For the first time since 2010, Apple has updated the design of the Mac mini and also provided it with new specifications. You can now choose between a Mac mini with M4 or M4 Pro chip. The previous generation used the M2 and M2-Pro chips.
In addition to the design and processor, a number of things have changed. We list all the differences between the two generations for you so that you get a good idea of the new Mac mini.
Differences Mac mini with M4 and M2 chip
In the list below you can see which options and capabilities have been updated or added in the Mac mini with M4 (Pro) chip compared to the previous generation with M2 (Pro) processor. Later in this article we discuss some issues in detail.
- Completely new design inspired by the Mac Studio
- Smaller dimensions
- Five USB-C ports, two of which are on the front
- M4 chip or M4 Pro chip
- Standard 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU
- Ray tracing with hardware acceleration
- Standard 16 GB central memory
- Thunderbolt 5 for M4 Pro mac mini
- Support for 3 external 6K displays
Compact design for Mac mini
The design of the previous generation Mac Mini had been around for several years. In fact, the last major changes took place in 2010. So it was time for a new design. Apple has updated the design of the mini and initially looks like a cross between an Apple TV and Mac Studio. This has made the Mac mini much more compact, but this has a disadvantage. For example, the power button is located at the bottom of the Mac.
With its small dimensions of 12.7 cm by 12.7 cm and 5 cm high, you can easily place the Mac on a desk and connect it to an external screen. For comparison: the Apple TV measures 9.3 cm by 9.3 cm and 3.1 cm high and the Mac Studio: 19.7 cm by 19.7 cm and 9.5 cm high.
Connections for Pros
Apple’s latest Mac Mini includes connections on both the front and back. On the front you will find two USB-C ports (USB 3 up to 10 Gb/s) and a mini-jack connection.
On the back there are three Thunderbolt 4 ports (USB 4 up to 40 Gb/s), HDMI port, Gigabit Ethernet port (configurable with 10 Gb Ethernet) and a point for the power cable. Are you ordering a Mac Mini with M4 Pro? Then you get three Thunderbolt 5 ports (up to 120 Gb/s) at the back.
Powerful performance
The Mac mini 2024 is of course equipped with an Apple Silicon processor and you can choose from an M4 or M4 Pro chip. These processors are designed using a 3nm manufacturing process and are also available on the mini for the first time.
The M4 chip contains a 10-core CPU with 4 performance cores and 6 efficiency cores. In addition, it uses a 10 core GPURay tracing with hardware acceleration and a 16-core Neural Engine, 120GB/s memory bandwidth and standard 16GB RAM.
The M4 Pro of course goes one step further with the stand 12-core CPU with 8 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores, 16 core GPURay tracing with hardware acceleration and a 16-core Neural Engine, 273GB/s memory bandwidth and standard 18GB RAM.
You can expand the mac Mini 2024 to the following maximum specifications:
- Apple M4 Pro chip
- up to 14-core CPU with 8 performance cores and 6 efficiency cores
- up to 20-core GPU
- 16-core Neural Engine
- 273 GB/s memory bandwidth
- Ray tracing with hardware acceleration
- up to 64 GB RAM
- up to 8 TB storage
Differences Mac mini with M4 and M2 chip
The biggest difference between the two generations is of course the design. The new design is compact and thanks to its small dimensions of 12.7 cm by 12.7 cm and 5 cm high, you can easily place the Mac on a desk and connect it to an external screen.
The Mac also improves in terms of performance, mainly due to the processors that are designed using a 3nm manufacturing process. The standard memory of 16 GB is a nice bonus and the specifications of the M4 and M4 Pro are slightly more powerful than the previous generation.
Is it worth upgrading? Maybe not if you have the M2 (Pro) Mac mini, but yes if you have an earlier generation.