Apple launched the brand new Mac mini, iMac, and MacBook Professional fashions with M4 chips immediately, and since the Mac mini is the one one of many machines that obtained a design replace, we thought we might test it out to see the way it compares to the prior model.
The 2024 model of the Mac mini is way smaller than the earlier M2 mannequin, so it takes up much less house on a desktop. It is 5 by 5 inches, down from 7.75 by 7.75 inches, and you’ll actually see a distinction once they’re side-by-side. There have been rumors that the Mac mini may very well be as small because the Apple TV, nevertheless it’s not that small.
It is spectacular to have a robust M4 laptop in such a small enclosure, and with so many obtainable ports. There are two ports on the entrance and three on the again, all USB-C or Thunderbolt. In case you have USB-A equipment, you will want an adapter. There’s additionally an HDMI port, a 3.5mm headphone jack, an Ethernet port, and a port for the ability cable.
You may get the Mac mini with an M4 or an M4 Professional chip, and the M4 model has three Thunderbolt 4 ports on the again whereas the M4 Professional model has three Thunderbolt 5 ports that assist quicker switch speeds. The M4 and the M4 Professional supply notable velocity enhancements over the prior M2 and M2 Professional chips. We have the complete array of benchmarks within the video, however CPU efficiency is as much as 55 p.c quicker within the M4 Professional in comparison with the M2 Professional. GPU efficiency is up considerably, and even the SSD is quicker.
Apple can be promoting the M4 Macs with 16GB RAM at a minimal, which is a significant improve over the earlier 8GB beginning RAM for the bottom mannequin.
The Mac mini is priced beginning at $599, however that is as a result of it would not include a show or peripherals. You may want to provide your personal. It is a stable machine for residence or work, and since it is so small, you’ll be able to take it from one place to a different in case you have two setups with shows and equipment.
There may be one draw back to the Mac mini. Should you usually flip your Mac on and off, you may be irritated to seek out that the ability button is on the underside of the system. To entry it, you will must raise the Mac mini up a bit. That is no huge deal in the event you do not flip your laptop off repeatedly, however in the event you do, simply notice there’s a bit of little bit of an additional trouble to take care of.
Did you get a brand new M4 Mac mini, or do you propose to? Tell us within the feedback under.
