macnn/electronista
01/02/2009, 9:35am, EST
Friday, January 2ndMac mini to get dual display jacks?
Apple's Mac mini will receive its first multi-monitor support with an update that may come as early as Macworld, an alleged leak from AppleInsider claims. The site points to anonymous sources who say the system will have jacks for both Mini DisplayPort and Mini DVI, letting users hook up both the company's newer Cinema Displays as well as legacy screens. A setup of this sort would prevent using dual Apple screens but theoretically lets users have an extended desktop that has been available on all other Intel-based Macs.
The system won't, however, include the black plastic trim that has shown up in other Macs, the report suggests.
News of the design change just comes as Apple has itself unintentionally confirmed the use of an NVIDIA chipset for the small aluminum system, which will give it faster 3D and support for newer video features than with current Intel graphics.
The desktop is also rumored to have a choice of dual hard drives and should receive its first performance update since a quiet revision in August 2007, when it was updated to use an older generation Core 2 Duo processor.
Filed under: computers, Apple
Other story tags: Intel, NVIDIA, Core 2, GeForce, Mac mini
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right...
What does this mean?
A setup of this sort would prevent using dual Apple screens but theoretically lets users have an extended desktop that has been available on all other Intel-based Macs.
You can't use dual-apple screens, but you can use dual monitors? Why can't you use dual apple screen then? Only one currently selling monitor uses displayport. The rest use DVI.
And if dual-harddrives is an option, that means the form factor is going to change. If all the above is true, why don't they just make it 3 times taller, stick a couple of PCI-express slots in it, and give users the freakin' mini tower they've been wanting for years????
oh
But I don't buy dual-monitors. Its too low-end of a system. Apple wants you to be limited when getting a mini, just like you're limited getting a MacBook vs a MBP.
I could see where you can use one or the other, but not both...
Why Mini-DVI?
That Mini DVI port sounds like a fake rumor.
Why would they put that in, when all new systems use Mini Displayport? I would buy dual Mini DisplayPort, but not the other... Apple would let you buy adaptors for DVI displays.. like with the MB[P]'s
as always...
Apple will give with one hand and take with the other, because Steve knows best! I'm keeping an eye on existing stocks of Minis from 3rd party resellers in the event that the new Mini is so under-whelming and retrograde that people will want the old one before it disappears. Prepare to be disappointed! Say goodbye to Firewire!
Doesn't make sense
Why would they put on a display port and a mini-dvi port instead of 2 display port adaptors? With the exception of the 30 inch display, you could use and adaptor to go from display port to full DVI. Mini DVI would need an adaptor too as there are no monitors I know of that use that connector natively.
Now, what would be REALLY cool is if they used the magsafe connector for power and allowed you to power the mini from the new 24" display. THAT would be a cool system.
Re: Dopesn't make
With the exception of the 30 inch display, you could use and adaptor to go from display port to full DVI.
Why not the 30 inch display? Apple just released the adaptor for that.