We love the Mac mini but it surely’s a horrible time to purchase one

Shopping for a brand new Mac is normally fairly simple. It is at all times finest to attend when the present mannequin has been round for a few years, however if you cannot, you in all probability will not have any purchaser’s regret. More often than not, the improve is only a processor improve that the majority customers might be okay with lacking out on. And even for a redesign just like the current M2 MacBook Air, you will in all probability save a couple of dollars by shopping for the present mannequin.

It is slightly completely different with the Mac mini. The present M1 mannequin is approaching two years since its launch, and primarily based on the current arrival of the M2 chip, it clearly must be upgraded. However the improve may very well be vital, because it not solely gives extra processing energy, however might inherently change Apple’s smaller desktop and make the older mannequin look rather a lot worse.

So in case you’re about to spend your cash on one of many present Mac minis Apple sells, we might extremely advocate ready. Because of this.

An M2 processor is on the way in which

When Apple launched the M1 processor in November 2020, the corporate launched three Macs with it: the MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Professional, and Mac mini. The 13-inch MacBook Professional M2 and MacBook Air have simply been launched, which implies the Mac mini will get the M2 quickly.

Apple

We discovered that utilizing Geekbench 5, a benchmark that exams the general total pace of a CPU, the M2 is about 16 % sooner than the M1. That is a pleasant pace enhance, however the actual positive factors are on the GPU facet. With two further cores, the M2 is about 35 % sooner than the M1 in our exams.

For those who’re utilizing the Mac mini as an reasonably priced video manufacturing system, you then’ll love what makes the M2’s efficiency actually stand out over the M1. The M2 has a brand new media engine that quickens ProRes video, and we have seen dramatic efficiency will increase when rendering ProRes video, with outcomes which can be greater than twice as quick because the M1. If time is cash, then the M2 gives excessive returns.

Apple gives a $699/£699 and $899/£899 Mac mini that has the identical CPU however the greater value comes with a bigger SSD. Apple will seemingly exchange the M1 on these fashions with an M2. It is definitely worth the wait, which should not be greater than a few months.

The high-end mannequin will lastly get an replace.

Apple nonetheless sells a 3rd customary configuration mannequin in its Mac mini lineup: a $1,099/£1,099 model that also has an Intel processor that hasn’t been up to date since 2018. This mannequin ought to see a serious replace within the coming months.

Foundry

A type of drastic adjustments features a long-awaited processor swap from the eighth technology Intel chip to an Apple M2 Professional, in response to a number of stories. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman says that the M2 Professional might characteristic a 12-core CPU with 8 cores of efficiency and 4 cores of effectivity, and a GPU with 16 cores. It might additionally include 16 GB of unified reminiscence.

Discuss concerning the mighty muscle of a machine: that is a whole lot of processor energy in such a small package deal. However it will get higher, as a result of the M2 Professional may also characteristic the media engine that is within the M2, so {hardware} acceleration for ProRes video is even sooner. It makes us marvel the way it will measure as much as the Mac Studio and its M1 Max and M1 Extremely chips: an M2 Professional Mac mini may not be as quick, but it surely might show to be a extremely engaging value/efficiency choice at round $1,499.

We do not count on the brand new Mac mini to supply a customization choice for an M2 Max, as these chips require extra lively cooling, supplied by Mac Studio’s giant thermal administration system. Nonetheless, a Mac mini M2 Professional could be Apple’s first desktop with the high-end chip and could be an incredible choice for professionals.

A redesign could also be within the works

The Mac mini is thought for being Apple’s smallest Mac and it might get even smaller. There have lengthy been stories that the smaller design might be about an inch tall and will are available a brand new coloration and with a plexiglass high as an alternative of aluminum.

Roman Loyola/IDG

Apple will seemingly enhance the variety of Thunderbolt ports from two to 4 on the high-end mannequin and implement a magnetic energy connector much like the one discovered on the iMac.

Nonetheless, it is unclear if the M2 and M2 Professional Mac mini fashions will get the brand new design. It’s doable that Apple will comply with the instance of the 13-inch MacBook Professional and hold the present design for the M2 fashions, and redesign solely the M2 Professional Mac mini. Or it might wait till the M3 mannequin arrives.

A horrible time to purchase

Briefly, there’s by no means been a worse time to purchase a Mac mini. Even when it languished with out an replace between 2014 and 2018, there was by no means any indication that any vital updates have been on the way in which. However now we all know that there are two M2 fashions on the way in which and presumably a redesign within the works as effectively.

Official info on when the brand new Mac mini will arrive hasn’t been launched, after all, but it surely’s primarily based on when the present mannequin began transport (November 2020 for the M1 and October 2018 for the Intel mannequin) and the current launch of the M2. MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Professional, a Mac mini M2 may be very more likely to arrive this yr, maybe at a fall occasion after the iPhone 14 announcement. We additionally received to see different Macs revealed on the time, like a brand new Mac Professional or iMac primarily based on Apple silicon.

Whereas these Macs are definitely dearer than the Mac mini, they could be engaging sufficient so that you can go for these machines as an alternative. Or you may simply purchase an M2 mini. However both method, even with gross sales costs knocking $150 off the worth of a Mac mini M1, we expect it is best to attend and see what Apple has in retailer for its smallest and least expensive Mac.