Apple's new Mac mini: M4 power, carbon neutral tech

Apple has announced the release of its redesigned Mac mini, now powered by the M4 and M4 Pro chips, and the first of its kind to be carbon neutral.

The new Mac mini, which has been redesigned around Apple silicon, offers a reduced footprint of just 5 by 5 inches. Powered by the M4 chip, it provides up to 1.8 times faster CPU performance and 2.2 times faster GPU performance compared to the M1 model. The M4 Pro chip is also introduced to handle more demanding tasks, incorporating additional advanced technologies.

"The new Mac mini delivers gigantic performance in an unbelievably small design thanks to the power efficiency of Apple silicon and an innovative new thermal architecture," said John Ternus, Apple's Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering. "Combined with the performance of M4 and the new M4 Pro chip, enhanced connectivity on both the front and back, and the arrival of Apple Intelligence, Mac mini is more capable and versatile than ever, and there is nothing else like it."

In addition to hardware improvements, the Mac mini introduces support for Apple Intelligence, Apple's personal intelligence system that integrates computing functions with privacy-protection features. On the M4 Pro model, the inclusion of Thunderbolt 5 marks a notable enhancement in data transfer capabilities, adding to the array of accessible ports for both improved functionality and user convenience.

Environmental considerations have prominently featured in this release. The Mac mini becomes the first Apple device to achieve carbon neutrality, featuring over 50% recycled content in its construction, including recycled aluminium and components made from renewable resources. The steps taken have reportedly led to an over 80% reduction in carbon emissions associated with the device.

The M4 Pro chip, offering the fastest CPU core available, introduces significant performance capabilities, boasting a design with 14 cores (including 10 performance cores and four efficiency cores) for high-demand tasks. Apple highlights its capability for AI-driven tasks with a Neural Engine over 3 times faster than previous models, capable of enhanced real-time processing.

In terms of connectivity, Mac mini includes front and back-facing ports. The model with M4 includes three Thunderbolt 4 ports, whilst the M4 Pro version incorporates three Thunderbolt 5 ports, with further settings offering Gigabit Ethernet connections and HDMI support for displays. Display support extends to configurations supporting multiple high-resolution monitors.

The latest operating system, macOS Sequoia, complements the hardware upgrades, bringing features such as iPhone Mirroring, enhanced Safari capabilities, and other productivity tools designed to leverage the new personalisation and connectivity features provided by Apple Intelligence.

For pricing, the Mac mini with M4 starts at NZD $1,099 and NZD $919 for education, while the Mac mini with M4 Pro begins at NZD $2,599 and NZD $2,419 for education. Pre-orders are now available with shipments commencing early November.

Apple's commitment to environmental sustainability is further reflected in the updated packaging of the Mac mini, which is now entirely fibre-based as part of Apple's strategy to entirely eliminate plastic from its packaging by 2025.