Earlier this week, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported that Apple plans to begin rolling out the M4 Mac later this year. He also said that “at least one Mac model will get more radical changes,” and on Thursday, Gurman provided more details, saying that Apple plans to redesign the M4 Mac mini to make it the smallest Mac ever.
The first redesign of the Mac mini since 2010 will make it similar in size to the Apple TV, which measures 93 x 93 x 31 millimeters, or about half the height and width of the current Mac mini (19.7 x 19.7 x 3.6 centimeters). The M4 Mac mini could be larger than the current model, and the enclosure will still be aluminum. The original Mac mini released in 2005 measured 16.5 x 16.5 x 5.1 centimeters and had an aluminum body with a plastic top.
Gurman reports that Apple tested three models that had at least three USB-C ports, a power connector, and an HDMI port. He didn’t specify whether any of the USB-C ports were also Thunderbolt ports, but it would be surprising if Apple didn’t offer Thunderbolt connectivity.
Like the M2 models, Apple will likely offer the Mac mini with a base M4 chip like the one in the iPad Pro and a new M4 Pro chip. The base M4 model will be available immediately, while the Mac mini M4 Pro may not be available until the end of October, Gurman reports.
Apple’s decision to shrink the Mac mini isn’t surprising. Rumors have swirled for years that Apple is working on a Mac mini redesign with a thinner enclosure. Teardowns of the M1 and M2 Mac minis show that the move to M-series chips allows for smaller motherboards and other components, which leaves plenty of space inside these Macs. One of the largest components in the M1 and M2 Mac minis is the fan; it doesn’t seem likely that Apple will get rid of it in the new Mac mini, since a fan is likely needed for the M4 Pro chip.
