Apple is gearing up to refresh its entire Mac lineup with the powerful M4 series of chips. The Mac mini, a popular compact desktop computer, is expected to receive an update as early as late 2024. Interestingly, Apple is reportedly skipping the M3 chip and moving directly to the M4, suggesting significant performance improvements.
A New Look for the Mac Mini
Apple is set to give the Mac mini a much-needed design refresh in 2024. This will be the first design change for the Mac mini since 2010.
The updated Mac mini is expected to be significantly smaller than the current model, with a footprint similar to the Apple TV. However, it will be slightly taller to accommodate the internal components.
Apple has been testing Mac mini models with at least three USB-C ports on the back, along with a power cable and an HDMI port. This suggests that the new design will prioritize connectivity and versatility.
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The M4 Chip: A Powerful Upgrade for the Mac Mini
The Mac mini will be equipped with Apple’s M4 and M4 Pro chips, skipping the M3 line altogether. This represents a significant performance boost for the Mac mini.
The M4 chip, introduced in the iPad Pro, is built on a second-generation 3-nanometer technology. Compared to the M2 chip, it offers a 50% faster CPU and up to 4x faster rendering performance.
The M4 features a 10-core CPU and a 10-core GPU. While there is a 9-core CPU variant, Apple is likely to reserve it for the iPad Pro and a future MacBook Air.
The M4 also boasts a 16-core Neural Engine and supports hardware-accelerated ray tracing, features not available with the M2. Apple highlights the Neural Engine as an “absolute powerhouse for AI.”
Details on the M4 Pro are still limited, as its release is expected later this year. However, given the M4’s impressive performance, the M4 Pro is likely to offer even more powerful capabilities.
RAM and Release Date for the M4 Mac mini
The models are expected to start with 16GB of RAM, a significant upgrade from the 8GB in previous models. This increase in RAM is likely to better support Apple Intelligence features, which are becoming increasingly demanding.
Based on developer logs, all spotted M4 Macs have either 16GB or 32GB of RAM, further supporting the expectation of a minimum 16GB configuration.
Regarding the release date, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman predicts that the it will be refreshed alongside the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models at an October event. The launch is expected to follow by November 1st.
FAQs
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the M4 Mac mini will be refreshed alongside the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models at an event set to take place in October, with a launch to follow on November 1.
The M4 Mac mini will be equipped with Apple’s M4 and M4 Pro chips. This marks a significant upgrade from the M2 chip used in previous models.
