Yet, Post #1 talks about feelings.
Sucks that the M4 is dead. That strikes me as very un-Apple. Hopefully the failure rate is either so long that you just got unlucky or so high that Apple will be forced to deal with it.
Tom
Nothing wrong with feelings but it were impressions based on receiving a real product (as opposed to advertising/marketing).
un-Apple is exactly the right word. That is the essence of the experience till now (however service was fast and adequate till now). First time since 2006 but developments with recent iPhones are similar. Protruding lenses that will immediately be damaged with the slightest fall etc.
The Roman empire also came to an end somewhere in time 🙂
un-Apple is exactly the right word. That is the essence of the experience till now (however service was fast and adequate till now). First time since 2006 but developments with recent iPhones are similar. Protruding lenses that will immediately be damaged with the slightest fall etc.
The Roman empire also came to an end somewhere in time 🙂
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You "Apple" guys (*) with your newfangled computers.... you don't know what a computer is until you learn to use octal on a 16 bit machine and can boot if from scratch, every time...
(*) Yeah, I know.... 😉
(*) Yeah, I know.... 😉
Use a fan?
I thought you were a DIY'er.....
How about just putting on an AC strip, cycle power, wait for 20 secs, turn it on again and go grab a beer in the meantime.
It seems that the PC industry is taking two paths... one path is the merging of the phone/tablet/PC.... Perhaps Apple's M4 mini is an outgrowth of this?
The other path is more hardcore, for people who want to open up the interior and see what's inside. That seems to be the Windows, Linux world with your open x86 Intel/AMD platform PC.
Then you got the middle Android ground. I've found good results with the Chromebooks and Android Tablets. They offer enough functionality that they can do nicely for daily usage of non specific IO/driver/device tasks.
I dunno, good luck with your Apple. Seems like they are making everything look like an iPhone on steroids?
Did you get it fixed? How?
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Mac mini M4 is a cost reduced version of the previous models. This is more obviuos when you see the teardowns of both machines. M4 performance is obviously better due to modern silicon, and also convenience is increased due to smaller size, but the cooling system is smaller: termal throttling starts sooner and fan often spins faster with more noise. Ergonomics is also worse: an external USB hub is often required and it is easier to accidentally drag the unit while inserting/removing plugs due to smaller bottom pad area and low weight (ever wondered why are there so many specialized mac mini M4 stands/desk supports?).
Mac studio is the right upgrade path to get the same build quality level of the older mac minis; it is a little bit better actually. M4 mac mini is a good small desktop computer, but when price is not the primary consideration and the Apple premium feel is required, I believe that M4 mini is not the best choice. Price difference between Mini and Studio for a useful configuration is not even so great, when anything more than basic use is required. Apple is advertising the price deal on 16Gb RAM models, but in 2025 you really want at least 32Gb RAM to be at the same level of the competing platform.
On my opinion, Apple advertising of the Mac mini M4 does not convey the right message. M4 Mini is still a great introduction to the Apple ecosystem and a fantastic special purpose miniature desktop computer. It is not a straightforward upgrade from previous mac minis, I see it more like a try to extend the Apple ecosystem at the bottom.
I fully understand the Jean-paul reaction, the Mini M4 was not a obvious upgrade from M2 for him. CPU is better, and maybe the Ram upgrade has been useful (although most people already selected the 16Gb RAM upgrade for M2 mac mini); but everything else that makes a difference to non-technical users is at the same level or worse. The accidental technical failure has only been the last straw. By the way, at work I am one of those people that you call when the computer misbehaves, and I see a little bit more early failures lately. Apple compared to other brands is average on this, maybe less sturdy than many Windows laptops but people are more gentle with this brand and compensate.
Mac studio is the right upgrade path to get the same build quality level of the older mac minis; it is a little bit better actually. M4 mac mini is a good small desktop computer, but when price is not the primary consideration and the Apple premium feel is required, I believe that M4 mini is not the best choice. Price difference between Mini and Studio for a useful configuration is not even so great, when anything more than basic use is required. Apple is advertising the price deal on 16Gb RAM models, but in 2025 you really want at least 32Gb RAM to be at the same level of the competing platform.
On my opinion, Apple advertising of the Mac mini M4 does not convey the right message. M4 Mini is still a great introduction to the Apple ecosystem and a fantastic special purpose miniature desktop computer. It is not a straightforward upgrade from previous mac minis, I see it more like a try to extend the Apple ecosystem at the bottom.
I fully understand the Jean-paul reaction, the Mini M4 was not a obvious upgrade from M2 for him. CPU is better, and maybe the Ram upgrade has been useful (although most people already selected the 16Gb RAM upgrade for M2 mac mini); but everything else that makes a difference to non-technical users is at the same level or worse. The accidental technical failure has only been the last straw. By the way, at work I am one of those people that you call when the computer misbehaves, and I see a little bit more early failures lately. Apple compared to other brands is average on this, maybe less sturdy than many Windows laptops but people are more gentle with this brand and compensate.
Exactly. Thank you.
BTW what also is a little different is that the M4 is priced so that the previous generation is more expensive with the same amount of RAM (it is still available in stores). They euthanized the M2 and the second hand market (which used to be a good channel) economically so to speak. Also done with some recent Iphone models AFAIK.
BTW what also is a little different is that the M4 is priced so that the previous generation is more expensive with the same amount of RAM (it is still available in stores). They euthanized the M2 and the second hand market (which used to be a good channel) economically so to speak. Also done with some recent Iphone models AFAIK.
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I'm not seeing any path ahead for them, given our nation's latest attitude toward trade with foreign nations. Heck, I wouldnt pay what they used to want for new hardware, let alone double just because. Now I'll dread even buying a replacement battery. Imagine the quality of these devices being wholly manufactured here...
