Apple gave the Mac mini a long-overdue redesign Tuesday, making the pint-size desktop computer smaller than ever. The M4 chip and the new M4 Pro processor also bring a massive bump in performance. And perhaps surprisingly, the new Mac mini packs almost all the ports you can ask for.
Given these improvements, should you upgrade to the M4 Mac mini from the M2 or even the M1 Mac mini? Find out in this comparison.
M4 vs. M2 vs. M1 Mac mini comparison
The Mac mini is a great home PC, especially if there’s a lack of space on your desk. With the 2023 refresh, Apple configured the Mac mini with an M2 Pro chip to handle more demanding workloads. Despite these upgrades and plenty of free internal space, the Mac mini stuck to the same 2010 design. With the 2024 refresh, Apple is making one of its most value-oriented desktop Macs even better.
But what if you already own the M1 or M2 Mac mini? Should you upgrade to the new Mac mini for its sleek new design alone? Read our comparison to know.
Table of contents: M4 vs. M2 vs. M1 Mac mini comparison
- Design: Mac mini becomes mini-er
- Specs: M4 Mac mini is faster and comes with more memory
- Connectivity and ports: M4 Mac mini goes all in on USB-C
- Price: Amazing value for money
- Conclusion
Design: Mac mini becomes mini-er
Photo: Apple
- M4 Mac mini: 2 inches x 5 inches x 5 inches, 1.47 pounds (M4) / 1.6 pounds (M4 Pro)
- M2 Mac mini: 1.41 inches x 7.75 inches x 7.75 inches, 2.6 pounds (M2) / 2.82 pounds (M2 Pro)
- M1 Mac mini: 1.4 inches x 7.7 inches x 7.7 inches, 2.64 pounds (M2)
The 2024 Mac mini measures just 5 inches square, making it considerably smaller than the M1 and M2 Mac mini. It is the machine’s first major redesign in 14 years. To put that in perspective, the last Mac mini redesign arrived in 2010 during the Steve Jobs era. The new design resembles the Mac Studio, albeit with a more compact form factor.
The M2 and M1 Mac minis were already known for their compact form factor. However, the new model takes things up a notch. Apple says the new Mac mini “is up to 6x faster at one-twentieth the size” compared to the best-selling desktop PC in the same price range.
New thermal architecture and a wide array of ports
Apple’s M4 chip and a new thermal architecture make the Mac mini’s slimmer design possible. The latter “guides air to different levels of the system, while all venting is done through the foot.”
Unlike previous Mac minis, the new model features two USB-C ports on the computer’s front face for easy access. The headphone jack now sits at the front, too, which could prove annoying if you prefer to use wired speakers rather than headphones with your Mac. The only odd bit about the new Mac mini is the power button’s location. Apple placed it on the bottom of the computer, on the back left side. This can make accessing it difficult, especially if you plan to keep the Mac mini in a difficult-to-reach area.
Another small but nice change on the M4 Mac mini is that it ships with a braided power cord.
Specs: M4 Mac mini is faster and comes with more memory
Image: Apple
- M4 Mac mini: M4 or M4 Pro chip with up to 14-core CPU and 20-core GPU; up to 8TB storage; 16GB base memory, configurable up to 24GB (M4) or 64GB unified memory (M4 Pro); support for three external displays
- M2 Mac mini: M2 or M2 Pro chip with up to 12-core GPU and 19-core GPU; up to 8TB storage; 8GB base memory, configurable up to 16GB (M2) or 32GB unified memory (M2 Pro); support for up to two (M2) or three (M2 Pro) external displays
- M1 Mac mini: M1 chip with 8-core CPU and 8-core GPU; up to 2TB storage; 8GB base memory, configurable up to 16GB; support for one 6K and one 4K display
The newest Mac mini uses Apple’s latest M4 chip. Fabricated on TSMC’s cutting-edge 3nm node, it features the “world’s fastest CPU core,” according to Apple. Plus, while the M2 Mac mini featured an 8-core CPU, the M4 model ships with a 10-core CPU featuring two additional efficiency cores. The memory bandwidth is also 20% higher, enabling smoother system performance.
The performance leap proves even bigger when you compare the M4 Mac mini to the M1 model:
- Performs spreadsheet calculations up to 1.7x faster in Microsoft Excel.
- Transcribes with on-device AI speech-to-text up to 2x faster in MacWhisper.
- Merges panoramic images up to 4.9x faster in Adobe Lightroom Classic.
That’s not it, though. You should see faster performance across all everyday tasks, like browsing the web, opening apps and editing pictures, Apple says.
M4 Pro chip offers even bigger performance boost
If you need even more power, you can configure the new Mac mini with an M4 Pro chip to handle more demanding workloads. This SoC features a 14-core CPU and a 20-core GPU to deliver unmatched performance in such a tiny package. That’s two extra performance CPU cores over the M2 Pro Mac mini and an additional GPU core. The memory bandwidth also gets a big boost to 273GB/s, up from 200GB/s.
