M4 Mac mini vs M2 Mac mini: Outsized performance? – 9to5Mac

Following the debut of the M4 iMac, the all-new M4 and M4 Pro Mac mini machines are here. Read along for everything new and different for the M4 Mac mini vs M2 Mac mini on performance, design, I/O, features, price, and more.

After shifting from Intel to the M1 in 2020, Apple gave the Mac mini a refresh in early 2023 with the option of the M2 or M2 Pro chip.

Now, Apple is back with the newest Mac mini, which is “more mighty, more mini, and built for Apple Intelligence.”

Let’s dig into the M4 Mac mini vs M2 and M4 Pro Mac mini vs M2 Pro.

M4 Mac mini vs M2 Mac mini

CPU, GPU, memory, Neural Engine

Like the 2023 Mac mini, the 2024 M4 brings a solid base computer for basic to medium use, with M4 Pro delivering a much greater range of power and capability without having to upgrade to the Mac Studio.

M4 and M4 Pro bring CPU and GPU, memory, and Neural Engine upgrades. The latter has up to a 14-core CPU, 20-core GPU, and up to 64GB memory.

While Apple Intelligence is a highlighted feature of the new M4 Mac mini machines, keep in mind the M1 and later Macs get support.

Apple says the M4 Pro is up to 60% faster than M2 Pro for CPU and up to 50% faster for GPU performance.

The M4 Pro chip also gains AV1 decode for the media engine that supports hardware-accelerated H.264, HEVC, ProRes, a ProRes RAW Video decode engine, a Video encode engine, and a ProRes encode and decode engine.

And Apple highlights the M4 GPU brings hardware-accelerated mesh shading and ray tracing to the Mac mini for the first time.

I/O

Both the M4 Pro and M4 Mac mini get I/O upgrades. The base M4 Mac mini gets three Thunderbolt 4 ports with two USB-C ports on the front.

And the M4 Pro Mac mini gets three Thunderbolt 5 (yep, TB5) with two USB-C ports on the front.

The other major upgrade is better external display support for up to 3 6K monitors at 60Hz with the M4 Pro.

Dimensions and color

The M4 and M4 Pro Mac mini bring a smaller-than-ever design. Impressively, it’s closer in size to the Apple TV 4K’s footprint than the previous Mac mini.

What’s in the box

Like its predecessors, the only thing in the M4/M4 Pro Mac mini box is the computer and the power cable.

Apple continues to offer its Studio Display as its more affordable external monitor. But there are also great alternatives that are less expensive:

You may also want to pick up Apple’s new USB-C Magic Keyboard, Mouse, or Trackpad or check out options like Logitech’s fantastic MX Master lineup.

M4 Mac mini vs M2: price

The M4 configurations are the same price as the predecessors – $599-$1,899.

But jumping up to the M4 Pro Mac mini more than doubles the starting price of the M4 at $1,399. That starting price is $100 more than the M2 Pro was and maxes out $200 above the M2 Pro.

M4 Mac mini vs M2 Mac mini buyer’s guide

The new Mac mini with M4 or M4 Pro is a notable refresh packing a powerful computer in a tiny package.

Reasons to buy M4 or M4 Pro Mac mini:

• Latest Apple Silicon
• Increased memory options
• New, more compact design
• Thunderbolt 5 option
• External display support upgrade

For those that need a basic to medium-power machine, the M4 Mac mini will be a great fit with options between 16 to 32GB of memory and storage up to 2TB.

For those with more intensive workflows like creative professionals or aspiring creative pros and similar that don’t need a decked-out Mac Studio, the M4 Pro Mac mini will be a great choice.

The new M4 and M4 Pro Mac mini are available to order from Apple and soon at Amazon, Best Buy, and more.

What do you think about the new Mac mini? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Thanks for reading our M4 Mac mini vs M2 Mac mini guide!

More in-depth comparisons: