The New 2024 Mac Mini Promises Supercharged Performance in a Small Package

The Mac mini is back, showing how Apple is still trying to prove that size still matters. The Cupertino, California company has shrunk its already small desktop to about as much space as an Apple TV box. What’s more, the new version comes with the latest in Apple silicon, the M4 chip.

Apple is preparing to launch two versions of the Mac mini next month. You can nab the baseline, $600 model with the regular M4 chip or opt for a more expensive, $1,400 Mac mini with the M4 Pro. The last Mac mini Apple debuted in 2022 and was released in 2023. It housed an M2 chip or an M2 Pro. The new device starts at 16 GB of RAM with options up to 64 GB and storage options up to 8 TB if you’re willing to spend an extra $2,400 on the most expensive model.

The M4 first debuted with this year’s iPad Pro. That version of the same chip included a 9-core CPU, a 10-core GPU, and support for ray tracing. At the introductory level, the new version of Apple’s small desktop includes a 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU, similar to the new iMac just announced Monday. Meanwhile, the M4 Pro includes a 12-core CPU and 16-core GPU with a base of 24GB of RAM and 512 GB of SSD storage. You could also go for a 14-core CPU and 20-core GPU for an extra $200. The M4 in the Mac mini means that Apple’s small computer will be better for gaming, even if Apple’s native game library is still limited compared to the competition.

The previous Mac mini box measured 7.75 inches square. The new Mini is about 5-by-5 inches in length and width, plus exactly two inches in height. That’s taller than the previous model at 1.41 inches, but if the point is to reduce the footprint it’s better to have a smaller box. This will mean it takes up”much less space” on your desk, but Apple claims it should still keep cool with its new air guides, which direct the exhaust through the front vents.

The M4 chip’s 16-core neural engine is also set to beat the M2 on background AI performance. The M2 can support around 16 TOPS, or trillions of operations per second, while the M4 is supposed to do 38 TOPS. However, that’s not nearly as important as its CPU and GPU capabilities, especially for intensive tasks and AI processing. Based on our M4 benchmarks with iPad, we expect the new chip to show some impressive gains over the M2 version.

Apple has reconfigured the port selection on the updated little Mac (a much better name for the device if only Nintendo didn’t own the copyright on that). Instead of housing two USB-A ports like the one from 2023, the redesigned version includes a power connector, HDMI port, and three USB-C ports with Thunderbolt 4. There are also two regular USB-C ports on the chassis’ front face. It looks like my mainstay wired gaming mouse will need a port hub.

Apple may be developing a slate of new wireless mice, keyboards, and trackpads to replace the current Magic lineup. This could be a boon for folks looking to stay within the Apple ecosystem, though anybody else will need to start thinking of adapters if they’re hoping to use the latest Apple products on their desktops.

The Mac mini is available for preorder starting Tuesday. It’s set to ship starting Nov. 8.

Apple said it plans to pull the sheet off even more Mac products this week, so keep your eye out for even more new desktops and laptops.