New Mac mini M4 is smaller, faster, and starts at $599

Five by five! Apple has unveiled a dramatically redesigned Mac mini featuring M4 and M4 Pro chips, marking a dramatic leap forward in both performance and design at a lower cost.

The new model is now a compact 5 x 5 inches—under half its former size—while achieving significant performance improvements. Notably, it is Apple's first carbon-neutral Mac, marking a key milestone in the company's environmental efforts.

Design and thermal architecture

Apple claims that, despite the tiny size, it delivers up to 6x faster performance at one-twentieth the size of the best-selling PC desktop in its price range. This compact form factor is enabled by what Apple calls an "innovative thermal architecture" that guides air through different levels of the system, with all venting done through the foot of the device.

Base model specifications and performance

Starting at a surprisingly aggressive $599, the new base model challenges preconceptions about what constitutes an "entry-level" Mac in 2024.

The M4 configuration arrives with a 10-core CPU paired with a 10-core GPU and, perhaps most significantly, 16GB of unified memory as standard. 

This configuration creates what Apple positions as a versatile powerhouse, targeting a broad spectrum of users. While students might leverage its capabilities for coding projects and media creation, small business owners can rely on its enhanced performance for day-to-day operations. Creative professionals traditionally pushed toward higher-end machines, might find this base model surprisingly capable of handling their workflows.

Performance benchmarks

Compared to the M1 Mac mini:

• 1.7x faster spreadsheet calculations in Microsoft Excel
• 2x faster AI speech-to-text transcription in MacWhisper
• 4.9x faster panoramic image merging in Adobe Lightroom Classic

Compared to the Intel Core i7 Mac mini:

• 2.8x more audio plugins in Logic Pro
• 13.3x faster gaming performance in World of Warcraft: The War Within
• 33x faster image upscaling in Photomator

M4 Pro model

Apple's positioning of the M4 Pro variant, starting at $1399, shows an intent to continue pushing the high-end desktop market. While the base M4 covers everyday computing needs (with even the top end version featuring a 10-Core CPU, 10-Core GPU, 24GB Unified Memory and 512GB SSD Storage coming in at $999) , the Pro variant represents Apple's attempt to deliver workstation-class performance in the mini form factor.

The headline feature—what Apple boldly claims is "the world's fastest CPU core"—represents a significant advancement in Apple's custom silicon journey, particularly in handling professional workloads. The Pro variant seems specifically engineered to address the performance bottlenecks that traditionally pushed users toward larger, more expensive workstations.

Technical Specifications

• Up to 14 CPU cores (10 performance + 4 efficiency)
• Up to 20-core GPU with hardware ray tracing (2x more powerful than M4)
• Support for up to 64GB unified memory
• 273GB/s memory bandwidth (twice that of any AI PC chip)
• Neural Engine over 3x faster than M1
• Thunderbolt 5 connectivity with 120 Gb/s transfer speeds

Pro Performance Metrics

Compared to the Intel Core i7 Mac mini:

• 4x faster spreadsheet calculations in Microsoft Excel
• 9.4x faster scene-edit detection in Adobe Premiere Pro
• 20x faster AI speech-to-text transcription in MacWhisper
• 26x faster DNA sequencing in Oxford Nanopore MinKNOW

Compared to the M2 Pro Mac mini:

• 1.8x more audio effect plugins in Logic Pro
• 2x faster motion graphics rendering in Motion
• 2.9x faster 3D renders in Blender

Connectivity and ports

Apple's approach to connectivity with the new Mac mini represents a significant shift in design philosophy, finally addressing one of the most consistent user complaints about previous models - port accessibility. In what might be seen as a rare instance of Apple prioritizing function over form, the company has introduced front-facing ports for the first time in the Mac mini's history.

Front Ports

For the first time, Mac mini features front-facing ports for easier access:

• Two USB-C ports (USB 3)
• High-impedance headphone jack

Rear Ports

• Three Thunderbolt 4 ports (M4) or Thunderbolt 5 ports (M4 Pro)
• HDMI port
• Gigabit Ethernet (configurable to 10Gb)

The inclusion of Thunderbolt 5 on the Pro model offers 120 Gb/s transfer speeds, which could dramatically improve workflows involving large file transfers or external storage arrays. 

Display Support

• M4 model: Support for up to two 6K displays and one 5K display
• M4 Pro model: Support for up to three 6K displays at 60Hz (over 60 million pixels total)

Environmental impact

As Apple's first carbon-neutral Mac, this release marks a significant environmental milestone toward Apple 2030, the company's carbon neutrality goal. Key environmental features include:

• Over 50% recycled content overall
• 100% recycled aluminum enclosure
• 100% recycled gold plating in all Apple-designed printed circuit boards
• 100% recycled rare earth elements in all magnets
• 100% renewable electricity used in manufacturing
• Over 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions
• First-ever completely fiber-based packaging
• Carbon credits from nature-based projects for remaining emissions

Apple intelligence integration

We haven’t seen much from Apple Intelligence yet, given it only launched yesterday (unless you're in the EU), and even then only in US English. Still, the much-touted AI future for Apple is on clear display across its various models, with this desktop system being no exception. Time will tell if it can live up to the hype! 

Current features

• System-wide Writing Tools for rewriting, proofreading, and summarizing text
• Redesigned Siri with both spoken and typed request capabilities
• On-device processing for privacy protection
• Private Cloud Compute for server-based models

Coming in December

• Image Playground for creating original images
• Genmoji for custom emoji creation
• Enhanced Siri capabilities
• ChatGPT integration without account requirement
• Privacy protections, including IP address obscuring

macOS Sequoia Features

The latest iteration of Apple's desktop operating system brings several improvements to the Mac mini, focusing on ecosystem integration and productivity enhancements. 

Users can now wirelessly interact with their iPhone directly from their Mac mini, accessing apps and responding to notifications without reaching for their phone—a feature that could fundamentally change how users manage their daily workflow across devices.

The operating system includes:

• iPhone Mirroring for wireless interaction with iPhone apps and notifications
• Enhanced Safari with Highlights feature and redesigned Reader
• New Video Viewer for distraction-free watching
• Improved gaming features, including Personalized Spatial Audio
• New Passwords app for credential management
• Built-in video call backgrounds
• Enhanced window tiling capabilities

Gaming sees particular attention in this release, with Apple continuing its push into the gaming space through features like Personalized Spatial Audio and improvements to Game Mode. This comes alongside the announcement of high-profile gaming titles, including the upcoming Assassin's Creed Shadows, suggesting Apple is perhaps ready for a larger push into the gaming space after decades of seeming disinterest. 

Pricing and Availability

Base Models

• M4 model: Starting at $599 ($499 for education)
• M4 Pro model: Starting at $1,399 ($1,299 for education)

Accessories

• Magic Keyboard: $99
• Magic Keyboard with Touch ID: $149
• Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and Numeric Keypad: $179
• Magic Trackpad: $129
• Magic Mouse: $79
• Thunderbolt 5 Pro Cable: $69

Availability

• Pre-orders available today (October 29)
• In-store availability beginning November 8
• Available in 28 countries and regions

tl;dr

• New Mac mini announced featuring M4 and M4 Pro chips, starting at $599
• Size reduced by 50% to just 5 x 5 inches
• Up to 2.8x performance boost over Intel models
• First Mac mini with front-facing ports
• Base model includes 16GB RAM and can drive up to three displays
• M4 Pro model adds Thunderbolt 5 with 120 Gb/s transfer speeds
• Introduces Apple Intelligence with ChatGPT integration coming in December
• First carbon neutral Mac from Apple
• Pre-orders open today, shipping November 8