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Mac mini to soon receive complete overhaul

updated 05:20 pm EDT, Fri March 21, 2008

Mac mini overhaul

The Mac mini is supposedly getting an internal overhaul, rather than fading into nonexistence, as popular belief would indicate. According to AppleInsider, the miniature computer is to see the 45-nanometer Core 2 Duo chip, starting at 2.1GHz, with an 800MHz frontside buss and the Intel GMA X3100 graphics processor. This alleged update comes after almost a year of shipping the same model, without any major changes.

The future of the Mac mini is frequently called into question, since the line rarely receives the lavishing attention that Apple's other computer lines see. Several updates to the platform have been quiet, with the specifications listed on the product page, a "New" tag in the online store, and little fanfare.

AppleInsider says that while no official date has been given for the update, the Penryn-3M-based systems were in the engineering build stage around the middle of March. The publication also predicts that the aluminum iMacs will receive an upgrade to Penryn as well in the near future.

 
Previous Comments

Spelling?

03/21, 06:39pm reply

Buss has only one s....

It is an alternate spelling only if you consider incorrect as alternate.

Guest

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Nov 1999

0

Just one phrase...

03/21, 06:43pm reply

802.11n

nhmlco

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Mar 2007

0

next Mac

03/21, 08:20pm reply

This will be my next Mac.

bhuot

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Nov 2003

0

maybe...

03/21, 11:38pm reply

eSATA? Rack Mount?

designr

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Apr 2002

0

No real GFX yet?!?

03/22, 06:09am reply

I would be alll over this if they would drop the Intel c*** and give me a real graphics card. Make the Mini a headless iMac! MacBook Pro is the portable iMac, the iMac is the all-in-one feel good-ness, and the Mac Mini has all of the power just in a smaller package. Make it a bit taller if you need to!!!

++if it had Blu-Ray too 8)

Guest

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Nov 1999

-1

We Need a Real Mini Tower

03/22, 06:11am reply

I think that apple needs to think a little bit bigger. Make the Mini an Apple TV with an optical drive, kill the ATV, and give us an option between the iMac and MacPro. Something w/o integrated graphics

Guest

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Nov 1999

0

Not here

03/22, 07:58am reply

I wouldn't buy another. Far to hot and noisy. Might as well just have a sealed case like the ipods too.

Bring back the cube.

Mr. Fartleberry

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jul 2003

-1

I'll buy if......

03/22, 09:20am reply

the only way I would buy one is if it comes with a quad core processor and 4gb max ram. I wouldn't mind if they increase the size to have these in there.

bearcatrp

Senior User

Joined: Dec 2005

0

Last update

03/22, 11:02am reply

The last update for the mini was in August 2007, which is less than eight months ago, hard to see how that equates to "almost a year".

Also, just before that update Apple Insider was crowing about how the mini was shortly going to be killed off - now they are saying there's going to be yet another update - wow!

The only complaint I have about the mini is the stupid external power supply. It doesn't effectively make the device any smaller, just makes it more complex. Oh, and the way they make it really hard to upgrade the RAM - just make it easy to open up for a start. FW800 would be good too!

Clive

Mac Enthusiast

Joined: Jan 2001

0

Too Pricey

03/22, 04:31pm reply

It costs way too much for what you get. Compare this to what you can get for a PC. Apple is charging way too much for the small size. I'd rather see it a little larger with a standard 3.5" drive and a real graphics option. Must be at least a powerful as an iMac then it's a real alternative. What would be better is add a HDTV tuner and use it for Apple TV + DVR. That is where the small size would work. Apple is constantly underestimating how much storage you need to HD media.

Stone Soldier

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Apr 2005

0

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