On October 29 , 2024 , Apple announced a major update to the Mac miniskirt , the troupe ’s smallest screen background Mac . The new computer is even small than before , sport the M4 or M4 Pro poker chip , and starts with 16 GB of unified memory . It still begin at $ 599 but Apple has doubled the RAM . The M4 Mac mini starts transport on November 8 , 2024 . Here ’s what you need to know about the Mac mini
M4 Mac mini: Release date
New Apple productslaunch throughout the year , read : When is the next Apple eventto learn more about the company ’s production launching program .
Historical reference : Apple relinquish theM2 & M2 Pro Mac miniback in January 2023 . Before that , theM1 Mac miniwas exhaust in November 2020 . The new M4 Mac mini arrive little of two years after the M2 modeling , and two geezerhood came and went between the M1 and M2 Mac miniskirt . So it appears that Apple is on a two - yr round for the Mac mini .
M4 Mac mini: Design
Apple thin the sizing of the Mac mini ; it now assess 5 by 5 by 2 inches ( 12.7 by 12.7 by 5 centimeters ) , down from the old 7.75 by 7.75 by 1.41 inches ( 19.7 by 19.7 by 3.6 centimetre ) , but not as small as the Apple TV , which measure 3.6 inches . The Mac mini is available only in silver , and it looks like a small variant of theMac Studio .
The redesign makes the Mac mini more portable and able-bodied to outfit in tight spaces . It ’s often used in special setup and kiosks , so the smaller size may lend it to more project .
The old M2 Mac mini ( left ) and the new M4 Mac mini ( right-hand ) .
The old M2 Mac mini (left) and the new M4 Mac mini (right).
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M4 Mac mini: Price
Here are the cost for the standard shape of the Mac mini :
Prices for the two standard Mac miniskirt have been reduced by £ 50 in the U.K. compared to the former generation . The M4 Pro model be the same in the U.K. at £ 1,399 , but that is a price rise in the U.S. of $ 100 from $ 1,299 antecedently .
Upgrades are available at an extra cost . For example , the M2 Pro can be upgraded to a 14 - core central processing unit and a 20 - core GPU for $ 200/£200 .
The old M2 Mac mini (left) and the new M4 Mac mini (right).
Keep in mind that these prices do not admit a display , keyboard , or mouse . you’re able to bring home the bacon your own or you’re able to purchase them from Apple at the time of leverage .
M4 Mac mini: Processor, GPU, RAM
Apple provide the Mac mini with either an M4 chip or an M4 Pro . This is an upgrade from the M2 and M2 Pro chips in the previous models . Apple did not release a Mac mini with M3 or M3 Pro chips .
The M4 has a 10 - core C.P.U. with four functioning cores and six efficiency cores , and a 10 - core GPU . Apple does not offer CPU or GPU centre advance options with the M4 . It also comes with 16 GB of interconnected memory board to begin , upgradeable at an extra cost to 24 GB or 32 GB . The M2 Mac miniskirt started at 8 GB of RAM , so the switch to 16 GB is a new and welcomed update .
Compared to the Intel Core i7 Mac miniskirt ( unloose in 2018 ) , Apple claim that the M4 offers 13.3 time quicker gaming performance inWorld of Warcraft : The War Within , 33 times faster mental image upscaling operation in Photomator , and “ applies up to 2.8x more audio outcome plugins in a Logic Pro project . ” compare to the M1 Mac miniskirt ( released in 2020 ) , Apple states that the M4 is 4.9 times faster when immix bird’s-eye images in Adobe Lightroom Classic , 1.7 times faster with spreadsheet computing in Microsoft Excel , and 2 times quicker when transcibing with on - machine AI oral communication - to - text in MacWhisper .
The M4 Pro has a 12 - core central processor with eight performance cores and four efficiency kernel , and a 16 - core GPU . Apple also extend an M4 Pro promote to a 14 - core central processor and 20 - core GPU for $ 200/£200 . The M4 Pro Mac mini amount with 24 GB of incorporate memory to start , upgradeable at an extra cost to 48 GB or 64 GB .
Apple Mac mini (M4, 2024)
Apple Mac mini (M4 Pro, 2024)
With both the M4 and M4 Pro , there should be a big leap in graphics power compare to the M2 and M2 Pro . Even the M3 GPU is faster and more effective and feature Dynamic Caching , a new technology that brings feature article like computer hardware - accelerated ray trace and mesh shading to the Mac .
Compared to the M2 Pro Mac miniskirt ( liberate in 2023 ) it replace , Apple states that the M4 Pro “ fill in 3-D renders up to 2.9x faster in Blender . ”
The M4 is made using an enhanced 3 - nanometer process ; the M2 was a 5 nm silicon chip . The 3 nm process allows more transistor to fit on a fleck , which should provide a performance boost . It also offers better index efficiency , so the temperature thoughtfulness involve for the M1 or M2 Mac mini should n’t be the same because the newer chip should not get as hot .
For more information read about how the unlike generations of Mac processorscompare .
Mac mini: Ports and wireless connectivity
The Mac mini sports two USB - C porthole and a 3.5 mm headphone jack on the front .
On the back are three Thunderbolt ports – the M4 Mac mini uses Thunderbolt 4 , while the M4 Pro Mac mini hasThunderbolt 5 , the first Mac to support the engineering science .
The back of all Mac mini models also has an HDMI port and a gigabit ethernet port that is upgradeable to 10Gb ethernet for $ 100/£100 .
No USB - A porthole are useable , which means that you ’ll need USB - C adapters for your senior devices . The previous Mac mini had two USB - A rear port .
Like the M2 Mac mini , the M4 Mac mini has Wi - Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 .
Mac mini: External display support
Another large alteration for the Mac mini is its external display financial backing . Here ’s what it can do :
The M2 Mac miniskirt can run up to two display , while the M2 Pro Mac mini can draw up to three displays but the compatibility with the resolutions and refresh rates are low than with the M4 Pro .
