A mini marvel
The Mac Mini M4 is a very in effect business deal . The root word £ 599/$599 shape is a wonderfully up to machine for everyday economic consumption and it incredibly small too . This is what the Mac Mini should have been from the commencement of the M - serial publication passage .
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
The Apple Mac Mini M4 is a tiny screen background computer designed from the ground up for the M4 chipset .
Talk about a surefooted redesign . There have been a couple ofMac Minimodels since the heavy switch from Intel to Apple Si , but none have felt like they ’ve been built for the micro chip .
rather , they have just been a redo – stick the new M - series for the year into an existing shell without really take into account the benefit of the chip itself .
That all change with the Mac Mini M4 . This is a computer design inside and out for M - series and it ’s seriously chance on . The pattern is reminiscent of the forthcoming Mac Mini models , but it take in inspiration from theMac Studioand shrinks everything down into a trunk that ’s not too much liberal than anApple television receiver 4K.
Is this thebest Macto get into the Apple ecosystem ? I ’ve spent the last month finding out .
Design
The sizing whole changes what the Mac Mini can be . Instead of being restricted to a desk , it can conform to into a bag or hide behind a TV . When it is on a desk , it ’s barely noticeable and makes for a very clean setup .
It ’s a good look machine , too . There ’s an Apple logotype on the top , three ports on the front and more connectors on the back . It only comes in a single Ag coloration , but I would love to seeiMac - inspired colour pick get in in next updates .
Even with the size reduction , Apple has n’t ditch too many of the ports from old Mac Mini example . Granted , there are no USB - A ports , instead it ’s very much a USB - C / Thunderbolt 4machine . The exact ports available vary a little depend on the model .
plank for the Mac Mini with the M4 chip and there are two USB - C ports on the front alongside a headphone manual laborer . Around the back , there are three Thunderbolt 4 ports ( with USB - vitamin C connection ) , HDMI and Gigabit Ethernet . That ’s a expert excerption that ’ll serve most people very well .
The M4 Pro mannequin keeps the same number of ports , only swapping to the newer Thunderbolt 5 for the rear connectors .
I love having a dyad of USB - C ports available without having to reach around the back , and have both Thunderbolt 4 and HDMI as ways of output video is nice to see too . My only gripe is the lack of an SD board lector . Although this is clearly keep aside as a reason for someone to jump off up to the Mac Studio .
Upon release , the positioning of the Mac Mini’spower clitoris make something of a hustle . Rather oddly , it ’s on the bottom – intend you need to get your finger underneath the computer to call on it on . It ’s a minor painfulness , although since the initial setup , I have n’t used the button at all , wake the gadget up instead via connect peripheral gadget – so it ’s far from a big deal .
The Mac Mini M4 is sell without any accessories . There ’s no keyboard or black eye in the box , nor is there a cablegram for connecting to a monitor . tote up these will increase the monetary value unless this is being added to an existing system . See ourbest monitor , good keyboardandbest mouseround - ups for top choices in each category .
The Mac Mini M4 can abide output to three displays . That can be two 6 K panels at 60Hz with another 60Hz 5 K or 4 K added . Or , it ’ll support one 5 K and one 8 KB over Thunderbolt or HDMI . The M4 Pro manakin can support three 6 K board at 60Hz .
Performance
There are two distinct reading of the Mac Mini available . The base variant throng an M4 chip , like theMacBook Pro M4 , with a 10 - core CPU , 10 - substance GPU and 16 - core Neural Engine . Prices jump at £ 599/$599 for 16 GB store and 256 GB storage . For £ 799/$799 you get 512 GB of storehouse , and £ 999/$999 gets you 512 GB and 24 GB store .
The Mac Mini M4 splintering can have up to 2 TB of SSD , 32 GB of store and 10 Gb Ethernet . These upgrades must be made at the time of purchase and are expensive . 32 GB of remembering , for instance , is £ 400/$400 . Ouch .
