New iMac, New Mac Mini, New Mac Pro - Apple Store updates

fyrefly · Mar 3rd, 2009, 10:18 AM

	Quote:			Originally Posted by screature
	Wow!!!! and not in a good way. Especially the pricing on the Mini, next to no speed increase, except purportedly on the graphics side, which you have to spend at least $1000 dollars to really see. A few extra USB ports, Firewire 800 (a good thing) and that is about it (I don't consider the change in display ports as an improvement). As an upgrade goes I would give it a 4/10.

Not that I love these updates either - but more has changed (at least on the low end) - a speed bump, a RAM Bump (old minis only officially could address ~3.3GB RAM)

The Mini finally gets Wireless-N, and both have a Superdrive - no more combodrive in the apple lineup at all.

The Mini-DVI to DVI Adapter is in the box with the mini still (though no VGA Adapter) and the Mini gets the boost to DDR3 memory, which even the entry white MacBook doesn't have. It's not amazing, but for the same price (EDIT: My bad, the mini costs almost $100 more now - darn CDN$) as the older (badly in need of an update) Mini - it's not totally crap.

Now if only they'd drop the older 1.83Ghz/ComboDrive Refurbs to $399

cchaynes · Mar 3rd, 2009, 10:22 AM

hmmmm

very odd, very unexciting

i want a 24" but how to build it, is the 500$ between the 2 worth it? more vram and HDD, the processor speed is minor

in fact they haven't changed have they?

matriculated · Mar 3rd, 2009, 10:22 AM

What's with dropping numberpad on their products? Do they want to alienate people who are in accounting or other number crunching jobs? Even keyboards that do have numberpads drive my wife crazy because the layout is different.

cchaynes · Mar 3rd, 2009, 10:24 AM

i must have a number pad

it seems to be an option now, but still no wireless with number pad

fyrefly · Mar 3rd, 2009, 10:27 AM

	Quote:			Originally Posted by matriculated
	What's with dropping numberpad on their products? Do they want to alienate people who are in accounting or other number crunching jobs? Even keyboards that do have numberpads drive my wife crazy because the layout is different.

They still make the Numberpad keyboard, you can still buy it from Apple, and you can still select it at checkout as a free changeable option. I guess they just wanted another "feature" to sell to people - "Ooh look, it's faster and it has a new smaller keyboard!"

	Quote:			Originally Posted by MikeinMontreal
	FF, what do you think is a better deal? The refurb Mac Mini at $549 our the new lower-end Mac Mini? I agree about the now old and defunct 24-inch iMac. At $1149 or $1199, it would be tempting.

With the new Mini at $729 Retail price (and around ~$670 for EDU/EPP), that's garbage. Unless you want to play a lot of 1080P videos, or really want the 4GB of RAM, the older $549 is way more worth it, IMHO.

Lars · Mar 3rd, 2009, 10:28 AM

	Quote:			Originally Posted by Adrian.
	They've made the wired keyboard the same as the BT keyboard, just without BT. I think some people are going to be ticked.

Both versions of the keyboard are available. $49 for the one with a number pad included, $59 for the wired one without a number pad.

Admant · Mar 3rd, 2009, 10:30 AM

My 8 core mac pro that I got at the refurbished store for 2400 is looking pretty good now. Not impressed with the price increase and only 8gb max ram on the quad core. A little better video cards yes.

And they just put the nail in the coffin for the mini.

It looks like they are trying to increase their profit margin on this re-fresh.

The advertising business is in a spiral, so I would think the pro sales are going to be way down.

Bad timing for price bumps Apple. When every other manufacturer is lowering prices.

They should have held off on this re-fresh until the fall and hopefully a stronger economy.

hhk · Mar 3rd, 2009, 10:30 AM

So disappointing. Still, I may pull the trigger on the Mini just for the dual display feature. But I'm a bit confused about the Mini DisplayPort and the mini-DVI. I have a monitor with a DVI port and a monitor with a HDMI port. Which goes to which and what extras do I have to buy?

rei · Mar 3rd, 2009, 10:32 AM

get the mini-display-port-to-DVI adapter. that's all you need.

fyrefly · Mar 3rd, 2009, 10:44 AM

	Quote:			Originally Posted by hhk
	So disappointing. Still, I may pull the trigger on the Mini just for the dual display feature. But I'm a bit confused about the Mini DisplayPort and the mini-DVI. I have a monitor with a DVI port and a monitor with a HDMI port. Which goes to which and what extras do I have to buy?

You could also get a MiniDisplayport to HDMI adapter, and use the Mini DVI-DVI included in the Mac Mini box.

Mar 3rd, 2009, 10:22 AM	#22
cchaynes Full Citizen Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Ottawa Posts: 343	hmmmm very odd, very unexciting i want a 24" but how to build it, is the 500$ between the 2 worth it? more vram and HDD, the processor speed is minor in fact they haven't changed have they? __________________ iMac (24-inch, Core 2 Duo 3.06 GHz,Spring 2009),iMac 20" Late 2006 3GB Time Capsule 1TB, iPhone (3G), OS X (10.5.6), Macbook White 2GB, 2 x Apple TV 40gb

Mar 3rd, 2009, 10:24 AM	#24
cchaynes Full Citizen Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Ottawa Posts: 343	i must have a number pad it seems to be an option now, but still no wireless with number pad __________________ iMac (24-inch, Core 2 Duo 3.06 GHz,Spring 2009),iMac 20" Late 2006 3GB Time Capsule 1TB, iPhone (3G), OS X (10.5.6), Macbook White 2GB, 2 x Apple TV 40gb

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Mar 3rd, 2009, 10:22 AM	#23
matriculated Full Citizen Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 296	What's with dropping numberpad on their products? Do they want to alienate people who are in accounting or other number crunching jobs? Even keyboards that do have numberpads drive my wife crazy because the layout is different.

Mar 3rd, 2009, 10:30 AM	#27
Admant Full Citizen Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Burlington, ONT Posts: 170	My 8 core mac pro that I got at the refurbished store for 2400 is looking pretty good now. Not impressed with the price increase and only 8gb max ram on the quad core. A little better video cards yes. And they just put the nail in the coffin for the mini. It looks like they are trying to increase their profit margin on this re-fresh. The advertising business is in a spiral, so I would think the pro sales are going to be way down. Bad timing for price bumps Apple. When every other manufacturer is lowering prices. They should have held off on this re-fresh until the fall and hopefully a stronger economy.

Mar 3rd, 2009, 10:30 AM	#28
hhk Honourable Citizen Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 1,136	So disappointing. Still, I may pull the trigger on the Mini just for the dual display feature. But I'm a bit confused about the Mini DisplayPort and the mini-DVI. I have a monitor with a DVI port and a monitor with a HDMI port. Which goes to which and what extras do I have to buy?

Mar 3rd, 2009, 10:32 AM	#29
rei Full Citizen Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 82	get the mini-display-port-to-DVI adapter. that's all you need.