Mac Mini Stuck With Old Chips Despite Launch of Ultra-Fast New Macs
Apple's two Mac mini models have been left with old chips, despite the launch of ultra-fast Mac models that contain newer technology.
The M1 Mac mini is the oldest latest-generation Apple silicon Mac, and, much like the 24-inch iMac, it could benefit from an upgrade to the M2 chip. The current entry-level model launched in November 2020 features the M1 chip – meaning that it is outdated compared to the 13-inch MacBook Pro, redesigned MacBook Air, and iPad Pro. Apple announced the M2 chip in early June this year at WWDC, offering around 20 percent better performance, and since three different devices now contain the chip, the Mac mini is ripe for a chip upgrade.
Even though adding an M2 chip to the Mac mini would presumably require limited internal changes, Apple has thus far neglected to do so. Reports earlier this year suggested that Apple originally "had plans" to introduce new Mac mini models in 2022, but these arrangements were "probably scrapped" in favor of the all-new Mac Studio. A new Mac mini with the M2 chip is purportedly still in the works for launch sometime in 2023.
While the M1 Mac mini offers an entry-level model in the lineup, the high-end Mac mini still features an Intel processor. The high-end Mac mini was theoretically refreshed in 2020 when Apple doubled the storage on the device, but it is otherwise identical to the 2018 Space Gray unibody model.
Apple has been believed to be working on a new Mac mini for some time. The potential of replacing the older high-end model with an Apple silicon machine was previously at the center of rumors related to new Mac minis, but it now looks like both the entry-level and the high-end model may be refreshed simultaneously. Apple is believed to be working on two versions of the next-generation Mac mini, one with the standard "M2" chip and a second higher-end model with the "M2 Pro" chip.
A new high-end Mac mini with Apple silicon could get massive performance and efficiency benefits compared to the current model, and feature more Thunderbolt ports than the entry-level model. There is also the potential of a redesign. As a machine from over two years before Apple began the transition to its own custom silicon chips in the Mac, and two years since the entry-level Mac mini was refreshed, the high-end Mac mini seems to be the Apple device that is most sorely in need of a hardware refresh.
Popular Stories
Apple released iOS 18.2 in the second week of December, bringing the second round of Apple Intelligence features to iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models. This update brings several major advancements to Apple's AI integration, including completely new image generation tools and a range of Visual Intelligence-based enhancements. Apple has added a handful of new non-AI related feature controls as...
Wednesday December 18, 2024 11:39 am PST by
Juli CloverApple is no longer planning to launch a hardware subscription service that would let customers "subscribe" to get a new iPhone each year, reports Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
Gurman first shared rumors about Apple's work on a hardware subscription service back in 2022, and at the time, he said that Apple wanted to develop a simple system that would allow customers to pay a monthly fee to gain...
Contrary to recent reports, the iPhone 17 Pro will not feature a horizontal camera layout, according to the leaker known as "Instant Digital."
In a new post on Weibo, the leaker said that a source has confirmed that while the appearance of the back of the iPhone 17 Pro has indeed changed, the layout of the three cameras is "still triangular," rather than the "horizontal bar spread on the...
Wednesday December 18, 2024 10:05 am PST by
Juli CloverElevation Lab today announced the launch of TimeCapsule, an innovative and simple solution for increasing the battery life of Apple's AirTag.
Priced at $20, TimeCapsule is an AirTag enclosure that houses two AA batteries that offer 14x more battery capacity than the CR2032 battery that the AirTag runs on. It works by attaching the AirTag's upper housing to the built-in custom contact in the...
The current Apple TV 4K was released more than two years ago, so the streaming device is becoming due for a hardware upgrade soon. Fortunately, it was recently rumored that a new Apple TV will launch at some point next year.
Below, we recap rumors about the next-generation Apple TV.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman last week reported that Apple has been working on its own combined Wi-Fi and...
Blackmagic today announced that its URSA Cine Immersive camera is now available for pre-order, with deliveries set to start late in the first quarter of 2025. Blackmagic says that this is the world's first commercial camera system designed to capture 3D content for the Vision Pro.
The URSA Cine Immersive camera was first introduced in June, but it has not been available for purchase until...
Apple launched the controversial "trashcan" Mac Pro eleven years ago today, introducing one of its most criticized designs that persisted through a period of widespread discontentment with the Mac lineup.
The redesign took the Mac Pro in an entirely new direction, spearheaded by a polished aluminum cylindrical design that became unofficially dubbed the "trashcan" in the Mac community. All of ...
Apple is planning a series of "major design" and "format changes" for iPhones over the next few years, according to The Wall Street Journal's Aaron Tilley and Yang Jie.
The paywalled report published today corroborated the widely-rumored "iPhone 17 Air" with an "ultrathin" design that is thinner than current iPhone models. The report did not mention a specific measurement, but previous...