It seems like there are three obvious options:
1) go to your local Apple retail location and get if fixed or replaced in a few minutes
2) post a few thousand complaints here about it for a few weeks
3) put it in a vice while connected to a very high current power supply and crush it until it submits to your will or bursts into flames and post a video on social media.
1) go to your local Apple retail location and get if fixed or replaced in a few minutes
2) post a few thousand complaints here about it for a few weeks
3) put it in a vice while connected to a very high current power supply and crush it until it submits to your will or bursts into flames and post a video on social media.
It’s simpler to take it to the store and have it be fixed or replaced. Then get a refund if that fails.
**** happens, but I never had an issue having Apple make things right for issues happening weeks from purchase.
**** happens, but I never had an issue having Apple make things right for issues happening weeks from purchase.
And with enough "hits" make far more $ than the thing costs, maybe like that girl with the skinny legs that keeps showing up...
Politics.
Please stay from politics.
...
The path forward is towards making SoC ( System on a Chip ). That's what goes into smart phone, tablets, chromebooks... even the new "CPU" chips in them Apples are SoC... ARM doesn't sell hardware, they sell the equations/models in RTL. The developers plug that into their SoC design and have an ASIC made at a fab.
The days of having to buy a "CPU" are gone as there are other options.
Also, most people don't really need a PC. A smart phone or tablet is sufficient to do what they used to do with a PC.
With the advent of Pervasive Computing and High Speed cellular connections a simple tablet is sufficient for doing a lot of work.
Example, when we go on travel nowadays, we take our cell phones and tablets. With that we cand do voice, data, emails, paying our bills, browing the Internet, etc.. even write short docs ( I don't take a keyboard ). That used to require taking a full blown laptop until not so long ago.
The thing is that the use case on how people are using PCs is changing, the touchscreen interface is winning.
So it makes sense for Apple to move to merge their Mac business into their iPhone/Tablet business.
If you read what I actually wrote you would know it has already been sent. Options 2 and 3 do not seem obvious to normal thinking people.
And no it is not a question of minutes as this cheaply built thingie is dead. And the way it seems now it is by far not the only one.
It hurts that someone touches your brand doesn’t it? The tears in your eyes troubled the reading.
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That is not an option here.
I don’t need suggestions how to handle. Kind of used to trouble shooting and repairing stuff but usually not new devices by reputable brands.
The focus should be on a new device that can not stand in the shadow of previous products.
I don’t need suggestions how to handle. Kind of used to trouble shooting and repairing stuff but usually not new devices by reputable brands.
The focus should be on a new device that can not stand in the shadow of previous products.
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Jean-Paul, you mention Hagebis. Well that says it all.
I had the Hagebis peripheral with a time-machine disk inside, worked as intended. Then I got an update. Didn't recognize it, dropped it (TM warnings). As well start-up problems. Other disks (I have that array of disks from time gone by.). I called the Apple desk. The man laughed at my disk brands, all low market. I had to discard a 2TB nvme disk used for TM because of it. After a lot of pondering I bought an upmarket brand, the newest from OWC. And all my problems were solved. Some write-offs.
Well, Apple changed some protocols it seems and does not want to say so, I think. Just like when my Fusion Drives stopped (the hybrid drive did not work with APFS. The first tracks got a new index role. They kept silent. I almost went DELL.
OK. Ik swallowed. Now I have a Studio.
So. Dump those old-protocol cheapies. I also have a working Thunderbolt disk from Hagebis; that works good.
I had the Hagebis peripheral with a time-machine disk inside, worked as intended. Then I got an update. Didn't recognize it, dropped it (TM warnings). As well start-up problems. Other disks (I have that array of disks from time gone by.). I called the Apple desk. The man laughed at my disk brands, all low market. I had to discard a 2TB nvme disk used for TM because of it. After a lot of pondering I bought an upmarket brand, the newest from OWC. And all my problems were solved. Some write-offs.
Well, Apple changed some protocols it seems and does not want to say so, I think. Just like when my Fusion Drives stopped (the hybrid drive did not work with APFS. The first tracks got a new index role. They kept silent. I almost went DELL.
OK. Ik swallowed. Now I have a Studio.
So. Dump those old-protocol cheapies. I also have a working Thunderbolt disk from Hagebis; that works good.
The Hagibis stand does not say it all. In fact it says nothing 😉 It is an aluminium stand without any electronics. A mini table so to speak.
It is needed to be able to switch the M4 on. Like needing a hydraulic bridge in your garage as the ignition key is at the bottom of your car.
It is needed to be able to switch the M4 on. Like needing a hydraulic bridge in your garage as the ignition key is at the bottom of your car.
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AH I see. Underneath is the great void.
The Hagebis I have is an USB-C device with two slots. I understood you wrong. Still, another peripheral device with an old port protocol can be the culprit. In my suspicion, it could also be an old trackpad. I took it out. At least something changed for wrong in the system software beginning this year.
The core problem I understood is the mini not working. If it is ergonomics (can't go on/off), sorry
The Hagebis I have is an USB-C device with two slots. I understood you wrong. Still, another peripheral device with an old port protocol can be the culprit. In my suspicion, it could also be an old trackpad. I took it out. At least something changed for wrong in the system software beginning this year.
The core problem I understood is the mini not working. If it is ergonomics (can't go on/off), sorry
They can always vote with their wallet. After reading of Jean-Paul's experience "on line", I'd be even more reluctant to open mine for one of those. What goes out in the marketplace, comes around eventually. It is surprising someone like Apple would make a short term bet (say, increasing the tolerable failure rate) against their long term reputation. Perhaps their stockholders are pounding the war drums...