5 Reasons to Get Excited About the New Mac Mini

Apple's Mac mini has long been a powerhouse in a compact form, offering impressive performance in a small package. With rumors swirling about a completely overhauled new model that is likely just days away from being announced, anticipation is building for what Apple has in store.

M4 Mac mini Silver Perspective
From enhanced connectivity to major hardware upgrades, the upcoming Mac mini promises to bring significant improvements that make it more compelling than ever. Here are five reasons to get excited about the next generation of this beloved small form-factor desktop.

Major Redesign

Apple is planning to debut completely redesigned Mac mini models, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The new ‌Mac mini‌ will be the first major design change to the machine since 2010, and is expected to become Apple's smallest ever desktop computer. The slimmed down machine will retain its aluminum casing and be comparable in size to the Apple TV, though it is expected to be taller. Individuals working on the new device reportedly say that it is "essentially an iPad Pro in a small box."

5 USB-C Ports

According to Mark Gurman and a leaked Apple report, the next Mac mini is expected to come with five USB-C ports. Similar to the Mac Studio, two of these ports are anticipated to be positioned on the front. It's likely that some of these will support Thunderbolt 4, utilizing the same USB-C interface. However, the full set of five ports might only be available on the M4 Pro versions of the Mac mini.

M4 Chip

The next Mac mini will come in both M4 and M4 Pro configurations, a significant step up from the current M2 and M2 Pro models. Like the M3, the M4 is built on a 3nm process, but with enhancements from Apple supplier TSMC for improved performance and power efficiency. The M4 also includes an improved Neural Engine that fuels accelerated AI workloads. Apple says it is the company's most powerful Neural Engine ever, capable of 38 trillion operations per second, so there's plenty of scope for faster compute speeds.

16GB Base RAM

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported in August that Apple has tested four new Mac models equipped with an M4 chip, and all of them have either 16GB or 32GB of unified memory. The adequacy of 8GB of RAM in Macs has been a contentious issue for over a decade. That has left Apple open to criticism from users who believe that 8GB is not a sufficient amount of RAM for most creative professional workflows, so the news that 16GB is likely to be the new minimum will surely be a welcome development.

Apple Intelligence

Apple is expected to emphasize the artificial intelligence capabilities of the M4 chip series, and the first Apple Intelligence features are expected to arrive with the release of macOS Sequoia 15.1 on October 28, which is right around the time we are expecting a Mac mini announcement. The initial release will focus on new Siri features, Smart Replies in Mail and Messages, Priority messages in the Mail app, Memory Movie and Clean Up in Photos, and more, with additional features coming in phased updates over the next several months.

Release Timing

The new-look Mac mini is expected to be announced by Apple before the end of October, with a launch to follow in early November. In his latest word on the subject, Gurman said an "M4 Mac launch" is on Apple's schedule for next week, but he did not mention a specific day. What are you looking forward to about the overhauled model? Let us know in the comments.

Related Roundup: Mac mini
Buyer's Guide: Mac Mini (Neutral)
Related Forum: Mac mini

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Top Rated Comments

nt5672 Avatar
12 months ago
We don't need small, we need usable.

If the new mini slides off the desk every time you try to plug in something then it is not usable. We need power. If the new mini throttles for every workload because it is so small and has terrible thermal characteristics, then it is not usable. Please Apple give us a real computer, not a redesigned iPad without a screen.
Score: 59 Votes (Like | Disagree)
raythompsontn Avatar
12 months ago

Removing USB-A ports is a bad move, people still need them for things like iLok.
There are cheap adapters available. USB-A to USB-C or USB-C to USB-A. I have a couple of each. I keep a portable multi-port adapter with my laptop that supports both interfaces. I have had no issue using USB-C or USB-A.

I prefer that USB-A be eliminated from the Mac mini. The USB-C ports are smaller thus there is room for more ports on the case.
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
LionTeeth Avatar
12 months ago
A redesign is not in itself positive or a reason to be excited. The current design has worked for what a decade?

Removing USB-A ports is a bad move, people still need them for things like iLok.

Shrinking the mac mini to look like an Apple TV has one motive behind it: make it cheaper to build.

And they’ll charge the same or probably more than the current ones.
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mthomas184 Avatar
12 months ago

Sounds like what you need is a Mac Studio, and not a Mini. There are absolutely use cases for micro computers, and just because yours doesn't seem to be one, doesn't me "we" don't need it.
So im curious, whats wrong with the current style that you "need" an even smaller one?
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Dorv Avatar
12 months ago

We don't need small, we need usable.

If the new mini slides off the desk every time you try to plug in something then it is not usable. We need power. If the new mini throttles for every workload because it is so small and has terrible thermal characteristics, then it is not usable. Please Apple give us a real computer, not a redesigned iPad without a screen.
Sounds like what you need is a Mac Studio, and not a Mini. There are absolutely use cases for micro computers, and just because yours doesn't seem to be one, doesn't me "we" don't need it.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
upthetoffees Avatar
12 months ago

We don't need small, we need usable.

If the new mini slides off the desk every time you try to plug in something then it is not usable. We need power. If the new mini throttles for every workload because it is so small and has terrible thermal characteristics, then it is not usable. Please Apple give us a real computer, not a redesigned iPad without a screen.
ugh, my thoughts exactly, imagine it's 'so gorgeously small and light' and moves around every time you plug something in or out. That would be absolutely terrible, would boil my piss that.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)