M4 Mac mini vs M2 Mac mini in contrast — Specs, options, value

In its October week of Mac bulletins Apple made a giant change to the Mac mini. Together with updating the most cost effective Mac to make use of the M4 and M4 Professional chips, it additionally redesigned the mannequin utterly.

Traditionally the most cost effective and smallest bodily Mac you may purchase, the Mac mini was a gateway for folks switching over to Apple’s ecosystem for the primary time. However, whereas it is a compact lump of computing, it is not likely undergone that many bodily adjustments through the years.

With the M4 launch, the rumor mill insisted that the Mac mini would get even smaller, with a brand new design that might reinvigorate the long-time mannequin. That new design has arrived, and did, in actual fact, make the Mac mini extra mini.

Following Apple’s launch of the brand new mannequin, this is every part spec-wise that it is best to find out about it, and the way it compares towards its predecessor, the M2 editions.

The M2 Mac mini has used the identical design for a lot of iterations through the years. This has made it an unmistakable Mac for many individuals, however one which has been awaiting change for a substantial period of time.

The design of the M2 mannequin is similar because it was on the finish of the Intel Mac interval. It is a skinny rounded aluminum enclosure, with a round base and a rear part that comprises the entire ports and connections.

At 7.7 inches sq. and 1.4 inches thick, it’s virtually a unit of measurement by now.

For the M4 launch, the Mac mini is now in a a lot smaller design. At a mere 5 inches by 5 inches, the New Mac mini has even much less of a footprint in comparison with the earlier mannequin.

It is somewhat bit taller at 2 inches.

M4 Mac mini vs M2 Mac mini – The brand new Mac mini appears to be like just like the previous one from above.

One other large change is that Apple is borrowing the front-facing ports from the Mac Studio, This implies you’ll be able to entry twin USB-C ports with out reaching round to the again of the Mac mini.

Again when the Mac Studio was launched, it was likened to a Mac mini that had grown in peak. Now, the Mac mini appears to be like like a scale mannequin of the Mac Studio.

Weight-wise, the M2 Mac measures 2.6 kilos, whereas the M2 Professional version tipped the scales at 2.8 kilos. Due to its shrinkage, the M4 counterparts are a lot lighter, at 1.5 kilos and 1.6 kilos respectively.

One oddity of the redesign is the facility button. Whereas it was on the again nook of the M2 Mac mini, the M4 does not have house on the again for it, so it is beneath in a nook, close to the bottom vent ring.

You’ll have to carry the brand new Mac mini to show it on, which shall be annoying. On the very least, you’ll have to be aware to not put something on prime of the Mac mini, as you’ll have to transfer it each time.

The M2 chip used within the earlier Mac mini was an 8-core CPU with 4 efficiency and 4 effectivity cores. It additionally had a 16-core Neural Engine, a 10-core GPU, and 100GB/s of reminiscence bandwidith.

There was additionally a Media Engine, which was capable of take care of video encodes and decodes on behalf of the CPU. This included video decode and encode engines, a ProRes encode and decode engine, and help for ProRes RAW amongst frequent codec varieties.

Unified Reminiscence began at 8GB, with 16GB and 24GB choices.

The M2 Professional was comparable in some respects, however very totally different in others. For a begin, its base CPU had ten whole cores together with six efficiency cores, although you may additionally get a 12-core model with 8 efficiency cores.

The reminiscence bandwidth additionally doubled to 200GB/s. Reminiscence capability began at 16GB, with a 32GB possibility additionally obtainable.

In the meantime, the GPU was a 16-core model with the 10-core CPU, 19 cores for the 12-core CPU.

As soon as once more, Apple has gone down the M4 and M4 Professional route, with the latter getting the upper specs.

The M4 has a 10-core CPU, with 4 efficiency cores and 6 effectivity cores. The M4 Professional begins with a 12-core CPU with eight efficiency cores and 4 effectivity cores, however you may get a 14-core model with ten efficiency cores and 4 effectivity cores.

For the GPU, the M4 has a 10-core model. The M4 Professional begins with a 16-core GPU, however the upgraded chip has a 20-core GPU obtainable to make use of.

