Gear Up
Mac mini (2023)
Apple has maximized the potential of its mini
The new Mac mini looks identical to its predecessor.
From $599 (model tested $1,299) From
www.apple.com
Features M2 chip with 8–core CPU, 10–core GPU, 8GB of unified memory (16GB/24GB available), 256GB storage (512GB/1TB/2TB available), two Thunderbolt 4 ports, 2.6lbs; M2 Pro chip with 10–core CPU, 16–core GPU (12–core CPU, 19–core GPU available), 16GB of unified memory (32GB available), 512GB storage (1TB/2TB/4TB/8TB available), four Thunderbolt 4 ports, 2.8lbs; HDMI port, Gigabit Ethernet port (10Gb Ethernet available), 3.5mm headphone jack, Wi–Fi 6E (802.11ax), Bluetooth 5.3, built–in speaker, 1.41in x 7.75in x 7.75in
THE MAC MINI with an M1 chip arrived in 2020, and nearly three years down the line Apple has released a new version featuring both the "entry–level" M2 chip and the even more powerful M2 Pro chip. Although the M2 chip is by no means a slouch — in our testing it was noticeably faster than its entry–level M1 predecessor — the option of the M2 Pro chip offers users the flexibility to dip their toes into power–user capabilities, without the bulk (or cost) of a Mac Studio. The base Mac Studio with M1 Max is still faster, and the main limiting factor with the Mac mini is the memory cap at 32GB versus the Studio's 128GB.