Our opinion
If you want a simple desktop Mac for home or general computing, the M2 Mac mini is ideal with a perfect price. The M2 chip is very powerful for most people and even some pros. If you want a high-end chip, but not the fastest chip, the entry-level M2 Pro Mac mini is a powerful machine. Be careful with upgrades because it may be cheaper to get a Mac Studio or MacBook Pro if you’re upgrading more than storage.
Price when reviewing
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Best Prices Today: Apple Mac mini (M2, 2023)
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Apple finally upgraded its Mac mini line with new M2 processors and pulled the hugely outdated Intel model from the store. This means that there are now two Apple silicon models to choose from: a base model with an M2 chip and a high-end Mac mini with an M2 Pro processor. Here’s how the two models compare.
M2 Mac mini vs M2 Pro Mac mini: Specifications
| Mac mini (M2) | Mac mini (M2 Pro) | |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | 8-core CPU, 10-core GPU | 10 or 12 core CPU, 16 or 19 core GPU |
| Memory | 8GB/16GB/24GB | 16GB/32GB |
| Storage | 256GB/512GB/1TB/2TB | 512GB/1TB/2TB/4TB/8TB |
| To display | Dual monitor support | Support for three screens |
| audio | Speaker, 3.5mm headphone jack with advanced support for high impedance headphones | Speaker, 3.5mm headphone jack with advanced support for high impedance headphones |
| Keyboard | Not included | Not included |
| Touchpad/mouse | Not included | Not included |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi 6E | Wi-Fi 6E |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| Ports | Two Thunderbolt 4 ports, two USB‑A ports, HDMI 2.0 port, Gigabit or 10 GB Ethernet | Four Thunderbolt 4 ports, two USB‑A ports, HDMI 2.0 port, Gigabit or 10 GB Ethernet |
| Dimensions | 197mm x 197mm x 36mm 7.75 x 7.75 x 1.41 inches |
197mm x 197mm x 36mm 7.75 x 7.75 x 1.41 inches |
| Mass | 1.18 kg, 2.6 lbs | 1.28 kg, 2.8 lbs |
M2 Mac mini vs M2 Pro Mac mini: Design
On the outside, Apple hasn’t spoiled the winning formula that has held the Mac mini in such good stead for so long. If you’ve seen one before, you’ll instantly recognize the new models, although you may find it hard to tell them apart. The dimensions of both models are identical, with the silver aluminum chassis measuring 7.75 x 7.75 x 1.41 inches (197mm x 197mm x 36mm), although the Pro version is slightly heavier, not that you’ll be carrying either mini just as much.
Turning the machines around reveals the port section on the back, where you can see the first differentiators between them, but we’ll cover that in detail below. Of course, since these are minis, you won’t find a monitor, keyboard, or mouse/trackpad in the box, so you’ll have to supply your own.
Apple
M2 Mac mini vs M2 Pro Mac mini: Processor
Naturally, as the names of the devices suggest, the main difference between the two Mac M2 minis is the silicon that drives them. We’ve already seen the M2 in the MacBook Air M2 and the 13-inch MacBook Pro M2, so it was bound to head to the Mac mini platform. But, the M2 Pro is a new chip unveiled by Apple alongside the M2 Max found in high-end MacBook Pros.
The M2 itself has an 8-core processor split between four performance cores and four efficiency cores. There’s also a 10-core GPU, 16-core neural engine, and 100GB/s memory bandwidth. The media engine is the same as the M1 Pro, offering hardware acceleration for H.264, HEVC, ProRes and ProRes Raw, as well as a ProRes encoding and decoding engine.
With the M2 Pro, you get up to 10 or 12 CPU cores (six or eight performance and eight efficiency), a 16 or 19-core GPU, a 16-core neural engine, and 200 GB/s memory bandwidth , which is twice the M2 standard. In our tests, the M2 chip is about 20% faster than the M1 and the M2 Pro is about 20% faster than the M1 Pro, so the differences between the chips are about the same as the previous generation. In terms of graphics, both chips are around 30% faster than their respective predecessors.
M2 Mac mini vs. M2 Pro Mac mini: Memory and storage
On base models, the M2 mini comes with 8GB of memory and 256GB of storage. The standard configuration of the M2 Pro starts with double the M2: 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB of storage. These can be increased at the point of sale, with the M2 going up to 24GB of memory and 2TB of storage, and the M2 Pro having a higher maximum configuration with 32GB of RAM and up to 8TB of storage. . Obviously, all of this comes at serious prices – the M2 Pro can reach $4,000 – but you’ll have to make up your mind when buying your mini as it can’t be upgraded.
M2 Mac mini vs. M2 Pro Mac mini: Ports and Connectivity
The Mac mini M2 comes with two Thunderbolt 4/USB 4 ports, while the M2 Pro has four Thunderbolt 4/USB 4 ports. Other than that, they both have two USB-A, HDMI, and Gigabit Ethernet ports. You’ll also find a built-in speaker and 3.5mm headphone jack with advanced support for high-impedance headphones, and both feature Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) and Bluetooth 5.3.
It’s worth noting though that both devices support simultaneous use of multiple monitors, with the M2 capable of handling two displays (6K at 60Hz and 5K at 60Hz via Thunderbolt) and the M2 Pro up to three (two 6K at 60Hz over Thunderbolt and 4K at 60Hz over HDMI). The M2 Pro Mac mini’s HDMI 21 port can also run a single display at up to 8K resolution at 60Hz or 4K resolution at 240Hz.
Apple
M2 Mac mini vs. M2 Pro Mac mini: Price and availability
The new Mac mini is available at the following prices:
- Mac mini M2 (8GB/256GB) – $599/£649
- Mac mini M2 (8GB/512GB) – $799/£849
- Mac mini M2 Pro (16GB/512GB) – $1,299/£1,399
If you do the math, that’s more than double for the M2 Pro Mac mini. And the build-to-order options add up quickly, with the top-end M2 Pro costing $400//£400, with each 8GB memory boost setting you back $200/£200, and additional storage costing $200/£200 per 512GB.
The price comparison box below will display the current best price for the M2 Pro Mac mini, typically $1,299/£1,399:
$1299.00
M2 Mac mini vs M2 Pro Mac mini: Our recommendation
It’s a pretty simple choice between these powerful new additions to the Mac mini platform. If you want a simple desktop Mac for home or general computing, the M2 Mac mini is a perfect $599 machine. The M2 chip is very powerful for most people and even some pros. But if you want a high-end chip, but not the fastest chip, the entry-level M2 Pro Mac mini is a powerful machine. Be careful with upgrades because it may be cheaper to get a MacBook Pro or Mac Studio instead of a Mac mini if you’re upgrading more than storage.
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