The Apple Mac mini with the M4 SoC stands out because the star of Apple’s 2024 lineup. Regardless of being solely barely bigger than an Apple TV streaming participant and beginning at $599, it outperforms many high-end computer systems in benchmark assessments. Apple offered us with the M4 Professional mannequin, geared up with a formidable 48 GB of RAM and a 1 TB SSD. Priced at $2,199, is it well worth the funding? Let’s discover out!
Abstract
Purchase
Good
Very excessive efficiency degree
Small and compact
Fashionable connections
Low energy consumption
Unhealthy
Low price-to-performance ratio for the M4 Professional improve
Tough to improve
Energy button on the backside is annoying
No energy provide by way of USB C/Thunderbolt
Apple Mac Mini M4: All offers
Design & construct
The Mac Mini in 2024 is roughly half the scale of its predecessor, with the facet size of the sq. mini PC shrinking to simply 12.7 cm. This can be a report for computer systems working on MacOS, however taking a look on the Home windows vary brings us again right down to earth. It’s impractical for Apple to put the ability button on the underside of the case. The workmanship is extraordinarily prime quality, however sadly, the Mac Mini is just about unimaginable to improve.
Because the identify suggests, the Mac Mini is Apple’s smallest desktop PC. The mannequin with the M4 SoC shrank its footprint by roughly 50 % and is subsequently a small sq. with sides measuring 12.7 cm apiece with a top of 5 cm. This can be a new report within the Apple world, however mini PCs with Home windows working methods have lengthy been out there in equally small codecs. Curiously, the Mac Mini M4 seems similar to the Geekom A7 (overview), which I described in my overview as a miniature copy of the M2 Mac Mini (overview).
How does the Mac Mini carry out within the overview? Let’s discover out! © nextpit
The Mac Mini has turn into considerably extra highly effective! © nextpit
There are lastly connections in entrance however the energy button nonetheless stays hidden. © nextpit
This induced loads of pleasure: The facility swap is situated below the case! © nextpit
You must raise the Mac Mini a little bit to achieve the ability button however most individuals hardly ever flip off their Macs anyway. © nextpit
In our M4 Professional mannequin, you can see three Thunderbolt 5 ports on the again. © nextpit
Along with USB C, there’s additionally HDMI, an Ethernet port, and an influence connection on the again. © nextpit
The construct high quality is admittedly implausible. The Mac Mini is an attractive product. © nextpit
What Apple has finished this yr to draw much more consideration is the curious place of the ability button. It’s not situated behind the Mac Mini, however on the backside. Because the small fan tower beneath could be very flat, it’s a must to raise the Mac Mini to show it on. In on a regular basis life, that is neither humorous nor “quirky” — it’s inconvenient and motivates individuals much more to not shut down their Apple computer systems. Since no person does this anyway, it would not actually trouble them in on a regular basis life, proper?
Mac Mini connections in contrast
Mac Mini M4 (2024)
Mac Mini M4 Professional
Mac Mini M3 (2024)
Entrance panel
2 x USB Kind-C / USB 3 (max. 10 Gbit/s)
1 x 3.5 mm jack (In / Out mixed)
2 x USB Kind-C / USB 3 (max. 10 Gbit/s)
1 x 3.5 mm jack (In / Out mixed)
–
Rear panel
3 x USB Kind-C / Thunderbolt 4 / USB 4
Ethernet (10 Gbit non-compulsory)
HDMI
3 x USB Kind-C / Thunderbolt 5 / USB 4
Ethernet (10 Gbit non-compulsory)
HDMI
2 x Thunderbolt 4 (M2
4 x Thunderbolt 4 (M2 Professional)
2 x USB sort A
Ethernet (non-compulsory)
HDMI
Wi-fi
WLAN 6E
Bluetooth 5.3
WLAN 6E
Bluetooth 5.3
WLAN 6E
Bluetooth 5.3
Apple made the number of connections a little bit extra handy to entry in 2024. That is primarily because of the two USB-C ports and the headphone jack in entrance. If you wish to join exterior audio system to the Mac Mini and do not need to spoil the attractive entrance aesthetics, you will need to resort to an adapter. Or, within the Apple cosmos, depend on the gorgeous good audio system within the Apple Studio Show (overview).
