Apple today has raised the bar for compact computing, unveiling the all-new Mac mini, now powered by the innovative M4 and M4 Pro chips. This latest iteration of the Mac mini takes everything users have loved about its performance, versatility, and size, and elevates it further with a new redesign, one that revolves around the power of Apple silicon. Not only is it more powerful, but it’s also more compact, with a footprint of just 5 by 5 inches—less than half the size of the previous design. This new, sleek form is enabled by the highly efficient Apple silicon and an ingenious new thermal architecture that uses smart airflow techniques, channeling air across various parts of the system while all ventilation occurs discreetly through the foot.
The M4 chip allows the Mac mini to deliver up to 1.8 times faster CPU performance and 2.2 times faster GPU performance than the previous M1 model. For users seeking even greater power, the M4 Pro chip takes things to the next level, scaling up the already impressive capabilities of the M4 to tackle demanding workloads effortlessly. This makes the Mac mini ideal for professionals and creatives who need reliable performance for intensive tasks such as video editing, music production, or 3D rendering. To make the experience even better, Apple has revamped the connectivity on this new Mac mini—both on the front and the back. For the first time, the M4 Pro model includes Thunderbolt 5 ports, delivering exceptional data transfer speeds and positioning the Mac mini at the cutting edge of computer connectivity.
The new Mac mini also marks a significant milestone for Apple’s vision for the future of personal computing, as it introduces Apple Intelligence™, a personal intelligence system designed to enhance how users work, communicate, and create, all while ensuring robust privacy safeguards. Apple Intelligence brings forward a host of features, powered by advanced on-device AI and the remarkable performance of Apple’s Neural Engine, seamlessly integrated into the everyday Mac experience. Additionally, Apple has taken a strong environmental stance, announcing that the Mac mini is their first-ever carbon neutral Mac, achieving over an 80 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions through innovative approaches in materials, manufacturing, transportation, and efficient energy use.
Despite its diminutive size, the new Mac mini is capable of achieving feats that set it apart from its predecessors and competition. It outperforms many larger PCs, packing a punch in a fraction of the space. Thanks to the M4 chip, users will experience a significant leap in processing power, making everyday tasks quicker and smoother—whether it’s managing spreadsheets, editing photos, or even developing software. The Mac mini’s M4 features a 10-core CPU and a 10-core GPU, starting with 16GB of unified memory to make multitasking a breeze. For students, content creators, small business owners, and anyone who needs a capable yet compact desktop, the Mac mini with M4 proves to be a tiny powerhouse that never compromises on performance.
When compared to the Mac mini models powered by Intel’s Core i7, the M4 version effortlessly applies up to 2.8x more audio effect plugins in a Logic Pro® project, delivers up to 13.3x faster gaming performance in World of Warcraft: The War Within, and enhances photos with up to 33x faster image upscaling performance in Photomator. Even when matched against the M1, the M4 demonstrates incredible leaps forward—it performs spreadsheet calculations 1.7x faster in Microsoft Excel, transcribes speech 2x faster with on-device AI in MacWhisper, and merges panoramic images up to 4.9x faster in Adobe Lightroom Classic.
For those seeking an even higher level of power, the Mac mini with M4 Pro offers pro-level performance in a compact form, featuring the world’s fastest CPU core with blazing single-threaded speed, ideal for tasks that rely on peak processor responsiveness. The M4 Pro chip combines up to 14 cores, including 10 high-performance cores, delivering remarkable multi-threaded processing capability. Its GPU, with up to 20 cores, provides twice the graphical power of the M4, making the system perfect for rendering complex 3D graphics or heavy video editing. Apple has also taken AI to the next level—the M4 Pro’s Neural Engine is over three times faster than its predecessor in the M1, allowing AI-based Apple Intelligence models to run more smoothly and faster than ever before. The chip also supports up to 64GB of unified memory and an impressive 273GB/s memory bandwidth, a key feature for users working with complex datasets and AI workloads. Thunderbolt 5 also makes its debut here, with up to 120Gb/s data transfer speeds, which more than doubles the throughput of Thunderbolt 4.
The Mac mini’s connectivity features have also been significantly enhanced. In addition to the Thunderbolt 5 ports on the Pro model, the Mac mini provides a variety of front and rear-facing ports, including convenient USB-C ports and a high-impedance audio jack. Standard Gigabit Ethernet, configurable to 10Gb Ethernet, ensures the fastest networking speeds possible, while HDMI ports enable effortless connections to TVs or monitors. Depending on the model, users can support multiple high-resolution displays for multi-screen setups, including up to three 6K displays at 60Hz with the M4 Pro, adding up to over 60 million pixels for those who need every detail crystal clear.
Apple Intelligence brings a new era of personal AI capabilities to Mac, incorporating cutting-edge generative models that can help users across all facets of their work and creative pursuits. These features, which begin rolling out in macOS Sequoia 15.1, include tools for text summarization, rewriting, and proofreading system-wide, which allows users to refine their words effortlessly across various apps. Siri has also been redesigned to enable fluid transitions between spoken and typed requests, making interactions with the system more natural and intuitive. This December, even more features will become available, including the integration of ChatGPT into Siri and Writing Tools, offering advanced insights without switching between apps.
Starting at $599, the new Mac mini with M4 and $1,399 for the M4 Pro version are both available for pre-order starting today. Educational discounts are also available, bringing the entry-level model down to $499. With new accessories such as Magic Keyboard, Magic Mouse, and Thunderbolt 5 Pro Cable available for purchase, Apple is ensuring that users have everything they need to make the most out of their new Mac experience. The first units will reach customers and Apple Store locations on November 8, ushering in a new era of compact yet highly capable computing.