M1 vs. M2. vs. M4 Mac Mini Buyer's Guide: 25+ Upgrades Compared

Apple just unveiled the first Mac mini redesign in over a decade. The previous major updates to the device were the transition to Apple silicon in 2020 and the option of a Pro-grade chip in 2023, so how does the latest model compare to its two immediate predecessors?


The new ‌Mac mini‌ looks dramatically different to previous models thanks to a markedly smaller enclosure and two front USB-C ports, but it is also much more powerful thanks to the M4 and M4 Pro chips. All of the hardware differences between the 2020, 2023, and 2024 ‌Mac mini‌ models are detailed below:

‌Mac mini‌ (late 2020) ‌Mac mini‌ (early 2023) ‌Mac mini‌ (late 2024)
Height: 1.41 inches (3.58 cm) Height: 1.41 inches (3.58 cm) Height: 2.0 inches (5.0 cm)
Width: 7.75 inches (19.70 cm) Width: 7.75 inches (19.70 cm) Width: 5.0 inches (12.7 cm)
Depth: 7.75 inches (19.70 cm) Depth: 7.75 inches (19.70 cm) Depth: 5.0 inches (12.7 cm)
Weight: 2.6 pounds (1.18 kg) Weight (M2): 2.6 pounds (1.18 kg)
Weight (M2 Pro): 2.8 pounds (1.28 kg)
Weight (M4): 1.5 pounds (0.67 kg)
Weight (M4 Pro): 1.6 pounds (0.73 kg)
Thermal design with rear air intake and exhaust Thermal design with rear air intake and exhaust New thermal design that drives air up through the base
Rear power button Rear power button Bottom power button
Wi-Fi 6 Wi-Fi 6E Wi-Fi 6E
Bluetooth 5.0 Bluetooth 5.3 Bluetooth 5.3
3.5mm headphone jack 3.5mm headphone jack with advanced support for high-impedance headphones 3.5mm headphone jack with advanced support for high-impedance headphones
HDMI 2.0 M2: HDMI 2.0
M2 Pro: HDMI 2.1
HDMI 2.1
Two rear USB-A ports Two rear USB-A ports Two front USB-C ports
Two Thunderbolt 3/USB4 USB-C ports M2: Two Thunderbolt 4 ports
M2 Pro: Four Thunderbolt 4 ports
M4: Three Thunderbolt 4 ports
M4 Pro: Three Thunderbolt 5 ports
Maximum of two external displays Maximum of three external displays Maximum of three external displays
256GB, 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB storage M2: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB storage
M2 Pro: 512GB, 1TB, 2TB, or 4TB storage
M4: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB storage
M4 Pro: 512GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, or 8TB storage

The chips offered across the three ‌Mac mini‌ generations are a key point of difference. These changes are outlined below:

‌Mac mini‌ (late 2020) ‌Mac mini‌ (early 2023) ‌Mac mini‌ (late 2024)
M1 chip (made with TSMC's 5nm (N5) process) M2 or ‌M2‌ Pro chip (made with TSMC's enhanced 5nm (N5P) process) M4 or M4 Pro chip (made with TSMC's enhanced 3nm (N3E) process)
8 CPU cores (4 performance + 4 efficiency) M2: 8 CPU cores (4 performance + 4 efficiency)
M2 Pro: 10 or 12 CPU cores (6 or 8 performance + 4 efficiency)
M4: 10 CPU cores (4 performance + 6 efficiency cores)
M4 Pro: 12 or 14 CPU cores (8 or 10 performance + 4 efficiency)
3.23 GHz maximum CPU clock speed 3.50 GHz maximum CPU clock speed 4.30 GHz maximum CPU clock speed
8 GPU cores M2: 10 GPU cores
M2 Pro: 16 or 19 GPU cores
M4: 10 GPU cores
M4 Pro: 16 or 20 GPU cores
Updated GPU architecture with improved efficiency
Hardware-accelerated ray-tracing
Dynamic caching
Video decode engine Higher-bandwidth video decode engine Higher-bandwidth video decode engine
Hardware-accelerated H.264 and HEVC Hardware-accelerated H.264, HEVC, ProRes, and ProRes RAW Hardware-accelerated H.264, HEVC, ProRes, and ProRes RAW
ProRes encode and decode engine ProRes encode and decode engine
Support for AV1 decode
LPDDR4X memory LPDDR5 memory LPDDR5X memory
68.25GB/s memory bandwidth M2: 100GB/s memory bandwidth
M2 Pro: 200GB/s memory bandwidth
M4: 120GB/s memory bandwidth
M4 Pro: 273GB/s memory bandwidth
8GB or 16GB memory M2: 8GB, 16GB, or 24GB memory
M2 Pro: 16GB or 32GB memory
M4: 16GB, 24GB, or 32GB memory
M4 Pro: 24GB, 48GB, or 64GB memory
16-core Neural Engine, 11 trillion operations per second 16-core Neural Engine, 15.8 trillion operations per second 16-core Neural Engine, 38 trillion operations per second
Dedicated display engine

The M4 and M4 Pro ‌Mac mini‌ represent the most significant update to Apple's compact desktop in years, marking an evolution not only in performance but in design and functionality as well. The new, dramatically smaller enclosure, improved thermal design, and front USB-C ports are standout changes that make the M4 Mac mini much more versatile. For users who prioritize compactness and connectivity without sacrificing power, these design upgrades alone make the 2024 ‌Mac mini‌ an appealing choice.

