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The last quarter of 2024 is shaping up to be another big product season for Apple. Along with the release of the iPhone 16 series, the Cupertino-based company is reportedly working on refreshing its entire Mac lineup – among them, a new Mac mini.
The Mac mini is expected to be one of the first Apple Macs to get a refresh, as fresh rumors hint the device will have its first design change in many years and become the smallest Mac Apple has ever made.
Components unit shipments for the Mac mini 2024 are rumored to start this August for a potential release later in the year, boosted by the new M4 chips similar to the one featured in the iPad Pro.
Here is our coverage of everything you need to know about the new Mac mini, from the expected release date to specs and pricing.
What is the Mac Mini?
The Mac mini is a compact, versatile desktop computer designed and marketed by Apple Inc. Originally released in 2005, it is among the four desktops — iMac, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro — currently in Apple’s Mac lineup.
Since its original launch 19 years ago, the Mac mini has undergone several upgrades, from the PowerPC G4 CPU to the current Apple M-series processors.
The device has had gentle form factor changes, including a thinner unibody redesign, and was once positioned as a home theater device and an alternative to the Apple TV.
Is a New Mac Mini Coming Out?
According to Bloomberg’s Apple insider, Mark Gurman, Apple is planning a new version of the Mac mini, which will be its smallest desktop computer yet. Gurman hints that the move is part of Apple’s broader plan to move all the Mac desktops to the recently introduced AI-focused M4 chipsets. Apple is reportedly skipping the M3 chips to equip the new Mac mini straight from the M2 to the M4 and M4 Pro chips.
Apple already introduced this M4 processor in the iPad Pro in May, and it’s rumored that the iPhone maker could market the processor as the fastest Neural Engine ever, offering 50 per cent faster CPU performance and up to 4x faster-rendering performance than the M2 chip.
Gurman also hinted that the new Mac mini may have two versions, with one expected to be powered by the base M4 chipset, while the other is tipped to run on M4 Pro — but this is not official yet.
M4 Mac Mini Release Date
Expected Release Date: November 2024
The Mac mini is expected to be released before the end of 2024, with production apparently underway in the factories.
The date comes from Bloomberg’s Gurman, who in his August 2024 Newsletter, said the release is coming before the end of the year. While no specific date was mentioned, we guess the new Mac mini will likely be released in November this year, following the same timeframe as the M1 Mac mini, which was rolled out in November 2020.
A launch in early 2025 is also possible, as the last Mac mini update was in January 2023.
M4 Mac Mini Features and Design
Tiny Design, 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, Faster Neural Engine, Three USB-C Ports
The new Mac mini is expected to feature Apple’s new M4 processor, which is likely to offer even more power and efficiency than the M2 and M2 Pro chips.
Apple is purportedly preparing for two versions of the Mac mini, and Bloomberg’s Gurman tipped the first model to use the base configuration of the M4 chip, similar to the component inside of the iPad Pro.
The chips have a 10-core GPU and 10-core CPU combined with a 16-core Neural Engine. Apple has marketed the CPU to be 50% faster than the M2, and the neural engine can handle up to 38 trillion operations per second, making it the fastest chip for artificial intelligence workloads on the desktop or PC market today.
According to Gurman, the Mac mini M4 is also rumored to be thinner than the current edition and so compact that it’ll be “approaching the size of an Apple TV set-top box.”
Gurman went on to call time out on USB-A ports on September 1, 2024 — with five USB-C ports bringing a sleek design to the Mac mini.
Apple’s smaller M4 Mac mini will have 5 USB-C ports (3 on the back and 2 on the front), an internal power brick, HDMI, Ethernet, but lose USB-A. Units are about to start shipping from overseas suppliers. https://t.co/J6tXjn2Tjx
— Mark Gurman (@markgurman) September 1, 2024
He reiterated that despite the smaller overall design, the new Mac mini may be taller than the current version and will still feature an aluminum chassis.
| Features/Specs | M2 Mac mini (January 2023) | M4 Mac mini (Rumored) |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | 8-core CPU | 10-core CPU |
| GPU | 10-core GPU | 10-core GPU |
| Neural Engine | 16-core Neural Engine | 16-core Neural Engine |
| Height | 1.41 inches height | Expected to be taller than 1 41 inches |
| USB Ports | Two USB-A ports | Rumored to come with three USB-C ports |
| Memory/Storage | 8GB unified memory, 256GB SSD for the base model | Base model will likely have 8GB unified memory, 256GB SSD |
| Operating System (OS) | macOS Ventura 13.2 | Likely going to be macOS 15 Sequoia |
| Base Price | $599 | May start at $599 or less |
Will AI Be Included in the New Mac Mini?
Artificial Intelligence is arguably the main focal point of the M4 chip. MacOS 15 Sequoia, which is expected to feature in the Mac mini M4, will bring more AI capabilities to the updated Mac.
Siri on macOS will also get a big AI boost, with richer language understanding and personal context awareness, which will, in turn, shore up the power of the Mac mini M4.
The M4 chip also has a fast Neural Engine— an IP block dedicated to accelerating AI workloads. So, expect the upcoming M4 Mac mini to be a powerful AI device for many functions, including creativity and productivity.
Who is the Market for a New Mac Mini?
The new Mac mini will likely be for consumers who want to hook up a computer to their TV and also for people who have a laptop at home but want to do desktop work.
So, the new Mac mini will also allow you to complete the same amount of work you would do on a desktop, such as web browsing, photo editing, video editing, etc.
M4 Mac Mini Price
Estimated Launch Price: $599
While the new M4 Mac mini might be cheaper to make, according to some sources, it’s unclear if Apple will pass along any savings to the consumer.
The current edition starts at $599. Since the demand for Macs has gone down in recent times compared to the pandemic era, when consumers were racing to set up their home offices, the $599 price point is likely to be maintained. So, we expect the new Mac mini launch price to start at $599.
The Bottom Line
Apple’s plans for its entire Mac devices will surely bring more excitement and, most importantly, some AI upgrades to the lineup.
The Mac mini is expected to receive its first design change since 2010, making it more compact, though it might be slightly taller than the current edition.
The new Mac mini is tipped to basically be an iPad Pro in a small box — an approach that takes advantage of the lower power requirements of Apple’s in-house silicon.
We expect the M4 chip in the new Mac mini to boost more AI capabilities including faster processing power and many other AI-focused functions.
The Mac mini’s launch date is expected around the end of 2024 or early 2025, but we will have to wait for any comments or announcements from Apple during the iPhone 16 series launch expected this Fall.
