M4 Mac mini
Foundry
Reports suggest that Apple may unveil the M4-powered Mac mini this autumn. The M2 Mac mini, introduced in January 2023, is capable of undergoing alterations. The M1-powered Mac mini made its debut in November 2020. Apple may seize this opportunity to establish a fall launch window for the Mac mini, but historically, the company hasn’t prioritized regular release cycles for this product, suggesting that a consistent schedule isn’t crucial for its success.
The notion, as posited by Gurman. With a compact design, this device can shrink further, mirroring the diminutive dimensions of the Apple TV itself. The revamped Mac mini could make for a formidable rival to the Raspberry Pi, typically used in specific configurations.
Apple is expected to continue offering the Mac mini with its base or professional-grade M-series chips, aligning with the new design. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is expected to release the Mac mini with a base M4 processor “immediately”, while the M4 Pro model won’t become available until late October.
Will the downsized design suggest the Mac mini lacks some of the ports offered by its predecessor? According to Gurman, Apple is reportedly exploring the design of at least three new MacBook models, each featuring a trio of USB-C ports, a power connector, and an HDMI output option. While Gurman didn’t explicitly state this, it’s likely that the USB-C ports also function as Thunderbolt ports.
The current M2-powered Mac mini features a gigabit Ethernet port, USB-A connectors, and a standard 3.5mm audio jack. It’s unclear whether the alignment will shift according to the latest whispers. While the Ethernet and audio jack may remain vulnerable to obsolescence, it’s possible that Apple could eliminate the USB-A ports altogether. The Wi-Fi 7 certification is now a reality as the Wi-Fi Alliance launched it at the start of January.
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