Apple Introduces new Mac mini with M2 Processors

[TheLostSwede]

Apple today unveiled the new Mac mini, supercharged by M2 and the all-new M2 Pro. With the M2 chip, Mac mini is even more powerful, capable, and affordable with a new starting price of just $599. The new M2 Pro chip delivers pro-level performance to Mac mini for the first time, enabling users to run high-performance workflows that were previously unimaginable in such a compact design. Mac mini with M2 and M2 Pro delivers faster performance, even more unified memory, and advanced connectivity, including support for up to two displays on the M2 model, and up to three displays on the M2 Pro model. Paired with Studio Display and Magic accessories, along with the power and ease of macOS Ventura, Mac mini provides a phenomenal desktop experience that will take users' productivity and creativity to the next level. Customers can order the new Mac mini models today, with availability beginning Tuesday, January 24.

"With incredible capabilities and a wide array of connectivity in its compact design, Mac mini is used in so many places, in so many different ways. Today, we're excited to take it even further with M2 and M2 Pro," said Greg Joswiak, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. "Bringing even more performance and a lower starting price, Mac mini with M2 is a tremendous value. And for users who need powerful pro performance, Mac mini with M2 Pro is unlike any other desktop in its class."



Even More Performance with M2 and M2 Pro
Compared to the previous-generation Mac mini, M2 and M2 Pro bring a faster next-generation CPU and GPU, much higher memory bandwidth, and a more powerful media engine to Mac mini, delivering extraordinary performance and industry-leading power efficiency. Both models feature an advanced thermal system for exceptional sustained performance.

Mac mini with M2
Mac mini with M2 features an 8-core CPU with four high-performance and four high-efficiency cores, along with a 10-core GPU—perfect for users looking for superfast performance and incredible productivity at an even more affordable starting price of $599. Everyday tasks are blazing fast—from launching and multitasking between apps to browsing the web. For users with more intensive tasks, Mac mini with M2 also powers through even more demanding workloads. With up to 24 GB of unified memory and 100 GB/s of bandwidth, activities like image editing in Adobe Photoshop are up to 50 percent faster than the previous generation. M2 also adds ProRes acceleration to Mac mini, so tasks like video editing in Final Cut Pro are more than twice as fast. The M2 model can also simultaneously play up to two streams of 8K ProRes 422 video at 30 FPS, or up to 12 streams of 4K ProRes 422 video at 30 FPS. With all this performance, Mac mini is up to 5x faster than the bestselling Windows desktop, delivering incredible value to first-time computer buyers, upgraders, and PC switchers.



When compared to the Mac mini with Intel Core i7,3 Mac mini with M2 offers:

• Up to 22x faster machine learning (ML) image upscaling performance in Pixelmator Pro.
• 9.8x faster complex timeline rendering in Final Cut Pro.

When compared to the previous-generation Mac mini with M1,1 Mac mini with M2 delivers:

• Up to 2.4x faster ProRes transcode in Final Cut Pro.
• Up to 50 percent faster filter and function performance in Adobe Photoshop.
• Up to 35 percent faster gameplay in Resident Evil Village.

Mac mini with M2 Pro
M2 Pro brings pro-level performance to Mac mini for the first time. Featuring up to a 12-core CPU with eight high-performance cores and four high-efficiency cores, along with up to a 19-core GPU, M2 Pro has 200 GB/s of memory bandwidth—double the amount in M2—and supports up to 32 GB of memory. The next-generation Neural Engine is 40 percent faster than M1, speeding up ML tasks like video analysis and image processing. Designed to dramatically accelerate video playback and encoding while using very little power, M2 Pro offers a powerful media engine, which speeds through the most popular video codecs and can simultaneously play up to five streams of 8K ProRes 422 video at 30 FPS, or up to 23 streams of 4K ProRes 422 video at 30 FPS. The M2 Pro-powered model is up to 14x faster than the fastest Intel-based Mac mini.



When compared to the 27-inch iMac with Intel Core i7 and Radeon Pro 5500 XT, Mac mini with M2 Pro offers:

• Up to 50 percent faster filter and function performance in Adobe Photoshop.
• Up to 5.5x faster panoramic merge in Adobe Lightroom Classic.
• Up to 4.4x faster object tracking in Final Cut Pro.

When compared to the previous-generation M1 Mac mini, Mac mini with M2 Pro delivers:

• Up to 2.5x faster graphics performance in Affinity Photo.
• Up to 4.2x faster ProRes transcode in Final Cut Pro.
• Up to 2.8x faster gameplay in Resident Evil Village.

With M2 Pro, Mac mini users can run high-performance workflows that were previously inconceivable in such a compact form factor. Musicians can produce music with incredibly powerful plug-ins and effects without missing a beat, while photographers can adjust huge images in an instant. Creators can seamlessly work in multicam with multiple camera formats, including ProRes video, and gamers can play demanding titles in console quality. Gaming performance is up to 15x faster than the fastest Intel-based Mac mini.

