Apple Mac Mini (M4) vs Mac Mini (M2): Should you upgrade?

Apple has announced the latest version of its all-in-one desktop offering, the Mac Mini. 

Available running on either the M4 or M4 Pro chipset, Apple promises the upgraded Mac Mini is “more capable and versatile than ever”. With that in mind, how different is it really from last year’s Mac Mini (M2)?

To help you decide whether it’s worth upgrading to the latest version, we’ve compared the specs of Apple’s compact desktop and highlighted all the key features below.

Price

Remember that regardless of whether you opt for the newest Mac Mini or last year’s, you will need to factor in the cost of at least a display, keyboard and mouse too. 

The Mac Mini running on either the M4 or M4 Pro chipset is currently available for pre-order across 28 countries and regions globally, including the UK and US, ahead of its official release on the 8th of November 2024. 

The Mac Mini running on M4 has a starting RRP of £599/$599 while the M4 Pro alternative starts at £1399/$1399.

Last year’s Mac Mini is also available in a choice of chipsets: M2 or the more powerful M2 Pro. At the time of writing, its RRP is £649/$599 for the former and £1399/£$1299 for the latter. 

The Mac Mini (M4) runs on either the M4 or M4 Pro chipsets

As mentioned earlier, the 2024 Mac Mini is available in two different Apple-designed processors: M4 or M4 Pro, with the former featuring a 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU and 16GB of memory for speedy performance. 

Apple explains that the Mac Mini with M4 is able to perform spreadsheet calculations up to 1.7x faster in Excel than the Mac Mini with M1, plus it can transcribe on-device AI speech-to-text up to 2x faster in MacWhisper.

In addition, when compared to the Intel Core i7 processor, Apple promises up to 13.3x faster gaming performance in World of Warcraft and 33x faster image upscaling in Photomator. 

As its name suggests, the M4 Pro processor promises even faster and powerful performance. Sporting up to 20 cores, the M4 Pro GPU is up to twice as powerful as the GPU in the M4, although both chips still bring hardware-accelerated ray tracing to Mac mini for the first time. 

Apple also explains that the Neural Engine in M4 Pro is also three times faster than the Mac Mini with M1, which means on-device Apple Intelligence should run speedily.

Similarly, the 2023 Mac Mini is also available in two processors, either M2 or M2 Pro. The standard M2 processor features an 8-core CPU alongside a 10-core GPU, while the M2 Pro sports a 12-core CPU and 19-core GPU.

We reviewed the Mac Mini M2 Pro model and found it to be “a seriously capable machine” which scored impressively in our benchmark tests. It revealed that the standard M2 model should boast enough power for basic use including light video and photo editing, and even gaming.

Both support Apple Intelligence

One of the most eagerly anticipated launches of 2024 is undoubtedly Apple Intelligence. Found across Macs, iPhones and iPads, Apple Intelligence is the new AI toolkit that boasts clever features such as call summarisation, streamlined emails and a brand-new Siri. 

It’s worth noting that both iterations of last year’s Mac Mini also support the toolkit, much like the new versions, so you shouldn’t upgrade solely to reap the benefits of Apple Intelligence.

Creatives might favour the Mac Mini M4 Pro 

Apple explains that when compared to the Mac Mini with M2 Pro, the Mac Mini running on M4 Pro is able to render motion graphics up to two times faster in Motion and 3D renders up to 2.9 faster in Blender.

Having said that, the Mac Mini M2 Pro still promises speedy performance when compared to the Mac Mini M1 alternative.

The Mac Mini M4 Pro model supports Thunderbolt 5

For the first time in Mac Mini history, the M4 Pro iteration supports Thunderbolt 5 for faster data transfer speeds. In fact, Thunderbolt 5 can deliver up to 120Gb/s data transfer speeds and more than doubles the throughput of Thunderbolt 4. 

While the Mac Mini M4 Pro includes three Thunderbolt 5 ports, the Mac Mini M4 still boasts three Thunderbolt 4 ports. 

On the other hand, the Mac Mini M2 iteration includes just two Thunderbolt 4 ports whereas the M2 Pro alternative sports a total of four.

The Mac Mini (M4) is smaller

The 2024 Mac Mini has a smaller footprint than ever before at just 5 x 5 x 2in. Apple even points out that when compared to the best-selling PC desktop in its price range, the Mac Mini is “up to 6x faster at one-twentieth the size”. 

The 2023 Mac Mini, in comparison, measures 7.75 x 7.75 x 1.4in, which although is still larger than its newest alternative, is still a compact device.

Early verdict

Both versions of the Mac Mini M4 promise to be fast, powerful desktops that should enable the Apple Intelligence toolkit to run smoothly. Now at its smallest, most compact size ever, if you want a desktop that takes up the least amount of space possible, then the 2024 Mac Mini might be better suited to you.

Having said that, the 2023 Mac Mini (M2) still represents a great Apple desktop offering. The M2 chip is still perfectly capable and powerful, plus the Mac Mini M2 Pro even comes with more Thunderbolt ports than the new version. Finally, both Mac Mini M2s support Apple Intelligence too.