Apple Announces New Intel-based Mac Minis
Well, it's
not quite the Apple Media Center that I've been wishing for, but it's close. At today's special Apple Event, the
company announced two updated models of their Mac mini.1.5GHz Intel Core Single
1.5GHz Intel Core Solo processor
2MB L2 Cache
667MHz Frontside Bus
512MB memory (667MHz DDR2 SDRAM)
60GB Serial ATA hard drive
Combo drive (DVD-ROM/CD-RW)
Price: Starts at $599.00
1.67 GHz Intel Core Dual
1.66GHz Intel Core Duo processor
2MB L2 Cache
667MHz Frontside Bus
512MB memory (667MHz DDR2 SDRAM)
80GB Serial ATA hard drive
Double-layer SuperDrive (DVD R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
Price: Starts at $799.00
Both models come with built-in Airport Extreme, Bluetooth, and integrated Intel GMA950 graphics processor with 64MB of shared DDR2 SDRAM. Each mini also has a Gigabit Ethernet port, four external USB 2.0 ports, a FireWire 400 port, optical digital and analog audio in/out, and built-in mono speaker. Each machine also ships with new Front Row software that uses Bonjour technology to locate shared music, photo, and movies databases on your home network. This means you can store your data on any computer in the house and play it on the mini which can be connected to a standard computer monitor, or to your television.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Nic said 2:22PM on 2-28-2006
I can't believe the integrated graphics. And all the time that Macheads have been pining over their dedicated graphics, now we get this.
At least now they have a decent number of USB ports.
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Jacob Varghese said 2:25PM on 2-28-2006
As they will not be updating the MAC mini for at least 6 months, it's sad to see that we will not be seeing a Mac media center computer this year.
I think pretty much everyone is really disappointed with the new products.
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LD said 2:26PM on 2-28-2006
This thing is so pimp. It's a little monster in that box. Dual core, gigabit ethernet, optical audio out, boatload of USB ports, up to 2GB of memory.
It will be mine, oh yes, it will be mine.
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Christopher said 2:27PM on 2-28-2006
These look great imho, great prices too!
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Garrick said 2:29PM on 2-28-2006
A built-in TV tuner would have cinched it for me. I'm straddling the fence without it. I want it but it's not complete.
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avixe said 2:29PM on 2-28-2006
So, is this Bonjour sharing actually going to share media from the ~/Pictures, ~/Movies and ~/Music directories, or will it only share stuff that iTunes and iPhoto know about? Seems pretty weak to only have iTunes videos shareable.
Though undoubtedly someone will have an app to do it up within the week.
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Anthony said 2:30PM on 2-28-2006
MEH
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LD said 2:33PM on 2-28-2006
Jacob, how is this not a media center? What is it missing that makes it "not a media center"?
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tdungan said 2:35PM on 2-28-2006
I'm with you Nic.
Integrated graphics? The thought of SPDIF was exciting from the standpoint of using this thing as an HTPC but the loss of dedicated graphics just killed this thing. GOOD LUCK trying to get anything worthwhile out of FrontRow!
If Apple really wants to push this thing as an "entry-level" mac, they should really consider lowering the price significantly, b/c this thing certainly isn't worth what they're asking. I'm certainly not willing to pay $600-$800 for a doorstop with an Apple logo on it.
Don't even get me started on that $350 P.O.S.
Steve's been drinking too much of his own Kool-Aid
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Mark Sumner said 2:35PM on 2-28-2006
That GMA950 graphics chip looks pretty awful in ExtremeTech's testing, even when compared to the lower end of ATI / NVidia offerings. That's the only thing that really worries me about these machines.
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Ryan said 2:35PM on 2-28-2006
This is very disappointing in my opinion. It would be one thing if they had worked some media friendly features or lowered the price significantly but no. This was hardly worth the hype. Yay....speakers and a faster mini....
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Jacob Varghese said 2:37PM on 2-28-2006
LD,
TV tuners or Cablecard input
+ DVR software.
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Hassan said 2:38PM on 2-28-2006
Would I be able to connect this to my TV if I have a digital in on my tv and view content on my TV?
Does it only find iTunes Video or will it find my avi files?
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gwbuhl said 2:40PM on 2-28-2006
One interesting aspect of the old minis was the two Firewire ports giving you 3 network connections with IP over firewire. From a technical standpoint, is it a possible to have some sort of IP over USB protocol? Is it reasonable to expect such a thing as Apple shifts towards USB from Firewire?
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tdungan said 2:44PM on 2-28-2006
LD,
If you're gonna buy one of these, you BETTER buy the duo core one b/c the solo ain't gonna cut it with that intel graphics sludge.
I'm guessing, even with dual cores the CPU is gonna be pinned choking on video - especially h.264!
...and to think, I switched to a Mac to get away from garbage like this
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Billy K said 2:48PM on 2-28-2006
I was plenty disappointed in these minor announcements. Then I thought maybe I expect too much out of the announcements now. In other words, it's not Steve's fault - it's mine - for expecting too much out of him.
I think I'm in an abusive relationship.
But seriously, $600 for the entry-level Mac Mini? It's too much. Too much by $200. The whole point of the Mac Mini was to attract switchers with the low price. Now they've gone and pimped these suckers out and raised the price. It's pointless. Why not just lower the cost of your starter tower? I fear Apple's drifting.
Very disappointing day. I'm starting to wonder if Apple really does have any more revolutionary tricks up its sleeve (i.e. a tablet, touch-screen iPod, iPhone or media center). Maybe we expect too much. Maybe they just want to make computers and iPods. :/
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Tom Carmony said 2:53PM on 2-28-2006
The integrated video is pretty disappointing, but the gigabit ethernet is a nice upgrade, at least for me. I've got a 1st generation Mini running as a small office fileserver, so I'll probably end up with one of these Intels as a replacement for that one, but as a home theater machine, I dunno... it's not there quite yet.
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Robert said 2:54PM on 2-28-2006
Will there be an Software Update for G4 Mac mini owners who want Front Row on theirs?
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RFRY said 2:56PM on 2-28-2006
As dinky an upgrade as it is, I'm actually, genuinely excited about the gigabit ethernet. It takes the machine, I think, from play-thing to something with some serious networked capability. I know the 10/100 adapter in my rev.1 mini has had me hamstrung more than once and I'd decided that I'd never buy another machine that didn't at least have the capacity for gigabit ethernet, so it's nce to see Apple keeping up with me, at least.
On the whole, I think that there's a lot of really great fairly small things in addition to the big things (the switch to the Core Solo/Duo) that will keep a lot of people happy, even if it's not a branded "media center."
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b. nystedt said 2:57PM on 2-28-2006
Oh quit your bellyaching this is a low end machine integrated graphics are fine... I'm just so glad my iMac Core Duo kicks the new mini's butt all over the place.
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