Apple announces new Mac Mini, Air + 13" MBP featuring their own M1 chip.

[revvy]

Part of the secret of Apple's success is that everyone loves to discuss Apple. Great publicity, as they say.

[Sascha Franck]

It's quite amazing that you can't even just state the obvious in Apple threads. I mean, I'm using Apple products (no mobile devices anymore, but I think there will be an iPad in my arsenal one day). I also even sort of love my cheesegrater, it's by far the most reliable computer I have ever worked with in each and every aspect, a most excellent workhorse. Combined with OSX, I'm experiencing a completely troublefree computing experience since over a decade already (I bought my first Macbook in 2007). Before, I was an avid Windows user and really knew my way around it (for a while, I was building DAW computers from scratch for myself and friends, too), but the overall computing experience wasn't just as great. I know, plenty of things have changed with Windows 10 (and I'm maintaining my wife's Win10 computer, so it's not as if I wouldn't be familiar with it anymore), but still, I would prefer not having to go back - and by now, it's not just because of Logic anymore (which was the only reason for me to switch back then).

Ok, having said all that, there's still all the obvious things regarding Apple. Does anyone really expect the stock exchange's No.1 company to be like "good guys"? I mean, maybe they're good guys as persons, but as a company? Heck, the top 100 (or maybe more) on the stock exchange are all brutal capitalists, squeezing the last ounce of money out of everything. And Apple is way on the forefront regarding this. They're masters of planned obsolescence and they're also not delivering quality parts all the time (pretty often they're not) and they're treating any "right to repair" movements or whatever like s**t. All of this is proveable with countless examples. Green computing (which they once had the guts to claim)? My a**!

So, with all that being said, why am I still using their computers, being an old hippie/leftie and what not? Because in case you want to make music on at least sort of highend-ish computers, there's little to no choice. Microsoft isn't much better, PC part suppliers aren't any good, either (think about the working conditions in chinese factories - and the cheaper you buy, the worse they will most certainly be) and all of the computing world is more or less pulling of similar stunts as Apple.
Whether you buy a Mac or any other computer, it makes almost no difference but a personal one (hence, the decision whether or not to buy is just a personal one, too).

So, regardless of all that and your personal take on it, Apples SSD and RAM update prices are just obscene and their tactics are at least questionable, there's no way around that. You can still "love" your Apple products (for pretty valid reasons even, see above). You may as well find worse ripoffs that you're experiencing in daily life. But all that doesn't change anything with an SSD update from 256 to 512 kicking in at €224,20 being a plain act of pure greed, regardless of the kind of SSD used. There's absolutely no way around it.
And it should be perfectly valid to mention something like that on a sort of computer related forum, there's absolutely no need for hyperbole, let alone hyperventilating. There's also no need to defend Apple - or to attack them as the second coming of Satan (even if they likely are, hrrrhrrrhrrr...).

[Daags]

I just cecked the prices for the Mac mini 2020. The model with 256 GB costs €778. An identical model with 512 GB disc space costs €1003. Thats €225 for 256 GB more disc space.
I assume they use a fast NVMe M.2 technology.
A Samsung EVO 970 with 1000 GB currenty costs 124€ on amazon. It is one of best and fastest drives.
124€ / 4 = 31€ (for 256 GB).
The Mac Mini with 512 GB is a real ripoff compared to the small one with 256 GB.
The price difference should be €30 and not € 225.

besides the 64GB (high speed) RAM I bought recently for like €10 more than Apple is charging for 8gb, I also bought a 2tb Samsung 970 EVO Plus nvme m.2 ... cost €286 ... an extra €60 for 8x the space, of what is most likely a superior drive in every respect (speed & lifespan).

but hey, I apologise for making this comment ... because it's clearly IRRELEVANT.

Apple may as well start selling customers lube before allowing them into the Apple Store. But then you'll first probably have to buy your own lube elsewhere to ready yourself for the price of the Apple lube.

[Daags]

Should not have come with 256gb drive in 2020 anyway, that’s a joke.
Apple’s SSD prices are a joke, i never go higher than 512.

Well, that's exactly why they started glueing/soldering them in, same with RAM (even if that might be justfied with the M1 CPUs) - just so they could pull off their street robbery. And they're earning *truckloads* of money just from that because nobody with a sane mind will opt for a 256GB drive, even less so on a mobile machine.
There's no other reason for that others than pure greed. Making money for exactly *zero* work.
It's one of *the* main reasons I have lost most of my respect for Apple. Unethical business behaviour is one of the key things this world is the way it is.

exactly, they make insane mark up in any area they can corner you ... the walls in the walled garden were already inpenetrable enough, Apple moving to their own SoC sillicon is just asking for a goatse style reaming.

but hey, that's IRRELEVANT ... I mean, if you aren't already wide open goatse style, you shouldn't even be making remarks in the hallowed sanctity of an Apple thread.

[Ploki]

besides the 64GB (high speed) RAM I bought recently for like €10 more than Apple is charging for 8gb, I also bought a 2tb Samsung 970 EVO Plus nvme m.2 ... cost €286 ... an extra €60 for 8x the space, of what is most likely a superior drive in every respect (speed & lifespan).

but hey, I apologise for making this comment ... because it's clearly IRRELEVANT.

Apple may as well start selling customers lube before allowing them into the Apple Store. But then you'll first probably have to buy your own lube elsewhere to ready yourself for the price of the Apple lube.

No, that’s very relevant.
I also only bought 512gb on both my mac and 970 EVO in a thunderbolt3 box.

Macperformanceguide was back then able to test out the first soldered max, the 2012 retina macbook pro - and the latency was significantly better than all other sticked-memory machines. Objectively and measurably.