Advanced Connectivity
Mac mini continues to deliver extensive connectivity with a wide range of ports. The M2 model features two Thunderbolt 4 ports and support for up to two displays. The M2 Pro model includes four Thunderbolt 4 ports and support for up to three displays. Additionally, the M2 Pro model can support one 8K display, a first for the Mac. Both models feature two USB-A ports, an HDMI port, a Gigabit Ethernet port with a 10 GB option, and an upgraded headphone jack to support high-impedance headphones. For wireless connectivity, both new models also feature the latest standards with Wi-Fi 6E for up to 2x faster throughput than before, as well as Bluetooth 5.3.

A Phenomenal Desktop Experience with Studio Display and Magic Accessories
Paired with Studio Display and Magic accessories, Mac mini delivers a phenomenal desktop experience. Studio Display completes the full Mac desktop setup experience with its expansive 27-inch 5K Retina display, 12MP Ultra Wide camera with Center Stage, studio-quality three-mic array, and six-speaker sound system with Spatial Audio. Customers can add matching Magic accessories that complement the elegant design of Mac mini and Studio Display.

macOS Ventura
With macOS Ventura, Mac mini delivers even more performance and productivity. Powerful updates like Continuity Camera bring videoconferencing features to any Mac, including Desk View, Center Stage, Studio Light, and more. Handoff in FaceTime allows users to start a FaceTime call on their iPhone or iPad and fluidly pass it over to their Mac, or vice versa. And tools like Stage Manager automatically organize apps and windows, so users can concentrate on the task at hand and still see everything in a single glance.

Messages and Mail are better than ever, while Safari—the world's fastest browser on Mac—ushers in a passwordless future with passkeys. With iCloud Shared Photo Library, users can now create and share a separate photo library among up to six family members, and the new Freeform app provides a flexible canvas that helps users be more productive and expressive, whether they are planning or brainstorming on their own, or with others. With the power and popularity of Apple silicon, and new developer tools in Metal 3, gaming on Mac has never been better.

Mac mini and the Environment
Mac mini is designed to minimize its impact on the environment, including 100 percent of the following recycled materials: aluminium in the enclosure, rare earth elements in all magnets, tin in the solder of the main logic board, and gold in the plating of multiple printed circuit boards. It also features 35 percent or more recycled plastic in multiple components and meets Apple's high standards for energy efficiency. It is free of numerous harmful substances, and 96 percent of the packaging is fiber based, bringing Apple closer to its goal of completely removing plastic from its packaging by 2025.

Today, Apple is carbon neutral for global corporate operations, and by 2030, plans to be 100 percent carbon neutral across the entire manufacturing supply chain and all product life cycles. This means that every Apple device sold, from component manufacturing, assembly, transport, customer use, charging, all the way through recycling and material recovery, will have net-zero climate impact.

Pricing and Availability

• The new Mac mini with M2 and M2 Pro is available to order today, January 17, on apple.com/store and in the Apple Store app in 27 countries and regions, including the US. It will start arriving to customers, and in Apple Store locations and Apple Authorized Resellers, beginning Tuesday, January 24.
• Mac mini with M2 and M2 Pro will be available in Australia, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, and New Zealand beginning Friday, February 3.
• Mac mini with M2 starts at $599 (US) and $499 (US) for education. Additional technical specifications are available at apple.com/mac-mini.
• Mac mini with M2 Pro starts at $1,299 (US) and $1,199 (US) for education.

View at TechPowerUp Main Site | Source

 

[TheinsanegamerN]

so why do they put the M2 Max in a thin laptop but not the mini, where it would make way more sense?

 

[Daven]

so why do they put the M2 Max in a thin laptop but not the mini, where it would make way more sense?

Cooling capacity is about the same between the two so it really comes down to product segmentation. Mac mini is mid range. MBP is high end. If you want M2 Max on a desktop, you have to buy the mac studio upgrade when it comes out.

 

[lemonadesoda]

 

[cvaldes]

Apple never refreshes their entire Mac line at the same time. Today they refreshed the MacBook Pro and Mac mini product lines.

Another day it will be some other Mac and that navigation bar from the Apple Store will look a little different. If you haven't noticed, they have done it before.

 

[Darmok N Jalad]

I would like to see them update the backside of the mini, but it doesn't sound like that will happen even next year. I'd like a memory card slot, like they used to have. Really the whole thing needs a redesign so a few ports are on the front, like the Studio. For RAW photo editing, even the M1 was fast enough to do the job lag-free, so a functionality boost would be on order. With Ive gone, they are coming back to the realm of practical and leaving "too thin" behind.

