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Apple Introduces Intel Mac Mini

Swad

By Swad,
in Front Page News and Rumors

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snowmen
snowmen
Posted
Posted

well~ at first, I really don't like the idea of GMA's "shared memory"...

 

The Core Solo Mac Mini cost CAD699 and I thought it was expensive until...

see, if you want to build up an PC running X86, the best choice is of course GMA900/950. You will get full support of that and you don't have much choice, and the price you can expect:

CPU: Pentium4 505 (CAD 140) (It's not a dual core neither, and no HT I think)

Motherboard: Intel 945 (CAD165)

RAM: 512 DDR2 4200 (CAD80)

HD: Laptop 60G 5400 (CAD100), but with that price you can get 160G 7200 Desktop HD but a 60G 7200 that you can get now is about the CAD60~70 (Not second hand)

Combo: about (CAD20)

Wireless: which none work in X86PC, but if you can get one working, should cost about (CAD80)

Bluetooth: about (CAD50)

Case+Power: about (CAD90) and if you want a cool one, should cost you about CAD130 or more

Frontrow: dunno, a Windows Remote that doesn't work on OS X should cost you about (CAD50~150), I really don't know the price though...

-------------------------------------------------

CAD725 already! (whithout adding Frontrow)

AND, you get fully support OS X and iLife 06! (I have both already but not in UB) Which save a lot of time because you can just download and upgrade to 10.4.5 while others have to install 10.4.3 first, and then 10.4.5 update with patches...

 

Personally, I think it's a killing... I will go buy one for sure, in fact I just ordered one.

 

But I don't think I'll go for iMac since I have 24" LCD and a spare 19" LCD that I don't use. But I only need to buy keyboard+mouse and I'm all set to go!

 

 

AND

I don't have to waste my time waiting for MacVidia.

jbjonas
jbjonas
Posted
Posted

Do you really think Apple wants to lose money?? Or even break even? This is still a Capitalistic society, and Apple is still a Large Corporation, last time I checked. :hysterical: In my opinion, these prices are very reasonable for Apple products. I'm still waiting for the PowerMac equivalent, though... :dev:

jbjonas
jbjonas
Posted
Posted

Well, I said that they are "very reasonable for Apple products" Of course, Apple's products have always been a bit more pricey than equivalent PC hardware - that's expected. People are willing to pay more for them because of their excellent quality, and also the strong emphasis on form, as well as function. As for me, the reason that I don't have a Mac anymore, is because I'm poor at the moment. I built the system that I'm using now almost 3 years ago, when it was the newest parts money could buy. :hysterical:

DrJägermeister
DrJägermeister
Posted
Posted
It is simple too expensive. I live in Germany and therefore I get the "€ Bonus".

Here it is 639,00€ and 849,00€

It seems Apple wants to make money...

It cost 599$ (500€) in the US. Is this the real price I have to pay in a store or must I add some taxes?

I have no problem to buy a US version until a German if it's 140€ cheaper.

Ouch
Ouch
Posted
Posted

Well all you americans whinging about price should just be grateful you don't live in the UK where after VAT is added the total comes to £449 for the base model mini - thats $785 not the paltry $599 you guys have to pay - so quit whining.

DrJägermeister
DrJägermeister
Posted
Posted
OMG, you're right, price is even worse here in europe, 639 € including taxes. That is 762 bucks! They got to be kidding...

The only advantage you have for your 762 bucks in Germany is 2 years of warranty due to the laws. I will probably wait a little bit, in the past many websites had sell the mini G4 50-100€ under the official price. If I can get the mini x86 for 500-550€ I'll take it.

vesa
vesa
Posted
Posted
It is simple too expensive. I live in Germany and therefore I get the "€ Bonus".

Here it is 639,00€ and 849,00€

It seems Apple wants to make money...

 

I have to agree. I live in Finland and I will get the "€ bonus" AND "Finland bonus", so the prices are 669€ and 899€.

 

I don't understand the price of Duo mini. Solo costs 669€ and it has smaller HDD and combo drive. After updating HDD and optical drive to match Duo mini, the price is 789€. That would mean that 1.66GHz Core Duo costs 110 euros more than 1.5GHz Solo, could it be so? 1.66GHz Duo costs 27 euros more than 1.66Solo, according to Intel's webpage.

