Everything you need to know about the Mac mini 2024
After iMac M4 unveiled yesterday, it is now the turn of the Mac mini with M4 and M4 Pro chips to be officially presented by Apple after a first mistaken appearance tonight at Amazon. For the first time in fourteen years, the Mac mini is radically changing design with a much more compact chassis and redesigned connectivity.
So this new Mac mini is much more compact than the previous one: it’s a square of 12.7 cm by 12.7 cm, whereas the previous model had sides of 19.7 cm. The new chassis, on the other hand, is a little higher, at 5 cm instead of 3.58 cm previously. The package weighs 0.67 kg for the M4 version, or 0.73 kg for the M4 Pro version. The old model displayed 1.18 kg (M2) or 1.28 kg (M2 Pro) on the scale.
On the connection side, there are two USB-C ports to the USB 3 standard (up to 10 Gbit/s) at the front, and three USB-C ports to the Thunderbolt 4 (M4) or Thunderbolt 5 (M4 Pro) standard at the rear. The Thunderbolt 4 offers up to 40 Gbit/s bits, while the Thunderbolt 5 can go up to 120 Gbit/s. Otherwise, there is a power supply connector, a Gigabit Ethernet (configurable with 10 Gigabit Ethernet) and an HDMI port. The jack is in the front. On the wireless side, nothing new with support for Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) and Bluetooth 5.3.
Support for external displays is progressing markedly. The M4 models can handle up to two 6K to 60 Hz screens and a third 5K screen, or even a 60 Hz 8K display in addition to a 5K screen at 60 Hz. The M4 Pro models go up to three 6K screens at 60 Hz, or an 8K screen at 60 Hz in addition to a 6K screen at 60 Hz.
Like its predecessor with the M2 and M2 Pro chips, the new Mac mini is available in two flavors with the already known M4 chip and the all-new M4 Pro chip that is more muscular. Whatever model M4 is chosen, the chip always incorporates 10 cores of CPUs and GPUs (a version containing 8 cores of each exists on the entry-level iMac).
For the M4 Pro version, the standard version features 12 CPU cores and 16 GPU cores. A more powerful model with 14 CPU cores and 20 GPU cores is available as an option. M4 Pro chips have a faster memory with a bandwidth of 273 Gbit/s, compared with 200 Gbit/s for the M2 Pro chip or 150 Gbit/s for the M3 Pro chip (the M3 Max chip rising to 400 Gbit/s), and 120 GB/s for the M4 chip.
Apple gives some figures to illustrate the gains made possible by its new M4 Pro chip, which compared to the M2 Pro chip of the previous model allows up to 1.8 times more audio effect modules to be applied in a Logic Pro project, renders RAM animations up to twice as fast as in Motion, or perform 3D renderings up to 2.9 times faster in Blender. Overall, Apple evokes a gain of 1.6x in gross power compared to the M2 Pro chip. For graphics, it’s about a GPU up to 1.5x faster. The Neural Engine is also more than twice as good for artificial intelligence applications and therefore Apple Intelligence.
The new Mac mini is well equipped with a fan for better cooling and optimal performance, with a grid located on the base of the device. You will note on the image below the presence of the ignition button under the computer (in the corner under the USB-C ports), an unexpected positioning to say the least.
The Mac mini M4 is sold in four standard configurations with prices starting at 699 dollars for 16 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage: it’s the same price as the previous generation, with twice as many standard RAMs for optimal Apple Intelligence support. For 512 GB, the price rises to 929 euros. Then there’s a model running the 24 GB RAM for 1,159 dollars. Finally, the first model with the M4 Pro chip (with 12 CPU cores and 16 GPU cores) carries a minimum of 24 GB of RAM and 512 GB of storage for 1,649 pounds.
In the M4 models, it is possible to go from 16 GB of RAM to 24 GB for 230 pounds, or to 32 GB for 460. Storage can go from 256 GB to 512 GB for . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The option for the 10 Gigabit Ethernet port instead of the simple Gigabit Ethernet is at EUR 115. On the M4 Pro model, it is possible to opt for the most powerful M4 Pro chip with 14 CPU cores and 20 GPU cores for a total of 230 dollars. You can otherwise go from 24 GB of RAM to 48 GB for 460 pounds, or 64 GB for 690. Storage can go up to 1 TB for . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . There is also the option for the 10 Gigabit Ethernet port at.
The new Mac mini is available today for pre-order from 699 EU Ron the Apple Store, and always with a very nice discount at 579.on the Apple Store Education(-17%) if you are a student, teacher or school employee. The first deliveries are expected by Friday, 8 November.
If you are not already equipped, you can also find new versions of Apple devices. Launched yesterday alongside the iMac M4. They now charge in USB-C with the Magic Mouse at EUR 85or the Magic Trackpad to EUR 139, as well as the Magic Keyboard without Touch ID at119 – 119 -or with Touch ID169 EUR 169, not forgetting the model with Touch ID and numeric keypad at 199 – – – – – – -.
Also read:-