Unveiling the M4 Mac Mini: Key Features Ahead

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M4 Mac mini Leaks - 5 MAJOR Changes you NEED to wait for

Max Tech

Jul 29, 2024

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Science & Technology

M4 Mac mini Leaks

  1. The M4 Mac mini models are expected to be released in a couple of months.
  2. These new models are anticipated to be the best Mac minis ever, featuring significant updates and changes.
  3. The improvements aim to make the M4 Mac mini suitable for most users, eliminating the need to purchase the more expensive Mac Studio.
  4. The video discusses the top five new features and changes, including pricing and release dates.

Leak Update #1

  1. The new M4 Mac mini will feature a massive performance boost with the M4 chip, which is already in the M4 iPad Pro. The current Mac mini still uses the M2 chip, and it was not upgraded to the M3 like the MacBooks.
  2. In terms of single-core performance, the M4 chip will be 47% faster than the M2 and 20.5% faster than the M3. This will significantly enhance web browsing performance, as evidenced by the M4 iPad Pro's record-breaking web browser benchmark scores, outperforming new chips from Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm.
  3. The M4 chip will also improve single-core tasks such as web-based apps and web design tools like Figma. For multi-core workloads, the M4 will be 47% faster than the M2 and 21.3% faster than the M3, approaching the performance of the M3 Pro 12-core chip, which has six performance cores compared to the M4's four.
  4. The base model of the M4 Mac mini is likely to come with a nine-core version of the chip, featuring three performance cores instead of four, which will slightly reduce multi-core performance. This is similar to the M4 iPad Pro's performance.
  5. Graphics performance will see a 27% boost compared to the M2 chip, particularly in 3D Mark Wildlife Extreme benchmarks. However, the GPU performance will only see a slight improvement of around 10% compared to the M3 chip, mainly due to a 10% increase in GPU frequency.
  6. For those who prioritize graphics or gaming, the M4 Pro model will be a better choice, offering enhanced GPU performance.

Leak Update #2

  1. The new M4 Mac Mini is expected to come with 12GB of RAM as standard.
  2. This information is inferred from the M4 iPad Pro, which had 12GB RAM chips, but Apple disabled 4GB to make it 8GB on the base model.
  3. The reason for disabling 4GB on the iPad Pro could be due to iPad OS's limited RAM usage or to make the 16GB upgrade more appealing.
  4. There is speculation that Apple might have used RAM chips with flaws, disabling the faulty 4GB, but this is not confirmed.
  5. The fully unlocked 12GB RAM on the M4 Mac Mini will significantly enhance performance, as 8GB is currently insufficient for basic tasks on macOS.
  6. macOS itself uses 4-5GB of RAM for system tasks, leaving little room for other applications with just 8GB.
  7. Upgrading from 8GB to 12GB RAM will provide a 50% increase, making the system more responsive and improving overall performance.

Leak Update #3

  1. The M4 chip has secret features that Apple did not mention during its reveal in the iPad Pro.
  2. One of the significant features is the doubling of Thunderbolt controller chips within the M4 chip.
  3. The M4 chip now has four Thunderbolt controllers compared to the two controllers in the M1, M2, and M3 chips.
  4. This increase in Thunderbolt controllers is crucial as it affects the number of potential ports and the speed of these ports.

Leak Update #4

  1. The M4 Mac Mini is expected to come with four Thunderbolt ports, thanks to the new M4 chip having four controllers. This is a significant upgrade from the current base model, which only has two ports.
  2. The display engine in the M4 Mac Mini has been doubled, leading to better support for external displays, potentially supporting higher resolutions and more displays.
  3. Apple has redesigned the media engine in the M4 chip, which will likely result in faster h.264 and h.265 encoding and decoding. This is particularly beneficial for video editors.
  4. The higher-end M4 Mac Mini model will feature the M4 Pro chip, which is expected to offer a significant performance boost. The single-core performance is likely to remain consistent, while multi-core performance could be up to 50% faster than the M2 Pro chip.
  5. The M4 Pro chip is expected to have a 20-core GPU, an upgrade from the 19-core GPU in the M2 Pro and the 18-core GPU in the M3 Pro. This will enhance graphics performance significantly.
  6. The M4 Pro chip will likely come with more RAM, starting at 18GB and going up to 36GB, compared to the current 16GB and 32GB options.
  7. The M4 Pro Mac Mini might also feature a larger Thunderbolt engine with more controllers, potentially offering up to six Thunderbolt ports. The display engine could also be larger, enhancing display capabilities.

Leak Update #5

  1. The Mac Mini is expected to receive a new space black finish this year.
  2. This change aims to boost sales by offering a fresh look.
  3. The space black finish has already been added to the M3 series MacBook Pros and the M4 iPad Pro.
  4. It is also anticipated to be added to the Apple Watch Ultra 3 in a few months.
  5. The current Mac Mini has had the same silver finish for years, making this a significant and exciting upgrade.

When should we expect the new Macs?

  1. The M4 Mac mini is not expected to have a full redesign, as there have been no leaks suggesting such changes. A redesign might come with the M5 Mac mini in about 1.5 to 2 years.
  2. The pricing for the base M4 model is likely to remain at $599, unless Apple decides to increase it to $699, potentially justifying the price difference with 12GB of RAM.
  3. The release date for the M4 Mac mini is expected to be during Apple's October or November event, depending on which one Apple chooses to hold this year.
  4. The M4 Mac mini will launch alongside the new M4 series MacBook Pros, as Apple typically reveals the Mac minis at the same time as the MacBook Pros to introduce the M4 Pro chip.
  5. The video concludes with an invitation for viewers to share their thoughts and ideas about the new model in the comment section and to subscribe for more updates.