On this second day of Apple’s “exciting week of announcements,” the smaller Mac mini, the company’s upcoming portable desktop computer, is being unveiled. The Cupertino behemoth bypassed the M3 processor and went directly from the M2 to the flagship M4 chipset, as was to be expected.
The 2024 Mac mini is the first significant redesign of Apple’s smallest desktop computer in the past 14 years, with a new and incredibly portable design. The new mini surpasses its predecessor in power, capability, and efficiency thanks to the M4 and M4 Pro CPUs.
Features & Specifications of the smaller Mac Mac Mini
This time, Apple has given the Mac mini its first redesign since the days of Steve Jobs. The design of the 2024 Mac Mini is incredibly space-efficient and portable. The new model, which is 5 by 5 inches, is more in line with the size of the Apple TV because it is smaller than the previous M2 Mac Mini model, which was 7.5 x 7.5 inches.
As a result, the new M4 Mac Mini is the smallest desktop computer that Apple has ever produced. Naturally, the machine’s compatibility with Apple Intelligence brings it up to date and future-proof.
All of this is accomplished by Apple Intelligence while maintaining user privacy at all times. On-device processing is at the heart of Private Cloud Compute, which also provides customers with access to Apple’s even larger, server-based models for more sophisticated jobs and delivers ground-breaking personal data security. Additionally, users can use ChatGPT without making an account for free, and privacy safeguards are in place: OpenAI won’t save requests, and users’ IP addresses are hidden. Users who choose to connect their accounts are subject to OpenAI’s data-use policies.
The M4 Mac mini is an incredibly powerful system with enhanced thermal performance despite its smaller footprint. With up to a 14-core CPU and a 20-core GPU, the updated Mac mini is available with M4 and M4 Pro chip choices. Additionally, it can be set up with up to 64GB of RAM, which is twice as much as the 32GB of unified memory found in the earlier M2 models. Similar to its predecessors, the M4 Mini has a maximum storage capacity of 8TB.
The Mac mini with M4 offers up to 1.8x faster CPU and 2.2x faster GPU performance than the M1 model. The Mac mini can easily manage demanding workloads when configured as an M4 Pro.
Speaking of connectivity, there are two front-facing USB-C ports with USB 3 and a headphone jack. Three Thunderbolt 4 ports are located on the back, whereas three Thunderbolt 5 ports are found on the top-tier M4 Pro Mac mini. In contrast to the M2 Mac Mini, which had four USB-C ports, the new M4 Mini has five. There is also an HDMI port and Gigabit Ethernet.
You can benefit from greater data transfer speeds of 120Gbps because of Thunderbolt 5 connectivity. Apple reportedly eliminated the USB-A port to create room for the fifth USB-C port.
Up to one 5K display and two 6K displays are supported by the M4 and M4 Pro Mac mini. On the other hand, the M4 pro version can accommodate up to three 6K screens at 60 Hz, which adds up to more than 60 million pixels. Because of this, professionals who use expensive accessories and several monitors will find the smaller Mac Mini to be a great option.
The cost and availability of the M4 smaller Mac Mini
The M4 Mini is exclusively offered in the Silver finish, same like the previous M2 model The 2024 Mac Mini will go on sale today, with deliveries starting on Friday, November 8, 2024.