M4 Mac mini vs M2 Mac mini – Apple launched the M4 Professional with the brand new Mac mini

Like earlier than, there’s the Media Engine, in addition to a 16-core Neural Engine. This time, Apple claims the Neural Engine within the M4 Professional is 3 times quicker than the M1’s equal model, which is able to additional assist the usage of Apple Intelligence.

The reminiscence bandwidth of the M4 chip is 120GB/s, up 20% from the M2. The M4 Professional has 273GB/s of reminiscence bandwidth, a 36% enhance over the M2 Professional.

Reminiscence portions have additionally jumped this time round. The M4 begins at 16GB, with 24GB and 32GB capacities additionally obtainable.

The M4 Professional goes even higher, as soon as once more. Beginning at 24GB, you may get an improve to 48GB, or if you actually need it, 64GB.

Discussing benchmarks for the brand new Mac mini fashions is a bit tough, since there are not any precise benchmarks for a Mac utilizing M4 in the intervening time, not to mention M4 Professional. Additional compounding issues is Apple’s desire to consult with the M4’s energy based mostly on the M1 chip, not the M2.

Whereas it might be attainable to make use of the M4 fashions of iPad Professional to provide some degree of comparability, it is usually not a good one to make. Whereas the upper-capacity fashions have a 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU, the character of pill computing means it will not have the thermal administration nor energy benefits {that a} Mac has.

As an alternative, till Mac benchmarks really change into obtainable, we’ve to match with Apple’s claims and extrapolate.

Apple claims the M4 Mac mini has 1.8 occasions the CPU efficiency and a couple of.2 occasions the GPU efficiency of the M1.

Annoyingly, there is no analog comparability for the M4 Professional to work from, nevertheless it’s probably that the single-core consequence might match the M4. As for multi-core, the additional cores will assist get a a lot larger rating.

We shall be leaving the M4 Professional’s CPU rating out for the second as a result of Apple’s lack of a direct comparability to work from.

Apple does say the 20-core GPU is twice as highly effective because the M4’s GPU.

M4 Mac mini vs M2 Mac mini – Single-core and multi-core Geekbench outcomes and estimates

Working utilizing Geekbench outcomes, the M2 and M2 Professional rating 2,641 and a couple of,658 for single-core efficiency, and 9,802 and 14,475 respectively for multi-core. Primarily based on the M1 Mac mini’s scores, the M4 is estimated to get 4,250 for the single-core consequence, and over 15,200 for the multi-core.

It is a appreciable bounce from M2, and one which must also imply a giant enhance once more for M4 Professional’s multi-core.

M4 Mac mini vs M2 Mac mini – Geekbench Metallic benchmarks and estimates

On the Metallic benchmark, the M2 and M2 Professional rating 46,174 and 81,088 respectively. The M4 is estimated to hit 72,000, and the M4 Professional round 144,000.

Once more, these are appreciable jumps in efficiency. That’s, if the real-world benchmarks match as much as Apple’s claims.

For storage, the Mac mini with M2 begins with 256GB of capability, with improve choices together with 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB. For the Professional mannequin, it begins from 512GB, and runs by means of 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB to 8TB.

The M4 releases comply with the identical path relating to storage capacities.

The bodily connectivity on the M2 Mac mini was the identical because the M1, with it having a HDMI port, two USB-A connections, two Thunderbolt 4 USB Sort-C connections, Gigabit Ethernet, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

The M2 Professional added one other two Thunderbolt 4 ports, bringing the whole as much as 4 ports, whereas retaining the remainder of the port choice because the M2.

M4 Mac mini vs M2 Mac mini – The rear ports of the brand new Mac mini

The again of the M4 fashions is constrained, however nonetheless extremely helpful for customers. There’s nonetheless an HDMI port, three Thunderbolt connections, and a Gigabit Ethernet connection to the rear.

Nonetheless, whereas the M4 Mac mini makes use of three Thunderbolt 4 connections, the M4 Professional model has three Thunderbolt 5 connections. This raises the information price from 40Gbps on Thunderbolt 4 to 120Gbps on Thunderbolt 5 at its peak.

This shall be extraordinarily helpful for some high-data functions sooner or later, resembling accessing high-speed storage. Nonetheless, it does imply investing in Thunderbolt 5 peripherals and equipment to benefit from the throughput enhance.

The entrance of the brand new Mac mini provides one other two USB-C ports for ease of entry. They’re USB 3 ports utilizing Sort-C connections in each M4 variants, providing speeds of as much as 10Gbps.

