The new MacBook Pros with the M2 Pro and M2 Max chips aren’t the only new releases we’ve seen today. Apple also used the day to introduce the company to the new Mac mini with M2 and M2 Pro chip, ending an update that was also long overdue.
And about these new Mac minis, we can already clarify one thing even before any analysis: it has become a much more flexible computer than before. It can be a basic Mac for those who don’t need much, or a machine suitable for many professionals.
The Mac mini can be the computer you want it to be
There are three reasons why I dare to say this. The first: prices haven’t gone up as much as I feared and the basic Mac mini costs 719 dollars. It is still a very reasonable price for the general market, which if inflation is taken into account, it is even a discount.
The second: there is now a model with the M2 Pro chip, more powerful and becoming a “top of the range”. And third: this “top of the range” can be configured to have enviable specifications.
This makes the same Mac mini configurable for someone who just wants to browse and manage email, or for a hobbyist video editor who needs something professional without having to go for the price of Mac Studio. It’s no longer a computer for the general public, it’s a computer for almost everyone. Only demanding professionals looking for a Mac Studio or that Mac Pro that hasn’t arrived yet are left out.
Just compare the technical characteristics of the cheapest and most expensive Mac mini to see its flexibility:
|
mac mini basic |
mac mini gaming top |
|---|---|
|
M2 chip 8 processor cores 10 GPU cores 16 Core Neural Engine |
M2 Pro chip 12 processor cores 19 GPU cores 16 Core Neural Engine |
|
8 GB of RAM memory |
32 GB of RAM memory |
|
256 GB SSD storage |
8TB SSD storage |
|
2 Thunderbolt 4 ports |
4 Thunderbolt 4 ports |
|
Gbit Ethernet port |
10 Gb Ethernet port |
|
Price: 719 euro |
Price: $5,249 |
It must be said that these 5,249 dollars for the most expensive Mac mini M2 Pro are largely due to the 8 TB of storage: we could have the same configuration with 4 TB for 3,869 dollars or with 1 TB for 2,719 dollars. Stop being so over the top.
In short, Apple has done a good job with this new Mac mini. It hasn’t changed its design, but its price remains correct (I was already dreading a basic Mac mini at 899 or 999 dollars). And it may be the most flexible computer Apple has ever had. I don’t think it’s gonna go wrong like this.
