Mac mini 2023 | new features | Prices| Release

In January, Apple announced the Mac mini 2023. With the biggest improvement being super-fast M2 chips. What is new? And where can you buy the Mac mini? Read all about it in this file.

Mac mini 2023 in a nutshell

• Announced at a mini Apple event on January 17, 2023
• Official release on January 24, 2023
• Two variants: with M2 or M2 Pro chip
• 2 or 4 USB-C connections, 1x HDMI, 1x Ethernet and 2x USB-A ports
• Cheapest desktop Mac (but without peripherals)
• Starting price: €719 (M2 chip) or €1569 (M2 Pro). You will soon be able to buy it at, among others, Mediamarkt, Coolblue and Bol.com.

What is Mac mini?

Apple’s Mac mini is the most compact and affordable computer in the Mac series. Perfect for users who don’t want a large computer but want the power and performance of a Mac. The Mac mini can be connected to an external monitor, keyboard and mouse – which you still have to buy. The latest version is the Mac mini 2023, which follows the Mac mini 2020.

Mac mini 2023: new chips

The previous Mac mini was equipped with an M1 chip, Apple’s first proprietary chip. As a result, the Mac mini has already made a flight. And with the Mac mini 2023, Apple takes it a step further. Or two scoops, actually. The new Mac mini is now available with two new chips: M2 and M2 Pro. Apple calls the first a workhorse and the second a racehorse. How is that exactly?

Mac mini M2

The first new Mac mini has an M2 chip with eight CPU cores (four high-performance and four high-efficiency) and ten GPU cores. The M2 chip is the direct successor to the M1 from 2020. We know this chip from the MacBook Air 2022, and it makes the performance of the Mac mini a bit faster. Apple cites the following concrete examples: “Up to 2.4x faster ProRes transcoding in Final Cut Pro, up to 50 percent faster filter and feature performance in Adobe Photoshop, and up to 35 percent faster gameplay in Resident Evil: Village.” Still, we certainly wouldn’t trade the Mac mini M1 for it.

Mac mini M2 Pro

In addition to the Mac mini M2, there is also a Mac mini M2 Pro, with which Apple clearly focuses on the professional user. The M2 Pro chip is brand new and also found in the MacBook Pro 2023, which was announced at the same time as the Mac mini. It is also available with this chip’s superlative, the M2 Max.

The M2 Pro has a CPU with up to twelve cores (eight high-performance cores and four high-efficiency cores) and a GPU with up to nineteen cores. And here Apple mentions the following specific examples compared to the M1: “Up to 2.5x faster graphics performance in Affinity Photo, up to 4.2x faster ProRes transcoding in Final Cut Pro and up to 2.8x faster gameplay in Resident Evil: Village” .

Recognizable design

The Mini is one of three desktop computers from Apple, along with the iMac and Mac Pro. The Mac mini has had the same recognizable design for years, and Apple hasn’t tampered with it this time either. It is still the same ‘block’ measuring 19.7 x 19.7 x 3.58 cm. Logical: Companies use Mac minis en masse as servers and have purchased special enclosures for that purpose. Then you won’t suddenly have another size added. The Mac mini comes in one color: silver.

Lots of connections

The Mac mini has several connectivity options:

• Thunderbolt 4 (two connections on the M2 model, four on the M2 Pro).
• Two USB A ports (up to 5 Gb/s)
• HDMI port
• Gigabit Ethernet port
• Mini jack connection

Notable difference: The M2 model has simultaneous support for up to two displays. You can connect three to the M2 Pro.

Want to buy Mac mini 2023?

The Mac mini was announced on Tuesday, January 17 and went on pre-sale. It will officially hit stores on Tuesday, January 24. Mac mini with M2 chip is available from € 719. That is 70 euros less than its predecessor with M1 chip. The Mac mini with the M2 Pro chip is considerably more expensive and starts at €1569. You will soon be able to buy it from Mediamarkt, Coolblue and Bol.com, among others.