Would you buy a Mini "Pro" with enhanced graphics?

Just a little rant-thought post here...there is definitely a lack of mid-range machine in the Apple line of screen-less computers. The base Mac Mini starts at $599 and the base Mac Pro starts at $2499. The iMac is the semi-inbetween model, but I prefer to use my own monitors. I would really like it if they released a Mac Mini with an improved graphics card. I have done a number of Mac Mini-related hardware mods and there is definitely room for expansion. It wouldn't even have to be that fancy; a laptop graphics chip would suffice. There are certain apps I'd love to run, but that don't work very well due to the poor video capabilities.

It would also be nice to have dual DVI. I think that they should offer a "Pro" Mini - Core 2 Duo processor, support for 4 gigs of ram, dual DVI, and a better video card. This way you can have 64-bit power, plenty of ram for running Pro apps and virtual machines in Parallels, dual monitors or a monitor plus a video source like a TV, and a good enough video card to handle Pro apps and maybe some light gaming.

The Mini has everything else already integrated - Firewire 400, USB 2.0, optical audio input/output, wireless b/g, Bluetooth, etc. The DVD burner is 8x, which is plenty fast for the discs you buy at the store. It's small, quiet, and overall non-obtrusive. I'd buy it! If you need more storage, you can always go with an external hard drive - there are plenty that match the Mini. Most internal devices are available in USB or Firewire format.

Summary of what I would like to see in a Mac Mini Pro:

-Core 2 Duo processor
-Dedicated video card
-Dual DVI
-4gb ram support
-Firewire 800
-eSATA port

The last two are optional but would be nice. The ram support probably isn't anything other than a firmware upgrade, and the Core 2 Duo processor is already supported; all they would really need to add is a dedicated graphics card. Better graphics performance, more ram for the system...what's not to love?

I have a feeling that adding much more than the current mini already has would change not only the power requirements (the mini only uses a 19V rail, not a traditional power supply), but also the cooling properties of the mini would need to be drastically changed. To fit much more high performance stuff in there would create a ton of heat, I think...though I dunno, with how high performance the new thin MacBook Pros are.

snoslicer is right. A super mac mini isn't the answer. They simply need a lower end tower or perhaps a return to the cube form factor.

How are they going to fit a really fast video card in that case when it's already so packed? What they would need to do is make it larger. I do agree apple could use a mid range machine with no monitor, but all that is not going to fit in the minis case and not burn up if it would fit at all.

A mid range desktop Mac would be nice though for people who can't afford or need the Mac Pro but want something more like a PC without a monitor built in at a mid price point.

dtravis7 said:

How are they going to fit a really fast video card in that case when it's already so packed? What they would need to do is make it larger. I do agree apple could use a mid range machine with no monitor, but all that is not going to fit in the minis case and not burn up if it would fit at all.

A mid range desktop Mac would be nice though for people who can't afford or need the Mac Pro but want something more like a PC without a monitor built in at a mid price point.

Click to expand...

They could definitely add in a dedicated graphics card if they wanted to. There is plenty of room for that kind of stuff inside. I'm not saying there's unlimited space (obviously), but if they can fit a 256mb x1600 in a 1" thin MacBook Pro, they can definitely do it in the Mini.

Sgt Beavis, I like the idea of a new Cube. I really liked my old Cube; I miss it. With the Mini's guts they could probably even have dual hard drives in it. Apple has their own philosophy about markets though...there are still no 12" MacBook Pros, no mid-range tower, etc. They need to start making computer motherboards like Legos, so we can piece them together ourselves lol.

I would buy a headless desktop if is matched the 2.0Ghz 17in iMac specs but the video adapter was upgradable and it was right at $1000.

mynameis said:

I would buy a headless desktop if is matched the 2.0Ghz 17in iMac specs but the video adapter was upgradable and it was right at $1000.

Click to expand...

Agreed and I think many others would purchase one also.

dtravis7 said:

Agreed and I think many others would purchase one also.

Click to expand...

I'll third that!