Hands On With Apple's New M4 Mac Mini

Apple launched the new Mac mini, iMac, and MacBook Pro models with M4 chips today, and because the ‌Mac mini‌ is the only one of the machines that got a design update, we thought we'd check it out to see how it compares to the prior version.


The 2024 version of the ‌Mac mini‌ is much smaller than the previous M2 model, so it takes up less space on a desktop. It's 5 by 5 inches, down from 7.75 by 7.75 inches, and you can really see a difference when they're side-by-side. There were rumors that the ‌Mac mini‌ could be as small as the Apple TV, but it's not that small.

It's impressive to have a powerful M4 computer in such a small enclosure, and with so many available ports. There are two ports on the front and three on the back, all USB-C or Thunderbolt. If you have USB-A accessories, you'll need an adapter. There's also an HDMI port, a 3.5mm headphone jack, an Ethernet port, and a port for the power cable.

You can get the ‌Mac mini‌ with an M4 or an M4 Pro chip, and the M4 version has three Thunderbolt 4 ports at the back while the M4 Pro version has three Thunderbolt 5 ports that support faster transfer speeds. The M4 and the M4 Pro offer notable speed improvements over the prior ‌M2‌ and ‌M2‌ Pro chips. We've got the full array of benchmarks in the video, but CPU performance is up to 55 percent faster in the M4 Pro compared to the ‌M2‌ Pro. GPU performance is up significantly, and even the SSD is faster.

Apple is also selling the M4 Macs with 16GB RAM at a minimum, which is a major upgrade over the previous 8GB starting RAM for the base model.

The ‌Mac mini‌ is priced starting at $599, but that's because it doesn't come with a display or peripherals. You'll need to supply your own. It's a solid machine for home or work, and because it's so small, you can take it from one place to another if you have two setups with displays and accessories.

There is one downside to the ‌Mac mini‌. If you often turn your Mac off and on, you might be annoyed to find that the power button is on the bottom of the device. To access it, you'll need to lift the ‌Mac mini‌ up a bit. That's no big deal if you don't turn your computer off regularly, but if you do, just note there's a little bit of an extra hassle to deal with.

Did you get a new M4 Mac mini, or do you plan to? Let us know in the comments below.

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

Popular Stories

iOS 18

Here Are Apple's Full Release Notes for iOS 18.2

Thursday December 5, 2024 11:48 am PST by
Apple seeded the release candidate version of iOS 18.2 today, which means it's going to see a public launch imminently. Release candidates represent the final version of new software that will be provided to the public should no last minute bugs be found, and Apple includes release notes with the RC launch. The iOS 18.2 release notes provide a look at all of the new features that are coming...
Apple AI Command Center Concept Mock 3

Apple Expected to Launch This All-New Device Next Year

Wednesday November 27, 2024 1:05 pm PST by
Apple is expected to kick off 2025 by launching an all-new smart home hub, also referred to as a "command center," as early as March. The hub is expected to feature around a six-inch display that can be attached to a tabletop base with a speaker, or mounted on a wall. The device is said to run a new "homeOS" operating system with a customizable widget-focused home screen, and it is expected...
New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18

20 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18.2

Friday December 6, 2024 4:42 am PST by
Apple is set to release iOS 18.2 in the second week of December, bringing the second round of Apple Intelligence features to iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models. This update brings several major advancements to Apple's AI integration, including completely new image generation tools and a range of Visual Intelligence-based enhancements. There are a handful of new non-AI related feature controls...
iPhone 14 Pro Display Two Times Brighter Feature

Every Display Upgrade Rumored for Apple's iPhone 17

Friday December 6, 2024 5:14 am PST by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 lineup may bring some of the most significant display improvements we've seen in recent years. While the iPhone 17 series isn't expected until late 2025, multiple rumors suggest Apple is working on substantial screen upgrades across its entire smartphone range. From enhanced refresh rates to advanced materials and improved power efficiency, these display...
iPhone 17 Slim Feature

iPhone 17 'Air' Expected to Be ~2mm Thinner Than iPhone 16 Pro

Friday December 6, 2024 4:07 pm PST by
In 2025, Apple is planning to debut a thinner version of the iPhone that will be sold alongside the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max. This iPhone 17 "Air" will be about two millimeters thinner than the current iPhone 16 Pro, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The iPhone 16 Pro is 8.25mm thick, so an iPhone 17 that is 2mm thinner would come in at around 6.25mm. At 6.25mm,...
airpods pro 2 gradient

AirPods Pro 3 Expected Next Year: Here's What We Know

Thursday November 28, 2024 3:30 am PST by
Despite being released over two years ago, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 continue to dominate the wireless earbud market. However, with the AirPods Pro 3 expected to launch sometime in 2025, anyone thinking of buying Apple's premium earbuds may be wondering if the next generation is worth holding out for. Apart from their audio and noise-canceling performance, which are generally regarded as...
Generic iOS 18

Apple Seeds Release Candidate Versions of iOS 18.2 and More With Genmoji, Image Playground and ChatGPT Integration

Thursday December 5, 2024 10:03 am PST by
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 updates to developers and public beta testers for testing purposes, two weeks after releasing the fourth betas. Alongside the release candidate versions of the iPhone, iPad, and Mac operating system updates, Apple has also seeded the watchOS 11.2, tvOS 18.2, and HomePod Software 18.2 RCs....
open ai logo

OpenAI Launches $200/Month ChatGPT Pro Plan

Thursday December 5, 2024 4:19 pm PST by
OpenAI today announced the launch of ChatGPT Pro, a $200 per month subscription service that provides unlimited access to OpenAI o1, the company's newest and most advanced large language model. The plan includes unlimited use of OpenAI o1, o1-mini, GPT-4o, and Advanced Voice, along with o1 pro mode, an o1 version that uses more compute to provide better answers to the hardest problems. In...

Top Rated Comments

WarmWinterHat Avatar
4 weeks ago
I have zero use for a mini, but I really, really want one!
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cjsuk Avatar
4 weeks ago
Got mine. So so so happy.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Deplorable Avatar
4 weeks ago

Don't be fooled, those from USB "3" ports on the front are the old 5.0 Gb/s variety. Not 10Gb/s like the 3.1 and 3.2 ones.
Wrong?

Attachment Image
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Chuckeee Avatar
4 weeks ago

So apparently the SSD is removable and upgradeable!
Well the SSD is removable and replaceable, it is not really more upgradable. It is a unique Apple design that allows the replacement of the SSD memory chips [with a unique Apple supplied replacement], not the entire SSD. To upgrade the SSD storage, you still need the skill and equipment to remove the surface mounted chips and to solder in new chips. Simialr to the SSD configuration found on the Mac Studio, allowing for repairs but not a simple means to increase SSD capacity.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Rayansb Avatar
4 weeks ago
Apple knocked it out of the park with this one. The base model is such a great deal. Weird power button placement but no biggie for my particular use, I never turn off the mini anyways.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Gary171 Avatar
4 weeks ago
Set up my new mini this afternoon with no issues migrating data from my 2019 MacBook Air. The only thing I don't like is the external speaker jack on the front of the machine. The install would look much cleaner if it was on the back so the speaker cable was hidden....
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)