Good things really do come in smaller packages, at least when it comes to Apple products. Yesterday, the tech giant unveiled a dramatically redesigned Mac Mini (alongside the 2024 iMac) that’s both tinier and more powerful than ever before. The new desktop computer has been shrunk down to an almost impossibly small 5×5-inch footprint, making it about the size of an Apple TV box.
Under the hood, this little powerhouse comes equipped with Apple’s latest M4 silicon. The base model, starting at $599, comes with a 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU, while the beefier M4 Pro version (retailing at $1,399) can be configured with up to a 14-core CPU and 20-core GPU.
The most significant improvement is that Apple has finally made 16GB of RAM standard across all models, a welcome change that suggests the company is taking its AI-focused future seriously. For power users, the M4 Pro version can be maxed out with 64GB of RAM and up to 8TB of storage, though you’ll need deep pockets for those upgrades.
The port situation has gotten an interesting makeover too. While the previous generation’s USB-A ports are no longer fitted, Apple has compensated with an expanded selection of USB-C ports: two on the front (alongside a 3.5mm audio jack) and three Thunderbolt ports on the back, plus HDMI and Ethernet. The M4 Pro model even gets the latest Thunderbolt 5 standard.
Despite its smaller size, Apple claims the new Mac Mini stays cool through some clever engineering, featuring what they call an “innovative thermal architecture” that guides air through different levels of the system and vents through the foot. The design may be taller than its predecessor (2 inches versus 1.41 inches), but the reduced desk footprint more than makes up for the slight vertical growth.
Gaming capabilities get a boost too, with Apple touting 1.4 times better performance in World of Warcraft thanks to the M4’s ray tracing support. The new chip’s neural engine is also significantly more powerful, capable of handling 38 trillion operations per second (which is more than double the M2’s capability). This boost in AI processing power arrives just as Apple begins rolling out its new Apple Intelligence features across its ecosystem.
The new Mac Mini is available for preorder now, with the base M4 model starting at $599 and the M4 Pro version beginning at $1,399. It will officially launch in stores on November 8.
