After months and years of not updating it, Apple has officially taken the wraps off the new Mac mini models. The new desktop computer from Apple offers a more affordable starting price, powerful M2 and M2 Pro chipsets, up to 32GB of RAM, support for more displays than ever, and much more. Here's everything you need to know about the 2023 M2 and M2 Pro Mac mini.

Here's everything you need to know about the new 14- and 16-inch 2023 MacBook Pro models.

Technical Specifications

Price and Availability

In a surprising move, Apple has made the new Mac mini with M2 chipset more accessible to consumers by reducing the starting price of the base model to $599 (compared to the $699 price of the M1 Mac mini when it was introduced). The more powerful M2 Pro variant has been priced at $1,299. However, it's worth noting that configuring the device with additional RAM, storage, and a 10Gb Ethernet port, among other upgrades, will increase the cost.

The new Mac mini is now available for order starting today in 27 countries and regions, including the United States. Customers can expect deliveries to begin on January 24, 2023. Furthermore, Mac mini with M2 and M2 Pro will be available in Australia, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, and New Zealand starting February 3rd.

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  Mac mini with M2

  This variant of the Mac mini features the M2 chipset, which is an 8-core CPU with four high-performance and four high-efficiency cores. It also features a 10-core GPU, up to 24GB of RAM with 100GB/s of bandwidth, Wi-Fi 6E connectivity, and a 16-core Neural Engine.

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  Mac mini with M2 Pro

  This variant of the Mac mini comes with the M2 Pro chipset, which features up to 12-core CPU with eight high-performance and four high-efficiency cores. It also features a 19-core GPU, up to 32GB of RAM with 200GB/s of bandwidth, and a 16-core Neural Engine. 
   

Design and Build

Before we take a closer look at the internals of the M2 and the M2 Pro Mac mini models, let's quickly go through the design and the build of the device. While we're all expecting Apple to upgrade the design of the Mac mini, it has been left unchanged, as evident it is from the images. It comes with the same design as the 2020 M1 Mac mini. The device features a metal outer shell and the Apple logo on the top.

It is only available in Silver color — sorry, no Space Gray Mac mini yet. The dimensions of the device have also remained unchanged from the previous generation. It is, however, worth noting that since there are two different variants of the Mac mini this time (with two different chipsets), there is a slight difference in weight between the two variants, with the M2 weighing 1.18 kg and the M2 Pro variant weighing 1.28 kg.

Performance

Mac mini with M2

Looking at the internals of the 2023 Mac mini with the M2 chipset, it features an 8-core CPU with four high-performance and four power-efficiency cores. Compared to the Mac mini with the M1 chip, it features a faster 10-core GPU and a 16-core Neural Engine. Apple says the new Mac mini is "perfect for users looking for superfast performance and incredible productivity" at an affordable price ($599).

The base model Mac mini can now be configured with up to 24GB of RAM, which features 100GB/s of bandwidth. Thanks to the improved GPU and faster RAM speeds, Apple says image editing in Adobe Photoshop is up to 50 percent faster compared to the M1 Mac mini.

Thanks to Apple M2, the new Mac mini can 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. Furthermore, compared to the Intel Core i7 model, the M2 Mac mini features 22x faster machine learning and up to 9.8x faster complex timeline rendering in Final Cut Pro, making it a great option for power users looking to boost their productivity and creativity.

Mac mini with M2 Pro

Apple, for the first time, is offering pro-level performance on the Mac mini thanks to the M2 Pro variant. This variant of the Mac mini features up to a 12-core CPU with eight high-performance cores and four high-efficiency cores, along with up to a 19-core GPU. It has double the amount of memory bandwidth of the M2 variant (200GB/s) and supports up to 32GB of RAM.

In addition to these fast internals, the M2 Pro Mac mini features next-generation Neural Engine, which, Apple claims, is 40 percent faster than the M1 Mac mini. This should help speed up ML tasks like video analysis and image processing.

It also features a powerful media engine that 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. Overall, Apple claims the M2 Pro Mac mini is 14 times faster than the fastest Intel-based Mac mini.

Ports

Mac mini lineup has always been blessed with a plethora of ports, and the new 2023 models are no exception. The M2 Mac min features two Thunderbolt 4 ports, while the M2 Pro variant features four Thunderbolt 4 ports. Both models feature two USB-A ports, an HDMI 2.1 port, an Ethernet port, and an upgraded 3.5mm headphone jack. As far as wireless connectivity is concerned, both the models feature newer Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 standards.

External Display Support

Apple has massively improved the external display support on the new Mac mini models, adding support for up to 8K displays for the first time. Here's the full crackdown on the external display support on the new Mac mini models (via Apple):

M2 Mac mini

Simultaneously supports up to two displays:

• One display with up to 6K resolution and 60Hz refresh rate over Thunderbolt
• One display with up to 5K resolution and 60Hz refresh rate over Thunderbolt / 4K display at 60Hz over HDMI

M2 Pro Mac mini

Simultaneously supports up to three displays:

• Up to three displays: Two displays with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt and one display with up to 4K resolution at 60Hz over HDMI
• Up to two displays: One display with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt and one display with up to 4K resolution at 144Hz over HDMI
• One display with up to 8K resolution at 60Hz or 4K resolution at 240Hz over HDMI

Should you buy it?

Absolutely. The new Mac mini is a great option for those looking to upgrade their desktop setup. From casual users to video and photo editing professionals looking to boost their productivity, the new Mac mini's improved performance, advanced features, and new, more affordable starting price make it a compelling option.

As far as the choice between the M2 variant and the M2 Pro variant is concerned, it ultimately depends on the specific needs and requirements of the user. The M2 variant offers a solid performance boost over the previous generation with its 8-core CPU and 10-core GPU, making it a great option for those looking to upgrade their current Mac mini.

However, for professionals in the video and photo editing fields, or power users who require even more power and versatility, the M2 Pro variant offers even more advanced features, such as a 12-core CPU, a faster 19-core GPU, and up to 200GB/s of memory bandwidth. On the whole, it is essential to evaluate if the new Mac mini's capabilities align with your needs before upgrading.

• 

  Mac mini with M2

  This variant of the Mac mini features the M2 chipset, which is an 8-core CPU with four high-performance and four high-efficiency cores. It also features a 10-core GPU, up to 24GB of RAM with 100GB/s of bandwidth, Wi-Fi 6E connectivity, and a 16-core Neural Engine.

• 

  Mac mini with M2 Pro

  This variant of the Mac mini comes with the M2 Pro chipset, which features up to 12-core CPU with eight high-performance and four high-efficiency cores. It also features a 19-core GPU, up to 32GB of RAM with 200GB/s of bandwidth, and a 16-core Neural Engine.