On Tuesday, Apple introduced new Mac mini and MacBook Pro machines with M2 SoCs, further approaching the end of the Intel era. At the same time, a computer that had been available for a long time also disappeared from the range: the Mac mini with Intel i5 or i7 architecture.
Intel Mac mini on sale for over four years
The system, which is colored “Space Gray”, had not been discontinued by Apple since 2018 and even when the first Mac mini with an M1 chip appeared in 2020. The reason at the time: The first Apple silicon compact computer from the group could only be equipped with a maximum of 16 GB RAM, but the Intel version with up to 64 GB. And some professionals need just as much RAM and Apple wanted to be accommodating here.
But that’s over now: For the first time, the Mac mini M2 Pro can also be configured with 32 GB – for an additional charge of 460 euros, which should be enough for users. This is the reason for Apple to further restrict its range of Intel machines. The end of this era has almost been reached: In the future, with the Mac Pro from 2019, there will only be one Intel (Xeon) system with macOS on the market.
Schedule ripped from Tim Cook
Despite this, Apple ripped off its originally announced schedule. The manufacturer actually wanted to have completed its switch to ARM processors by the end of 2022, as announced by CEO Tim Cook himself. But the implementation within two years did not work: It is still unclear when the first Mac Pro with Apple Silicon will finally show up. At the moment, the rumor mill is still expecting the first half of 2023, but there could also be postponements again.
After all, with the Mac Studio, Apple now has a workstation on offer that can absolutely hold a candle to the Mac Pro – at least in terms of performance and price. But the machine lacks the expandability of the tower. In addition, an M1 Max or M1 Ultra chip is still working in it, while Apple has already entered the M2 era with MacBook Air, MacBook Pro and Mac mini. The new Mac Pro should also use this SoC – probably in the form of an “M2 Ultra”.
(bsc)
