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Rumor: M2 Based Mac Mini - possibly in July, 2022


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M2 Mini

M2 is based on the current A15 chip, while M1 is based on the A14 Bionic. Just like M1, M2 will feature an eight-core CPU (four performance cores and four efficiency cores), but this time with a more powerful 10-core GPU. The new performance cores are codenamed “Avalanche,” and efficiency cores are known as “Blizzard.”


M2 Pro Mini

Apple has also been working on another new Mac mini (codenamed J474) that features the M2 Pro chip – a variant with eight performance cores and four efficiency cores, totaling a 12-core CPU versus the 10-core CPU of the current M1 Pro.
 

https://9to5mac.com/2021/08/22/gurman-updated-mac-mini-with-new-design-and-more-ports-coming-in-the-next-several-months/

 


 

 

Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560

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Bloody hell there are still some developers that haven’t gotten their stuff to run natively on M1, and now Apple announces M2?

 

I might just wait for the prices to come down on the M1 Mac Mini or the 16” MBP

My Site

Nord Electro 5D, Novation Launchkey 61, Logic Pro X, Mainstage 3, lots of plugins, fingers, pencil, paper.

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47 minutes ago, David R said:

Bloody hell there are still some developers that haven’t gotten their stuff to run natively on M1, and now Apple announces M2?

 

This video towards the end talks about the long list of still incompatible music software because of Monterey and M1.   

 

 

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In my lust over the Mac Studio specs, I forgot about the OS issue. Some of my favorite plugins aren't ready yet.

 

I'm assuming any new Mini would be pretty nerfed compared to the entry level Mac Studio, no?

 

What's the most they could charge and not bleed Studio sales?

 

I know I don't need all the Studio's ports, nor do I need 10GB ethernet or lots of GPU cores. 32GB RAM would be nice for sample stuffing.

I make software noises.
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1 hour ago, David R said:

Bloody hell there are still some developers that haven’t gotten their stuff to run natively on M1, and now Apple announces M2?

 

I might just wait for the prices to come down on the M1 Mac Mini or the 16” MBP


The entry point of the Studio models priced me out.  I do occasionally get some video work, but it’s not a priority and the current M1 is plenty fast for audio projects.  I would imagine the M2 and M2 Pro Minis will have 16 and 32gb RAM options.  If priced the same or under a Mac Book Pro, one of these could be just right.  I haven’t replaced a Mac in a long time.  

 

They’ll definitely be cheaper than the Studios because they simply won’t have the video muscle in their design. 

Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560

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When I got my M1 Mini a few months ago, I freaked out a little because even some INSTALLERS were incompatible. For the last month, I’ve been setting up OBS and a Twitch/YouTube thing, so the studio has been dark. This week, I returned to the Mac Mini and updated Live, Reason, Presonus mixer software, and Arturia’s collection. All work flawlessly now for my workflow, and for only having 16 gigs on non-expandable RAM, I have yet to tax the machine. I may not be a billing studio, but I do push my mixes pretty heavily with virtual synths, and I’ve been pleasantly surprised…enough so that the Studio does not give me GAS, which is a first.

"For instance" is not proof.

 

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11 minutes ago, GovernorSilver said:

Once everybody's fave plugins get ported to M1, going from M1 to M2 should be relatively trivial, right?

I’d say yes, or at least not a difficult update as we’ve seen iOS go from A14, A15 etc. CPUs without much whining.  But mobile app developers are constantly pushing out updates.  

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Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560

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The only incompatible (Intel-only) plugins I have are Unfiltered Audio Lion and Byome.  I don't use them enough though to cry a river over.

 

Ableton is being careful by marking Live 11 as M1 compatible, yet stating nothing about M2.  I flirted with buying an M1 Macbook Pro, then got hit by various unexpected expenses (roof replacement, insulation replacement, etc).

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Speaking as one who did product management, the recent Mac Studio went for gold in terms of specs, and now they're going to fill in with a few cost-reduced Mini-style variants.   I would safely predict ridiculous performance and at least some 64GB expansion options, but really targeting the 16GB crowd as that's where the action is.  You'll probably see at least one 4k render engine.  The last few rounds of hardware have been exceptionally port-friendly (yay!) so I would expect that to continue.   

 

I don't know if this is still true, but at one time the visual FX studios were buying hundreds/thousands of these small pucks to build render farms.  Total geek thrills when you see one.  Intel did the NUC thing, it never really caught on. So that may be part of their thinking as well.

Want to make your band better?  Check out "A Guide To Starting (Or Improving!) Your Own Local Band"

 

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One additional thought to ponder to anyone who has made it this far in the geekfest -- the rumor sites are pointing to a new process for the M2 as compared to the M1, somewhere in the range of 15-20% per core improvement, so now smaller chips can do more work.   For anyone doing audio work, this is all rather irrelevant.  Video, on the other hand ...

Want to make your band better?  Check out "A Guide To Starting (Or Improving!) Your Own Local Band"

 

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This is here most rumors seems more educated guesses that actual leaks: for exemple, rumors about the last keynote where quite vague, and references to the Mac Studio and Studio Display appareared just a couple of days before, and not even linked to the keynote.

 

But the point is: will Apple make an M2 processor ? Well, yes, of course; i do not think you need inside information to know it.

Will the M2 substitute the M1 in all the platforms, including the Mini ? Yes, of course; again, no need of any leak to know that.

 

The only interesting question is when, and there you can have educated guesses also, even if the world situation is a bit troublesome to make long term forecasts ...

 

Maurizio

Nord Wave 2, Nord Electro 6D 61,, Rameau upright,  Hammond Pro44H Melodica.

Too many Arturia, NI and AAS plugins

http://www.barbogio.org/

 

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