Apple has unveiled a newly redesigned Mac Mini featuring the M4 chip, and its compact size is truly remarkable.
The Mac Mini has undergone its first design transformation in over ten years, accompanied by significant internal enhancements as well.
Apple has unveiled a more compact yet significantly more powerful Mac Mini as part of its week dedicated to Mac announcements. This new model features the latest M4 silicon, introduces ray tracing capabilities for the first time, and comes standard with 16GB of RAM, which appears to be the new standard in the era of Apple Intelligence. The base model, equipped with the regular M4 chip, is priced at $599, while the enhanced M4 Pro version starts at $1,399. Similar to the updated iMac revealed yesterday, the Mac Mini is available for preorder immediately and will be available in retail stores starting November 8th.
The initial aspect that will capture your attention is the redesigned appearance. As speculated, the Mini has been significantly reduced in size, and it was already a compact desktop unit initially. It now measures a mere five inches in both length and width, making it exceptionally small. If you are curious about how Apple maintains optimal cooling, the company attributes this to the efficiency of the M4 chip and an "innovative thermal architecture" that directs airflow to various sections of the system, with all ventilation occurring through the base.
The performance of Thunderbolt ports will vary depending on the selected M4 processor. The standard M4 chip features Thunderbolt 4, while the M4 Pro offers the latest Thunderbolt 5 capabilities.
Additionally, the M4 Pro Mac Mini provides enhanced overall performance, equipped with 14 CPU cores and 20 GPU cores. The RAM can be configured to a maximum of 32GB with the standard M4 or 64GB with the M4 Pro. Storage capacity can reach an impressive 8TB. Thus, although the Mini is compact, it can be transformed into a powerful machine with sufficient investment. Furthermore, a 10 gigabit ethernet option is available for those interested in upgrading.
It is anticipated that the M4 Pro chip will be introduced in the upcoming 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros, which Apple is expected to announce this week, alongside a more advanced M4 Max chip that will not be offered in the Mini. However, the Pro version should adequately meet the needs of many prosumers and creative professionals.
Apple is experiencing a particularly active week. The M4 iMac was introduced on Monday, and the company has also launched its initial Apple Intelligence software features across iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. Additional AI functionalities, such as image generation and ChatGPT integration, are expected to be unveiled in December. Tomorrow may witness the introduction of the enhanced MacBook Pros as Apple completes its new hardware lineup. Furthermore, the company is scheduled to announce its quarterly earnings on Thursday, where it will likely highlight its latest range of Macs.