【2016 Archives】

Apple016 Archivesworking on a new version of Mac mini, and this one will truly live up to its name.

According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the company is planning a thoroughly redesigned Mac mini that would be far smaller than the current edition, "approaching the size of an Apple TV set-top box."

Here's what this means, exactly. The current version of Mac mini is 1.41 inches tall, 7.75 inches wide, and 7.75 inches deep. The version with the M2 chip weighs 2.6 pounds, while the version with the M2 Pro weighs 2.8 pounds.

Apple TV 4K is roughly half the size of that. It's 1.2 inches tall, 3.66 inches wide, and 3.66 inches deep. The Wi-Fi model weighs just 0.46 pounds.

According to the report, however, the Mac mini will be more cube-like in appearance, as it might actually be taller than the current version. Its enclosure will once again be made of aluminum, just like on the previous version.

Gurman recently predicted that Apple would put its new M4 processor into all of its Macs, including the Mac mini. The current version of Mac mini is available with either an M2 or M2 Pro chip.

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But what about the performance? According to Gurman's sources, the new Mac mini is "essentially an iPad Pro in a small box" (the iPad Pro was the first Apple device to get the new M4 chip). Two versions will be available, one sporting the M4 chip, and the other powered by the M4 Pro chip, which hasn't been announced yet.

The new Mac mini should become available for purchase later this year, likely in October or later.