The brand new, extra compact, extra highly effective Mac Mini (2024) is nearly as good as we hoped it could be.
That is my first impression of this long-awaited redesign of one in every of Apple’s quirkiest and most utilitarian merchandise. The Mac Mini has lengthy been the lowest-priced and lowest-friction strategy to bounce into the Mac ecosystem.
Additionally: I replaced my M1 MacBook Pro with a base model M4 – and it blew my $3,000 system away
It is also been the Mac that I’ve seen used within the largest number of methods. A few of the most artistic makes use of past a normal desktop pc embrace:
- Zoom machine for convention rooms
- Node in a high-density server farm of Mac Minis (see distributors comparable to MacStadium)
- Powering digital signage on a large-screen TV
- Connection hub for podcasting
- Dwelling media server storing motion pictures and music
- Streaming TV field substitute with better management
These are just a few examples. There are a lot of, many different potentialities. That versatility is among the two issues I really like essentially the most in regards to the newest Mac Mini.
The second is its affordability. The truth that Apple has saved the bottom worth of the Mac Mini at $599 is terrific. What’s even higher is that Apple has made the bottom stage machine much more succesful. Along with the upgraded M4 processor, it now comes with 16GB of RAM (up from 8GB). There’s yet another USB-C port, the 2 USB-C ports and the headphone jack are actually within the entrance for simple entry, and the shape issue is the smallest we have ever seen for a Mac.
If we’re selecting nits, my huge three are:
- It seems like Apple put the ability button on the underside for no different purpose than to mock us.
- The bottom 256GB of storage does not make it very future-proof.
- There is no Wi-Fi 7 (solely Wi-Fi 6E).
Additionally: This Mac model is the computer most people should buy (and it’s not a MacBook or Mini)
The unit I have been testing is a $2,299 M4 Professional Mac Mini with a 14-core CPU, 20-core GPU, 48GB of RAM, 1TB of storage, and 10Gbps Ethernet. Essentially the most spectacular factor is that it seems like a mini Mac Studio.
Just like what I wrote in my 2023 Mac Studio review, you may be hard-pressed to seek out methods to decelerate this Mac Mini with out a few of the highest-end workloads.
The smaller type issue of the redesigned Mac Mini impresses us.
Adam Breeden/ZDNET
There are nonetheless issues that distinguish the Mac Studio from the brand new high-end Mac Mini — it has a built-in SD card slot, larger reminiscence bandwidth, helps as much as 5 exterior shows (vs. three), may be configured with as much as 3 times as a lot RAM, and has a lot stronger video encoding and decoding engines.
In the identical manner that the Mac Studio turned the machine that much more folks may purchase as an alternative of getting a Mac Professional, there are many eventualities the place a Mac Mini with an M4 Professional will be capable to avoid wasting cash if in case you have beforehand wanted to go for a Mac Studio.
ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation
The redesigned Mac Mini M4 is a good machine at a really engaging worth. If, nonetheless, you’ve a Mac Mini with an M1 or M2 and you are not experiencing any efficiency bottlenecks, then there’s not a lot purpose to improve. In case you’re changing an outdated Intel-based iMac, the Mac Mini might be a superb choice to get the newest MacOS software program and Apple Intelligence.
Additionally: 4 reasons why a maxed-out M4 Mac Mini can’t replace my Mac Studio
Whereas the new M4 iMacs are super flashy, avoid wasting cash or doubtlessly improve your Mac Mini configuration by pairing it with one of the great monitor options on the market as an alternative of getting a brand new iMac.
After all, there are a lot of different causes to run a Mac Mini. In case you’re contemplating shopping for a earlier era M2 Mac Mini for one of many artistic makes use of talked about above — since they’re getting discounted by 20% or extra — I might warning in opposition to it. You are getting much more with the brand new redesigned Mac Mini M4 in a greater type issue. It is a way more future-proofed machine that is more likely to be helpful for longer.
