When the Mac mini launched in 2005 as the primary BYODKM Mac (deliver your personal show, keyboard, and mouse), it had the potential to be one of the crucial common Macs ever made. Practically twenty years later, it hasn’t actually lived as much as its hype, as specs, costs, and efficiency by no means fairly reached the heights we anticipated. However rumors have been swirling that Apple is getting ready a refresh to the high-end Mac mini that would blow our minds and at last ship the tiny Mac of our goals.
2022 Mac mini: The most recent rumors
April 12: Developer Steven Troughton-Smith pointed out on Twitter that the Studio Show’s newest replace features a reference to a Mac mini that’s not but accessible.
March 12: A tweet from an account claiming to be for analyst Ming-Cho Kuo states that the 2023 Mac mini can have the identical type and design as the present mannequin.
March 11: An unverified Twitter account for analyst Ming-Chi Kuo states {that a} Mac mini will ship in 2023. He doesn’t supply specifics, nonetheless, so it’s doable this 2023 Mac mini could possibly be an replace to the present M1 Mac mini.
March 9: 9to5Mac reports that the brand new redesigned Mac mini continues to be on the best way, and it’ll are available in two variants: one with an M2 processor, the opposite with the M2 Professional.
February 6: In his PowerOn e-newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman acknowledged that “a minimum of one new Mac” could possibly be unveiled on the rumored March 8 occasion for the brand new iPhone SE. He doesn’t state particularly what Mac it is going to be, however we now know that to be the Mac Studio. Gurman additionally acknowledged that “a number of new Macs” will probably be revealed at WWDC22 in June, although he doesn’t state particularly what Mac fashions will probably be launched.
January 23: Leaker dylandkt tweeted {that a} Mac mini with an M1 Professional and M1 Max will probably be launched this spring. (This clearly didn’t come to move.)
2022 Mac mini: Design
The Mac mini has had an identical sq. design ever because it burst onto the scene, and that isn’t more likely to change this yr. Nevertheless, it has gotten thinner. When it launched with a CD drive, it was two inches excessive, and now it’s simply 1.4 inches (with out an optical drive). In accordance with experiences, it might get even thinner. Jon Prosser claims that the subsequent Mac mini will shrink even additional, which might put it at lower than an inch tall, primarily based on renders.

The Mac mini will reportedly have 4 Thunderbolt ports.
The physique could possibly be getting a change too. Whereas the Mac mini has had its aluminum chassis since 2010, Apple is reportedly contemplating a “plexiglass” high, in accordance with Prosser. That would imply Apple will deliver just a little pizzazz to the Mac mini, which is restricted to silver and area grey. Lastly, the round rubber pad on the underside will reportedly get replaced with two horizontal strips as we see on the underside of the 24-inch iMac stand.
In August, Mark Gurman of Bloomberg reported that the Mac mini can have “an up to date design and extra ports than the present mannequin.”
2022 Mac mini: Apple silicon
The Mac mini was among the many first Macs to get the M1 processor, so it is smart that the subsequent mannequin can be the primary to get the follow-up. The most recent rumors counsel that, with the Mac Studio sporting an M1 Max or M1 Extremely, there aren’t any plans to make a Mac mini with a “Max” variant chip. As an alternative, the refreshed Mac mini will probably be accessible in M2 and M2 Professional configurations.
Particularly, the M2 CPU will possible characteristic the identical eight CPU cores because the M1, evenly cut up between efficiency and effectivity, with a 10-core GPU (double the 5 cores within the A15). The M2 Professional will possible have 10 CPU cores (2 effectivity and eight efficiency), similar to the M1 Professional, and a 20-core GPU.

The M1 Mac mini is quick, however the subsequent mannequin could possibly be method quicker.
Roman Loyola/IDG
2022 Mac mini: RAM and specs
The M1 within the Mac mini has simply two RAM configurations—8GB and 16GB—whereas the Intel model maxes out at 64GB. The M1 Professional and M1 Max MacBook Professional machines, however, begin at 16GB and high out at 64GB of reminiscence. That’s possible the identical reminiscence choices we’ll see within the 2022 Mac mini fashions.
Storage is more likely to begin at 256GB for the M2 mannequin and 512GB on the M2 Professional mannequin, with a most of 4TB or so. So far as ports, the brand new Mac mini might get two further Thunderbolt/USB-C ports for a complete of 4, together with the opposite ports on the present mannequin: two USB-A ports, ethernet, and HDMI. Nevertheless, Prosser says the brand new mini possible gained’t deliver again the SDXC card slot that appeared on the MacBook Professional and Mac Studio.
2022 Mac mini: Worth and launch
Apple really lowered the value of the M1 Mac mini from $799 to $699, so it’s doable that the higher-end Mac mini will get a value lower too. Apple at the moment sells it for $1,099, so it might drop to $999. Nevertheless, the 16-inch MacBook Professional elevated in value versus its Intel predecessor. ($2,499 vs $2,399).
We initially anticipated the brand new Mac mini to arrive in the fall alongside the new MacBook Pro, however clearly, that didn’t occur. The following possible launch can be round WWDC in June.
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