 

[Garrus]

Cooling capacity is about the same between the two so it really comes down to product segmentation. Mac mini is mid range. MBP is high end. If you want M2 Max on a desktop, you have to buy the mac studio upgrade when it comes out.

Cooling capacity here doesn't matter. You can run the 7950X at 65W. You can always run the M2 Max at a lower max wattage it would do fine in the Mac Mini's case.

The main bummer is the same old 16GB/512GB specs but $200 more than the old Intel high end mac mini.

More bad starting specs, more bad pricing. Seriously Apple doesn't make sense for most. Luxury status symbol or for people with limited PC knowledge.

 

[Dr. Dro]

Cooling capacity here doesn't matter. You can run the 7950X at 65W. You can always run the M2 Max at a lower max wattage it would do fine in the Mac Mini's case.

The main bummer is the same old 16GB/512GB specs but $200 more than the old Intel high end mac mini.

More bad starting specs, more bad pricing. Seriously Apple doesn't make sense for most. Luxury status symbol or for people with limited PC knowledge.

This is largely pointless, however, because in addition to the high costs incurred, running very large CPUs with a TDP cap and a clock speed limit inhibits performance to a degree where it is better to simply deploy the low- and mid-range SoCs instead.

 

[Garrus]

This is largely pointless, however, because in addition to the high costs incurred, running very large CPUs with a TDP cap and a clock speed limit inhibits performance to a degree where it is better to simply deploy the low- and mid-range SoCs instead.

You are talking in generalities, like I'm saying "stick a 4090 in there". I'm talking about the very efficient Ryzen 7950X or the Apple M2 Max. Not Intel. Not a 4090.

I AM talking about the M2 Max. The M2 Max has the same CPU as the M2 Pro. The extra power for the extra GPU cores is 10W more. That's all.

Talk about specifics here.

M1 Max: "On the GPU side, the GE76 Raider comes with a GTX 3080 mobile. On Aztec High, this uses a total of 200W power for 266fps, while the M1 Max beats it at 307fps with just 70W wall active power."

About 60W of package power is for max gaming with the M1 Max. I doubt the M2 Max is much worse. Can Apple cool 65W in the Mac Mini? Yes.

What you said makes sense for Intel, or for lower power levels. Even the Ryzen 6800U though only needs 35W to crush anything beneath it in core count.

 

[Dr. Dro]

You are being silly talking in generalities, like I'm saying "stick a 4090 in there"

I AM talking about the M2 Max. The M2 Max has the same CPU as the M2 Pro. The extra power for the extra GPU cores is 10W more. That's all.

Talk about specifics here.

You see, the extra 10 watts could heat soak this small machine into a throttling mess, that's the key issue. There's also the market segmentation and pricing concerns. Sometimes more isn't better, and I think that this M2 Pro mini is a suitable successor and replacement for the 2018 Core i3 models, finally. x86 emulation on these seems to be speedy enough, and the mini is already more powerful than ever.

 

[Luminescent]

Biggest thing Apple did with these chips was those hardware decoders for video editing but since Intel beefed up IGPU decoders, apple silicon is not that interesting anymore.
They still have an edge using the latest TSMC but they will never touch Nvidia or AMD in GPU space or gaming, they cater more to content creators.
Right now only Intel and Apple waste silicon space for a serious video engine that can decode most formats.

 

[claes]

Aren’t the MacBook pro’s passive now?

edit: nope doesn’t look like it

 

[mama]

Still no HDMI 2.1?

 

[claes]

I believe they are hdmi 2.1

 

[randomUser]

A little offtopic. They advertise awesome speeds for "Final cut pro", but it costs a whooping 300 USD.
I guess this price is ok for a company or freelance professional, but what about the home users?
I need an app to be able to compile a DVD video from footage of my camera and phone with ability to add a timestamp. I currently use a windows machine for that with a crappy software which utilizes 1 CPU core and does not use GPU acceleration when transcoding everything.
I now also have a Mac book pro M1. What are the alternatives (free or cheaper) on mac to achieve what i want?

 

[kieguru]

A little offtopic. They advertise awesome speeds for "Final cut pro", but it costs a whooping 300 USD.
I guess this price is ok for a company or freelance professional, but what about the home users?
I need an app to be able to compile a DVD video from footage of my camera and phone with ability to add a timestamp. I currently use a windows machine for that with a crappy software which utilizes 1 CPU core and does not use GPU acceleration when transcoding everything.
I now also have a Mac book pro M1. What are the alternatives (free or cheaper) on mac to achieve what i want?

DaVinci Resolve 19 | Blackmagic Design

Professional video editing, color correction, visual effects and audio post production all in a single application. Free and paid versions for Mac, Windows and Linux.

www.blackmagicdesign.com

 

[Aldou]

Can I install Windows on these?

