Foreign journalists and bloggers have published reviews of the Mac mini with the M4 processor.
In short, Apple’s newest miniature computer is amazing. Everyone was satisfied, although they found some disadvantages.
Let’s figure it out.
1. Edge
Journalists from The Verge were among the first to share their impressions. Below are excerpts from their text.
You now have a pair of 10Gbps USB-C (USB 3) ports and a headphone jack on the front. Then open three Thunderbolt 4 (USB 4), HDMI, and Gigabit Ethernet ports, which can be upgraded to 10 Gbps. Unfortunately, there is no slot for an SD card, which many will miss.
The version with the M4 Pro chip uses Thunderbolt 5 ports with increased throughput up to 120 Gbps. However, only the most demanding users need them.
I have a question about the design. The special location of the power button, which is no longer located on the side. You now always have to lift the Mac mini to turn it on. This is a stupid decision, but my experience is very unclear. The only thing: when you connect the Magic Keyboard with Touch ID, you accidentally press this button to gain access to the fingerprint scanner.
Apple has thoroughly worked on the internal components of the computer and its cooling system. Even when working in Lightroom and independent principles, I couldn’t hear the Mac mini’s fans.
As for performance, here are the test results. They are almost identical to the MacBook Pro and iMac.
The Mac mini M4 is now the best entry point into the Apple ecosystem. The computer costs only $599, and for the version with 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB SSD they ask for a reasonable $799 (or you can pay attention to 24/256 GB). More expensive configurations are already greed on the part of the company.
It is important to understand in advance what equipment you want, because then an upgrade will be made.
2. Engadget
Engadget news and specialists are mentioned among the journalists.
Let’s start right away with the fact that journalists praised the compact size. According to Devindra Hardawar, her daughter could not immediately notice that there was a computer in front of them and not a set-top box because the Mac mini was slightly larger than the Apple TV.
The location of the power button turned out to be inconvenient. The computer case must be lifted every time you want to turn it on. Overall, Apple didn’t expect its users to turn off their devices often.
Productivity has increased quite significantly, and it will be noticeable to anyone.
In High Performance mode, this Mac mini’s single-core Geekbench 6 score was 3,943, well above the 2,500 to 2,800 signal voltages we’ve seen on PCs this year. Multi-core performance reached a whopping 22,850 points – various other versions that, although slightly matching this figure in 2024, were the Surface Laptop 7 and the Snapdragon X Elite-powered XPS 13.
It was possible to overtake the performance of the Mac mini only on PCs with external video cards. However, the Apple computer was able to beat the RTX 4050 in the Dell XPS 14, as well as the Radeon 7700S in the 16-inch Framework laptop. This is an impressive result for integrated graphics.
In addition to the tests, the Mac mini introduced the topic of running Lies of P at 1440p with maximum graphics settings at 60fps. It was even able to run the game in 4K with the graphics settings possible, but the frame rate switched around 30 frames per second. Resident Evil 4 and No Man’s Sky also managed a stable 60fps at 1440p.
To test the AI capabilities of the Mac mini, we used Whisper Transcription to transcribe an hour and 9 minute episode of the Engadget podcast. It took 2 minutes and 9 seconds. By comparison, the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M4 took 3 minutes and 3 seconds, while the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M3 took 3 minutes and 37 seconds.
About the noise. In most tasks, the Mac mini is not audible at all. But, for example, in the Cinebench test the computer hummed as if it was preparing for takeoff. However, this is not an unpleasant sound, but rather white noise. He’ll probably be annoying in the office.
3. Tom’s Guide
Tom’s Guide journalists were the last to share their opinions today.
This is more than a simple update. The device has become noticeably more compact, and it unfolds perfectly on the desktop, taking up minimal space. However, the Mac mini M4 still has a built-in power supply, eliminating the need for a bulky adapter, which sets it apart from some other mini PCs.
One of the greatest strengths of the Mac mini M4 is its expanded range of ports. There are now two USB-C ports and a headphone audio jack available on the front, meaning virtual access. The rear panel houses three Thunderbolt 4 ports, HDMI, and Gigabit Ethernet (upgradable to 10 Gbps). The M4 Pro version replaces Thunderbolt 4 ports with higher-performance Thunderbolt 5. Apple ships with USB-A, which may make connecting some peripherals difficult.
The M4 chip provides high performance for everyday tasks and a variety of tasks. 16 GB of RAM in desktop models makes it easy to handle intensive browser and application work. When paired with macOS Sequoia, performance improves and the system runs smoothly and efficiently even when running multiple programs at the same time.
The Mac mini M4 supports three external monitors, perfect for those who use multiple screens. It can connect to two 6K monitors via Thunderbolt and one 4K monitor via HDMI, including refresh rates up to 60Hz. The M4 Pro model supports 8K and 5K displays, which is especially valuable for professionals working with high-quality content.
Gaming performance is limited. Although the Mac mini M4 supports older games, newer and more resource-intensive titles perform less well. For example, Shadow of the Tomb Raider only manages 40fps on the standard model, and while the M4 Pro version produces better results, this device is not intended for gamers.
The fan in this place is located at the bottom, which improves the quality of operation of the device; the computer hardly heats up. Put it into sleep mode and not turn on the computer, because the power button is located extremely inconveniently.
Overall, this is a good Mac and a great option for moving into the Apple ecosystem.
Source: Iphones RU
I am a professional journalist and content creator with extensive experience writing for news websites. I currently work as an author at Gadget Onus, where I specialize in covering hot news topics. My written pieces have been published on some of the biggest media outlets around the world, including The Guardian and BBC News.
