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+--- Thread: When a Mini is not enough and a Pro is too much... (/showthread.php?tid=163221)
Re: When a Mini is not enough and a Pro is too much... - macphanatic - 01-23-2014
The rumor is that a new Mini will be announced next month. Rumored to have thunderbolt, usb3 and firewire.
Re: When a Mini is not enough and a Pro is too much... - mrlynn - 01-23-2014
Spock wrote:
When a Mini is not enough and a Pro is too much...
... the answer is a Hackintosh.
Or a clone you don't have to build yourself? Like my late lamented Umax J700?
/Mr Lynn
Re: When a Mini is not enough and a Pro is too much... - cbelt3 - 01-23-2014
Work's service manual publication group just upgraded to new iMacs instead of waiting for iTrashCans. They're very happy.
Re: When a Mini is not enough and a Pro is too much... - datbeme - 01-23-2014
macphanatic wrote:
The rumor is that a new Mini will be announced next month. Rumored to have thunderbolt, usb3 and firewire.
Like this?
I kid, but I'm desperately waiting for the new Mini as well. Although, if they are not upgradable, I'm out.
Re: When a Mini is not enough and a Pro is too much... - GeneL - 01-23-2014
macphanatic wrote:
The rumor is that a new Mini will be announced next month. Rumored to have thunderbolt, usb3 and firewire.
Yes, please!
...and please make it easy to switch out the drives as well as the memory.
After so many years of easily upgradeable Macs, it seems pretty awful that Apple doesn't make this neat little model more user "friendly."
Just my opinion. :cursin:
Re: When a Mini is not enough and a Pro is too much... - sekker - 01-23-2014
I cannot believe that Apple will keep FireWire.
And going to the new solid state storage means that there's no reason for the user to open these up as Apple is trying to end third-party upgrades.
Going to the latest CPU from Intel doesn't add anything except slightly lower power, though the GPU is improved.
Given that my i7 hackintish using an OWC SSD gives me geek bench scores comparable to the low-end 2013 iTrashcan, I cannot believe that the next gen Mac mini is going to be a big improvement in performance or form factor.
Re: When a Mini is not enough and a Pro is too much... - clay - 01-23-2014
GeneL wrote:
[quote=macphanatic]
The rumor is that a new Mini will be announced next month. Rumored to have thunderbolt, usb3 and firewire.
Yes, please!
...and please make it easy to switch out the drives as well as the memory.
After so many years of easily upgradeable Macs, it seems pretty awful that Apple doesn't make this neat little model more user "friendly."
Just my opinion. :cursin:
uhhh....you do know that the mini is by far the most easily upgradeable model that Apple currently offers? Up to 2 internal drives and super easy access to the memory slot? Not to mention that the motherboard and power supply are easily removable as well. I can't imagine that Apple could make it any more upgradeable/repairable than they already have. I'd imagine they'll go in the opposite direction for their next revision, if there is one.
Re: When a Mini is not enough and a Pro is too much... - pinkoos - 01-23-2014
Look for a 2011 model with a discrete graphics card (Radeon I believe).
Re: When a Mini is not enough and a Pro is too much... - GeneL - 01-23-2014
clay wrote:
[quote=GeneL]
[quote=macphanatic]
The rumor is that a new Mini will be announced next month. Rumored to have thunderbolt, usb3 and firewire.
Yes, please!
...and please make it easy to switch out the drives as well as the memory.
After so many years of easily upgradeable Macs, it seems pretty awful that Apple doesn't make this neat little model more user "friendly."
Just my opinion. :cursin:
uhhh....you do know that the mini is by far the most easily upgradeable model that Apple currently offers? Up to 2 internal drives and super easy access to the memory slot? Not to mention that the motherboard and power supply are easily removable as well. I can't imagine that Apple could make it any more upgradeable/repairable than they already have. I'd imagine they'll go in the opposite direction for their next revision, if there is one.
I know that memory is an easily replaceable, but as far as I know, the hard drives have been inaccessible by anyone except the highly technical.
I had to pay to switch out the drive in Mavis' Mini. That was years ago, but nothing that I've seen led me to think that things have changed.
Last I looked our sponsor offered a service to switch out the drives in Minis. Are you saying that drive replacement is now as easy as memory replacement in the latest Minis? That would be great, since I would like to buy a server model and install an SSD and a larger internal backup drive. Unless you are correct and Apple has made drive replacement easily accessible, I figured that it would cost me a lot more than just the price of the drives to upgrade a new Mini.
I'd love to be wrong! Am I?
Re: When a Mini is not enough and a Pro is too much... - pinkoos - 01-23-2014
GeneL wrote:
I'd love to be wrong! Am I?
You are not wrong. It's still technically difficult for the lay person and it's wrought with risk of breaking this or that connector that would necessitate a logic board replacement.
RAM is user-upgradeable according to Apple. The hard drive is not.