Our Verdict
If you want a straightforward desktop Mac for home or general computing , then the M2 Mac miniskirt is ideal with a perfect toll . The M2 check is plenty powerful for most people and even some pros . If you require a in high spirits - end chip , but not the fastest chip , the entry - level M2 Pro Mac miniskirt is a powerful machine . Just be careful with upgrade as it might be more economical to get a Mac Studio or a MacBook Pro if you ’re promote more than the storage .
Best Prices Today: Apple Mac mini (M2, 2023)
Apple has finally upgrade its Mac mini card with new M2 processors and polish off the exceedingly out-of-date Intel good example from the store . That means there are now two Apple silicon models to prefer from : A home model with an M2 chip and a high - endMac miniskirt with an M2 Pro processor . Here ’s how the two manakin compare .
M2 Mac mini vs M2 Pro Mac mini: Specs
M2 Mac mini vs M2 Pro Mac mini: Design
On the exterior , Apple has n’t messed with the winning formula that has hold the Mac mini in such full place for so long . If you ’ve seen one before , then you ’ll instantly recognize the unexampled models , although you may observe it hard to tell them apart . The property on both models are identical , with the silver medal liveried aluminium chassis measuring 7.75 x 7.75 x 1.41 inches ( 197 mm x 197 mm x 36 mm ) , although the Pro version is slimly heavier , not that you ’ll be carrying either mini around that much .
turn the machines around reveals the embrasure section on the back , which is where you could see the first differentiators between them , but we ’ll enshroud that in particular below . Of course , as these are minis , you wo n’t recover a display , keyboard , or shiner / trackpad in the box , so you ’ll need to supply your own .
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The M2 Mac mini has a very familiar shape.
M2 Mac mini vs M2 Pro Mac mini: Processor
course , as the names of the equipment evoke , the master difference between the two M2 Mac minis is the silicon that drive them . We ’ve seen the M2 already in theMacBook Air M2and13 - column inch MacBook Pro M2 , so it was inevitable that it made its way to the Mac mini platform . But , the M2 Pro is a new chip unveil by Apple alongside the M2 Max regain in thehigher - end MacBook Pros .
The M2 itself features an 8 - core CPU break open between four performance cores and four efficiency core . There ’s also a 10 - heart GPU , 16 - core Neural Engine , and 100GB / s retentivity bandwidth . The media locomotive is the same one as in the M1 Pro , boasting ironware speedup for H.264 , HEVC , ProRes , and ProRes Raw , along with a ProRes encode and decode locomotive engine .
With the M2 Pro , you get up to 10 or 12 mainframe gist ( six or eight carrying into action and eight efficiency ) , a 16 - burden or 19 - core GPU , 16 - core neuronic engine , and 200GB / s memory board bandwidth , doubly that of the standard M2 . In our testing , the M2 poker chip is about 20 percent faster than the M1 and the M2 Pro is about 20 pct faster than the M1 Pro , so the remainder between the chips are roughly the same as the anterior generation . On the graphics side , both chips are about 30 percent quicker than their various herald .
The M2 Mac mini has a very familiar shape.
M2 Mac mini vs M2 Pro Mac mini:Memory and storage
On the baseline models , the M2 mini fare with 8 GB of memory and 256 GB of storage . The M2 Pro ’s standard configuration starts with double the M2 : 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB of storage . These can be increased at the point of sales agreement , with the M2 going up to 24 GB of remembering and 2 TB of memory board , and the M2 Pro give birth a higher maximum configuration with 32 GB of RAM and up to 8 TB of computer memory . manifestly , these all come with some serious prices — the M2 Pro can get as high-pitched as $ 4,000 — but you ’ll call for to make your decision when buying your mini as it ca n’t be upgraded .
M2 Mac mini vs M2 Pro Mac mini:Ports and connectivity
The Mac mini M2 come equipped with two Thunderbolt 4 / USB 4 port , while the M2 Pro get four Thunderbolt 4 / USB 4 ports . Other than that , they both have two USB - A ports , HDMI , and Gigabit Ethernet . You ’ll also find a build - in speaker and 3.5 mm earpiece gob with advance supporting for gamy - resistivity headphones , and both have Wi - Fi 6E ( 802.11ax ) and Bluetooth 5.3 .
It ’s worth noting though that both devices support the concurrent use of multiple monitors , with the M2 subject of handling two displays ( 6 K at 60Hz and 5 K at 60Hz via Thunderbolt ) and the M2 Pro going to three ( two 6 honey oil at 60Hz over Thunderbolt and one 4 chiliad at 60Hz over HDMI ) . The M2 Pro Mac mini ’s HDMI 21 port can also run a single display with up to 8 K resolution at 60Hz or 4 K resolution at 240Hz .
M2 Mac mini vs M2 Pro Mac mini:Price and availability
The new Mac mini is available at the following prices :
If you do the math , that’smore than double as much for the M2 Pro Mac mini . And build - to - order options add up quick , with the higher - remnant M2 Pro cost $ 400//£400 , with each 8 GB memory increment setting you back $ 200/£200 , and excess storage costing $ 200/£200 per 512 G .
The Leontyne Price comparison corner below will display the best price right now for the M2 Pro Mac miniskirt , normally $ 1,299/£1,399 :
M2 Mac mini vs M2 Pro Mac mini: Our recommendation
It ’s a pretty round-eyed choice between these knock-down new additions to the Mac mini weapons platform . If you want a aboveboard desktop Mac for home or oecumenical computing , then the M2 Mac mini is a everlasting motorcar at $ 599 . The M2 flake is enough powerful for most citizenry and even some pro . But if you require a mellow - end micro chip , but not the fastest chip , the entry - story M2 Pro Mac miniskirt is a sinewy machine . Just be thrifty with upgrades as it might be more economical to get a MacBook Pro or aMac Studio instead of a Mac miniif you ’re advance more than the storage .
