The all-new M4 Pro: bringing out Thunderbolt 5 throughput and power on the Mac Mini with Apple’s first redesign
The Mac Mini is Apple’s tiniest desktop computer and it’s getting its first redesign in decades. Apple refreshed this machine early in 2023 with the M2 chipset, but the latest entry is powered by the all-new M4 Pro, a processor making its debut today. Like its predecessor, the M4 lineup has better power efficiency and speed thanks to the new Apple Intelligence that was rolled out this week.
Even so, Apple has loaded this thing up with plenty of I/O: on the front are two USB-C ports and a 3.5mm audio jack. You can find the ethernet, HDMI, and threeUSB-C ports around back. The USB-A ports are indeed history, but it’s worth noting that the base M2 Mini only had two Thunderbolt 4 ports and two USB-A ports. With the M4, you’re getting five ports in all. If you pick up a extra port, you lose the native one.
The speeds of those ports will change depending on which M4 processor you choose. The M4 Pro has the latest generation of Thunderbolt 5 throughput whereas the regular M4 chip does not.
The Small Case of The Apple Mac: Getting Closer to the Metal Cube with Airflow and Airflow Capabilities, or What’s Happening With The Apple Watch Series 10?
It is a busy week for Apple. The M4 iMac made its debut on Monday, and the company also rolled out its first Apple Intelligence software capabilities across iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. (More AI features, including image generation and ChatGPT integration, will be released in December.) Apple is going to debut its upgraded MacBook Pros tomorrow. The company is expected to release its earnings on Thursday and will likely trumpet its latest fleet of Macs.
OK, remember when Apple said the Apple Watch Series 10 had an all-new design and it still looked pretty identical to every other Apple Watch? Yes, the small changes made the Series 10 more comfortable and nicer to wear, but new design is a bit of a stretch. That’s kind of like the Mac Mini. It hasn’t received a major redesign since 2010, but things are changing now.
The already small desktop computer is now even smaller—coming in at 5 x 5 inches. Despite the smaller footprint, it’s a little taller, and the base slopes down with vents for airflow. It’s still, for all intents and purposes, a metallic cube.