Mac Mini Speculation

Posted on by

The Mac mini has seen just two form factors since its introduction in 2005. I think we could see the third this fall.

The mini serves many roles thanks to its price and size: as the gateway Mac for curious developers and switchers; as a entry-level server; as a media center; as an efficient desktop client; as the “insert your application here” device. The adaptability of the mini has led to a healthy aftermarket of accessories and amazing resale value.

The basic formula for a Mac mini has historically been to reconfigure the logic board and hard drive (and optical drive back when they where standard) of the entry-level portable system into the smallest possible package. This contrasts with basic, entry-level, cost conscious PC systems which rely on the ATX standard and are mostly empty space on the inside.

For the third revision to the Mac mini package, I think we’ve already seen the future in recent revisions of the Airport Extreme and Airport Time Capsule. The rounded square base and extruded body design started with the second generation Apple TV in 2010, followed by the Airport Express in 2012 and the rest of the Airport family in 2013.

Imagine this new mini housed in an extruded black plastic polycarbonate enclosure the size and shape of the Airport Time Capsule with these specs:

  • 1.7GHz Dual Core i5 (Optional 2.2GHz Quad Core i7)
  • 128GB PCIe storage (optional up to 512GB)
  • 4GB DDR3 (optional up to 16GB, non user upgradable)
  • Intel HD 5000 Graphics (Supports one 4K display)
  • 802.11ac / Bluetooth 4.0
  • Built in speaker
  • Built in power supply

For the port selection, I imagine something like this:

  • Headphone port
  • SDXC card slot
  • Three USB 3 ports
  • Two Thunderbolt ports
  • Gigabit Ethernet port
  • Power
  • Power Button

Wildcard factors:

  • Accelerometer to light up the ports when the system is turned, like the soon to be released Mac Pro
  • Second internal drive bay for fusion drive (2.5″ SATA) or a second PCIe drive
  • Possibility that a 47w Core i7 could be too much heat for the form factor
  • Retaining a dedicated video port such as HDMI
  • Retaining an IR receiver
  • Vertical space limiting number of ports
  • Could use SODIMMs instead of soldering on LPDDR3
  • Costs for logic board could be prohibitive
  • Availability and cost of Falcon Ridge Thunderbolt 2

This redesign could happen soon, say the fall time frame shipping in time for the Holidays. Given that it has taken three years since the second generation Apple TV was introduced to adapt the Airport family it could also take more time (say 12 months or more) to ship a redesigned mini. As with any speculation, it could also be fantastically wrong– that’s the fun.