Apple Introduces New Redesigned Mac Mini
Today Apple has unveiled a new Mac mini that has the M4. This is not just a spec bump, but it includes a couple of new features, chief amongst them is a new form factor.
Form Factor
The Mac mini was introduced in 2005, and was a smaller version of the Mac, hence the name Mac mini. The Mac mini was 6.5 inches wide, had a 6.5 inch depth, and was 2 inches tall. This remained the form factor until 2011 when a new Unibody version was introduced, one that eliminated the internal disc drive. This Mac mini was physical larger at 7.7 inches wide, 7.7-inches in depth, and only 1.4 inches tall. All Mac minis introduced since 2011 have had the exact same physical footprint, including the M1 and M2 Mac minis. This all changes with the M4.
In 2022 Apple introduced a whole new machine, the Mac Studio. This took some of the design elements from the Mac mini but expanded them. The M1 and M2 Mac Studio were 7.7-inches wide, had a 7.7 inch depth, but was significantly taller at 3.7 inches.
The M4 Mac mini takes some design cues from the Apple TV. The M4 Mac mini is 5 inches wide, has a 5 inch depth, and is only 2 inches tall. This means that it is smaller than the previous Mac mini, but still a bit larger than an Apple TV. Before we dive into the ports, let us look at the processor.
M4 and M4 Pro
The Mac mini has come with a variety of processors. The previous M2 Mac mini was available in both M2 and M2 Pro variants. The same continues for the M4 Mac mini, with the M4 and M4 Pro. The M4 consists of a 10-core CPU, with 4 performance cores and 6-efficiency cores, and a 10-Core GPU. According to Apple, the M4 Mac mini is significantly faster than the M1 Mac mini. Specifically,
When compared to the Mac mini with M1, Mac mini with M4:
- Performs spreadsheet calculations up to 1.7x faster in Microsoft Excel.
- Transcribes with on-device AI speech-to-text up to 2x faster in MacWhisper.
- Merges panoramic images up to 4.9x faster in Adobe Lightroom Classic.
The M4 Pro has tow configurations, a 12-core version with 8 performance cores, and 4 efficiency cores with a 16-Core GPU. The other M4 Pro option is a 14-core CPU, with 10 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores and a 20-core GPU. From Apple’s press release:
When compared to the Mac mini with M2 Pro, Mac mini with M4 Pro:
- Applies up to 1.8x more audio effect plugins in a Logic Pro project.
- Renders motion graphics to RAM up to 2x faster in Motion.
- Completes 3D renders up to 2.9x faster in Blender.
All M4 and M4 Pro models have a 16-core Neural engine for machine learning and Apple Intelligence tasks.
Ports
The M4 Mac mini has a total of 7 ports, an ethernet jack, an HDMI port, and 5 USB-C ports. Of these ports, two are on the front, much like the Mac Studio, and three are on the back. The two on the front are USB-C with USB 3 speeds up to 10 gigabits per second. The three ports on the back are Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports. For the M4 models, these are Thunderbolt 4 ports, which can delivery data up to 40 Gigabits per second. The M4 M4 Pro devices are Thunderbolt 5 ports, which can deliver a whopping 120 Gigabits per second. The USB portion can deliver up to 40 Gigabits per second.
The difference in Thunderbolt ports does mean that there is a difference in DisplayPort compatibility. The Thunderbolt 4 ports support DisplayPort 1.4 while the Thunderbolt 5 ports support DisplayPort 2.1. The HDMI port on either model can support one display with 8K resolution at 60Hz, or 4K resolution at 240Hz.
By default the ethernet port is a gigabit port, but you can opt for a 10-gigabit per second port for $100 more. The Mac mini has long had a headphone jack this is still present on all models of the M4 Mac mini.
Pricing and Availability
The M4 Mac mini starts at $599 for 16GB of unified memory and 256GB of storage. You can configure the M4 models with 24GB or 32GB of memory, and up to 2TB of storage.
The M4 Pro Mac mini starts at $1399 for a 12-core CPU and 16-core GPU, 24GB of unified memory, 512GB of storage. You can configure the M4 Pro Mac mini with 48GB or 64GB of unified memory, and 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, or 8TB of storage.
The M4 Mac mini is available for pre-order today and will be available for delivery and in store on Friday November 8th.
Closing Thoughts
While other devices have received a redesign specifically for the lower power usage of Apple Silicon, the Mac mini was not one of them. The Mac mini has finally received its redesign. The smaller form factor takes cues from both the Mac Studio and Apple TV. The M4 and M4 Pro should be great upgrades from anyone who has an Intel Mac, and if you are upgrading from the M1, it will still be a solid update.
Source: Apple Newsroom