With an incredibly compact design that makes very few concessions, the Mac Mini is now the best bargain in Apple's lineup.
What makes the new Mac Mini unappealing to you? I've been pleased by the amount of power and promise packed into Apple's revamped desktop Mac over the past few days of testing. The M4 Mac Mini is now the most affordable model in Apple's whole Mac lineup, with a starting price of $599 and 16GB of RAM as standard. The Mini won't feel slow—or even close to it—for at least the next four or five years, if my M1 MacBook Air is any indication. It's more than capable for the majority of computing jobs nowadays.
I received two completely different Mac Mini machines from Apple. The ordinary M4 model, which comes with a 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, and the default 16GB of RAM, is the subject of our first review. Although my laptop costs $799 because it has 512GB of storage, its daily performance should be the same as that of the 256GB model. Additionally, I have a customized M4 Pro model, which drives up the price to an exorbitant $2,199. I would absolutely anticipate the M4 Pro Mini to be a powerful vehicle for that price.
However, the majority of individuals won't have to spend quite that much. For anyone looking for a reliable desktop Mac, especially if they have already decided on a monitor and/or keyboard they adore, I would suggest the standard M4 edition, which has a lot to offer on its own.
As with the Mac Mini, you bring your own keyboard, mouse, and monitor, and Apple supplies the computer. Although Apple is more than eager to sell you its own Studio Display and accessories, you have a lot of options for imaginative, adaptable workstation arrangements now that the Mini can operate up to three monitors simultaneously (compared to two on the M2 model). You may just add the Mini to whatever is already in your home office once you've mastered it, saving you the trouble of moving anything about.
And hardly any of that area will be occupied by the machine itself. The 2024 Mac Mini has a footprint that is less than half that of the previous container, which was built upon the Intel platform and measures 5 inches wide by 5 inches deep by 2 inches tall. (Take a look at the amount of empty space following the Apple Silicon changeover.) It's not quite as small as an Apple TV 4K, but in my opinion, it's the most remarkable illustration of what Apple can accomplish with hardware designed specifically for its M-series CPUs. The new Mini also has connectors on the front, which is a pleasant difference from its predecessors, which forced me to plug everything into the rear or turn the entire device around so I could truly observe my actions.
Now you have a headphone jack up front and two 10Gbps USB-C (USB 3) connections. Three Thunderbolt 4 (USB 4) ports, HDMI, and a gigabit Ethernet cable with 10-gigabit speed upgrade options are located around the back. Although I do miss the SD card slot that comes with a MacBook Pro or Mac Studio, I have never been let down by the absence of USB-A. Its absence may be more painful for you because everyone has a different accessory scenario, but if you need it, it's simple to put in a dongle. With theoretical data transfer speeds of up to 120Gb/s—three times faster than Thunderbolt 4—the M4 Pro Mac Mini boasts even faster, brand-new Thunderbolt 5 connectivity.However, that is mostly aimed for intensive video work and creative specialists. The Mini still has an internal power source, so there isn't a bulky brick to worry about despite its much smaller size.
You'll notice that I haven't yet brought up a power button. This is due to Apple's odd choice to relocate it to the machine's bottom, close to the back left corner. Would I want a different location for the button? Yes. To press it, you must reach over the Mini and raise the device a little. Although it's absurd, it hasn't materially harmed my experience. During the setup process, when you need to double-press the power button to establish a secure connection between the Mac and the fingerprint sensor, you will be reminded of the uncomfortable location of the Apple Magic Keyboard with Touch ID.The Mini is utilized in a variety of settings, such as live event production and home entertainment systems. In some of those situations, I could see the button's location becoming problematic, but when using it on a desk, it's more of an oddity than a bother. Additionally, workarounds are always available.
The M4 variant operates silently thanks to Apple's updated cooling system for the Mini. I don't hear the fan, even while I'm immersed in a Lightroom photo editing session. The M4 Pro's additional GPU cores would undoubtedly speed up those RAW edits, but for the majority of photo work, the standard M4 is more than capable. No matter what I throw at it, the machine has hardly ever missed a stride elsewhere. Since I'm not a videographer, I can't comment on whether extensive editing would reveal the M4's limitations. That is perhaps the only use case that justifies upgrading to the M4 Pro.
The M4 Mini merely hums along everywhere else. Our benchmarks show that it is comparable to the M4 iMac and MacBook Pro. Although I haven't used many of the Apple Intelligence capabilities in macOS Sequoia, I already much enjoy iPhone Mirroring and the integrated window tiling, which has finally allowed me to say goodbye to Moom. These days, MacOS seems to be in a wonderful spot.
Now that the Mini is so adorablely tiny, it's simple to imagine a plethora of hardware and software options. Like the iMac, why not provide a variety of colors to consumers? Software-wise, this device resembles an Apple TV more than ever before, so what if it occasionally acted like one as well? Imagine a TV-specific entertainment interface that would activate whenever a TV screen is connected via HDMI. Yes, it would resemble a contemporary Front Row. The M4 is more than capable of balancing a tvOS-like experience with macOS.
As previously stated, if you haven't yet embraced the Mac side of Apple's ecosystem, the $599 Mini offers the finest bargain available. Even the $799 setup with 512GB SSD and 16GB of RAM that I tested seemed affordable. However, Apple's pricing smacks of avarice and padding the company's bottom line once you go beyond that in RAM or storage. That is true across the board, but on a machine that starts at just $599, it is felt more keenly. The price rises to $1,399 when 1TB of storage and 32GB of RAM are added. Oh no.
The new Mac Mini feels like the perfect shape every time I look at it on my desk. With Apple's M4 CPU and a wide range of connectors, the 2024 Mini should continue to be a dependable, fast computer for many years to come. The revised casing maximizes Apple Silicon's tiny footprint. It is more powerful than ever. Except for the far more expensive M4 Pro variant, that is. Watch this space for additional information soon.
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