I will be disappointed if they carry soldered RAM over to beefier machines, but soldered “up to 16gb” RAM on entry level mini and two ultraportables is both old news and irrelevant.
Sticks would take much more space and judging by 2012 mbp somewhat hinder performance.
Why dont GPUs - desktop - use ram sticks? It’s feasible there’s enough space there.

[Sascha Franck]

but hey, that's IRRELEVANT ... I mean, if you aren't already wide open goatse style, you shouldn't even be making remarks in the hallowed sanctity of an Apple thread.

It *is* still irrelevant. Simply because nobody is forcing you to buy a Mac.
Does that mean I like their tactics? Hell, by all means no - I'm shafted as we speak, yet again, for the umpteenth time, this time because I can't update to the latest Logic version for no good reason (even when using an OS still officially supported by Apple).
Does it mean nobody should mention things in Apple threads? Again - hell no. I'm the first doing so.
But all that still isn't relevant because:
A) You won't change anything. People are complaining about Apples tactics since decades already. And yet they're the most successful company on earth - so why would they change anything?
B) Nobody's forcing you to buy a Mac, your human rights remain untouched.

[revvy]

The anal sex in this thread is a curious diversion, make no mistake.

[Daags]

but hey, that's IRRELEVANT ... I mean, if you aren't already wide open goatse style, you shouldn't even be making remarks in the hallowed sanctity of an Apple thread.

It *is* still irrelevant. Simply because nobody is forcing you to buy a Mac.
Does that mean I like their tactics? Hell, by all means no - I'm shafted as we speak, yet again, for the umpteenth time, this time because I can't update to the latest Logic version for no good reason (even when using an OS still officially supported by Apple).
Does it mean nobody should mention things in Apple threads? Again - hell no. I'm the first doing so.
But all that still isn't relevant because:
A) You won't change anything. People are complaining about Apples tactics since decades already. And yet they're the most successful company on earth - so why would they change anything?
B) Nobody's forcing you to buy a Mac, your human rights remain untouched.

nobody is forcing you to read my comments, nobody is forcing you to reply, nobody is forcing you to ... yada yada yada yada. so in the context of discussion, on a social platform, in a computer forum, in a thread about a new system - what you deem relevant or not is not relevant. I can comment on the eye watering, ass gouging differences in price when it comes to SSD & RAM, and anyone who tries to stifle such commentary in this context is quite simply wrong.

[Sascha Franck]

nobody is forcing you to read my comments, nobody is forcing you to reply, nobody is forcing you to ... yada yada yada yada. so in the context of discussion, on a social platform, in a computer forum, in a thread about a new system - what you deem relevant or not is not relevant. I can comment on the eye watering, ass gouging differences in price when it comes to SSD & RAM, and anyone who tries to stifle such commentary in this context is quite simply wrong.

See, I have absolutely no problem with you commenting. And I have even less of a problem with the content (as I largely agree with it). But there's no need to hyperventilate.

[Daags]

nobody is forcing you to read my comments, nobody is forcing you to reply, nobody is forcing you to ... yada yada yada yada. so in the context of discussion, on a social platform, in a computer forum, in a thread about a new system - what you deem relevant or not is not relevant. I can comment on the eye watering, ass gouging differences in price when it comes to SSD & RAM, and anyone who tries to stifle such commentary in this context is quite simply wrong.

See, I have absolutely no problem with you commenting. And I have even less of a problem with the content (as I largely agree with it). But there's no need to hyperventilate.

there's no need for walls after walls of text where a couple lines would do, but that doesn't stop you - does it ?
perhaps people should worry less about policing the thoughts & comments of others, particularly those thoughts & comments that are perfectly relevant.

[Ploki]

[chk071]

Ok, having said all that, there's still all the obvious things regarding Apple. Does anyone really expect the stock exchange's No.1 company to be like "good guys"? I mean, maybe they're good guys as persons, but as a company?

I don't expect any company to be "good" or "bad". Those are not the dimensions I'm thinking in. When I'm looking at OS's and computers, I'm looking for - good user experience; compatibility; performance; amount and quality of software available. After all, I'm parting with my money, so, it isn't relevant if anyone is a "good guy", when I shell out hundreds or thousands of € for a device I need.

Good or bad doesn't pay bills either. Companies have to pay a lot of employees, they have to make sure they still exist tomorrow, and they have to compete in competitive markets against companies which are trying to expand, or dominate markets. No offense intended, but, the imagination of some "good" or "bad" company is a bit naive. I don't know what you do for a living, but, the company you work for (if any) surely can't survive being dear to everyone either. That's not how it works out there.

[Ploki]

Politics.

[Daags]

quite apt, seeing as you went from:

Tim Cook be like ... "oh, you want more RAM ?"

how is this in ANY way relevant lol?

and:

no, your comment isn't relevant at all

to:

Apple’s SSD prices are a joke

and:

Should not have come with 256gb drive in 2020 anyway, that’s a joke.
Apple’s SSD prices are a joke, i never go higher than 512.

Well, that's exactly why they started glueing/soldering them in, same with RAM (even if that might be justfied with the M1 CPUs) - just so they could pull off their street robbery. And they're earning *truckloads* of money just from that because nobody with a sane mind will opt for a 256GB drive, even less so on a mobile machine.
There's no other reason for that others than pure greed. Making money for exactly *zero* work.
It's one of *the* main reasons I have lost most of my respect for Apple. Unethical business behaviour is one of the key things this world is the way it is.

Cant argue with that

clown indeed, lol.

[revvy]

Ars is positive

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2020/11 ... after-all/