Rumor: New Mac Mini coming to Macworld 2009

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Apple will launch an upgrade to its low-end desktop, the Mac Mini, at January's Macworld Expo in San Francisco, according to an Apple corporate employee who contacted Wired.com.

The source, who wished to remain anonymous (to keep his job), could not disclose details about the Mac Mini other than its upcoming announcement at Macworld Expo, which begins Jan. 5. That's where CEO Steve Jobs traditionally launches major products during his famous keynotes (assuming he does indeed show up).

Here's what Wired.com believes will be in the next Mac Mini, based on trends seen in Apple's latest products:

Similar to the MacBooks, the Mac Mini will sport a silver enclosure composed of a block of aluminum.
Some internal parts will be PVC-free, and combined with its size and low power requirements, Apple will tout this as the "greenest Mac ever."
For video output, the Mac Mini will use the DRM-crippled DisplayPort for connectivity, which Apple is offering to manufacturers for a no-fee license.
It'll have a CD-DVD slot loader (i.e. Super Drive). There will be no Blu-ray player, because Steve Jobs believes the format is a "bag of hurt."
It'll ship with 2 GB of RAM, expandable to 4 GB - up from the current 1 GB, expandable to 2 GB. (The aluminum case should make expanding RAM easier than in the original Mini.)
It'll ship with at least a 160-GB hard drive.
The Mac Mini will come in two options with different processor speeds: a 2.0-GHz Core 2 Duo and a 2.3-GHz Core 2 Duo (up from 1.83 GHz and 2.0 GHz).
Like the higher-end MacBook and MacBook Pro, the 2.3-GHz Mac Mini will ship with an Nvidia video card, making this higher-end model a decent gaming device.
The 2.0G-Hz Mac Mini will ship with an Intel video card, perhaps the GMA X3100 graphics card found in the low-end, white MacBook.
The slower model will cost $500, and the faster model will cost $700 ($100 less than the current Mac Minis), in light of the recession.

(1 reply) #1 FrozenEclipse on 16 Dec 2008 - 07:30

Might get one of these. Never had enough money for a MacBook but a $700 Mac Mini might be right up my alley.

#1.1 +King Mustard on 16 Dec 2008 - 07:35

FrozenEclipse said,

(4 replies) #2 creamhackered on 16 Dec 2008 - 07:38

If they release any kind of i7 desktop I might consider it

#2.1 bmaher on 16 Dec 2008 - 08:50

The only hope of that is with the Mac Pro - and to be honest, I don't see it coming any time soon

#2.2 creamhackered on 16 Dec 2008 - 08:55

really? they haven't been updated for some time though

#2.3 Vakerorokero on 16 Dec 2008 - 10:45

good luck, you'll get your mac until 2010...

#2.4 PsykX on 19 Dec 2008 - 03:37

Mac Pros will be the first to get these Core i7, be sure of this.
Apple is waiting for an event to show these new beasts IMO.

Mac minis will obviously get poor hardware, but it should be a huge upgrade if we compare it to what they have right now.

I'm an Apple fanboy, but if there's one thing I'm starting to hate is the importance they give to the Mac Minis. These machines, as crazy as it might be, are the best ones available to make someone switch from PC to Mac. Keep them updated, and people will switch more massively. Let them go and the switch movement will slow down drastically.

#3 LaXu on 16 Dec 2008 - 08:37

They won't be i7 because there's no mobile version of it available yet. In any case I'm excited about an update, it's certainly long overdue. I hope they do keep FireWire though and don't ditch it like they did on the new Macbook.

#4 iAwesomeness on 16 Dec 2008 - 09:44

Ive heard lots of rumors about the mac mini refresh too, It sounds really cool, Even if it is cheaper i still wont be able to afford it for a while.

(1 reply) #5 Raa on 16 Dec 2008 - 11:15

Current Mac Mini's can be upgraded to 4gb of ram. I've done it successfully in mine.

#5.1 ricknl on 16 Dec 2008 - 18:56

Yes you can, but the OS will see up to around 3GB, and it is not supported by Apple.

#6 Ste on 16 Dec 2008 - 11:47

hmm this is interesting, i may get me one of these... if my gf wont kill me for getting another screen in my room (already have 3)

#7 Richardarkless on 16 Dec 2008 - 13:33

so were expecting a new mac mini, iphone nano, anything else now perhaps a new imac or that $100 iphone which everyone has been hearing about

#8 Galley on 16 Dec 2008 - 16:21

My Mom keeps putting money into fixing her POS desktop. The $500 Mac mini would be prefect for her.

(1 reply) #9 Orlando Rays on 16 Dec 2008 - 19:35

Well, guess nobody will end up buying the new Mac mini. Who has a monitor with mini-DisplayPort?

#9.1 MoeJoe on 17 Dec 2008 - 00:22

thats true, but apple will more than likely supply a converter to DVI

#10 shockz on 17 Dec 2008 - 16:24

If this comes true... I'd be one of the first in line.

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