Apple Mac mini evaluation (M4 Professional, 2024): Shockingly small, extremely highly effective

“That’s a computer?!” My daughter simply could not consider her eyes once I pulled the brand new Mac mini out of its field. It measures simply five-inches by five-inches throughout, and it sits a mere two inches tall. The Mac mini is an cute field that resembles an outsized Apple TV. However what’s extra spectacular is that it is considerably quicker than earlier than, because of Apple’s M4 and M4 Professional chips, and it nonetheless begins at $599. As soon as once more, the Mac mini redefines what a desktop could be.

Whereas Apple might have began the tiny PC development with the unique Mac mini in 2005, it is actually not alone in the present day. Intel’s NUC line survived execution and is now being spearheaded by ASUS, however these containers are nonetheless costly and comparatively area of interest. HP sells “Elite MIni” desktops for companies, however they primarily exist to make IT employees’ lives simpler.

The Mac mini, in the meantime, has for years been an reasonably priced gateway into the world of Apple desktops. Now, it is the most cost effective technique to get a style of Apple Silicon, particularly if you have already got a monitor, keyboard and mouse. (And for those who do not, you possibly can nonetheless configure a complete desktop setup for beneath $1,000.) As I stated when it was introduced, even for those who do not want one, the Mac mini’s pint-sized body and highly effective {hardware} makes it extremely compelling.

What’s new with the Mac mini?

Simply take a look at it! The Mac mini’s redesigned case is lower than half the scale of the earlier model, so you will not should dedicate as a lot desk house to it. It additionally options entrance connectivity for the primary time — two USB-C ports and a headphone jack — one thing that beforehand required upgrading to the $1,999 Mac Studio. Most individuals will doubtless be higher off with the three.5mm jack up entrance, however for those who’re the uncommon consumer who wants to attach audio system, you’re higher off counting on a USB-C dongle within the rear, or a high-quality audio interface.

Extra so than aesthetics, the Mac mini’s largest improve this time round is Apple’s new M4 {hardware}, in addition to the truth that it – like all new Macs going ahead – now comes with 16GB of RAM normal. The M4 sports activities a 10-core CPU (4 high-performance cores and 6 high-efficiency), a 10-core GPU and a 16-core Neural Engine. For $1,399, you possibly can bump as much as the dramatically extra highly effective M4 Professional chip (which is what’s in our evaluation unit), that includes a 14-core CPU (10 high-performance and 4 high-efficiency) and 20-core GPU.

The M4 chip contains assist for Thunderbolt 4 on its three rear USB-C ports, whereas the M4 Professional brings Thunderbolt 5 to Macs for the primary time, with triple the information switch speeds (120 Gb/s in comparison with 40 Gb/s). Each Mac mini additionally features a full-sized HDMI connection (supporting as much as 8K 60Hz or 4K 240Hz), in addition to an Ethernet port (gigabit normal, or upgradable to 10GbE). Whereas it lacks the built-in SD card reader of the Mac Studio, the Mac mini is in any other case well-equipped to satisfy the calls for of many artistic professionals.

There are some curious design selections, although. For one, the Mac mini’s energy button is alongside the underside of its rear finish, which results in some awkward finger gymnastics everytime you wish to flip it on. (Learn into that what you’ll.) Which means you most likely would not wish to conceal it in an unreachable nook of your desk. The earlier Mac mini additionally hid the facility button alongside its rear, however no less than that was proper beside its ports, and it did not require tipping over the machine.

Apple doubtless does not count on its customers to be utterly turning off their units fairly often, however that is additionally clearly at odds with its sustainability efforts. (The corporate loudly claims the Mac mini is carbon impartial, for instance, because it’s largely constructed with recycled metals and different supplies.)

How briskly is the Mac mini?

The Mac mini was the quickest pc I’ve reviewed this yr, no less than in relation to CPU benchmarks. I’ve grown used to being impressed by Apple Silicon, however the M4 Professional in our evaluation unit (which was additionally geared up with 48GB of RAM) was nonetheless an even bigger leap forward than I anticipated. Whereas operating in excessive energy mode, which cranks up efficiency, the Mac mini’s Geekbench 6 single-threaded rating of three,943 was nicely above the standard 2,500 to 2,800 level vary we have seen in PCs this yr. Its multithreaded Geekbench 6 rating reached a whopping 22,850 factors — the one different programs that cracked 14,00 factors this yr had been the Snapdragon X Elite-powered Floor Laptop computer 7 and XPS 13.

