5 ms·

I just wanted an updated mac mini...not a "pro" model. Whenever Apple attaches the word 'pro' on a product it usually means "a fuck ton more expensive".

by mpg33 8y ago

fermienrico 8y ago
I feel like no matter what Apple does, people will never be happy. If it was a “consumer” Mac Mini, you’d complain “Apple has given up on Pro users”. I recommend waiting until they come out with pricing and the details before writing it off glibly.
- 2muchcoffeeman 8y ago
  I think a lot of people just want the models they have to be kept up to date. I’ve been on the market for a new Air and Mini for ages. But I am still waiting because they won’t refresh or drop prices on old products.
- gnicholas 8y ago
  > If it was a “consumer” Mac Mini, you’d complain “Apple has given up on Pro users” I agree that in the current context, this is true. But this is primarily because the Mac Pro hasn’t been updated in eons and the current MBPs are so controversial that many pro users are sticking with 5-8 year old MBPs instead of “upgrading”. If there were current Mac Pros and MBPs that see unequivocally better than older models, people would not jump to this complaint
- overcast 8y ago
  You know what would have made developers happy? Regular refreshes on the cheese grater tower. THAT IS ALL ANYONE HAS EVER WANTED. Nope, we get a trashcan that is over priced, can't be upgraded, and also still gets zero updates.
  - weaksauce 8y ago
    The cheese grater mac was really incredibly designed. it's a shame they decided to limit things with the trashcan one. apple if you are listening please let people upgrade or at least replace parts when something goes bad in the desktop line. don't make the desktop a huge ipad.
    - fermienrico 8y ago
      Agree - Looks like Apple has listened and they are working on a new modular Mac Pro machine : https://techcrunch.com/2018/04/05/apples-2019-imac-pro-will-be-shaped-by-workflows/ https://techcrunch.com/2018/04/05/apples-2019-imac-pro-will-...
      - saagarjha 8y ago
        “Modular” might mean “you can plug in a bunch of things with Thunderbolt”, mind you.
        pier25 8y ago
        Possibly, but I doubt it. Apple has acknowledged that the trashcan design was a mistake.
        coldtea 8y ago
        They already did that with the "can" pro design and they said this will be different and more upgradable.
- mi100hael 8y ago
  Well, considering the original Mac Mini was about $500 and sat alongside a $3k+ Mac Pro, both of those complaints seem pretty reasonable...
- Someone1234 8y ago
  It depends. The original goal of the Mac Mini was meant to be an entry level Mac. Which was perfect at the time for getting your feet wet on iOS/MacOS development, or getting a taste for the OS. That wasn't a problem because there was the iMac and Power Mac to fulfil the Pro/Developer markets. If Apple released another consumer grade Mac Mini to fulfil the same segment (i.e. entry level) I actually think people would be quite positive. But it won't take away from the fact that the Pro/Developer market remains largely neglected. A "Pro" Mac Mini might be the worst of both worlds. No longer entry level price, and not powerful enough (due to cooling) for Pros/serious developers.
- JohnBooty 8y ago
  As a long-time Mac owner (just bought a refurb one from Apple) I agree with the parent poster... their "pro" stuff is just too expensive. I don't mind paying a bit of a Mac tax on my hardware. Honestly, I feel that up to perhaps 30-40% is fine. Macs have generally high build quality, contain some bespoke hardware, and I find they have a lower cost of ownership than Windows. (Also, traditionally, Macbook Pros often priced pretty similarly to high end Windows laptops like Thinkpads anyway) But, even as somebody that writes software for a living, it's tough to pay astronomical prices for "pro" hardware. I'd love a nice beefy i7 or i9 Mac with a 512GB SSD on my desktop. On the Windows side I could get one for around $800: https://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100019096%20601190701%204814%20601272822&IsNodeId=1&bop=And&Order=PRICE&PageSize=36 https://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N... I understand why those pro models cost so much; they use Intel's Xeon chipsets (ECC RAM, etc) and bundle very pricey GPUs. Thing is, those features simply aren't that useful for a lot of "pro" buyers like most software developers. Even most design apps don't make much use of the GPU IIRC. On the Mac side of things, I'd be looking at paying a minimum of $3K (Mac Pro) $5K (iMac Pro) or $2K (iMac) for something comparable. Now obviously, the iMacs include a monitor (duh) but I already own nice monitors. Now, what will Apple charge for this "Mac Mini Pro?" If it's a few hundred bucks more than a high-spec Intel NUC that sells for $1K, fine. I'll pay it. If it's $2K, they can go take a hike.
  - malloryerik 8y ago
    Beyond a clean look on a desk, what's the advantage of having the computer and the monitor in the same device? It seems a bit barbaric to me, like sacrificially killing and burying the slave when their master dies but in a (shallow) sense worse because with iMac the master must also die when the slave does, by which I mean that if either computer or monitor craps out, you get to trash them both. What happens when it falls off of the desk or is dropped when moving or hit by a baseball or your clumsy girlfriend/boyfriend/kid/coworker/neighbor or falls during the earthquake and on and on? You've automatically doubled your sorrows? Yes this is true of laptops but why import the weakness to desktops?
    - JohnBooty 8y ago
- wlll 8y ago
  I was perfectly happy with the Macbook Pro line until they introduced he touch bar/removed magsafe.
  - jrnichols 8y ago
    same here. Touch Bar is something I have no need or desire for, and I wish that it was a BTO option instead. And if you're in a house with a dog, magsafe is an absolute lifesaver. I was shocked that they eliminated it.
    - wlll 8y ago
      Here's the video where Jobs introduces MagSafe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeqF7zcBOVA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeqF7zcBOVA It's amazing that they're getting rid of it given how it clearly solves an actual problem. Personally I've had to re-solder two laptop power supply connections on older non-Mac laptops.
- pier25 8y ago
  > If it was a “consumer” Mac Mini, you’d complain “Apple has given up on Pro users”. Eh, the Mini was never for pros to begin with.
  - Crontab 8y ago
    They did offer a server version for a while. Not pro, I suppose, but definitely not consumer either.
coldtea 8y ago
>I just wanted an updated mac mini...not a "pro" model. Yeah, and then you'd complain it's not spec'ed up enough.
- mpg33 8y ago
  It hasn't been updated in 4 years. Any update will be spec'd enough.

