In early August, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported that the upcoming M4 Mac mini may have a brand new, smaller design and acknowledged that it’ll have not less than three USB-C ports, an influence connector, and an HDMI port. Within the newest version of his Energy On publication, Gurman supplied extra particulars on the M4 Mac mini’s ports and a giant change is in retailer.
Gurman experiences that the brand new M4 Mac mini may have 5 USB-C ports, three on the again, and for the primary time, two on the entrance. Nonetheless, most individuals can be extra concerned with why: Based on Gurman, there can be no USB-A ports, a change from the present Mac mini, which has two. So, if in case you have USB-A gadgets, you want adapters.
In fact, this isn’t the primary time Apple dumped a well-liked port within the title of thinness and progress. Again in 1998, the iMac famously eliminated the floppy drive in favor of CD burning. The 2015 MacBook Air had a single USB-C port. And naturally, Apple eliminated the headphone jack from the iPhone 7 again in 2017.
Apple eliminated the USB-A ports from the iMac when the M1 mannequin arrived in 2021, and it hasn’t made a laptop computer with USB-A for a few years.
Elsewhere, the Mac mini may have the same array of ports, together with ethernet and HDMI. Gurman doesn’t say if it’s gigabit or 10Gbit. The present Mac mini has a gigabit ethernet with a consumer choice for 10Gbit for an additional $100, and it’s an choice Apple might proceed. Apple will doubtless proceed to supply 10Gbit ethernet as a typical port for its high-end Macs, the Mac Studio, and Mac Professional.
Gurman additionally didn’t specify whether or not the HDMI port can be an HDMI 2.1 port. The present M2 Mac mini has HDMI 2.1, which was an improve from HDMI 2.0 within the M1 Mac mini, so, it appears doubtless that the M4 Mac mini may have HDMI 2.1. The one different port Gurman talked about is the headphone jack, which is more likely to stick round for one more era. With the M2 Mac mini, Apple carried out assist for high-impedance headphones and that ought to proceed with the M4 Mac mini.
The M4 Mac mini will reportedly take away the USB-A ports.
The M4 Mac mini will reportedly take away the USB-A ports.
Foundry
The M4 Mac mini will reportedly take away the USB-A ports.
Foundry
Foundry
Gurman didn’t cowl the wi-fi connectivity, however the Mac mini will most likely supply Bluetooth 5.3. Rumors have it that the upcoming iPhone 16 might assist the brand new Wi-Fi 7 customary, and if it does, that appears to be a superb indicator that the M4 Macs will improve from the present Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) as nicely.
As all the time, the Mac mini may have an influence plug, however the energy provide can be within the Mac itself. It won’t have an exterior energy brick.
When will the M4 Mac mini ship?
Based on Gurman, the M4 Mac mini might arrive in Apple warehouses in early September, whereas the M4 Professional Mac mini received’t ship till October. “That most likely means neither can be introduced till a few month after the iPhone unveiling,” Gurman mentioned, indicating an October Mac occasion.
In an earlier report, Gurman mentioned that Apple plans to launch the M4 Mac mini, MacBook Professional, and iMac earlier than the tip of this 12 months. The MacBook Air, Mac Studio, and Mac Professional will comply with in 2025. You may study extra in regards to the M4 Mac schedule.
Maintain monitor of what’s occurring with the Mac mini in our M4 Mac mini superguide.