Naturally, different laptops with devoted, power-hungry video playing cards outclassed the Mac mini within the Geekbench 6 GPU check, however Apple’s tiny desktop nonetheless beat out the RTX 4050 in Dell’s XPS 14, in addition to the Radeon 7700S within the 16-inch Framework Laptop computer. That is nonetheless a really spectacular consequence for graphics constructed right into a single system-on-a-chip.

Outdoors of benchmarks, the Mac mini impressed me by operating Lies of P in 1,440p with maxed out graphics settings at 60fps. It even managed to run the sport in 4K with medium graphics settings, however the body price hovered round 30fps, which wasn’t very playable. That is not an enormous shock although — what’s extra vital is that I do know the GPU is highly effective sufficient to run trendy video games at extra affordable resolutions. Resident Evil 4 and No Man’s Sky additionally held a gradual 60 fps in 1,440p.

To check out the Mac mini’s AI capabilities, I used the Whisper Transcription app to transcribe an hour and nine-minute lengthy episode of the Engadget Podcast. That took two minutes and 9 seconds, utilizing the small language mannequin. Compared, the M4-powered 14-inch MacBook Professional took three minutes and three seconds, whereas an M3 14-inch MacBook Professional took three minutes and thirty-seven seconds. These figures inform us Apple’s M4 {hardware} will help college students rapidly get notes from lecture recordings, and even transcribe lessons in real-time with out a lot effort.

As I threw benchmarks, video games and encoding jobs on the Mac mini, I used to be consistently impressed by how a lot it may sort out with out making any discernible fan noise. However Apple can’t escape warmth. The Mac mini has a big consumption fan alongside its backside that sucks in cool air and spreads it out all through your entire system. Nonetheless, once I began operating Cinebench’s multithreaded benchmark, the fan kicked into excessive gear and the Mac mini sounded prefer it was on the point of take off.

It is not an disagreeable sound — it is extra like a chilled white noise machine than the obnoxiously loud Mac followers of yore — but it surely’s actually noticeable. Should you’re usually carrying headphones or blasting music, it will not be a problem, but it surely may make the Mac mini very annoying in a shared workplace setting. Should you’re planning to consistently throw heavy workloads at it in excessive energy mode, you is perhaps higher off with the bigger Mac Studio, which may higher deal with warmth. Apple nonetheless hasn’t up to date the Studio with M4 chips, although — you may have to attend till subsequent yr for that.

Must you purchase the Mac mini?

There is not any doubt the M4 Professional Mac mini is an absolute beast, however at $1,399 (with 24GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD to start out), it is primarily focused at artistic professionals. I did not have the $599 M4 mannequin to check (which begins with 16GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD), however I benchmarked that very same chip on the 14-inch MacBook Professional and nonetheless discovered it spectacular. Its Geekbench 6 and Cinebench scores nonetheless beat out many of the computer systems we have examined this yr, and its GPU is quick sufficient for strong 1080p 60 fps gameplay.

Should you’re simply on the lookout for a primary and adorably small Mac desktop, the $599 Mac mini will doubtless be all you want. And for those who’re seeking to do a bit extra critical work, and might’t justify the $1,999 Mac Studio, the $1,399 mannequin is an honest worth in comparison with PC workstations. Simply be ready to abdomen Apple’s improve costs: You may should spend an extra $400 simply to get 32GB of RAM on the bottom Mini, and one other $400 to get a 1TB SSD. That is wildly out of step with costs outdoors of the Apple ecosystem, the place you possibly can simply discover a first rate 1TB NVMe SSD beneath $100. (That stated, not like a laptop computer, connecting an inexpensive however capacious exterior drive to the mini is a extra viable choice.)

Apple’s gonna Apple in relation to improve pricing, however no less than you possibly can lastly purchase a $599 Mac mini with 16GB of RAM. That alone is cause to rejoice. The truth that it’s cute sufficient to impress my child is a pleasant bonus.