Apple Introduces a Faster, Cheaper Mac Mini

• Prices start at just US$599 (RM2,499), RM500 cheaper than the Mac mini with M1 chip in 2020
• It is the first Mac mini with a Pro chip, and says it is 5x faster than a Windows desktop 

Apple recently unveiled the new Mac mini, now fitted with the M2 and the all-new M2 Pro silicone, from as low as RM2,499. 

Promising pro-level performance using the new M2 Pro chip, Apple touts the new models as delivering high-performance workflows on a computer with a compact design. 

The M2 model features two Thunderbolt 4 ports and support for up to two displays, while the M2 Pro model includes four Thunderbolt 4 ports and support for up to three displays. 

Additionally, the M2 Pro model can support one 8K display, a first for the Mac. Both models feature two USB-A ports, an HDMI port, a Gigabit Ethernet port with a 10GB option, and an upgraded headphone jack to support high-impedance headphones. 

For wireless connectivity, both new models also feature the latest standards with Wi-Fi 6E5 for up to 2x faster throughput than before, as well as Bluetooth 5.3.

Compared to the previous-generation Mac mini, M2 and M2 Pro bring a faster next-generation CPU and GPU, much higher memory bandwidth, and a more powerful media engine. Both models also feature an advanced thermal system for sustained performance.

Mac mini with M2
Mac mini with M2 features an 8-core CPU, along with a 10-core GPU, up to 24GB of unified memory and 100GB/s of bandwidth. 

According to Apple, when compared to previous-generation Mac mini systems with Apple M1, 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 16GB of RAM, and 2TB, image editing in Adobe Photoshop on the M2 Mac mini is up to 50% faster. Video editing in Final Cut Pro is also said to be more than twice as fast.

The M2 model can also simultaneously play up to two streams of 8K ProRes 422 video at 30 fps, or up to 12 streams of 4K ProRes 422 video at 30 fps. 

Apple also claims that the Mac mini is up to 5x faster than a Windows desktop. This is based on tests conducted in November and December 2022 using preproduction Mac mini systems with Apple M2, 8-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB SSD. It was compared to a production Intel Core i5-based PC system with Intel UHD Graphics 730 and the latest version of Windows 11 available at the time of testing. 

The latter is said to be the bestselling system based on publicly available sales data over the prior 12 months.

Mac mini with M2 Pro
The M2 Pro in the new Mac mini features up to a 12-core CPU, along with up to a 19-core GPU. It has 200GB/s of memory bandwidth and supports up to 32GB of memory. 

The next-generation Neural Engine in the M2 Pro is said to be 40% faster than M1, speeding up machine learning tasks like video analysis and image processing. It also has a media engine that could stream up to five streams of 8K ProRes 422 video at 30 fps, or up to 23 streams of 4K ProRes 422 video at 30 fps. 

According to Apple, the M2 Pro-powered model is up to 14x faster than the fastest Intel-based Mac mini which is a 3.2GHz 6-core Intel Core i7-based Mac mini system with Intel UHD Graphics 630, 64GB of RAM, and 2TB SSD.

Pricing and availability

In Malaysia, the new Mac mini with M2 and M2 Pro is coming soon to apple.com/my/store and the Apple Store app.

However, in Singapore The new Mac mini with M2 and M2 Pro is available to order beginning Monday, January 30, on apple.com/sg/store and in the Apple Store app.

Mac mini with M2 starts at US$599 (RM2,499) and US$499 (RM2,079) for education. Additional technical specifications are available at apple.com/my/mac-mini.

Mac mini with M2 Pro starts at US$1,299 RM5,599 and US$1,199 (RM5,169) for education. Additional technical specifications are available at apple.com/my/mac-mini.

Additional technical specifications and details on Studio Display and Magic accessories are available at apple.com/my/store.