2024 may end up being a big yr for Apple ’s small Mac . While other Macs are rumored to get iterative spec bumps , the Mac mini will reportedly undergo drastic changes – changes that may wobble the perception of the gimmick . When all is said and done , the Mac mini may end up being Apple ’s most intriguing estimator . Here ’s what you need to know about the approaching Mac mini and why you ’ll be in the grocery store for it , whether you know it or not .
If you have an old Mac mini and advance to the M4 , put that old machine to respectable use – here are ideas on what to do with that old Mac mini .
New smaller design
Thedesign that Apple introduced in 2010is going away . According toBloomberg ’s Mark Gurman , Apple is going to make the Mac mini smaller – about the sizing of the current Apple TV , which measures 3.7 by 3.7 by 1.2 inch ( 93 by 93 by 31 millimetre ) , dramatically smaller than the current mini ’s 7.75 by 7.75 by 1.41 in ( 19.7 by 19.7 x 3.58 cm ) frame .
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( Pause for triviality : When the 2010 Mac mini arrived , it was actually the same size as the2007 Apple TV , which at the meter was much bigger . later on in 2010 , Apple released asmaller Apple TV design , that is standardised to the current Apple TV 4 K box . )
The new Mac mini will reportedly be similar in size to the current Apple TV 4K.
A smaller Mac mini has been rumored for years . Teardownsof the M1 and M2 Mac mini show that the switch to M - series chips allow for little motherboards and other portion , leaving a lot of place inside those Macs . Looks like Apple finally is getting rid of that space to make a smaller footprint .
The fresh design means it take up less outer space , which is great if you have a small desk or just need to come down the amount of clutter in your workspace . It also intend it will use fewer materials for yield and packaging , so it ’s friendlier to the environment . That should pleaseMother Nature .
Greater portability
A small Mac mini give raw nomadic possibilities . While most people call back of MacBooks when it comes to portability , the Mac miniskirt is sometimes used in nomadic place . People get originative with the Mac mini and apply it in car installations , kiosk , DJ setup , and more . It ’s much cheaper than a MacBook too , so an ultra - portable miniskirt can be a great option for students and distant workers who necessitate to change locating regularly .
What if Apple made an orange Mac miniskirt that was a little sibling to the orange iMac ? cunning !
metalworks
The new Mac mini will reportedly be similar in size to the current Apple TV 4K.
Colorful colors
Apple currently extend the Mac mini in ash grey and only ash grey . If you ’re hop-skip for a revival of thespace gray Mac mini , it ’s plausibly not happening – aspace blackMac miniskirt would be so cool but probably is n’t find , either . Why ? Since the Apple TV is black , Apple will probably keep the Mac miniskirt in silver gray to severalize the two .
But here ’s some desirous thinking : It ’d be cool if Apple decided to process the Mac mini like the iMac and offer it in the iMac colors . Apple could offer the M4 Mac miniskirt in blue , pinkish , green , and silver , with the M2 Pro available in the same coloring plus orange , empurpled , and yellow . However , no reports have been made about the Mac mini color and it seems most probable that silver is the way Apple will go .
The current Mac mini has an aluminum case and the Apple TV has a plastic one . Since aluminum is better at dissipating heating plant , Apple will in all probability use it for the new Mac miniskirt .
What if Apple made an orange Mac mini that was a little sibling to the orange iMac? Cute!
M4 chip
The new Mac mini is going to be the centerpiece of theM4 Mac rollout . The current Mac mini has either the groundwork M2 chip or the M2 Pro . Apple is sticking with this configuration offering , but according to Gurman , the timing might be different , with the M4 available straightaway and the M4 Pro come a few weeks later .
TheM4 made its introduction in the iPad Proand that gives us a good idea of how fast an M4 Mac mini could be . The iPad Pro ’s M4 is 45 percent faster than the Mac miniskirt ’s M2 – the Mac miniskirt ’s M4 could be a tad piece quicker , thanks to the Mac mini ’s form factor that allows it to well dissipate high temperature . And if the Mac miniskirt has a cool down fan – the iPad Pro does n’t have one – maybe the Mac miniskirt ’s stop number will be a few more percentage points faster .
Then there ’s also the M4 Pro come to the Mac miniskirt for even more carrying out . look to see a 45 percent gain in performance over the M2 Pro . An M4 Pro exemplar will be ideal for users who do a mickle of processor - intensive tasks .
