Apple Event - 30th October - 2pm - "There's more in the making"

LiE · 31 Oct 2018 at 11:38

For someone who has a monitor + KB&M already then a Mac Mini doesn't look so bad.

However if like me you don't have a monitor then the iMac would be a better buy.. when they refresh it.

I was considering Mac Mini + LG Ultrafine 4k and upgrading the ram myself:

3.2GHz 6‑core 8th‑generation Intel Core i7 (Turbo Boost up to 4.6GHz)
8GB 2666MHz DDR4
512GB SSD storage

+Applecare and the Ultrafine 4 comes to £1,994.40 with edu prices.

For the same price I can get an 5k iMac. Just need that spec bump.

jonneymendoza · 31 Oct 2018 at 11:42

the new ipad looks good

Ricko · 31 Oct 2018 at 11:52

Was all set to get a 12.9" iPad pro to upgrade my 6 year old iPad 4th gen.
Shame that they've added ~£200 to the base price (I think you could get the old 12.9" for £719... edit: ok £769), which has given me pause for thought....

AStaley · 31 Oct 2018 at 13:31

The same, I was all set to replace my Air 2 with the 10.5 Pro, for around £600-650, but at £750 I'm holding off. For that price I'd have liked 128GB or 256GB. That said, I'm am wavering and may end up biting the bullet.

chanjy · 31 Oct 2018 at 14:37

Same reaction as most about the retail prices, but if there's a good 10% off deal on Black Friday or a cheaper duty free price at an airport, I'd definitely like to pick one of the 11" iPads up

Amp34 · 31 Oct 2018 at 15:10

MagicBoy said:
i7 is a triumph of marketing over common sense.

Have to admit I haven't been following the CPU market much in recent years. The i7 used to be significantly quicker and had things like hyperthreading that the I 5s didn’t. That not the case now?

Girder · 31 Oct 2018 at 15:36

Has the 10.5 ipad always been £619? or is that the new reduced price. regards

pcfarrar · 31 Oct 2018 at 17:29

Girder said:
Has the 10.5 ipad always been £619? or is that the new reduced price. regards

That’s the same price I paid for mine at launch in June 2017...

antc · 31 Oct 2018 at 18:46

LiE said:
For someone who has a monitor + KB&M already then a Mac Mini doesn't look so bad.

However if like me you don't have a monitor then the iMac would be a better buy.. when they refresh it.

I was considering Mac Mini + LG Ultrafine 4k and upgrading the ram myself:

3.2GHz 6‑core 8th‑generation Intel Core i7 (Turbo Boost up to 4.6GHz)

8GB 2666MHz DDR4

512GB SSD storage

+Applecare and the Ultrafine 4 comes to £1,994.40 with edu prices.

For the same price I can get an 5k iMac. Just need that spec bump.

Thats the spec I was looking at too and upgrading the ram yourself makes absolute sense! Do we think this would make a solid photo and video editing machine?

DanF · 31 Oct 2018 at 19:01

I'd hold off for some reviews on the mini, the HSF in those things is really small for 6 cores and that speed. Guaranteed it'll thermal throttle.

Minstadave · 31 Oct 2018 at 19:20

DanF said:
I'd hold off for some reviews on the mini, the HSF in those things is really small for 6 cores and that speed. Guaranteed it'll thermal throttle.

Itll be better than in the MBP, do they state whether it's a mobile or desktop CPU? A mobile chip shouldn't be too hard in that form factor, they're 45W iirc.

Just read an article that says even the top end Mac mini uses a 28W TDP chip.

antc · 31 Oct 2018 at 19:28

Minstadave said:
Itll be better than in the MBP, do they state whether it's a mobile or desktop CPU? A mobile chip shouldn't be too hard in that form factor, they're 45W iirc.

I might be wrong but I am sure they said its a desktop cpu?

MagicBoy · 31 Oct 2018 at 19:29

Amp34 said:
Have to admit I haven't been following the CPU market much in recent years. The i7 used to be significantly quicker and had things like hyperthreading that the I 5s didn’t. That not the case now?

https://ark.intel.com/compare/134892,134905

3MB cache, mostly useless hyperthreading, 200Mhz on the base clock (<7%), 500Mhz on the mostly unachievable boost clocks (<15%). For a 57% premium on the base price.

Not what I'd call significantly quicker for general use, or good value. It's worth noting the difference in Intel headline prices is $111, which translates to £150 from Apple. Maybe worth it if you're running a video rendering farm.

MagicBoy · 31 Oct 2018 at 19:43

antc said:
I might be wrong but I am sure they said its a desktop cpu?

Desktop chip, 65W.

See link in post above.

Minstadave · 31 Oct 2018 at 19:57

MagicBoy said:
Desktop chip, 65W.

See link in post above.

That will get toastie.

Broken Hope · 31 Oct 2018 at 21:22

This is the proper compare.

https://ark.intel.com/compare/129939,126686

MagicBoy · 31 Oct 2018 at 22:25

Broken Hope said:
This is the proper compare.

https://ark.intel.com/compare/129939,126686

Not convinced, those are a standard LGA chip designed for a socket. Apple will be using BGA chips as they have for years in the Mac mini.

Edit : Intel happily make Apple custom SKUs, look at the CPUs in the iMac Pro. Plus the renders of the Mac mini show BGA CPUs. Only the B series fits.

If you've got a better confirmed source, prove me wrong...

Broken Hope · 1 Nov 2018 at 11:05

The specs of the 8500 and 8500B look to be identical in terms of TDP and frequency so does it really matter?

daz · 1 Nov 2018 at 14:12

I need to replace my late 2013 retina MBP so I'm looking at the new Macbook Air and the Macbook. I'm thinking performance wise they're quite similar to what I probably have now?

The default storage option of 128GB on the MBA is a bit disappointing though.

Combat squirrel · 1 Nov 2018 at 14:12

I wonder if apple are pushing the prices to crazy levels to both test the market and they KNOW that they will loose a load of sales come brexit ? - Perhaps they are cashing in on the 'new shiny' with significant ipad upgrades etc now, hoping people will cash in as they know sales will slump as a lot of people on less than 30-50k a year will tighten their wallets as living costs are gonna go up extortionately end of March.

It makes sense strategically from their POV, maximize profit now for a 2019 large slump in sales in the UK.