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The new M4 Mac Mini
The conversation discusses the top 10 reasons to upgrade to the new M4 Mac Mini. Key points include the Mac Mini now starting with 16GB of RAM for $599, a significant increase from 8GB. It features Thunderbolt 5 ports on the M4 Pro version, offering faster data transfer speeds. The redesigned Mac Mini is smaller and lighter, weighing 1.5 pounds. The M4 chip provides faster performance than the M2, with the M4 Pro offering up to 14 cores. The Mac Mini supports up to five USB-C ports and up to 64GB of RAM on the M4 Pro. The base model is recommended with 512GB storage, and the top M4 Pro model with 24GB RAM and 1TB SSD is highlighted for its value.
Should you upgrade to the new M4 Mac Mini? And if so, which model should you buy? Well, let me tell you—I am completely mind-blown by this redesigned Mac Mini! I had high expectations based on the leaks, but Apple surpassed them in every way. Let’s go through the top 10 reasons to upgrade to the redesigned M4 Mac Mini, starting with reason number one.
Upgrade 1
The M4 Mac Mini now starts with 16GB of RAM. Yes, finally! No more 8GB, which, let’s be honest, is outdated in 2024. You now get 16GB, which is plenty for multitasking, Chrome tabs, productivity—whatever you need. Even better, it’s still priced at $599 for the 16GB model. I fully expected Apple to raise the price by $100, considering the incredible value, and they easily could have justified it. But no—the same price for 16GB, making this the best-value PC of all time, especially with MacOS, resale value, and performance. This is the PC you recommend to anyone—family, friends, even your grandma.
Upgrade 2
Thunderbolt 5 ports on the M4 Pro version! This wasn’t even mentioned in the leaks, so it was a huge surprise. Thunderbolt 5 offers up to 120 Gbps, compared to 40 Gbps with Thunderbolt 4—a massive upgrade. Even the base M4 chip has three Thunderbolt 4 ports, and the M4 Pro gets three Thunderbolt 5 ports, making it incredibly future-proof for new accessories over the next decade.
Upgrade 3
The redesign itself. This Mac Mini is incredibly compact and truly “mini.” It’s super portable at just 1.5 pounds for the M4 model, down from 2.6 pounds on the M2. Moving it between locations, like home and office, is as easy as tossing it in your bag. The power button is now on the bottom, and the headphone jack is on the front due to space constraints, which is both funny and awesome.
Upgrade 4
The M4 chip’s performance, which significantly outpaces the M2. Early benchmarks suggest it’s over 46.3% faster in single-core performance and up to 56% faster in multi-core. It even beats the 12-core M2 Pro Mac Mini, which cost $1,600, while the M4 is just $600.
Upgrade 5
The M4 Pro chip surpasses expectations. It boasts 14 cores with 10 performance cores and four efficiency cores, giving it a significant speed boost. This setup actually outperforms the 16-core M3 Max in multi-core performance. We will give you full details about M4 Pro in another article.
Upgrade 6
Up to five USB-C ports! Apple removed USB-A entirely, making this Mac Mini far more convenient for modern setups.
Upgrade 7
The M4 Pro now starts with 24GB of RAM (up from 18GB). This is ideal for multitasking and intensive applications. Although Apple did raise the price by $100, the extra RAM and redesign justify it.
Upgrade 8
Faster neural engine performance for on-device AI tasks, reducing the need to send data to Apple’s cloud server.
Upgrade 9
Support for up to three displays on the base model and three 6K Pro Display XDRs on the M4 Pro, which is impressive given the Mini’s size.
Upgrade 10
Up to 64GB of RAM on the M4 Pro, making it a great alternative to the Mac Studio for those who want more RAM without breaking the bank.
In conclusion: yes, you should absolutely consider upgrading to the new M4 Mac Mini, even if you have an M2 model. Its redesign alone is worth it, not to mention all the feature and performance upgrades. As for which model to buy, I recommend two configurations: the $800 model with 512GB of storage for general use and the $1,800 M4 Pro model with the full 14-core CPU, 24GB of RAM, and 1TB SSD for future-proofing and heavy tasks.