price difference and feature comparison

We’ve finally heard about the new Mac mini M4, and the truth is that all the rumors and leaks about the historic design change are confirmed by the significant reduction in the size of the device compared to the Mac mini M2 released almost two years ago. While there are some similarities between the two, such as having a standard version of the chip and a “Pro” version, there are others as well. appropriate changes that go beyond aesthetics and this should be reconsidered.

Mac mini M2 and Mac mini M4 data sheet

Design: Redesign with practical benefits

There is clear evidence of this: the new Mac mini M4 has a new design. And this is far from a simple reconstruction or an ode to the good cause of miniaturization. gives the consumer clear advantages over the Mac mini M2. It’s not that it’s huge, as it’s a great size that makes it very portable, but the truth is that with the new one you get a much more versatile device in a 20x smaller size.

Size almost identical to Apple TV. It is slightly taller than the previous one, but much narrower and lighter, which makes it easier to transport and place on any surface, and we can even hide it if we want a cleaner and more organized look.

Besides better ventilation is achieved at the bottom of the device, where a hole has been added for more ventilation. By being higher than the surface it is mounted on, it can also dissipate heat from the inside more efficiently. In any case, it should be noted that the ventilation of the Mac mini M2 is not bad at all. In fact, I can personally attest to the good performance of this device with which I write this, and that even when performing difficult tasks, it is silent and regulates temperature very well.

Although if we have to leave anything positive about the new Mac mini M4 design, it’s that Port usage is made much easier by placing three ports at the front.. Two of them are USB-C ports compatible with Thunderbolt 5, and the other is a classic 3.5mm headphone jack. Their location at the front makes their use much more comfortable and faster, without the need to turn the device over, as was the case in the previous case. This back end will use permanent connections, such as those that connect the device to the monitor.

In line with the above, it is worth remembering that both Mac minis come “separately” in the sense that the kit includes a cable for connecting to the network and a little more. The idea behind this line of computers is that it can be used with peripherals and monitors you already own or buy separately, whether they’re official Apple devices or others. At the discretion of the consumer.

Hardware: “This little one is big”

That’s how Apple describes its new Mac mini M4, which in design and almost even in performance can be called a “mini Mac Studio.” Comparing it with the previous one, we find “identical” configurations in the sense that they start with the M2 chip and the M4 chip, but they also offer something more advanced with the M2 Pro and M4 Pro.

Of course, there are more than timely changes in attitude built-in memory they carry. If the M2 launched with an 8 GB memory configuration, then the M4 already starts with 16 GB. In the most advanced ones, things are also different, because if the M2 Pro had 16 GB as a base, then the M4 Pro had 24 GB.

Of course, this is a small slap in the face of Apple in this matter. The most basic models in both cases start at 256 GB.. While it is true that this problem can be solved by using external drives or cloud storage such as iCloud, the truth is that this is unlikely to happen until almost 2025.

If we start evaluating the processor on paper and based on what Apple says (we haven’t been able to test it yet), Mac mini M4 is six times faster than Intel’s best-selling desktop computer and Mac mini M4 Pro is twenty times faster than the last Intel-powered Mac mini we saw in 2018.

Apple Intelligence: Great news shared

If we talk about software in general, the truth is that we will find identical operating system in both teams. While it’s true that the Mac mini M2 came with macOS 13 Ventura and the M4 will come with macOS 15 Sequoia, the truth is that both may have this latest version. More precisely, macOS 15.1, released this week.

And among these wonderful new products, it is impossible not to mention Apple Intelligence, a set of Apple artificial intelligence models that, among other things, adds summaries of texts (including emails), generation of responses in different styles, generation of random images, creation of emojis. with Genmoji or magic photo eraser.

Although if there is something to highlight, it is this new and powerful Siri able to understand our personal context and solve all types of issues. We were able to try this a few months ago and loved it. Of course, it won’t be perfect and some topics will continue to slip through the cracks, and to achieve this, Apple is integrating ChatGPT, providing unlimited and free access to all GPT-4o features.

AND if you live in Spain or another European country We have good and bad news on this matter. It’s good that after all Apple’s troubles with Europe at the expense of Apple Intelligence, it will finally get to European devices. Of course, we will have to wait until April for it to arrive with macOS 15.4 not only in Spain, but also in Spanish.

Prices: the base is the same, “Pro” is more expensive.

For pricing please tell me that there are several versions Mac mini M4 and M4 Pro, just like the Mac mini M2 and M2 Pro. The idea is to start with some basic specs, with one chip or another, and then add higher-end features, such as onboard memory or others. storage.

Mac mini M2 discontinued and Apple will no longer sell it. Of course, some stores offer deals while supplies last and may have some interesting deals coming up. Anyway, to make a fair comparison, here’s what the price of both looks like based on launch prices (January 2023 for the M2 and November 2024 for the M4):

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