As part of its continued push into the chip space, Apple has unveiled an updated Mac mini, which is now available with the M2 and M2 Pro chips. The device joins the new 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros in getting a supercharged boost, but unlike the laptop pair, it doesn’t come with the highly-powered M2 Max option.
What it will deliver, though, is faster performance, more unified memory, and advanced connectivity. Sporting 24GB of unified memory and 100GB/s of bandwidth, the Mac mini with M2 is 50 percent faster than its predecessor, and pairs that improved speed with an 8-core CPU and 10-core GPU. It can also simultaneously play up to two streams of 8K video at 30 frames per second (fps), or up to 12 streams of 4K video at 30 fps.
The Mac mini with M2 Pro, meanwhile, runs on a 12-core CPU, up to a 19-core GPU, 32GB of memory, and 200GB/s of memory bandwidth, which is twice the amount in the regular M2 chip. As the beefier model, it’s capable of streaming five 8K videos at one time, or playing up to 23 streams of 4K video at 30 fps.
Then, there are the connectivity options. On top of Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 support, both mini computers will boast two USB-A ports, an HDMI port, a Gigabit Ethernet port with a 10GB option, and an upgraded headphone jack, with some individual differences. Where the M2 model features two Thunderbolt 4 ports and support for up to two displays, the M2 Pro includes four Thunderbolt 4 ports and support for up to three displays.
The Mac mini with M2 and M2 Pro will be available on the Apple Store from 30 January 2023, with prices starting at S$849 and S$1,849 respectively.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
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