Apple has just updated its compact background , the Mac Mini , for a 2024 looping run on either theM4 or M4 Proprocessor , depending on which one you go for .
Promising to fork over “ gigantic functioning in an unbelievably small design ” , how does the newfangled Mac Mini compare to Apple ’s more premium desktop offering , theMac Studio ?
Although we have n’t reviewed the new Mac Mini yet , we have compared its spec to the 4.5 - star topology Mac Studio to help oneself you settle which screen background might be better suit for your motivation .
Price
Available for pre - order , quick for its launching on November 8th , the Mac Mini M4 has an RRP of £ 599/$599 . For the more premium model running on the M4 Pro chipset , its RRP rises to £ 1399/$1399 .
The Mac Studio on the other deal is a much pricier option . Available running on either the M2 Max or the more powerful M2 Ultra , prefer for the former will set you back £ 2099/$2099 while the latter is an optic irrigate £ 4199/$4199 .
The Mac Studio performs for tougher workloads with either the M2 Max or M2 Ultra processor
Apple hailed the Mac Studio , alongside the Mac Pro , as one of the most powerful Macs ever made . As cite earlier , you’re able to prefer for the Mac Studio run on either theM2 Maxor the M2 Ultra CPU , with the latter being the more sinewy of the two .
With a 12 - core CPU , 28 - core GPU and up to 96 GB of unified memory , the Mac Studio with M2 Max promise to be up to 50 % faster than its predecessor and four times faster than the most hefty Intel - based 27 - in iMac too .
The Mac Studio withM2 Ultradelivers twice the performance and capabilities of the M2 Max , and at the time of its release it sported Apple ’s declamatory and most capable system of rules on a chip ( SoC ) . With a 24 - centre CPU , up to 76 - core GPU and a whopping 192 GB of memory , this interpretation promise to be six times faster than the most powerful Intel - based 27 - inch iMac .
The Mac Mini instead sports either the M4 orM4 Proprocessor . orchard apple tree assure that with its 10 - Congress of Racial Equality C.P.U. and GPU , “ users will find the carrying into action of M4 in everything they do , from multitasking across everyday productiveness apps to originative projects . ”
On the other hand , if you have a more demanding work load then the M4 Pro might be a good solution as it features the “ world ’s fastest CPU core ” , accord to Apple . In fact , Apple promises the M4 Pro GPU is up to double as powerful as the M4 ’s GPU . Having tell that , both chip bring computer hardware - accelerated ray tracing to the Mac Mini .
The Mac Studio has 12 ports
With a total of 12 ports , both versions of the Mac Studio offer seriously generous connectivity . These include four Thunderbolt 4 , two USB - As , an HDMI , Ethernet and a headphone jack . The M2 Max also has two front - facing USB - nose candy interface alongside an SDXC wag time slot , whereas the M2 Ultra skylark two extra Thunderbolt 4 port instead .
On the other helping hand , the Mac Mini with M4 Pro sport three Thunderbolt 5 ports which can deliver up to 120Gb / s datum transferee upper and more than double over the throughput of Thunderbolt 4 too . The Mac Mini with M4 includes three Thunderbolt 4 interface rather .
Otherwise , both Mac Mini choice have two USB - C front - present ports , an audio gob , Ethernet and an HDMI port .
The Mac Mini is quite a bit smaller
Now less than half the size of its predecessor , the Mac Mini is super - compact at just five by five inches . Apple excuse this is enabled by the “ major power efficiency of Apple atomic number 14 and an innovative thermic architecture ” .
Although still undoubtedly a compact screen background oblation , the Mac Studio is slightly larger at 7.7 by 7.7 inches .
Both will run Apple Intelligence
Both the Mac Mini serial and the Mac Studio will all runApple Intelligence . In fact , all Apple desktops and laptops that run on an Apple - silicone polymer chipset will start the software to carry . This could be a fundamental factor for anyone looking to upgrade from an Intel based Mac Mini or Mac Pro .
The Mac Studio M2 Ultra can connect up to eight displays
Thanks to its numerous connectivity ports , the Mac Studio with M2 Ultra allows users to connect up to a humongous eight display , or sixPro Display XDRs , for a Brobdingnagian amount of screen real land . Even the M2 Max alternative support up to five display .
The Mac Mini with M4 can still patronise up to two 6 K displays alongside one 5 K display , while the M4 Pro can stick out up to three 6 yard displays .
Early Verdict
There ’s no question that the Mac Studio is a more powerful background offering that ’s better suited for those with extremely demanding workloads .
If however you necessitate a desktop strictly for less demanding , but still magnate - consuming tasks such as 3D interpretation or gambling , then the Mac Mini M4 is more than up for the task and a more affordable alternative to boot .
Having said that , we ’ll hold off from give a conclusive resultant until we retrospect the latest Mac Mini and put it through strict testing .
