Why Won’t Do you want a new Mac Mini? While testing Apple’s redesigned desktop Mac over the past few days, I’ve been impressed by the power and potential packed into this very compact machine. The M4 Mac Mini starts at $599 and comes standard with 16GB of RAM, instantly becoming the most cost-effective product in Apple’s entire Mac lineup. It’s more than adequate for most computing tasks today, and if my M1 MacBook Air is anything to go by, the Mini won’t feel sluggish (or anything close to sluggish) for at least the next four or five years.
Apple offers me two very different Mac Mini units. The first review focuses on the standard M4 model, which includes a 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU and a default 16GB of memory. My machine had 512GB of storage, which brings the price to $799, but day-to-day performance should be the same as the base 256GB configuration. I also have a fully equipped M4 Pro model, which costs a whopping $2,199. For the money, I very much expect the M4 Pro Mini to be a strong product.
But most people won’t need to spend anywhere near that amount. The regular M4 version offers a lot on its own, and I’d recommend it to anyone who wants a reliable desktop Mac – especially if you’ve chosen a monitor and/or keyboard that you like.
As with the Mac Mini, Apple provides the computer; you bring your own monitor, keyboard, and mouse. Apple is more than happy to sell you its own Studio Display and peripherals, but with the Mini now able to run up to three displays simultaneously (two on the M2 model), you have plenty of creative room for a versatile desk setup. If you already have a complete work-from-home office, you can simply add the Mini to your existing office without having to rearrange everything.
The machine itself takes up almost no space. Measuring 5 inches wide, 5 inches deep, and 2 inches high, the 2024 Mac Mini has less than half the footprint of previous enclosures designed around Intel platforms. (Just look at How much unused space is there It’s not as small as the Apple TV 4K, but to me it’s the most compelling example of what Apple can achieve with hardware built specifically for its M-series chips. Another welcome change is that the new Mini puts some ports on the front, whereas its predecessor had me blindly plugging everything into the back — or flipping the whole thing over so I could actually see what I was doing. .
Now, you have a pair of 10Gbps USB-C ports (USB 3) and a headphone jack on the front. On the back are three Thunderbolt 4 (USB 4) ports, HDMI, and a Gigabit Ethernet jack that can be upgraded to 10 GB speeds. I do miss the SD card slot on a Mac Studio or MacBook Pro, but I’ve never been disappointed by the lack of USB-A. Everyone has a different accessory situation, so missing it might cause you more pain, but it’s easy to plug in the dongle if needed. The M4 Pro Mac Mini features a new, faster Thunderbolt 5 connection with theoretical data transfer speeds of up to 120Gb/s (three times faster than Thunderbolt 4). But this is primarily aimed at creative professionals and intensive film work. Despite the substantial reduction in size, the Mini still retains an internal power supply, so there’s no bulky brick to worry about.
Note that I haven’t mentioned the power button yet. That’s because Apple made the odd decision to move it to the bottom of the machine, near the rear left corner. Do I want the button to be somewhere else? certainly. Pressing it requires reaching over the Mini and lifting the device slightly. It was silly, but it didn’t have any real negative impact on my experience. If you have an Apple Magic Keyboard with Touch ID, you’ll be reminded of its awkward location during the setup process, as you have to double-click the power button to establish a secure connection between the fingerprint sensor and your Mac. Mini can be used in a variety of environments, including home theater systems and live event productions. I can see how the placement of the buttons could be an annoyance in some situations, but if you’re using it on a desk it’s more of a weird quirk than an annoyance. and There is always a solution.
Apple has improved the cooling system for the Mini, allowing the M4 model to operate quietly. Even when I’m deep into a Lightroom photo editing process, I can’t hear the fan. I’m sure the M4 Pro’s extra GPU cores will make RAW editing faster, but the regular M4 is more than adequate for most photo work. Elsewhere, the machine rarely missed a step no matter what I threw at it. I’m not a photographer, so I can’t tell whether serious editing work would expose the M4’s limitations. If there was ever a use case worth upgrading to the M4 Pro, it’s probably this.
Elsewhere, too, the M4 Mini just buzzes. As you can see in our benchmarks, it’s in line with the M4 iMac and MacBook Pro. I’ve barely tried any of the Apple Intelligence features in macOS Sequoia – I don’t think they’re particularly compelling – but I’ve become a big fan of iPhone mirroring and built-in window tiling, which made me finally say goodbye to Mumu. MacOS feels like it’s in a great place these days.
Because the Mini has become so attractive now, it’s easy to imagine all the hardware and software possibilities. Why not give people the chance to choose colors Just like iMac? As for the software, this thing looks more like an Apple TV than ever, so what if it also behaves like an Apple TV sometimes? Imagine a TV-optimized entertainment interface – yes, like the modern one front row – Will activate as long as the TV screen is connected via HDMI. The M4 is powerful enough for both macOS and tvOS-like experiences.
As I said before, if you’re not yet a part of the Mac side of the Apple ecosystem, the $599 Mini is the best value. Even the $799 configuration I tested (16GB of RAM and 512GB SSD) seemed reasonable. But once you get beyond RAM or storage, Apple’s pricing smacks of greed and inflating company profits. This is true across the entire product line, but it’s even more pronounced on machines that start at just $599. Upgrading to 1TB of storage and 32GB of RAM brings the price to $1,399. oops.
The Mini will be a stationary computer for most people, and the presence of three Thunderbolt ports means you can connect a fast external SSD without having to succumb to Apple’s ridiculous speeds. In view of this, other The $799 configuration, with 24GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, might be more worth it. Neither can be upgraded later, so it’s important to know the correct specifications when buying.
Whenever I see the new Mac Mini on my desk, I feel like it’s the ideal form factor for a Mini. The redesigned casing takes advantage of Apple Silicon’s small footprint, and with the Apple M4 chip and ample port options, the 2024 Mini should remain a flexible, reliable computer for years to come. It has never been stronger. Well, except for the much more expensive M4 Pro version. Stay tuned for more content soon.
Photography: Chris Welch/The Verge
Shot with Nikon Z6 III and 70-200mm f/2.8 lens.
