Apple Eager to Reduce Mac Mini's Size Further: Justification Unveiled
Getting into the details of mini PCs, especially the ones from Apple, is an exciting endeavor. The term "mini" is pretty self-explanatory, and Apple's take on it is no exception. The $600 M2 Mac Mini is already a testament to performance in a compact package, but there's rumor mill chatter about Apple revamping this petite powerhouse with AI-centric M4 chips.
According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, various Apple devices are slated to receive the M4 upgrade this year. The Mac Mini, iMac, and MacBook Pro are getting a refresh with the M4 chip, followed by a spring 2025 release of MacBook Air with the same chip. In hot pursuit, Apple is reportedly unveiling an M4 Mac Pro and a Mac Studio just a few months later.
The size of the Mac Mini has remained relatively unchanged since Steve Jobs' era, topping out at 7.75 inches squared and a height of 3 stacks of Post-it notes. However, the new Mac Mini is poised to shrink even further, approaching the size of an Apple TV box.
Besides its diminutive size, the Mac Mini's ports have been an area for improvement. The revamped version might come with three USB-C ports, a power connector, and an HDMI port to cater to modern connectivity needs.
Apple is venturing deep into the AI hype train with the M4 release. While earlier M-series chips boasted neural processing capabilities, the M4 boosts its power to 38 TOPS. This is still slightly less than the ARM-based Qualcomm chips powering Copilot+ PCs, but Apple has plans to roll out an M4 Pro version of the Mac Mini in October 2025.
The new chips should bring a significant boost to the Mac Mini's performance, but the extent of the upgrade will only become clear once the M4-powered Mac comes with MacOS. Keeping tabs on Apple's mini PC endeavors is an exciting journey, and we can't wait to see where it leads us.
The upcoming M4-powered devices from Apple, including the Mac Mini, are expected to revitalize their performance in the tech industry. The miniaturized M4 Mac Mini, presumably released in 2025, could probably challenge the size of an Apple TV box. The integration of M4 chips in Apple's technology, like the Mac Mini, promises to enhance AI capabilities, with the M4 Pro version offering 38 teraops.