When you do not thoughts paying a little bit further for the M4 Professional, Thunderbolt 5 is on the market in each the Mac Mini and the MacBook Professional, providing a very highly effective normal for knowledge switch. At speeds of as much as 120 Gbit/s, the bandwidth for video transfers is 3 times increased than Thunderbolt 4. Thunderbolt can switch different knowledge at speeds of as much as 80 Gbit/s.
Preliminary on-line benchmarks present that storage media with Thunderbolt 5 might be sooner than the inner SSD—spectacular! There are additional benefits if you wish to function the Mac Mini on 8K shows. Nonetheless, as we discovered later with the ability provide, Apple doesn’t understand the total potential of Thunderbolt 5.
Theoretically, eGPUs may be related to the small Mac by way of Thunderbolt 5 to additional enhance the graphics efficiency. Sadly, that is principally the one sensible option to improve the mini PC after buy. The RAM is completely soldered and, in keeping with the restore guide, Apple depends on a proprietary NAND flash resolution for the SSD. It’s subsequently attainable in precept to improve the mass storage—however the required spare components have to be bought straight from Apple. There’ll probably be no value benefit.
To complete off the design and workmanship: Apple doesn’t supply safety in opposition to splash water and mud. What’s attention-grabbing, nevertheless, is that the Mac Mini is the primary CO2-neutral Mac in keeping with the producer. It’s produced from 50% recycled supplies and 100% electrical energy from renewable power sources. Delivery can be mentioned to be 50% CO2-neutral, and the ensuing emissions are offset by “high-quality CO2 reduction projects”.
Software program: Apple Intelligence-Prepared
The Mac Mini is delivered with MacOS 15.1 Sequoia proper out of the field. The working system as soon as once more provides a very good mixture of performance, user-friendliness, and an attractive system interface. Apple can be closely selling the Mac Mini with its new Apple Intelligence compatibility. As the corporate’s personal AI assistant continues to be a very long time in arriving, that is all that is still for now. Too unhealthy!
Efficiency & configuration
Within the $599 base configuration, the Mac Mini provides the brand new M4 SoC with 10 cores every within the CPU and GPU, 16 GB shared reminiscence, and 256 GB of inside reminiscence. For this overview, nevertheless, Apple offered us with a extra highly effective model with the M4 Professional SoC, 48 GB shared reminiscence, 1 TB SSD storage, and extra processing cores within the graphics unit. As we had been additionally in a position to overview a MacBook Professional within the base configuration concurrently, the benchmark outcomes of a number of configurations might be discovered under.
Not like earlier years, Apple needed to make a little bit extra effort in 2024 when it got here to the efficiency of its SoCs. It’s because Qualcomm confirmed how the Snapdragon X Elite might meet up with Cupertino when it comes to expertise final yr. If you wish to discover out extra in regards to the X-Elite SoCs, Rubens has already ready an outline for you. I’ve additionally included his benchmark outcomes from the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge 16 on this overview as properly.
Again to the M4 and the M4 Professional. Apple makes use of a 10-core CPU with 4 efficiency cores and 6 effectivity cores in addition to a 10-core GPU as normal within the M4. Those that go for the Professional mannequin will obtain an improve to 12 cores within the CPU and 16 cores within the GPU. The M4 Professional works with eight efficiency cores and 4 effectivity cores. For a further $200, you’ll be able to improve to a 14-core CPU and a 20-core GPU, and that is precisely what Apple offered us for this overview.
This implies we will discern from the benchmark outcomes how the Mac Mini performs within the approximate most configuration. Sadly, the improve to the M4 Max is at present reserved for the MacBook Professional mannequin. Apple will most likely introduce a brand new Mac Studio quickly, which is able to then work with essentially the most highly effective processors.