If you have an Intel Mac mini, you can’t run Apple Intelligence.
If you are still using an Intel - base Mac mini , the public presentation gains with the M4 are Brobdingnagian . The quick Intel Mac mini is a 2018 fashion model with a 3.2GHz 6 - core Core i7 processor – the M4 iPad Pro is 162 percentage faster . That makes the M4 Mac mini a difficult upgrade to fall out up .
Apple Intelligence
AI is all the rage andApple Intelligenceis how the companionship is market its AI features . An M - series chip is required to run Apple Intelligence , so an M4 and its forerunner are compatible .
If you already have an M1 or M2 Mac mini , you may run Apple Intelligence , so this cause alone is n’t a compelling one for upgrading . But it is if you have an Intel Mac mini if the carrying out boost and young design are n’t enough .
Apple Intelligence includes writing cock to check your grammar and make revisions that improve upon your original drafts ; Priority Notifications ; summaries for Mail and Safari ; and more . There ’s also a set of productive AI tools for images and photos . Apple will be releasing these features over the months aftermacOS Sequoiais formally release , and that ’s just to start . Apple Intelligence is now a core part of macOS and Apple will forever prepare new Apple Intelligence features .
The new Mac mini will be about the same size as the Apple TV 4K (above), which means it won’t have much room for a variety of ports.
Ports
logical system order that if Apple is attain the Mac miniskirt smaller , then it may not have the same ports as the current Mac miniskirt . According to Bloomberg ’s Mark Gurman , Apple has tested young Mac minis with three USB - C ports , HDMI , and a index embrasure . He has not said which , if any , port will be left off the machine .
The two USB - A ports on the current Mac mini are likely to be not on the new Mac mini , so older devices will need an adapter . It seems like there may not be room for Gb ethernet , either . That could be an issue for folk who like to apply the Mac mini as a server or favour the speed of a wired internet .
The new Mac mini will be about the same size as the Apple TV 4 K ( above ) , which means it wo n’t have much way for a variety of port wine .
The Mac mini from 2018 looks exactly like the one from 2024—except for the space gray color.
Gurman did n’t specifically say whether the USB - C ports are Thunderbolt ( they have the same connexion ) , but since the current Mac mini has up to four Thunderbolt port , it ’s likely the new Mac mini will as well . It ’s also possible Apple add an SD card lecturer like the MacBook Pro or a front - confront USB - C port like the Mac Studio .
We ’ve been look for years for Apple to offer a first - party hub for the Mac mini to add extra USB interface as well as Ethernet , HDMI , card slot , and more . We have n’t discover any rumors about such an accessory but you may discipline out some excellent third - party optionsin our guide to the good USB - atomic number 6 hub and adapters for Macs .
An affordable mini powerhouse
The Mac mini is Apple ’s most affordable Mac . Granted , it does n’t include a show , keyboard , or creep but it ’s not difficult to find good version and still stay well under the toll of a low - end iMac . We even have alist of the best displaysto service you line up one .
The Mac mini from 2018 looks on the dot like the one from 2024 — except for the space grey color .
That being said , it ’s potential Apple could raise the price of the Mac miniskirt . Maybe the iPad Pro give us a peep at what Apple might do with the Mac mini pricing . The11 - inch M4 iPad Prowith a 256 GB SSD is $ 999 – that ’s $ 100 more than the 11 - inch M2 iPad Pro with 256 GB that it replaced . However , Apple upgrade the display in the M4 iPad Pro from light-emitting diode to OLED , so that should be consider in the Mary Leontyne Price increase . It also got a slight redesign with a thinner frame , smaller bezel , and a front camera situated on the landscape sharpness .
The Mac miniskirt ’s price chronicle may also give us an estimate of what Apple may do . The original Mac mini was release in 2005 starting at $ 499 . In 2006 , that infrastructure damage was raised to $ 599 . Since then , its average price has been higher than that , with the M1 exemplar starting at $ 699 and the M2 falling back to $ 599 .
Currently , the M2 Mac mini begin at $ 599 and the M2 Pro mannequin begin at $ 1,299 . With Mary Leontyne Price go up foreverythingnowadays , I cogitate we ’ll see the Mac mini price go up , perhaps to $ 699/$1,399 . Even so , it ’s still a moderately good great deal for one of the most unique Macs Apple has ever made .
