Why wouldn’t you need the brand new Mac Mini? Over the final a number of days of testing Apple’s redesigned desktop Mac, I’ve been impressed by all the ability and potential crammed into this very compact machine. For a beginning worth of $599 and with 16GB of RAM now normal, the M4 Mac Mini has instantly change into one of the best worth in Apple’s complete Mac lineup. It’s greater than succesful for many computing duties right this moment, and if my M1 MacE-book Air is something to go by, the Mini received’t really feel sluggish (or something near it) for not less than the subsequent 4 or 5 years.
Apple offered me with two very completely different Mac Mini items. This first evaluate is targeted on the usual M4 mannequin, which features a 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, and the default 16GB of reminiscence. My machine has 512GB of storage, which bumps its worth to $799, however on a regular basis efficiency needs to be similar to that of the bottom 256GB configuration. I’ve additionally bought a kitted-out M4 Pro mannequin, which raises the worth to a stratospheric $2,199. For that cash, I’d rattling properly anticipate the M4 Pro Mini to be a powerhouse.
But most individuals received’t must spend anyplace close to that quantity. The common M4 version gives quite a bit in its personal proper and can be my advice for anybody who desires a reliable desktop Mac — particularly in case you’ve already settled on a monitor and / or keyboard that you simply love.
As at all times with the Mac Mini, Apple gives the pc; you carry your personal show, keyboard, and mouse. Apple is more than pleased to promote you its personal Studio Display and peripherals, however with the Mini now in a position to run as much as three shows directly (up from two on the M2 mannequin), you’ve bought a ton of runway for artistic, versatile desk setups. If you’ve perfected your work-from-home workplace, you may simply add the Mini to no matter’s already there with out having to rearrange the whole lot.
And the machine itself will barely take up any of that house. Measuring 5 inches extensive, 5 inches deep, and a pair of inches tall, the 2024 Mac Mini’s footprint is lower than half that of the earlier enclosure, which was designed across the Intel platform. (Just have a look at how a lot unused house there was after the Apple Silicon transition.) It’s not fairly as tiny as an Apple TV 4K, however to me, it’s probably the most hanging instance but of what Apple can obtain with {hardware} that’s purpose-built for its M-series chips. Another welcome change is that the brand new Mini places some ports proper on the entrance, whereas its predecessors made me blindly plug the whole lot into the again — or flip the entire thing round so I might really see what I used to be doing.
Now you’ve bought a pair of 10Gbps USB-C ports (USB 3) and a headphone jack up entrance. Around again are three Thunderbolt 4 (USB 4) ports, HDMI, and a gigabit ethernet jack that’s upgradable to 10-gigabit speeds. I do miss the SD card slot you’d discover on a Mac Studio or MacE-book Pro, however I haven’t as soon as felt disenchanted concerning the lack of USB-A. Everyone has a special accent scenario, so its absence would possibly sting extra for you, however it’s straightforward to simply plug in a dongle if crucial. The M4 Pro Mac Mini has even sooner, brand-new Thunderbolt 5 connectivity, with theoretical information switch speeds of as much as 120Gb/s (3 times sooner than Thunderbolt 4). But that’s principally focused at artistic professionals and intensive video work. Despite its dramatically decreased dimensions, the Mini nonetheless retains an inside energy provide, so there’s no cumbersome brick to fret about.
Notice that I haven’t talked about an influence button but. That’s as a result of Apple made the curious resolution to maneuver it to the underside of the machine close to the rear left nook. Do I want the button have been someplace else? Sure. Pressing it requires reaching over the Mini and lifting the unit up barely. It’s foolish however hasn’t negatively affected my expertise in any materials manner. If you’ve bought an Apple Magic Keyboard with Touch ID, you’ll be reminded of its awkward location proper throughout setup, if you’ve bought to double-press the ability button to make a safe hyperlink between the fingerprint sensor and Mac. The Mini is utilized in a large mixture of environments together with residence theater programs and reside occasion manufacturing. I might see the button’s place turning into a trouble in a few of these situations, however in case you’re utilizing it on a desk, it’s extra of a wierd quirk than an annoyance. And there are at all times workarounds.
Apple’s revamped thermal system for the Mini retains the M4 mannequin working quietly. Even once I’m deep in a Lightroom photograph enhancing session, I don’t hear the fan. I’m sure the M4 Pro’s further GPU cores would make these RAW edits even sooner, however the common M4 is as much as the duty for many photograph work. Elsewhere, the machine has not often missed a step, it doesn’t matter what I throw at it. I’m no videographer, so I can’t communicate as to if critical enhancing work would expose the M4’s limits. If there’s one use case that warrants stepping as much as the M4 Pro, it’s possible that.
Everywhere else, the M4 Mini simply hums alongside. As you may see in our benchmarks, it’s proper consistent with the M4 iMac and MacE-book Pro. I’ve barely sampled any of the Apple Intelligence options in macOS Sequoia — I don’t discover them notably compelling — however I’m already an enormous fan of iPhone Mirroring and the built-in window tiling that has allowed me to lastly bid farewell to Moom. MacOS feels prefer it’s in an ideal place lately.
With the Mini now being so charmingly small, it’s straightforward to dream up all kinds of {hardware} and software program prospects. Why not give folks a selection of colours just like the iMac? As for software program, this factor seems extra like an Apple TV than ever earlier than, so what if it typically behaved like one too? Imagine a TV-optimized leisure interface — sure, like a contemporary Front Row — that may kick in at any time when a TV display screen is linked over HDMI. The M4 is greater than succesful sufficient to juggle each macOS and a tvOS-like expertise.
As I mentioned earlier, the $599 Mini is one of the best worth round in case you haven’t but joined the Mac aspect of Apple’s ecosystem. Even the $799 configuration I examined, with 16GB of reminiscence and a 512GB SSD, appears affordable. But when you transcend that in RAM or storage, Apple’s pricing smacks of greed and padding the corporate’s backside line. That’s true throughout the road, however it’s felt extra acutely on a machine that begins at solely $599. Stepping as much as 1TB of storage and 32GB of RAM brings the worth to $1,399. Yikes.
For most, the Mini will probably be a stationary laptop, and the presence of three Thunderbolt ports means you may connect a speedy exterior SSD with out caving to Apple’s farcical charges. Given that, the different $799 config, with 24GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, might be extra worthwhile. Neither might be upgraded later, so it’s necessary to get the specs proper when shopping for.
Every time I look over on the new Mac Mini on my desk, it feels just like the Mini’s excellent type. The redesigned enclosure makes probably the most of Apple Silicon’s small footprint, and with Apple’s M4 chip and an ample collection of ports, the 2024 Mini ought to stay a zippy, dependable laptop for years to return. It’s by no means been extra mighty. Well, apart from the a lot pricier M4 Pro model. Stay tuned for extra on that quickly.
Photography by Chris Welch / The Verge
Shot with the Nikon Z6 III and 70-200mm f/2.8 lens.
