Mac mini- do you think it's going to be dead soon?

I know that Apple refreshed the mini, but went backwards with dual core instead of quad. I was going to buy one for my son to do video editing for youtube stuff, but now that it is no longer quad, i think i have to dish out for an iMac.
Any opinions out there if the mini is headed for oblivion or possibly they will come out with a better model in the near future and bring back the quad?

curlyimac said:

Any opinions out there if the mini is headed for oblivion or possibly they will come out with a better model in the near future and bring back the quad?

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If I could predict the future…I would certainly use that gift for other things!lol

But seriously…I haven't seen any rumors to substantiate anything you mentioned.

As far as will Apple come out with a "better" Mac-Mini model in the near future? Depends what you mean by "near future". Near future can mean different things to different people. But the easy answer is…guaranteed Apple will come out with a better Mac-Mini. The unknown is when.

- Nick

I hope not. I have had several going back to the original and the latest is the now withdrawn 4 core i7 that makes a pretty good desktop.

However, for a single iota of info on your question I offer this. Our town is far too small to ever get an Apple store, but we finally got a clone in the form of a third party... well, Apple store. It looks exactly like one in the mall but with a different name. Simply Mac.

I was looking for a used Mini to replace a really old one that is limited to 3gb of memory - not enough for current apps. Too many beachballs. But, I will not buy what I now consider to be Apple's answer to the IBM PC Junior. i.e. a cut down and crippled box made not to compete with the higher end iMacs.

So, I asked the store about a used Mini. They take trades and usually have quite a display of refurbished MacBooks and iMacs. Sorry, was the answer. They have a waiting list for older Minis and while my name could be put on it, I would be way down in the pack. More talking, then he just casually said, "Nobody is buying the new Minis. They all want the old ones."

This is just one store in one town and one conversation, but take it as you will. Trying to fool customers has seldom worked for other companies and I doubt it will work for Apple.

cptkrf said:

So, I asked the store about a used Mini. They take trades and usually have quite a display of refurbished MacBooks and iMacs. Sorry, was the answer. They have a waiting list for older Minis and while my name could be put on it, I would be way down in the pack. More talking, then he just casually said, "Nobody is buying the new Minis. They all want the old ones."

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Let me throw some "food for thought" on this.

First I agree…seems sort of silly that Apple didn't continue to offer a quad-core Mac-Mini in the newest lineup. AFTER they offered one with the 2012 models. Sort of like opening "Pandora's Box".

But saying that. We need to remember that not all apps use all four of those cores. For what most computer users do (internet, e-mail, Facebook, MS Word, etc.)…those 4 cores are not being used. So folks would be paying for 4-cores…when they really only need 2.

Also…and maybe more importantly. The ENTIRE 13" MacBook Pro line still only has 2-cores. No quad-core 13" MBP's.

Finally. If most folks only need 2-cores. The newest Mac-Mini's have much better graphics hardware than the 2012 Mini's. So given that most folks only need or use 2 cores…and MANY things most users do involve complex graphics. For most users…a 2014 2-core Mac-Mini with better graphics is probably a better choice than a 2012 quad-core Mac-Mini with older graphics hardware (when most of the time they are only using 2 of the 4 cores).

Yes…there are a small group of Mac-Mini users that the quad-core option is desirable. And these are the folks that would be most upset by no quad-core 2014 mini.

But again. Most folks don't do things that use all 4-cores (don't use software that utilizes all 4 cores). So paying for 4-cores when you don't need them (or won't even use them)…is a waste.

- Nick

Sure. Totally agree. And if I need to do something that needs horsepower, it goes on my big desktop iMac, not a mini.

But, my point is that the downgrade of the Mini line had to be on the direct orders of Sales. Nobody in engineering would have said, "Lets bring out the next versions with less capability than what they are replacing."

In in other words, I suspect that a meeting had someone highly placed who said, "Lets not give our customers a reason to buy a cheaper Mini rather than an iMac." Or words to that effect.

Not that this is a sudden sales discovery by Apple. New and Improved products that are less than what they are replacing are announced every day. But Apple users are not clueless shoppers. They know what they are buying and what the capabilities are.

And you can imagine what Steve Jobs would have said to the person making the suggestion.

It seems as if Apple is pushing folks to buy more expensive options. I was all set to buy a mini but buying 2 cores to me even if not using power hungry apps just seems kinda pointless because there is better technology and resale value wouldn't be as good. I don't think my teenager needs an imac to futz around with his you tube clips.
Perhaps I will buy him a pc desktop or laptop.
I have the iMac retina. I did think about the mini for myself after selling my macbook. But didn't think 2 cores would cut it running VMware and excel. My MacBook used to be a little slow with even with 8g ram.