The one factor that may very well be improved on the Mac Mini is the shared RAM. Now we have 48 GB configured right here and never 64 GB. Throughout the overview length, we additionally reviewed a MacBook Professional with M4 and 16 GB shared reminiscence. Primarily based on these outcomes, you’ll be able to roughly guess how a lot decrease the efficiency of the Mac Mini is in its normal configuration.
Benchmark desk
take a look at
Mac Mini M4 Professional
MacBook Professional M4
iMac M4
Geekom A7
Samsung Galaxy E book 4 Edge (SD X Elite)
MacBook Air M3
MacBook Professional M3 Professional
MacBook Professional M3 Max
Geekbench 6 CPU (Single / Multi)
3,963 / 22,578
3,829 / 14,936
3,845 / 14,551
2,664 / 13,658
2,630 / 13,314
3,153 / 12,033
3,130 / 14,243
3,092 / 19,315
Geekbench 6 GPU
69,643
38,134
35,697
33,099
–
30,457
43,050
76,507
Cinebench R32
9,217
3,870
4,370
–
–
3,314 factors
5,426 factors
19,671 factors
3D Mark Nomad Mild
7,492
3,946
3,549
–
–
–
–
AS SSD Benchmark 2.0 studying
5,211 Mb/s
2,924 Mb/s
2,990 Mb/s
3,719 Mb/s
–
3,050 Mb/s
5,000 Mb/s
5,600 Mb/s
AS SSD Benchmark 2.0 write
6,366 Mb/s
2,962 Mb/s
3,268 Mb/s
2,588 Mb/s
–
3,400 Mb/s
5,600 Mb/s
7,500 Mb/s
Within the Mac Mini, the M4 Professional as soon as once more provides a big leap in efficiency in comparison with final yr’s mannequin. Keep in mind Apple skipped a technology with the Mac Mini. Principally, it’s positively value upgrading from the M2 mannequin. For extra demanding duties, the Mac Mini behaves extra like a smaller model of the Mac Studio albeit with fewer ports.
It’s significantly spectacular how quiet the Mac Mini stays. For my overview, I performed the online game “Resident Evil: Village” on the best graphics settings. It delivered a clean gaming efficiency in 4K decision, throughout which the small PC needed to flip the followers as much as full velocity. It sounded roughly like a pocket book fan, so when you work in full silence, you’ll hear a low noise. Nonetheless, the noise is on no account annoying. I additionally did not discover any main warmth growth. The Mac Mini merely obtained heat.
I used to be significantly shocked by the video enhancing efficiency within the overview. Utilizing Davinci Resolve Studio, I used to be in a position to edit 4K video materials in 10-bit shade depth at full timeline decision with out creating proxy recordsdata. Not like on my MacBook Professional with M3 Professional and 24 GB RAM, there have been no stutters when taking part in again the preview or throughout different steps within the video enhancing course of. Rendering the roughly 8-minute video took 3.5 minutes. The MacBook Professional wanted simply over 4 minutes for a equally lengthy video. In distinction to gaming, the sound of followers had been absent right here.
By the way, Apple nonetheless depends on an NPU with 16 cores for the execution of ML and AI processes. As Apple’s personal AI has not but been launched exterior the US, so these residing in different areas are unable to determine its efficiency when working AI functions.
Energy provide and energy consumption
What’s spectacular contemplating the scale of the housing: The Mac Mini has an built-in energy provide unit in the case and is subsequently related to the ability provide with an IEC plug. It’s annoying that Apple doesn’t allow energy provide by way of Thunderbolt. Energy consumption is extraordinarily low normally due to the environment friendly SoC.
