Mini in size, magnificent in possibility: M4 Mac Mini review

Apple's littlest computer just got the biggest upgrade!

The Mac Mini is sporting an even more compact form, better access to ports, and better performance through the types of devices you'll be able to connect and the option to add the M4 or M4 pro chip.

I've been testing out Mac Mini in a variety of use case scenarios from the most basic everyday tasks, to some more computationally demanding production workflows, and some advanced gaming scenarios. And after all that, I'm very impressed with the possibilities this tiny device can bring to to the way people use a desktop computer.

Meet the Mac Mini

Can a computer be cute? Because this thing seems cute, probably because it's so smol!

Admittedly, I thought the last Mac Mini was small (and it was) but compared to this new 5x5 Mac Mini it's a marked difference.

This thing is small enough that it can sit discreetly on even the smallest desk or workspace. You could even just rest it on the base of your Mac Studio Display monitor (though you'll have to turn it sideways to let the cords go through. Alternatively you could tuck it away inside of a monitor shelf or riser (I LOVE the one from TwelveSouth and have used it for all my Macs).

Tiny computers can be a challenge though because if you're doing high performance tasks, they could overheat or you have to limit the components and connections because there's just not room to put all of those things.

Apple has overcome all of these obstacles.

There's a resigned thermal system where air travels through different levels of the Mac and flows through the base, preventing overheating.

In my testing the fan ALMOST never kicked in until I started rendering multiple tracks of 4K videos in Premiere Pro (something that maybe regular users won't be doing often/ever). In those cases, it does feel warm to the touch if I'm working on a super long video (or doing an epic gaming session with Game Mode enabled), but not too concerning.

What ports are on the new Mac Mini?

With a taller design than the M2 Mac Mini, there was more space in the case to allow for more ports! The M4 Mac Mini adds more ports in more places and this is a hugely meaningful upgrade.

The number of thunderbolt ports doesn't change based on which M4 chip you have in your Mac Mini, but the quality does. With the base M4 chip you get Thunderbolt 4 connectivity (which is the current modern standard).

If you upgrade to M4 Pro you get Thunderbolt 5 connectivity (which is more future proof - as of the Fall 2024 launch Thunderbolt 5 accessories are still quite rare, but they're on their way).

The only thing you lose from the previous Mac Mini model is the older-style USB type A ports. This isn't a giant hurdle since you can get a super cheap adapter to make your older devices work, or if you have lots of different accessories you can pick up a high-end dock that works with Thunderbolt 4.

Why pick a Mac Mini?

Apple has some pretty great options in their Mac lineup between MacBook Air & Pro for portability and the excellent iMac for an all-in-one computer option. So why consider a Mac Mini?

• You want a computer that isn't going to take up too much deskspace
• You use a tablet or your phone when you need portable tech
• You already own a great monitor
• You want a minimalist workstation to use with Apple Vision Pro
• You want a lower cost Mac option that you can customize the specs based on your needs and budget

My review is focused on the Mac Mini with the M4 chip. It's nearly the base model (slight storage upgrade, but base level chip and memory). Even though the model I'm reviewing is on the lower end of the performance scale the M4 chip is so capable I was able to tap into some higher end processes with limited barriers.

This model would be a typical pick for a shared family computer that needs to cover off all the basics, but occasionally for work or school or leisure, be used for some more graphics intensive processes.

Do you need to have a Mac monitor to work with the Mac Mini?

The great news about the Mac Mini is you can use accessories you already own with this new computer.

Since there's an HDMI output, even if you have an "old" computer monitor, as long as it has an HDMI input, you can use it with your Mac. If you have a more high end thunderbolt display the Mac Mini can plug into that.

Does Mac Mini work with any keyboard?

Just like the monitor situation, it's BYOD with the Mac mini (bring your own device). If you have an existing keyboard or mouse that you love, you don't need to buy a new Apple Magic Keyboard. Even if you have a non-Apple Keyboard it will still work with your new Mac Mini (though some shortcuts might be annoying since the keys won't necessarily match).

One scenario where you'll likely want to bring your own mouse will be if you're doing gaming that requires a mouse keyboard combo rather than a controller since the Magic Mouse and it's lack of a separate right click button doesn't always play friendly with those games that have been developed for PC.

Does the Mac Mini work with Apple Intelligence?

When you fire up your M4 Mac Mini, you'll be able to start using Apple Intelligence right away - with some caveats.

As of Mac Mini's launch in early Nov 2024, not all Apple Intelligence features are available on the Mac's operating system. To start using the features available, here's what you need to do:

1. Update your Mac to the latest version of Sequoia (that's the current operating system Macs are using).
2. Go to System Settings
3. Scroll down to Apple Intelligence & Siri
4. Make sure the Siri toggle is switched to the on/enabled position
5. Set your language to English (United States) - this is important because Apple Intelligence isn't available for all language regions.
6. You'll either be prompted to Join the Apple Intelligence Wait List or, if you've joined the Wait List on another device, you'll be prompted to Turn on Apple Intelligence.

