October 29, 2024
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Apple Unveils the All-New Mac Mini: More Powerful, More Compact, and Designed for Apple Intelligence
The latest Mac mini showcases M4 and M4 Pro chips, celebrating a key environmental achievement as Apple’s first carbon-neutral Mac.
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA — Today, Apple introduced the redesigned Mac mini, now featuring the advanced M4 and M4 Pro chips, engineered to deliver remarkable performance in a compact 5 by 5 inch footprint. The new M4 chip offers up to 1.8x the CPU speed and 2.2x the GPU performance compared to the M1 model.1 The M4 Pro enhances these capabilities for users with demanding workloads. With improved connectivity options, including front and back ports and Thunderbolt 5 support on the M4 Pro model, the new Mac mini also prioritizes Apple Intelligence, revolutionizing user interaction while ensuring privacy. As Apple’s first carbon-neutral Mac, the new model achieves over an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions throughout its lifecycle, from materials to manufacturing and usage.2 Pre-orders start today at just $599 for the model with 16GB of RAM, with shipping beginning November 8.
“The new Mac mini delivers monumental performance in an incredibly compact design, thanks to the efficiency of Apple silicon and an innovative thermal system,” said John Ternus, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering. “With the M4 and M4 Pro chips, enhanced connectivity options, and the introduction of Apple Intelligence, this Mac mini is more capable and adaptable than ever before.”
Compact Yet Powerful
The Mac mini is less than half the size of its predecessor at 5 by 5 inches, making it a desk-friendly powerhouse. This compact design is possible due to the efficiency of Apple silicon and an advanced thermal architecture that effectively channels air through the device.
In comparison to the leading PC desktop in its price range, Mac mini performs up to 6x faster while being one-twentieth the size.1 Ideal for students, budding creatives, and small business owners, the Mac mini with M4 is a formidable option. It features a 10-core CPU and GPU, and now comes standard with 16GB of unified memory, enhancing user experience across multitasking and demanding creative processes.
Performance Comparisons
Compared to Intel Core i7 Mac mini:
- Run up to 2.8x the audio effect plugins in Logic Pro.1
- Achieve up to 13.3x faster gaming performance in World of Warcraft: The War Within.1
- Experience up to 33x faster image upscaling in Photomator.3
Compared to M1 Mac mini:
- Perform spreadsheet calculations up to 1.7x faster in Excel.1
- Utilize AI speech-to-text transcription up to 2x faster in MacWhisper.1
- Merge panoramic images up to 4.9x faster in Adobe Lightroom Classic.4
Introducing M4 Pro for Professional Performance
For those seeking advanced capabilities, the Mac mini with M4 Pro boasts the fastest CPU core in the world5, delivering exceptional single-threaded performance and up to 14 cores for outstanding multithreaded abilities. The M4 Pro GPU is up to twice as powerful as that of the M4 and is the first to feature hardware-accelerated ray tracing on Mac mini. The Neural Engine in M4 Pro runs on-device Apple Intelligence models over 3x faster than in M1 models, supporting up to 64GB of unified memory and offering boosted memory bandwidth for AI tasks. Thunderbolt 5 enables Mac mini to achieve data transfer speeds of up to 120 Gb/s, significantly improving throughput.
Performance Highlights:
- Excel calculations up to 4x faster compared to Intel Core i7.1
- Scene-edit detection in Adobe Premiere Pro up to 9.4x faster.3
- Transcription in MacWhisper up to 20x faster.1
- DNA sequencing processing up to 26x faster with Oxford Nanopore MinKNOW.1
Enhanced Connectivity and Display Options
The new design includes multiple ports, with front-facing access featuring two USB-C ports and an audio jack compatible with high-impedance headphones. The back of the Mac mini hosts various standard ports, with M4 models offering three Thunderbolt 4 ports and M4 Pro featuring Thunderbolt 5. It supports Gigabit Ethernet and can be configured for 10Gb Ethernet. The Mac mini can handle up to two 6K displays with M4 or three 6K displays with M4 Pro, supporting over 60 million pixels.