In my mini PC evaluations, I all the time level out the low-power consumption in comparison with standard desktop computer systems. After all, this purpose to purchase additionally applies to the Mac Mini, which needs to be significantly economical due to the environment friendly M4 SoC. Apple specified a most steady energy consumption of 155 W. In our overview utilizing an influence meter, it by no means exceeded 65 W on the highest attainable load. In desktop mode, nevertheless, it was solely 8 W, whereas energy consumption in idle mode was not measurable.
iMac 2024 energy consumption
Job / Situation
iMac M4 2024
Mac Mini M4 Professional with Studio Show
Sleep mode
0 W / not measurable
0 W / not measurable
Minimal brightness idle
13.6 W
17.4 W + 8 W = 25.4 W
Most idle brightness
45 W
58 W + 8 W = 66 W
Minimal brightness full load
41.5 W
17.4 W + 63 W = 80.4 W
Most brightness full load
70 W
58 W + 63 W = 121 W
I additionally examined the brand new iMac with M4 in the course of the overview length and have subsequently populated all energy consumption in a desk for you. Straight above this paragraph is the place the iMac with M4 SoC and the Mac Mini are noticed along with the Studio Show.
Sadly, the Mac Mini can’t be powered by way of USB-C, even when there was ample energy routed. / © nextpit
One level of criticism that I saved noticing, even with mini PCs working on Home windows, is how USB-C can present the required energy provide, however there’s nonetheless no energy supply by way of that route. This could assist you to arrange a good “cleaner” desktop configuration and unencumber an influence socket alongside the best way.
Technical specs
Technical specs
Machine
Apple Mac Mini 2024
Picture
SoC
Apple Silicon M4 Professional
14-core CPU
20-core GPU
26-core NPU
273 Gb/s reminiscence bandwidth
Shared reminiscence
Dimensions & weight
12.7 x 12.7 x 5 cm | 0.73 kg
Connectors
Entrance:
2 x USB-C Kind-C / USB 3 (max. 10 Gbit/s)
1 x 3.5 mm jack (In / Out mixed)
Rear
3 x USB Kind-C / Thunderbolt 5 / USB 4
Ethernet (10 Gbit non-compulsory)
HDMI
Wi-fi
RRP
Ought to You Purchase the Apple Mac mini?
With the brand new Mac mini, Apple including one other feather to its crown, trending from the previous few years of its gross sales technique. With an asking worth of $599, the Mac mini with M4 is an extremely compelling deal. That is primarily because of the efficiency of the brand new Silicon SoC, the low-power consumption, and trendy connectivity choices.
There are hardly any PCs or notebooks that supply extra efficiency at this worth level. Nonetheless, each 16 GB RAM and 256 GB inside reminiscence will not be ample in 2024, to not point out when Apple Intelligence is on the market at extra geographical areas in time to return.
Principally, the Mac mini with M4 Professional, 48 GB RAM, and 1 TB SSD that Apple despatched us for this overview proved spectacular in on a regular basis use. It mastered demanding duties effortlessly and consumed barely greater than 60 W of energy even below a full load. It’s enticing to take a look at, can theoretically be taken anyplace, and might even be described as future-proof, as Apple put in two Thunderbolt 5 slots behind.
With a $2,199 price ticket, the configuration we reviewed is on no account a very good deal. Home windows-powered computer systems with considerably extra efficiency can be found at this worth, which will also be upgraded as they become old.
Whereas Apple’s MacBooks, which may simply attain related worth ranges with upgrades, supply the benefit of having the ability to edit movies or do 3D rendering on the go, however this isn’t the case with the Mac mini. Identical to a high-quality show, even a mouse and keyboard need to be bought individually for the Mac mini.
I can subsequently hardly advocate the “upgraded” Mac mini for high-performance customers, however if you’re in search of an reasonably priced desktop laptop, the $599 mannequin may very well be a viable possibility.
The place to Purchase the Apple Mac mini
The Mac Mini impressed us with its power effectivity, compact design, and plentiful connectivity choices.
Affiliate supply
Nonetheless, with its strongest chipset, 48 GB of RAM, and 1 TB of SSD storage, this price-to-performance marvel rapidly turns right into a expensive funding. For many customers, the bottom mannequin is a greater worth and is on the market on Amazon or by the Apple Retailer beginning at $1,399.
Apple Mac Mini M4
To machine database
