Nvidia in, Intel out for Apple Mac Mini?

Is Nvidia elbowing out Intel at Apple again? Will the same Nvidia GeForce 9400M chip that caused a small sensation when it dislodged Intel graphics silicon in the MacBook line land in the Mac Mini too?

Is Nvidia coming to the Mac Mini?

(Credit: Nvidia, Apple)

Tom's Hardware is speculating that it's Nvidia's Ion platform that is Mini-bound.

But Nvidia's Ion chipset is tied strictly to Intel's Atom processor. It seems unlikely that Apple would demote the Core 2 Duo-based Mini to the slower Atom chip. Though anything is possible with Apple, it seems more likely that Apple will upgrade the ancient Intel GMA 950 graphics to the GeForce 9400M, sans Atom.

Apple could be planning some ultra-small Mini whose thermals can only handle a low-power chip like the Atom z540 (1.86GHz) or dual-core 330 (1.6GHz). Like I said, anything's possible at Apple, but unless there's a good reason I don't think a "new, slower" Mini hobbled by the Atom makes for happy Apple customers.

[Penguinisto]

Ah, the rumor mill...

Did anyone stop to consider that maybe the NVIDIA Ion isn't the chipset that's going in? I mean, it's not like there aren't any decent mobile (read: thermally compatible) high-performance NVIDIA chipsets that could go in there...

[b3nw]

Why is someone's speculation considered news?
Has this guy been right before?
Why should we believe this rumor now when it was not true for macworld?

[gregorytga]

Apple seems to be more interested in sampling the Ion for potential uses like the Apple TV (1080p capable might be nice). The Mac Mini still is stuck in limbo but most chatter up until this has said enviably the Mini will go Core 2 Duo but with suggestions after the i7s make their way into the iMacs as not offer the relatively performance of the 20 inch iMac (Core 2 Duo + 9400m) at 1/2 the price. If any history is true, Apple is extremely protective of its lines never overstepping each other, even to the point of halting other product lines.

[citrusonic]

3.3GHz Mac mini w 512 Video Ram / A huge leap in CPU's is coming (;

[cnet.aaron]

I personally think Apple is looking at ways to combine the mini and the Apple TV in to one device, which is exactly what they should do. If they were to package it with a remote that also includes a wireless accelerometer, the device could play several of the games in the app store. Throw in a blueray drive for giggles and you've got one badass multimedia machine (note: this will never happen. Apple is avoiding blueray). All of a sudden they're selling a product that is interchangeable as a media center or typical computer. Ultimately, it's the software the machine is running that drives the experience.

Obviously, there are several different issues they would need to address, but a machine like that could serve as both a media player/hub capable of HD, and a simple, cheap desktop machine that you can plug in to any monitor.

Full disclosure: I've been running a Mac mini as my media center machine since they went Intel. Front Row is crispy on the big screen, but I recently switched to Boxee for the awesome Netflix integration. http://www.powerpage.org/archives/2006/03/big_monitor.html (The updated mini is now connected to a 42" Vizio LCD, with optical audio running to an Onkyo 7.1 surround system).

[Goodbye Helicopter]

rumors will not make news as there are no facts to report

[001tony2]

Go NVIDIA! It's the best graphic card for gaming!

[seven7dust]

been waiting for ever to replace my Winblows box !
I don't mind watever they put in that thing just release it already !

[Notoapplefanbois]

They should switch to amd and put a dual core Neo in it with an ATI 4850 and 512mb of ram, it would be cheaper than the intel+NVidia equivalent and more powerful aswell!

[pithenumber]

ATi Radeon HD 4850 is a gaming card, Macs aren't gaming computers, especially a budget model like the Mini. If the use AMD Yukon it would be Neo+3410

[bmrowe23]

I hear Steve J. is really Elvis. Also, plans for the new iPhone include lickable interface. In other news, scientists discovered that ancient journalists accidentally created dozens of religions on a slow news day.

[bmrowe23]

I hear Steve J. is really Elvis. Also, plans for the new iPhone include lickable interface. In other news, scientists discovered that ancient journalists accidentally created dozens of religions on a slow news day.

[holyhope]

apple, who cares about apple, it is just a software gimmick. We are talking serious hardware here that is real, a good sub-notebook, the future. What we need is a dual-core Atom with about 4 watts power consumption, or a dual processor motherboard with the heat transferred to the lcd backing with water, nvidia can do it, yesssss.

[meowser007]

Seems to me they'll leave the Core 2 duo in the mac mini but they'll upgrade the graphics on the mac mini. A smaller design would be pretty coll. Maybe it could be a green machine.