Interesting to hear that the store commented lack of interest in the new minis. Hopefully Apple will realize.

cptkrf said:

But, my point is that the downgrade of the Mini line had to be on the direct orders of Sales. Nobody in engineering would have said, "Lets bring out the next versions with less capability than what they are replacing."

In in other words, I suspect that a meeting had someone highly placed who said, "Lets not give our customers a reason to buy a cheaper Mini rather than an iMac." Or words to that effect.

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The bottom line is...business is all about money. As the 2012 Mac-Mini's go...I see atb least two possibilities:

1. Someone (or someone's) SERIOUSLY screwed up.

- They convinced a bunch of executives that..."If we offer a quad-core Mac-Mini...we will sell a ton of them!" And they didn't.
- Or they did sell a bunch of quad-core Mac-Mini's...and this cannibilized other more profitable Macintosh lines such as lower end iMac's (which did have quad-cores)...and maybe lower end MBP's and MBA's (which both lines don't have a quad-core option).

So by offering a quad-core Mac-Mini...the delicate balance of price/perfomance was seriously upset.

2. Apple deviated too far from the Mac-Mini's roots. Which was:

- A low cost computer originally designed as an affordable model for folks buying thier first-ever computer to be able to afford an Apple computer.
- A lower-cost computer to encourage Windows users to give it a try (bring your own display. keyboard, and mouse).
- Or a lower cost model for existing Apple customers to purchase (bring your existing display, keyboard, mouse).

By offering a quad-core Mac-Mini (at least in terms of CPU performance) Apple was offering a terrific bargain. Of course these 2012 Mac-Mini's still weren't the greatest when it comes to graphics.

- Nick

I just wanted to add my .02 cents worth to this thread. I had a mid 2010 Mac Mini and just bought a late 2014 Mac Mini with a 1TB SSD, and last I checked I am not a "nobody."
Until the mid 2010 Mac Mini I was using Windows computers, starting with Windows 95.
Never had a quad core, never needed a quad core, even when using Photo Shop or similar programs. I bought the Late 2014 because of the large SSD to house photos and videos, the 811.ac wi-fi, and the better graphics, Thunderbolt 2, and the USB 3, which my Mid 2010 did not have. As much as I am doing, I have never needed Quad Core. For me, quad would have been an extra expense that I would not have a use for. What will Apple do in the future? No one knows, but I would be very surprised if they go back to quad. It is what it is, and it will never be what it was.

-Alan

No, the Mac mini is not going to be dead soon. What you view as a step backwards is, in reality, just a mistaken understanding of who the Mac mini is aimed at:

Editorial: In defense of the new $499 Mac mini | Electronista

The argument that the older Mac minis has some hardware options that were more desirable to certain types of users, I feel, is a valid one -- but somewhat undermined by the fact that uses that depended on those features are not what the machine was designed for.

The Mac mini is a budget Mac computer, mostly aimed at switchers used to lower up-front costs. Period. End of story. That it could be used for a wider variety of stuff was great, but still missed the stated intention of the device. The present Mac mini goes back to those roots, following the MacBook Air's playbook of simplicity and basics done well, rather than trying to pretend to be a poor man's Mac Pro. Consequently, the Mac mini -- like the MBA -- will likely continue to be very popular with its target market.

chas_m said:

No, the Mac mini is not going to be dead soon. What you view as a step backwards is, in reality, just a mistaken understanding of who the Mac mini is aimed at:

Editorial: In defense of the new $499 Mac mini | Electronista

[...]

The Mac mini is a budget Mac computer, mostly aimed at switchers used to lower up-front costs. Period. End of story. That it could be used for a wider variety of stuff was great, but still missed the stated intention of the device. The present Mac mini goes back to those roots, following the MacBook Air's playbook of simplicity and basics done well, rather than trying to pretend to be a poor man's Mac Pro. Consequently, the Mac mini -- like the MBA -- will likely continue to be very popular with its target market.

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I bought a late 2014 Mac Mini for 1,700 $ (w/tax) Fusion drive etc. to replace my 2011 MBP and I feel that the Mini outdoes it easily. I work extensively with Lightroom, Illustrator and Photoshop and I can't imagine needing anything more powerful. My display is an EIZO ColorEdge CG241W, most of my data is saved and backed up on two 2TB WD Red external drives and some on attached FireWire drives.

I predict that we will see and hear a lot more about the Mac Mini simply because it makes so much sense and is in line with Apple's design philosophy.

Andre