Apple introduces Mac mini with M1 chip and new $699 price tag


At Apple’s “one more thing” event, the company debuted a new Mac mini equipped with the company’s M1 Apple Silicon, and it starts at $699.

The M1 Apple-designed chipset features an eight-core CPU and an eight-core GPU, bringing the Mac mini up to three times the CPU performance and six times the graphics performance compared to the previous four-core Intel version.

Apple says that the new Apple Silicon Mac mini can compile code in Xcode up to three times faster, render a complex timeline in Final Cut Pro up to 6 times faster, and play graphics-intensive games like “Shadow of the Tomb Raider” with up to 4 times higher frame rates. ML workloads are seeing likely the most significant boost, and will be up to 15 times faster.

Compared to the top-selling PC desktop in the same price range, the M1 Mac mini is one-tenth the size but is up to five times faster. That is, it’s worth noting, compared to a Intel Core i5-based PC with Intel UHD Graphics 630.

The new Mac mini now features two Thunderbolt 4 ports with USB 4 support, allowing users to run up to two Pro Display XDR monitors at full 6K resolution. The device also supports Wi-Fi 6 and features a new thermal design that allows it to sustain performance while keeping cool and quiet.

There are some differences compared to the Intel-based Mac mini. There are now only two Thunderbolt ports, down from four on the previous model, and 10-gigabit Ethernet is no longer available as an upgrade option.

The M1 Mac mini starts at $699, $100 cheaper than the previous Intel-based desktop. It becomes available to preorder on Tuesday, Nov. 10, and will start shipping out to customers the following week.



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