More Mac Mini Rumors

If we can judge the accuracy of the description of a potential new Apple product by the amount of activity generated by related rumors, then a Mac Mini announcement at Macworld is a sure thing.

Courtesy of Apple

Since Mac Mini predictions are generating so much buzz, I thought I’d gather the most interesting ones in a single place. Here are the best guesses about the features of a new Mac Mini.

• NVIDIA GeForce 9400M chipset. This is really a no-brainer. If there really is a new Mac Mini, Apple will update the graphics. The NVIDIA GeForce 9400M chipset introduced in the newest versions of the MacBook, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Air is a great fit.
• 2 GB RAM. Also a given. Apple has been bumping up the minimum memory configurations in all of its product lines, so it’s reasonable to expect the same for the Mac Mini. After all, a new Mac Mini needs to be compatible with at least of couple of OS X releases down the road. Keeping the smaller 1 GB base memory of the current Mac Mini would quickly become a problem. I also expect the new Mini to support 4 or 6 GB of internal RAM.
• 2.0 and 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processors. Once again the new Mac Mini will take its cue from the existing MacBook and use the same processors, as well as the same fast 1066 front side bus.
• Dual display support. According to AppleInsider, the new Mini will use both a Mini DisplayPort and a Mini DVI port. This will allow the new Mac Mini to drive two displays, something the current Mini can only dream about.
• Dual SATA hard drive option. TUAW suggests that moving to a SATA-based optical drive in the new Mini would allow Apple to offer a BTO (Build-To-Order) option to replace the optical drive with a second SATA hard drive, which would make the Mac Mini attractive for use as a small dedicated server. This could be a good fit for businesses to use as small departmental mail or web servers, or for ISPs to use for co-location services.
• New case design. There have been many rumors about what the new Mac Mini will look like. The possibilities range from a new color scheme based on the black and aluminum look now used in the iMac and MacBooks, to an all-black case that would blend in nicely with home entertainment systems. What will the new Mini really look like? Your guess is as good as mine. So far, there’s no solid source for information. The new Mini might even look remarkably like the old model.