M4 Mac mini: Launch date, specs, design, value

On October 29, 2024, Apple introduced a significant replace to the Mac mini, the corporate’s smallest desktop Mac. The brand new pc is even smaller than earlier than, options the M4 or M4 Professional chip, and begins with 16GB of unified reminiscence. It nonetheless begins at $599 however Apple has doubled the RAM. The M4 Mac mini begins delivery on November 8, 2024. Right here’s what it’s essential know concerning the Mac mini

Earlier than the official announcement, Apple VP Greg Joswiak posted on X on October 24, 2024, that Apple has “an thrilling week of bulletins forward.”

Mac your calendars! Now we have an thrilling week of bulletins forward, beginning on Monday morning. Keep tuned…

Apple VP Greg Joswiak on X, October 24, 2024

Historic reference: Apple launched the M2 & M2 Professional Mac mini again in January 2023. Earlier than that, the M1 Mac mini was launched in November 2020. The brand new M4 Mac mini comes in need of two years after the M2 mannequin, and two years got here and went between the M1 and M2 Mac mini. So it seems that Apple is on a two-year cycle for the Mac mini.

The redesign makes the Mac mini extra transportable and in a position to slot in tight areas. It’s typically utilized in particular setups and kiosks, so the smaller measurement might lend it to extra tasks.

Apple

Apple affords the Mac mini with both an M4 chip or an M4 Professional. That is an improve from the M2 and M2 Professional chips within the earlier fashions. Apple didn’t launch a Mac mini with M3 or M3 Professional chips.

The M4 has a 10-core CPU with 4 efficiency cores and 6 effectivity cores, and a 10-core GPU. Apple doesn’t provide CPU or GPU core improve choices with the M4. It additionally comes with 16GB of unified reminiscence to begin, upgradeable at an additional value to 24GB or 32GB. The M2 Mac mini began at 8GB of RAM, so the change to 16GB is a brand new and welcomed replace.

In comparison with the Intel Core i7 Mac mini (launched in 2018), Apple claims that the M4 affords 13.3 instances sooner gaming efficiency in World of Warcraft: The Conflict Inside, 33 instances sooner picture upscaling efficiency in Photomator, and “applies as much as 2.8x extra audio impact plugins in a Logic Professional undertaking.” In comparison with the M1 Mac mini (launched in 2020), Apple states that the M4 is 4.9 instances sooner when merging panoramic pictures in Adobe Lightroom Traditional, 1.7 instances sooner with spreadsheet calculations in Microsoft Excel, and a couple of instances sooner when transcibing with on-device AI speech-to-text in MacWhisper.

The M4 Professional has a 12-core CPU with eight efficiency cores and 4 effectivity cores, and a 16-core GPU. Apple additionally affords an M4 Professional improve to a 14-core CPU and 20-core GPU for $200/£200. The M4 Professional Mac mini comes with 24GB of unified reminiscence to begin, upgradeable at an additional value to 48GB or 64GB.

With each the M4 and M4 Professional, there needs to be an enormous leap in graphics energy in comparison with the M2 and M2 Professional. Even the M3 GPU is quicker and extra environment friendly and options Dynamic Caching, a brand new expertise that brings options like hardware-accelerated ray tracing and mesh shading to the Mac.

In comparison with the M2 Professional Mac mini (launched in 2023) it replaces, Apple states that the M4 Professional “completes 3D renders as much as 2.9x sooner in Blender.”

The M4 is made utilizing an enhanced 3-nanometer course of; the M2 was a 5nm chip. The 3nm course of permits extra transistors to suit on a chip, which ought to present a efficiency enhance. It additionally affords higher energy effectivity, so the temperature concerns required for the M1 or M2 Mac mini shouldn’t be the identical as a result of the newer chip shouldn’t get as scorching.

For extra info examine how the totally different generations of Mac processors examine.

The Mac mini sports activities two USB-C ports and a 3.5mm headphone jack on the entrance.

On the again are three Thunderbolt ports–the M4 Mac mini makes use of Thunderbolt 4, whereas the M4 Professional Mac mini has Thunderbolt 5, the primary Mac to help the expertise.

The again of all Mac mini fashions additionally has an HDMI port and a gigabit ethernet port that’s upgradeable to 10Gb ethernet for $100/£100.

No USB-A ports can be found, which signifies that you’ll want USB-C adapters in your older units. The earlier Mac mini had two USB-A rear ports.

Apple

Just like the M2 Mac mini, the M4 Mac mini has Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3.

Mac mini: Exterior show help

One other massive change for the Mac mini is its exterior show help. Right here’s what it will probably do:

• M4:
  • Three shows: Two shows with as much as 6K decision at 60Hz over Thunderbolt and one show with as much as 5K decision at 60Hz over Thunderbolt or 4K decision at 60Hz over HDMI
  • Two shows: One show with as much as 5K decision at 60Hz over Thunderbolt and one show with as much as 8K decision at 60Hz or 4K decision at 240Hz over Thunderbolt or HDMI
• M4 Professional:
  • Three shows: Three shows with as much as 6K decision at 60Hz over Thunderbolt or HDMI
  • Two shows: One show with as much as 6K decision at 60Hz over Thunderbolt and one show with as much as 8K decision at 60Hz or 4K decision at 240Hz over Thunderbolt or HDMI

The M2 Mac mini can run as much as two shows, whereas the M2 Professional Mac mini can run as much as three shows however the compatibility with the resolutions and refresh charges are decrease than with the M4 Professional.