A New Era with Apple Intelligence
Apple Intelligence introduces a personal intelligence framework, transforming user experience on Mac. Integrated with potent generative models and top-notch privacy protections, Apple Intelligence utilizes the capabilities of Apple silicon and Neural Engine to innovate how users work, communicate, and express themselves. The features include system-wide writing tools, a redesigned Siri, and tools for image creation and customization, available in U.S. English with macOS Sequoia 15.1. Enhanced capabilities will be unveiled in December, alongside integration with ChatGPT for seamless user assistance, all while safeguarding user privacy.
Pioneering Carbon Neutrality
As Apple’s first carbon-neutral Mac, the new Mac mini marks a pivotal step towards Apple’s 2030 goal of overall carbon neutrality. Constructed with over 50% recycled materials, it includes components like 100% recycled aluminum in its enclosure and gold plating in circuit boards. The production utilizes 100% renewable energy, and Apple employs clean energy initiatives to account for the energy used by customers. A commitment to eco-friendly transportation further reduces emissions, achieving over an 80% footprint reduction.2 Furthermore, the packaging is entirely fiber-based, aligning with Apple’s goal to eliminate plastic by 2025.
Optimized Experience with macOS Sequoia
macOS Sequoia enhances the Mac mini experience with features such as iPhone Mirroring, providing wireless interaction with iPhone apps and notifications. Safari introduces a smarter browsing experience, including the Highlights feature and Distraction Control. Gaming advancements feature Personalized Spatial Audio and enhancements to Game Mode. Other innovations include an all-new Passwords app and visually appealing backgrounds for video calls.
Pricing and Availability
- Pre-orders for the new Mac mini with M4 and M4 Pro begin today, October 29, on apple.com/store and in the Apple Store app, with availability starting November 8.
- Mac mini with M4 starts at $599 (U.S.), with an educational price of $499 (U.S.). More details are available at apple.com/mac-mini.
- Mac mini with M4 Pro starts at $1,399 (U.S.), with an educational price of $1,299 (U.S.). Further specifications can be found on apple.com/mac-mini.
- New accessories with USB-C include the Magic Keyboard ($99, U.S.), Magic Keyboard with Touch ID ($149), and others, available on apple.com/store.
- Apple Intelligence will be available as a free update for M1 and later Macs, starting with the initial features in beta with macOS Sequoia 15.1.
- Support for more languages will enhance Apple Intelligence in the coming months, with immediate access for users in U.S. English.
- Apple Trade In allows customers to exchange their current device for credit towards a new Mac. Visit apple.com/shop/trade-in for more information.
- AppleCare+ for Mac offers extensive support, including damage coverage and 24/7 assistance.
- Customers purchasing from Apple Retail receive access to Personal Setup for guided assistance with their new device.
About Apple
Apple transformed personal technology with its 1984 Macintosh introduction. Today, Apple leads in innovation with products like iPhone, iPad, Mac, AirPods, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro. Its software platforms provide seamless experiences across devices and empower users with exceptional services. With a dedicated workforce of over 150,000, Apple is committed to delivering quality products while striving to enhance the world around us.
- Testing conducted by Apple in September and October 2024. More details at apple.com/mac-mini.
- Carbon impact figures are based on a business-as-usual scenario. Learn more at apple.com/2030.
- Comparative results against previous Intel Core i7 Mac mini models.
- Comparative data against previous Mac mini models with M1.
- Testing performed by Apple in October 2024 using comparative benchmarks.
- Comparative analysis with previous Mac mini models featuring M2 Pro.
- iPhone Mirroring availability details on device compatibility.
- Testing details for Safari conducted by Apple in August 2024.
Press Contacts:
Michelle Del Rio
Apple
mr_delrio@apple.com
Starlayne Meza
Apple
starlayne_meza@apple.com
Apple Media Helpline
media.help@apple.com