Apple claims some big performance improvements with the M4 Pro Mac mini over its M2 Pro predecessor:
- Applies up to 1.8x more audio effect plugins in a Logic Pro project.
- Renders motion graphics to RAM up to 2x faster in Motion.
- Completes 3D renders up to 2.9x faster in Blender.
Ray-tracing and faster Neural Engine come to Mac mini
The new GPU on the M4 chip brings hardware-supported ray-tracing to the Mac mini for the first time. This should allow for higher-quality graphics in games, along with better lighting effects.
The M4 chip’s faster Neural Engine will allow the new Mac mini to process machine learning and AI tasks significantly faster, including a 3x performance boost for Apple Intelligence, the suite of AI features slowly rolling out to Apple’s machines. The more powerful processor also likely future-proofs the desktop machine so it can support as-yet-unannounced AI features. Additionally, the upgraded GPU allows the M4 Mac mini to drive up to three external displays simultaneously.
Apart from the faster CPU and GPU, the M4 Mac mini stands out for shipping with 16GB of unified memory as standard — twice that of the M1 and M2 Mac mini. The M4 Pro model delivers even more, with 24GB unified memory as standard. Plus, you can configure the new Mac mini with up to 24GB (M4) or 64GB (M4 Pro) of RAM, notably higher than its predecessors.
Connectivity and ports: M4 Mac mini goes all-in on USB-C
Photo: Apple
- M4 Mac mini: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, Gigabit or 10Gb Ethernet, five USB-C ports, three Thunderbolt 4 ports (M4) or three Thunderbolt 5 ports (M4 Pro), two USB-C ports, HDMI port, high-impedance headphone jack
- M2 Mac mini: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, Gigabit or 10Gb Ethernet, two Thunderbolt 4 ports (M2) or four Thunderbolt 4 ports (M2 Pro), two USB-A ports, HDMI port, high-impedance headphone jack
- M1 Mac mini: Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, Gigabit Ethernet, two Thunderbolt 4 ports, two USB-A ports, HDMI port, headphone jack
The M4 Mac mini stands out with its generous port selection. The new Mac mini packs five USB-C ports, two on the front and three on the rear. Even better, on the M4 Pro Mac mini, the three on the back are Thunderbolt 5 ports, which provide double the data-transfer speeds of the Thunderbolt 4 ports used on the M4 Mac mini.
When compared to the M2 Mac mini, other connectivity options remain unchanged. You get an Ethernet port (configurable to 10Gb), a high-impedance headphone jack and an HDMI port. Only a built-in SD card reader is missing, though with so many high-bandwidth USB-C ports, you can easily plug in an external reader.
If you own an M1 Mac mini, the M4 Mac mini provides an even bigger upgrade on the connectivity front. In addition to supporting newer Wi-Fi and Bluetooth standards, it packs more USB ports with additional system bandwidth to handle all your external devices.
The only gripe with the M4 Mac mini is the total lack of USB-A ports. Apple went all in on USB-C for this machine. This could pose a problem if you use legacy USB devices with your Mac.
Price: Amazing value for money
- M4 Mac mini: Starts at $599 for M4 and $1,399 for M4 Pro
- M2 Mac mini: Started at $599 for M2 and $1,299 for M2 Pro
- M1 Mac mini: Started at $699
With the M4 Mac mini, you get double the base memory of previous models, a noticeably faster CPU and a revamped design. Yet, the M4 Mac mini carries the same starting price as the M2 Mac mini. The M4 Pro model commands a $100 premium over its M2 Pro predecessor, but the price increase is justified given its improvements.
Compared to the M1 Mac mini, the M4 Mac mini provides an even better value for money.
Conclusion: M4 vs. M2 vs. M1 Mac mini comparison
So, should you upgrade to an M4 Mac mini? If you use an M1 Mac mini and notice it is taking longer to open apps and cannot handle your workload, the upgrade to the M4 Mac mini is a no-brainer. It brings a major leap in performance in an extremely compact form factor. And with 16GB of base memory, you won’t even need to spend extra money upgrading the RAM.
If you own an M2 or M2 Pro Mac mini, though, the answer becomes a lot more complicated. If your current Mac mini can handle your workload, there’s no reason to ditch it. Despite the new design and performance boost, the M4 Mac mini is not a must-have upgrade over its predecessor. You are better off waiting for the M5 or even the M6 model in the future.
Finally, f you want an all-in-one PC, the M4 iMac — released Monday and starting at $1,299 — might be a better buy than the M4 Mac mini.
The M4 Mac mini and M4 Pro Mac mini are currently available for preorder. Apple says the computers will hit store shelves on November 8.
