The smaller dimension of the M4 Mac mini (proper) means sure equipment will not match — picture credit score: Apple
The drastically lowered dimension of the brand new M4 Mac mini is unbelievable, however might be hassle for colocation companies, rack mounters, and folk with hubs that can not match neatly beneath the pc.
It is not as if anybody buys instances for the Mac mini the best way they do for the iPhone — though instances do exist. However then no one places iPhones in racks to lease out distant use of them in a server farm, both.
These server farms will not be capable to simply swap out one technology of the Mac mini for an additional of their rack mounts. The rack system could have the Mac mini related, so the dimensions distinction additionally adjustments the place these port connectors are.
The brand new Mac mini will not match previous racks — picture credit score: MacStadium
However simply on the dimensions distinction, the brand new M4 Mac mini is 5 inches sq.. The M2 model was 7.75 inches sq..
Then there’s the width, which may even influence on racks that maintain the Mac mini sideways. The M2 Mac mini was 1.41 inches excessive, however the brand new M4 mannequin is 2 inches.
Then even for shoppers, after 19 years available on the market in numerous types, the Mac mini has grown a little bit trade of equipment, many — however not all — of which is able to now have to vary.
It is nonetheless a BYODKM (“convey your individual show, keyboard, and mouse,”) as Steve Jobs initially described it. All present keyboards, trackpads, shows, and mice will proceed to work with the New Mac mini.
So will the entire exterior storage choices. Consequently each merchandise within the AppleInsider 2023 information to Mac mini equipment will work simply advantageous with the brand new mannequin.
It is mainly the equipment that have been designed to suit snugly onto the Mac mini the place there’s an issue.
Dimension is the principle distinction
Essentially the most seen distinction for equipment is that the mix stands and hubs will not match. These are ones just like the Satechi mannequin that exactly match the previous Mac mini, in addition to the Mac Studio.
Satechi’s Stand and Hub will nonetheless connect with the brand new Mac mini, however will not match as properly
Stands like these join by way of a cable from the again of the hub to the Mac mini, so these will nonetheless work. However they used to look as in the event that they got here with the Mac mini, they have been so carefully matched in dimension and even shade, and so they will not any extra.
It is absolutely a certainty, although, that new stands and hubs might be launched. Whereas the brand new Mac mini can go as much as 2TB of inner storage, Apple at all times fees extra for storage than anybody else.
Then, too, whereas the brand new Mac mini copies the Mac Studio’s design in having ports on the entrance in addition to the again, they could but not be sufficient. The M4 Mac mini has two USB-C ports on the entrance, then three Thunderbolt ports on the again, plus HDMI and Gigabit Ethernet.
You probably have any USB-A equipment, then, you might be out of luck with out an adapter, dock, or hub. Equally, the Mac Studio comes with an SD card reader, however the Mac mini doesn’t.
Pace is one other situation
Even you probably have sufficient storage and all of your equipment proceed to work advantageous, you could need to improve them as a result of the M4 Mac mini comes with new choices.
The bottom M4 Mac mini has three Thunderbolt 4 ports on the again, which run as much as 40Gb/s. That is another Thunderbolt 4 port than the M2 Mac mini had, though it comes at the price of shedding certainly one of two USB-A ports.
Then the M4 Professional mannequin has three Thunderbolt 5 ports, for a pace of as much as 120Gb/s.
This implies you can preserve your previous shows, however add a brand new one. The M2 Mac mini might have two shows, one as much as 6K, with the opposite both 4K over HDMI, or 5K over Thunderbolt, all at 60Hz.
Now with the bottom M4 processor, the Mac mini can assist as much as three shows. Two will be 6K, whereas the third will be as much as 5K.
With the M4 Professional, the brand new Mac mini can drive as much as three 6K shows once more at 60Hz, or one 6K show and one 8K show.
New Mac mini brings new choices
So the brand new Mac mini itself is a space-saving design, coming in at simply 5 inches by 5. However what you save in desk house, now you can simply lose by having the choice for a 3rd monitor.
Plus though you possibly can persist with any present cables you’ve, to benefit from the brand new Mac mini’s efficiency, you are going to want a new Thunderbolt 5 cable or two.
