Is THIS the price Apple must pay to suck up to Intel?
Sheesh…………..
Excellent! I got an iboner!
Eggs for everyone!
Are you people EVER freakin’ happy?
The machine is really decent, get over it already. Or go back to regular Win PCs. LOL.
Jeez….
Despite Mike’s helpful and informative comments above, I am leary about the integrated graphics. I agree that it seems necessary to keep the price low (although they did raise the price $100 over the previous model), but I’m concerned about the precedent. I think the money right now should be on the Intel iBook (or whatever they decide to call it) also having integrated graphics. I hope that this is a temporary bridge to better models in the future with separate graphics cards.
Let’s keep our fingers crossed!
er a 1080p framebuffer only takes 6MB of ram (1920 horiz * 1080 vert * (24bit color/8bits per byte)), you don’t need heaps of memory for that.
Using Intel integrated graphics will actually be better than using a new ATI X1300 for Linux users since ATI refuses to even release binary only drivers for Linux on their updated cards.
I’m going to wait to buy a new Mac Mini until the Merom (amd64) based ones come out next fall/spring. Maybe they will have 802.11n by then as well.
It has an AUDIO INPUT JACK!
Thank you Steve for finally putting an input back on low end machines. I can forgive the video ram issue because of this.
I’m sort of disappointed that this is all Apple decided to announce today. The Hi Fi remains to be heard and tested, but I sure wouldn’t be all that interested in paying $350 for speakers to play my iPod. And what’s up with the leather cases? A friggin 100 dollars??! Must be the hides from those jewel encrusted cows I’ve heard so much about. The Mini got some good upgrades, but where’s the Macbook? Maybe it’ll come out when summer rolls around. Overall, I’d say today’s “event” wasn’t much of an event.
after reading all this and looking at the specs of the new Mini, here are my impressions:
1) there is not a price hike – Apple has, however dropped the low-end model
2) in principle, I don’t like integrated graphics. However, the 9200 wasn’t great either. If you’re looking for a real graphics card, the Mac mini was never really a good option.
3) there are significant improvements over the previous G4: faster processor, better memory, 4 USB, frontrow,……seriously even if there was a price increase it would be worth it for many people.
4) having said the above, I would agree that the price point is getting a bit too close to the iMac. But the decision as to whether to go with an iMac or the Mini depends largely on one’s particular circumstances – and finances: for many people, especially students, 300-400 $ more is significant.
5) if you don’t like it, don’t buy it. Simple.
add a 20″ monitor and it’s not far off an imac 20
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