I just wanted an updated mac mini...not a "pro" model. Whenever Apple attaches the word 'pro' on a product it usually means "a fuck ton more expensive".

by mpg33 8y ago

I just wanted an updated mac mini...not a "pro" model. Whenever Apple attaches the word 'pro' on a product it usually means "a fuck ton more expensive".

fermienrico 8y ago

I feel like no matter what Apple does, people will never be happy. If it was a “consumer” Mac Mini, you’d complain “Apple has given up on Pro users”. I recommend waiting until they come out with pricing and the details before writing it off glibly.

2muchcoffeeman 8y ago
I think a lot of people just want the models they have to be kept up to date. I’ve been on the market for a new Air and Mini for ages. But I am still waiting because they won’t refresh or drop prices on old products.
gnicholas 8y ago
> If it was a “consumer” Mac Mini, you’d complain “Apple has given up on Pro users” I agree that in the current context, this is true. But this is primarily because the Mac Pro hasn’t been updated in eons and the current MBPs are so controversial that many pro users are sticking with 5-8 year old MBPs instead of “upgrading”. If there were current Mac Pros and MBPs that see unequivocally better than older models, people would not jump to this complaint
overcast 8y ago
You know what would have made developers happy? Regular refreshes on the cheese grater tower. THAT IS ALL ANYONE HAS EVER WANTED. Nope, we get a trashcan that is over priced, can't be upgraded, and also still gets zero updates.
- weaksauce 8y ago
  The cheese grater mac was really incredibly designed. it's a shame they decided to limit things with the trashcan one. apple if you are listening please let people upgrade or at least replace parts when something goes bad in the desktop line. don't make the desktop a huge ipad.
  - fermienrico 8y ago
    Agree - Looks like Apple has listened and they are working on a new modular Mac Pro machine : https://techcrunch.com/2018/04/05/apples-2019-imac-pro-will-be-shaped-by-workflows/ https://techcrunch.com/2018/04/05/apples-2019-imac-pro-will-...
    - saagarjha 8y ago
      “Modular” might mean “you can plug in a bunch of things with Thunderbolt”, mind you.
      - pier25 8y ago
        Possibly, but I doubt it. Apple has acknowledged that the trashcan design was a mistake.
      - coldtea 8y ago
        They already did that with the "can" pro design and they said this will be different and more upgradable.
mi100hael 8y ago
Well, considering the original Mac Mini was about $500 and sat alongside a $3k+ Mac Pro, both of those complaints seem pretty reasonable...
Someone1234 8y ago
It depends. The original goal of the Mac Mini was meant to be an entry level Mac. Which was perfect at the time for getting your feet wet on iOS/MacOS development, or getting a taste for the OS. That wasn't a problem because there was the iMac and Power Mac to fulfil the Pro/Developer markets. If Apple released another consumer grade Mac Mini to fulfil the same segment (i.e. entry level) I actually think people would be quite positive. But it won't take away from the fact that the Pro/Developer market remains largely neglected. A "Pro" Mac Mini might be the worst of both worlds. No longer entry level price, and not powerful enough (due to cooling) for Pros/serious developers.
JohnBooty 8y ago