 

[fevgatos]

You are talking in generalities, like I'm saying "stick a 4090 in there". I'm talking about the very efficient Ryzen 7950X or the Apple M2 Max. Not Intel. Not a 4090.

I AM talking about the M2 Max. The M2 Max has the same CPU as the M2 Pro. The extra power for the extra GPU cores is 10W more. That's all.

Talk about specifics here.

M1 Max: "On the GPU side, the GE76 Raider comes with a GTX 3080 mobile. On Aztec High, this uses a total of 200W power for 266fps, while the M1 Max beats it at 307fps with just 70W wall active power."

About 60W of package power is for max gaming with the M1 Max. I doubt the M2 Max is much worse. Can Apple cool 65W in the Mac Mini? Yes.

What you said makes sense for Intel, or for lower power levels. Even the Ryzen 6800U though only needs 35W to crush anything beneath it in core count.

Im pretty sure at 35w intel is more efficient than the 7950x. So what da heck you talking about.

https://www.club386.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Wattage-Comparison-02C5Hk9NKZFrktfm-1068x505.png

 

[Easy Rhino]

Can I install Windows on these?

Not yet, but there is a team working on getting Asahi Linux to work properly. They have made great progress. As soon as they get a solid translation layer you could then run all games on Steam using Proton on Apple Silicon.

 

[ALMorgan]

My first impression after the presentation of the new Mac Mini M2 is ...I'm disgusted!!!
The reason is very simple: in the USA the price for the entry-level M2 is 599$ in Europe 729€...
Even by understanding all things, I think, this makes good news bad ones.
When will the time comes when Apple doesn't consider their UE-User cash cows?

Best ALMorgan

 

[Nichotin]

Can I install Windows on these?

Only through a virtual machine. I have Windows 11 ARM running in VMware Fusion.

When searching there is some info here and there indicating that Microsoft has a deal with Qualcomm which makes Windows on ARM exclusive to them for the time being. Not that we can be sure Microsoft would support Macs regardless, but that deal is the first obstacle.

There is an unofficial project that tries to get Windows running on Apple Silicon Mac, but the initial statements indicate that it is quite a complex task.

 

[TheLostSwede]

My first impression after the presentation of the new Mac Mini M2 is ...I'm disgusted!!!
The reason is very simple: in the USA the price for the entry-level M2 is 599$ in Europe 729€...
Even by understanding all things, I think, this makes good news bad ones.
When will the time comes when Apple doesn't consider their UE-User cash cows?

Best ALMorgan

The US price doesn't include VAT/sales tax. If you add 20% tax, you're close to the European pricing.
Also, in English, it's the EU, not the UE

 

[goodeedidid]

so why do they put the M2 Max in a thin laptop but not the mini, where it would make way more sense?

Cause they will use the M2 Max for the Mac Studio

 

[ALMorgan]

The US price doesn't include VAT/sales tax. If you add 20% tax, you're close to the European pricing.
Also, in English, it's the EU, not the UE

I made a short check. 599$ are 577€ at the present exchange rate. VAT/TVA rates are between 19 and 25%. At a medium level of 22% the VAT/TVA is 122€. The total is 50€ lower ( 679€) than the 729€ of Apple's quotation. Considering that the prices of electronic equipment are mostly a question of price policy and not costs (it depends mostly on the price policy of the company, not on the production costs of the object) this 50 € is what EU-consumer pay more. It is not an irrelevant percentage.
Even US-user need to pay State taxes on their buys. If I remember well, these taxes are between 7 and 15% (depending on the State) but I suspect that these taxes are in some way absorbed by the US-sellers.
In the same way, if she wants, Apple could apply the right price in Europe. But she doesn't.

You're right. EU and not UE, but don't ask a French, Spanish or Italian about this.

Best ALMorgan

 

[Easy Rhino]

I made a short check. 599$ are 577€ at the present exchange rate. VAT/TVA rates are between 19 and 25%. At a medium level of 22% the VAT/TVA is 122€. The total is 50€ lower ( 679€) than the 729€ of Apple's quotation. Considering that the prices of electronic equipment are mostly a question of price policy and not costs (it depends mostly on the price policy of the company, not on the production costs of the object) this 50 € is what EU-consumer pay more. It is not an irrelevant percentage.
Even US-user need to pay State taxes on their buys. If I remember well, these taxes are between 7 and 15% (depending on the State) but I suspect that these taxes are in some way absorbed by the US-sellers.
In the same way, if she wants, Apple could apply the right price in Europe. But she doesn't.

You're right. EU and not UE, but don't ask a French, Spanish or Italian about this.

Best ALMorgan

I mean, different countries have different currency exchange rates and taxes. So it makes sense that prices will vary at times per country. Also, the US does not have a national sales tax. Sales tax are levied at the state level and range from 0 % up to 9.55 %