Apple plans to release a new version of the Mac mini, which will be its smallest desktop computer. This will be part of a broader upgrade of the Mac lineup with AI-oriented chips.
The new version of the Mac mini, due out later this year, will undergo its first major design change since it was refreshed under Steve Jobs’ leadership in 2010. The device will be much smaller than its predecessor, approaching the size of the Apple TV set-top box. The Apple TV set-top box is approximately 9.4 cm across, less than half the size of the current Mac mini. However, the new model is expected to be slightly taller. The current version is 3.5 cm high.
Apple has tested prototypes of the Mac mini with at least three USB-C ports on the back. The device also has a power cable connector and an HDMI port for connecting to TVs and monitors. People involved in the development of the new Mac mini say it’s essentially an iPad Pro in a small box. This approach results in lower power requirements for the chip.
Apple is preparing two versions of the new Mac mini. One of them will use the basic configuration of the M4 chip, similar to the processor in the iPad Pro. There will also be a higher-end Mac mini that uses the yet-to-be-announced M4 Pro chip. This variant will provide support for additional memory and more graphics power.
Apple suppliers plan to start shipping components of the standard M4 version this month for release later this year. Higher-end devices with the M4 Pro processor will not be ready for consumers until October. The Mac mini was last updated in early 2023 with M2 and M2 Pro chips.
The price of the current Mac mini starts at $599. And while the new model may be cheaper to produce, it is unclear whether the company will lower the price for consumers.
Source: bloomberg