Today, Apple launched its new Mac mini, which is now powered by the M4 and M4 Pro chips. The compact 5×5 inch desktop computer is compatible with a wide range of display types, enabling it to function as a traditional single-monitor workstation or as part of a more advanced multi-monitor setup with various input devices.
With the M4 chip, the new Mac mini achieves up to 1.8x faster CPI and 2.2x faster GPU speeds compared to its M1 predecessors. It also helps users requiring greater computing performance, assisting demanding workloads like video editing and 3D rendering.
Here’s a quick breakdown of the key features!
Enhanced Performance in a Compact Design
The Mac mini is half the size of previous designs, due to its use of Apple silicon and thermal architecture. Even though it is mini, it offers up to 6x speed compared to PC desktops, at just one-twentieth of the size. This supports multitasking across applications and creative projects. The Mac mini with the M4 Pro further enhances performance and processing speed.
Sustainability Milestone: The First Carbon Neutral Mac
The Mac mini is Apple’s first-ever carbon-neutral Mac. Recycled aluminium and recycled rare earth elements were used to manufacture the Mac mini, making over half of its materials recycled. Compared to the previous Mac mini model, this model achieves an 80% reduction in its carbon footprint. Apple have also updated their shipping processes to favour lower-carbon ocean freight.
Connectivity Upgrades and Display Support
The Mac mini will include ports on both the front and back, allowing for improved connectivity. This will include three Thunderbolt 4 ports for the M4 model and three Thunderbolt 5 ports for the M4 Pro. Users can connect multiple displays with M4 supporting up to two 6K displays and one 5K display, while M4 Pro allows up to three 6K displays. HDMI, USB-C, and an audio jack with high-impedance headphone support offer flexibility for a range of setups.
Apple Intelligence: A New Era for Mac
Apple Intelligence is also launching on Mac, leveraging generative models to offer tools for rewriting, summarising, and proofreading text. Plus, Siri will be able to switch seamlessly between spoken and typed commands. Additional features like Image Playground and Genmoji for custom emoji will launch in December, along with ChatGPT integration into Siri and Writing Tools.
Pricing and Availability
Customers can pre-order the Mac mini with M4 and M4 Pro chips starting at A$999 and A$2,199, respectively, with education discounts available. Orders begin arriving on 8 November, and additional information on technical specifications is available on Apple’s website.
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