After that you'll get a series of prompts letting you know what Apple Intelligence and Siri can do now, and you'll be asked to enable each of these features to do things like summarize notifications and add writing tools to your Mac experience.

Best features on the Mac Mini

Aside from the M4 chip and the processing boost that comes with it, the best feature of the new Mac Mini is for sure the front-facing ports.

This is such a nice thing whether you're quickly running a cable to charge up your mouse or keyboard, or plugging in a dongle so you can transfer photos or videos from an SD card.

While the USB C ports on the front are convenient, if you're transferring a lot of data (like if you don't have iCloud and you're transferring a large number of photos or files from an external drive) you'll want to plug into the rear ports and take advantage of the higher transfer speeds (assuming the device you're transferring from supports that).

Worst features on the Mac Mini

I've seen a LOT of people online riled up about the power button placement but honestly, this is a non-issue.

In case you didn't know, the power button on the Mac Mini is UNDER the device. People have compared it to the impracticality of the Magic Mouse charging port being on the underside of the mouse (which IS super annoying because you can't use the mouse when you are charging).

With the Mac Mini, this just isn't really a problem. I'm back and forth on my Mac pretty often throughout the day, so I don't actually turn it off. I'll lock the screen, it will go into sleep mode, but I almost NEVER actually push the power button.

If you do, it's pretty easy to just tilt this thing to the side and slide a finger underneath.

It's a little disappointing that the Mac Mini doesn't have a built-in SD card reader. On the one hand, "normal" usage of the Mac doesn't likely involve using an SD card for most people, that's something more for a Pro user.

HOWEVER, the Mac Mini DOES come up with an option to add in a Pro chip, so they must be thinking SOME people are gonna be using this as a Pro device.

There's always the Mac Studio, using a dongle, or adding a dock to get this feature. But a front-facing SD card reader would've really made this machine look and feel like the ultimate tool for desktop computing productivity.

Should you get the M4 or M4 Pro Mac Mini?

For everyday use meaning multitasking between apps and browser tabs, video calls, homework, watching movies or games, the M4 chip is going to be perfectly sufficient for the average person's workflows.

I do a lot of video editing, some of which is shot in 4K and involves multiple "layers" of video stacked on each other. And even with that slightly more demanding workflow, I didn't really feel limited during my editing (though rendering at the end was slightly slower…but I'm doing that in the background anyway with Adobe Media encoder, so no big deal).

The thing that did have me yearning for the Pro chip was my gaming experience. While some titles I'm used to playing on Mac were totally fine, other games Like Lies of P and Baldur's Gate 3 I was quite surprised with loading times. During gameplay, these were among the only times I actually noticed the fan on the Mini kick in (which is to be expected), but I suspect the gaming experience improves based on how you spec out the M4 Pro version of Mac Mini, but then that also adds significantly to the price.

If gaming is a sometimes activity for you, you're not necessarily limited with Mac Mini with M4. And I'm guessing if you're a frequent gamer, you're probably not picking up the Mac Mini to replace your gaming PC or PlayStation 5.

I bring it up because I was so blown away by the performance of the M4 chip in every other instance I tried in my early testing. However, with gaming, that was the only time I clocked that I might be missing out on a better experience, and I was only aware of this FOMO because I have had such an insanely great experience with the M3 Pro Max experience on MacBook Pro.

Is the M4 Mac Mini worth it?

I am really, really impressed with the new Mac Mini.

The initial appeal/honeymoon phase definitely comes from the novelty of the formfactor being so small. Obviously that wears of quickly, so then it comes down to how this computer performs for your day-to-day needs.

This is a machine I'd feel very confident recommending to most people for maximum versatility in terms of the way you're using your computer and the stuff you can use it with!

M4 Powered

M4 Mac Mini

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The Mac Mini is a compact but powerful multipurpose desktop computer. It would make a great shared family computer and it works with a variety of accessories, so you can make use of your existing monitor, keyboard, controllers and more. You can configure with the M4 or the M4 Pro chip.

• From $799 CAD at Apple

For a shared household machine, this will be great. Everyone in the home can have their own accounts. And if Mom is using it for advanced graphic design while dad is using it to browse the web for snowmobile deals they're gonna be happy. For an elementary school kid needing to type up a book report or a high schooler working on mixing a song for their garage band (in Garage Band) everyone's gonna have plenty of power for the things they need.

I also love the variety of ports (even though I did complain about the lack of SD card reader). Buying a new computer, even when it's a great value for performance like the new Mac Mini is expensive. What REALLY gets ya, is when you factor in the accessories like a new keyboard, mouse, and monitor…all of a sudden you're now looking at a bill that's doubled compared to what you initially planned for.

There are a few accessories you might consider to fully tap into the awesomeness of this little machine. Be sure to check out my list of suggestions right here.

With the variety of ports, the Mac Mini makes it easy to add this computer to your existing setup without needing to fork out a lot of cash for extras.