In terms of performance, the M4 and M4 Pro chips offer substantial advancements. With higher clock speeds, more efficient core architecture, and memory bandwidth improvements, the ‌M4 Mac mini‌ brings noticeable gains in performance over the ‌M1‌ and ‌M2‌ models. The new chips also introduce hardware-accelerated ray-tracing, support for AV1 decoding, and an updated GPU architecture, which are particularly beneficial for users in graphic design, video editing, and other GPU-intensive tasks. Paired with LPDDR5X memory, these upgrades make the ‌Mac mini‌ more competitive than ever, even nearing the capabilities of the Mac Studio for many professional workflows.

For ‌M1‌ ‌Mac mini‌ users, the latest model is a compelling upgrade that delivers tangible improvements in speed, graphics capability, and future-proofing. The leap in Neural Engine performance alone, which now handles 38 trillion operations per second, will significantly enhance AI-driven tasks and applications. Even ‌M2‌ ‌Mac mini‌ users may find the M4 and M4 Pro models tempting, given the design overhaul and even more high-end configuration options.

However, ‌M2‌ Pro users who already have a higher-spec configuration may not find the jump to the latest model as essential, especially if their needs are already being met by their current machine's power and capabilities. For these users, it might be worth waiting for an even more transformative update later down the line.

What is clear is that the M4 and M4 Pro ‌Mac mini‌ provide a noteworthy upgrade for users seeking a high-performance, compact, and cost-effective desktop Mac. The latest generation blurs the line between the ‌Mac mini‌ and ‌Mac Studio‌, delivering substantial power and formidable specifications in a much smaller footprint. It stands out as one of the best-value options for desktop computing in Apple's lineup, making it an excellent choice for many users.

Related Roundup: Mac mini
Buyer's Guide: Mac Mini (Buy Now)
Related Forum: Mac mini

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Top Rated Comments

Return Zero Avatar
18 weeks ago
Base model being 499 on edu pricing (I work for a school) and the unbinned (10-core) chip and 16GB RAM is absolutely the best value Mac ever, IMO.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
familychoice Avatar
18 weeks ago
The big surprise for me is price: I paid £1049 for my M1 16/512 combo, back in the day. The same M4 combo is now £799, £250 cheaper for more power and an extra port.

I seriously didn’t expect the new one to be that much cheaper. It’ll be interesting to see if the new entry level MBP’s get the same treatment….
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SteveJobs2.0 Avatar
18 weeks ago
This is a good upgrade hardware-wise. Nothing revolutionary, but a welcome advancement in terms of positioning this as a stylish, affordable and powerful option for the general public.

They can probably create a MacMini Pro the size of the previous generation MacMini for those who need even greater performance and I/O availability.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ShufromChina Avatar
18 weeks ago
One correction: The Mac mini 2023 isn't HDMI 2.1 across the board. M2 is still HDMI 2.0. Only M2 Pro is HDMI 2.1; whereas the new Mac mini has HDMI 2.1 across the board, including the base model.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Allen_Wentz Avatar
18 weeks ago
This upgrade is actually quite substantial, but folks do not really seem to be noticing. The new availability of 64 GB RAM is huge. MR said "The latest generation blurs the line between the ‌Mac mini‌ and ‌Mac Studio‌," which is misleading because the past generation already fully blurred the line between the ‌Mac Mini‌ and ‌Mac Studio‌.

This new Mac Mini jumps the line between the ‌Mac Mini‌ and ‌the Mac Studio. Clock speed, ray tracing and 64 GB RAM ‌will have a new Mini outperforming the Studio lower end for many tasks that fit under 64 GB RAM [until the M4 Studio is released]. Tasks that optimize using more RAM will remain Studio or MBP territory.

Edit: The availability of 64 GB RAM in Apple's low end desktop product the Mac Mini extends the low end product choices upward, and really makes me wonder what the M4 Studios will bring us. I very much look forward to seeing the coming M4 generations of Studios and Mac Pros.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
madmax14304 Avatar
18 weeks ago
Bummer that it's taller because this kills the ability to put them into a 1U chassis. you'll have to occupy 2U now. Otherwise, it looks like a winner.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)