 

I don't mind about the GMA950, it would be fine. But I won't buy Duo mini because it simply costs too much compared to Solo. And I don't want Solo, as Steve said it's only 2.5x - 3.2x faster, as Duo is 4.8x or 5.5x times faster.

drcreek
drcreek
Posted
Posted

It's good but still too pricey here i the UK i would rather wait a couple of months and save up for an iMac and get a decent screen, GFX card and a nice big 1gb of ram.

and

is there a webcast yet of yesterdays keynote?

cyrana
cyrana
Posted
Posted
Well all you americans whinging about price should just be grateful you don't live in the UK where after VAT is added the total comes to £449 for the base model mini - thats $785 not the paltry $599 you guys have to pay - so quit whining.

Yeah I know, so I'm loading up before I move. :)

dkelley
dkelley
Posted
Posted
...I was not anticipating a price hike along with a downgrade in graphics...

 

the graphics aren't a downgrade, the 950 is superior in many ways to the 9200 of g4 minis. The graphics are upgraded and can now actually handle core image and all of the other osx goodies! Along with 3d, although you'll have to keep the texture rendering to a minimum quality if you're playing 3d games. It will work just fine for this stuff - I don't believe what people seem to have been expecting from the smallest form factor pc ever made!?!? There is NO ROOM for a fancy dedicated graphics card in there, no ability to handle the heat from such a card, no room for a fan for a fancy graphics card (it would have to be shared with the cpu fan which I doubt could handle the extra heat). This is a tiny little computer with seriously high performance, it's the ultimate portable digital audio computer already out of the box (digital in and 5.1 digital out???? that's unheard of in a computer this size and price). The higher priced one has a dual core processor - think about that for a while and stop complaining so much. This blows away most of the pcs and hackintoshes that you're all typing these complaints on.

 

Get a grip - this is a seriously nice machine. It's not for gamers in particular but can handle it ok as long as you understand that you'll have to reduce the detail of your texture rendering - I can live with that ok. It's not now and has never been a PVR. You can buy an external PVR solution for this or any mac from elgato systems which is truly excellent. If you work with pro audio as I do then this is THE system to own due to it's portability and connectivity compared to laptops and workstations.

 

Anyone here who wants better than GMA950 graphics, I would love to see your solution printed on here as to how you intend to fit it in the mini, keep it cool and powered with the standard power supply (oh yes, and as quiet as it is now), and keep the price as low as it is now (599 for core solo and 699 for core duo). If you can present that data accurately and are able to defend your evidence and prove it's possible (in good theory) then I will be the first to back you up and help you to submit your job application to Apple's HW team.

 

PS - I'll be buying one (core duo) once I'm able (buying a house right now so no go on extra toys).

 

Best of luck,

 

dkelley

Swad
Swad
Posted
  • Author
Posted

Interesting thought from TUAW:

 

As of yesterday, as Steve pointed out, 50% of Apple's computer product line has made the transition to Intel, and in less than 60 days. This is amazing, and I am quite puzzled by people who say, 'Well the new Mac mini isn't that much different.' It has an Intel chip in it, for goodness sake.

 

Part of the blame for this attitude towards the switch can be attributed to Apple's great handling of it. They have made a conscious decision not to introduce new styles of Macs to mark the Intel transition. What does this mean? If you put an Intel Mac mini next to a Power PC Mac mini most people won't be able to tell the difference (though the IR port is a dead give away). Why do this? Because the manufacturer of the chip shouldn't matter to the everyday user. A Mac is a Mac whether it is running on a G5, a Core Duo, or a Dorito. However, by making this transition look so easy (when in fact it isn't from an engineering point of view) Apple is encouraging people to say, 'WHAT?! Nothing is new with the Mac mini... well other than Front Row and a complete change in system architecture.. but other than that nothing!'

 

The big yawn that the Intel Mac mini produced (unjustly I think) just proves that Apple is managing the Intel transition much better than anyone thought possible.

Jonny_T
Jonny_T
Posted
Posted
Interesting thought from TUAW:

 

As of yesterday, as Steve pointed out, 50% of Apple's computer product line has made the transition to Intel, and in less than 60 days.

What confuses me about that quote (and Steve Jobs did say it) is that given the line-up prior to the Intel transition:

 

Mac mini

iMac

PowerMac

iBook

PowerBook

 

how is changing 3 of 5 lines equal to 50% of the product line - that is 60%?

 

Unintentional slip-up that indicates a new product is due to be announced (thus making 3 out of 6 product lines = 50%) or because the PowerBook has only been partially transitioned?

 

Edit: Nevermind, I just realised that I forgot about the eMac.

VaiOSX
VaiOSX
Posted
Posted

He meant 50% because he knew that they just dash off the mini.

 

The iMac Core Duo is a good one.

 

The MacBook Pro is just enough (missing firewire 800, screen res is a joke for a supposed to be "Pro" version laptop).

 

And finally, The mini is a real mess.

 

Guess what for the MacBook (ex-iBook) ? :D

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