As a long-time Mac owner (just bought a refurb one from Apple) I agree with the parent poster... their "pro" stuff is just too expensive. I don't mind paying a bit of a Mac tax on my hardware. Honestly, I feel that up to perhaps 30-40% is fine. Macs have generally high build quality, contain some bespoke hardware, and I find they have a lower cost of ownership than Windows. (Also, traditionally, Macbook Pros often priced pretty similarly to high end Windows laptops like Thinkpads anyway) But, even as somebody that writes software for a living, it's tough to pay astronomical prices for "pro" hardware. I'd love a nice beefy i7 or i9 Mac with a 512GB SSD on my desktop. On the Windows side I could get one for around $800: https://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100019096%20601190701%204814%20601272822&IsNodeId=1&bop=And&Order=PRICE&PageSize=36 https://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N... I understand why those pro models cost so much; they use Intel's Xeon chipsets (ECC RAM, etc) and bundle very pricey GPUs. Thing is, those features simply aren't that useful for a lot of "pro" buyers like most software developers. Even most design apps don't make much use of the GPU IIRC. On the Mac side of things, I'd be looking at paying a minimum of $3K (Mac Pro) $5K (iMac Pro) or $2K (iMac) for something comparable. Now obviously, the iMacs include a monitor (duh) but I already own nice monitors. Now, what will Apple charge for this "Mac Mini Pro?" If it's a few hundred bucks more than a high-spec Intel NUC that sells for $1K, fine. I'll pay it. If it's $2K, they can go take a hike.
- malloryerik 8y ago
  Beyond a clean look on a desk, what's the advantage of having the computer and the monitor in the same device? It seems a bit barbaric to me, like sacrificially killing and burying the slave when their master dies but in a (shallow) sense worse because with iMac the master must also die when the slave does, by which I mean that if either computer or monitor craps out, you get to trash them both. What happens when it falls off of the desk or is dropped when moving or hit by a baseball or your clumsy girlfriend/boyfriend/kid/coworker/neighbor or falls during the earthquake and on and on? You've automatically doubled your sorrows? Yes this is true of laptops but why import the weakness to desktops?
  - JohnBooty 8y ago
wlll 8y ago
I was perfectly happy with the Macbook Pro line until they introduced he touch bar/removed magsafe.
- jrnichols 8y ago
  same here. Touch Bar is something I have no need or desire for, and I wish that it was a BTO option instead. And if you're in a house with a dog, magsafe is an absolute lifesaver. I was shocked that they eliminated it.
  - wlll 8y ago
    Here's the video where Jobs introduces MagSafe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeqF7zcBOVA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeqF7zcBOVA It's amazing that they're getting rid of it given how it clearly solves an actual problem. Personally I've had to re-solder two laptop power supply connections on older non-Mac laptops.
pier25 8y ago
> If it was a “consumer” Mac Mini, you’d complain “Apple has given up on Pro users”. Eh, the Mini was never for pros to begin with.
- Crontab 8y ago
  They did offer a server version for a while. Not pro, I suppose, but definitely not consumer either.

coldtea 8y ago

>I just wanted an updated mac mini...not a "pro" model. Yeah, and then you'd complain it's not spec'ed up enough.

mpg33 8y ago
It hasn't been updated in 4 years. Any update will be spec'd enough.