For each M2 and M2 Professional Mac mini fashions, there was a Gigabit Ethernet port on the rear by default. You possibly can improve to a 10Gig connection on the time of buy. That is additionally the case for the M4 technology.

Wi-fi connectivity hasn’t modified, consisting of of Wi-Fi 6E help together with Bluetooth 5.3.

The audio capabilities of the Mac mini within the M2 period largely relied on exterior audio gadgets, resembling multichannel audio help on the HDMI port. The headphone jack on the rear additionally included help for high-impedance headphones, which advantages audiophiles.

There may be, as typical for the mannequin, a built-in speaker, however it’s normally finest described as an ample audio supply if nothing else is on the market. It really works and is solely usable, however you would be higher off with correct audio system.

There is not any change right here in any respect for the M4 and M4 Professional. The recommendation can also be the identical: rely on exterior audio gadgets the place you’ll be able to.

The bottom M2 Mac mini costed customers $599, and had the 8-core CPU with 10-core GPU, 8GB of reminiscence, and 256GB of storage.

Upgrading the reminiscence to 16GB price an additional $200, or $400 to get you to 24GB. Storage upgrades began at $200 for 512GB, $400 to get 1TB, or $800 for 2TB.

The M2 Professional shipped with the 10-core CPU and 16-core GPU, 16GB of reminiscence and 512GB of storage for $1,299. Upgrading to the 12-core CPU model raised the worth by $300.

The reminiscence improve from 16GB to 32GB was $400. Elevating the storage to 1TB price $200, 2TB was $600, 4TB was $1,200, and 8TB was a sweltering $2,400.

The Gigabit Ethernet to 10-gig improve was $100, no matter mannequin.

The bottom M4 Mac mini is priced at $599 with the 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU, 16GB of reminiscence, 256GB of storage, and Gigabit Ethernet.

Going from 16GB to 24GB of reminiscence prices an additional $200, with 32GB one other $200 on prime. Storage upgrades price $200 from 256GB to 512GB, one other $200 to get to 1TB, and one other $400 for 2TB.

The M4 Professional’s base configuration with the 12-core CPU, 16-core GPU, 24GB of reminiscence, 512GB of storage, and Gigabit Ethernet prices $1,399.

The chip improve to the 14-core CPU and 20-core GPU is $200. Reminiscence from 24GB to 48GB is $400, whereas 64GB is one other $200 once more.

Storage upgrades from 512GB to 1TB prices $200, rising by one other $400 for 2TB, one other $600 for 4TB, and one other $1,200 once more to scorching 8TB.

Gigabit Ethernet, as soon as once more, may be upgraded on the M4 fashions for $100.

The brand new M4 Mac mini is a uncommon overhaul for Apple, and particularly for the Mac mini line. It is a appreciable step away from the well-worn seven-inch-square design for a smaller puck that appears like a extra aggressive Apple TV.

Add in that Apple moved some ports to the entrance for straightforward entry, and we’ve a considerably extra user-friendly Mac design. That energy button location could also be a ache, however should you’re placing the Mac to sleep as a substitute of shutting it down every day, it is much less of a difficulty.

M4 Mac mini vs M2 Mac mini – The brand new design is smaller nevertheless it’s nonetheless highly effective.

The true star of the present is the M4 chip. The claimed enhancements over the M2 counterparts make it a really highly effective possibility for anybody wanting quite a lot of processing capability on their desk. A minimum of, if they don’t seem to be ready to attend for a Mac Studio replace in some unspecified time in the future sooner or later.

It might not essentially be a straight improve for homeowners of the M2 Mac mini, because it’s finally a efficiency play. However, there’s rather a lot right here to contemplate for would-be switchers and homeowners of older Mac mini generations.

The Mac mini remains to be Apple’s smallest, most cost-effective, and most welcoming Mac in its vary to newcomers. Now it is much more mini, and much more mighty.

The 2024 M4 Mac mini is on the market for preorder at Apple resellers, with Adorama knocking as much as $50 off the brand new fashions with promo code APINSIDER. The APINSIDER code additionally knocks $20 off three years of AppleCare for the brand new Mac mini. Yow will discover a breakdown of the provides in our M4 Mac mini Worth Information.