There ’s an M4 Pro edition of the Mac Mini too . This is for someone who wants to perform more intensive multi core tasks , like video editing or 3D design . The M4 Pro chip has a 12 - core central processor and 16 - sum GPU , 24 GB of memory board and 512 GB of reposition .
Another welfare of going for the M4 Pro is that it supports more memory and storehouse . SSD options go up to 8 TB , and up to 64 GB on computer memory . There ’s even an option to increase the inner core count , with a 14 - essence CPU and 20 - inwardness GPU .
I have been reviewing the M4 fashion model with all the al-Qaeda configurations . On paper , this £ 599/$599 machine looks like prodigious value . It ’s the most tempting of the bunch – an easy and low-priced way to get into the Apple Silicon ecosystem .
Even though it ’s a root word exemplar , performance is very good . It can easy treat quotidian tasks – browsing , study , basic 4 kB television editing . It can even game , with titles like Shadow of the Tomb Raider reach a comfortable 30fps .
AI performance is key to this Saratoga chip , especially with Apple Intelligence now part of Sequoia and likely to become a heavy part of macOS over the coming years .
In our usual suite of benchmarking tests , the Mac Mini M4 pip machines running the M3 , although the solvent are only marginally higher . As you might expect , it score similarly to the MacBook Pro M4 .
In both Geekbench 6 and CineBench R23 there are slender gain in carrying into action specially in the multi - core tests , when compared to the M3 .
crowing betterment are palpate is when the resolution are compared to older M - series flake . As you could see from the charts below , the Mac Mini M4 scores gamy in Geekbench 6 than the Mac Studio M2 Ultra and the Studio M1 Max .
This might be in single essence test , but it ’s still very impressive consider those machines have only been on the market for a few twelvemonth . It ’s the same story in Cinebench R23 , where the M4 pips the M3 Max and M2 Ultra in the single pith exam .
In more stringent multi burden test where the results will be of more importance to those running high - end apps for graphic design , video editing and the like , the results are a picayune unlike . In my tests , the M4 just outperforms the M1 Max in the Mac Studio but falls drastically short of the M2 Ultra and M3 Max .
Apple has rejiggered the thermic arrangement inside the Mac Mini , ensuring that it ’s quiet just about all of the fourth dimension . The only time I got the fan to spin around was during benchmarking , which is harldy a task anyone will be doing all that often .
Considering the price , it ’s hard to argue with the performance of the Mac Mini M4 . birthday suit editing in Lightroom work like a dream , as does some 4 K video editing in Final Cut . There ’s no doubt the Pro silicon chip would knock off a few seconds off , but it ’s double the price .
Should you buy it?
The Mac Mini M4 is a groovy ledger entry - point M - series figurer available at a very estimable price .
The iMac M4 or MacBook Air M3 are better pick if you desire an all - in - one resolution that derive with all you need to get started .
Final Thoughts
I do n’t often say this about Apple tech , but the Mac Mini M4 is … a very good deal . The base £ 599/$599 configuration is a wondrously equal to machine for everyday use .
The value proffer is even good if you ’re placing this within an existing setup . Combine it with a keyboard , mouse and monitor that you already have and this is the cheapest way to get into the Apple M - serial ecosystem . It ’s also more customisable than going for the iMac M4 , which is limit by its 24 - column inch display .
Things get a niggling pricier as you add and tweak , although none of the models here sense overpriced . To get an M4 Pro - toting auto for £ 1399/$1399 is still great value .
Overall , the Mac Mini M4 is a close - perfect desktop machine at a very tempting price .
Trusted Score
How we test
Every screen background computer we review goes through a series of consistent checks designed to approximate key affair including body-build quality , carrying into action , and handiness .
These admit formal semisynthetic benchmark and written tests , plus a serial of veridical - world checks , such as how well it runs democratic apps .
FAQs
Inside the small box is the Mac Mini and a 1.8 m index steer .
Test Data
Full Specs
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