The M2 Pro makes the updated Mac mini the best compact computer ever made. And it's a fantastic value too.
Apple Mac mini Score Details DT Editors' Choice “The M2 Pro helps the Mac mini redefine compact computers.” Pros Cons Apple Silicon revitalized the Mac mini in 2020. It took it from a nearly dead product to one of the best value computers you can buy. In 2023, it’s not only been updated to the M2 chip, it also comes with the option to upgrade to the M2 Pro. That’s right — better graphics in the same tiny footprint.
Related The smallness of this tiny computer is important for other reasons too. Many people use a Mac mini for a home theater PC, or perhaps for media management, and the size of the Mac mini is essential for these scenarios too. The M2 Pro model weighs slightly more than the base model — 2.8 versus 2.6 pounds. Interestingly, that’s just around the same weight as the M2 MacBook Air.
Ports Port selection is important on any desktop PC, and fortunately, Apple doesn’t skimp out here. The M2 Pro model comes with a headphone jack, two USB-A ports, four Thunderbolt 4 ports, an HDMI 2.1 port, and an Ethernet jack. That’s two extra Thunderbolt ports over both the base M2 and M1 models. That’s a upgrade on its own, as is the jump from HDMI 2.0 to HDMI 2.1.
The SSD problem There’s a well-known issue with Apple’s M2 Macs regarding SSD performance. Unfortunately, that appears to have carried over to the Mac mini as well. Performance When it comes to the Mac mini, performance is what matters most, which is why it’s such a big deal for the M2 Pro to make an appearance. The Pro chip in my review unit adds significantly better graphics to the equation, bumping the GPU up to 19 cores. There’s also a 16-core option for $300 less, which also has two less CPU cores.
But really, the graphics are what excited me about bringing the M2 Pro to the Mac mini. And while the M2 Max or M1 Ultra easily outperform it, the Mac mini holds up well enough. In PugetBench’s Premiere Pro benchmark, I was able to see how the extra GPU cores enhanced the Mac mini’s ability to do things like apply GPU effects or speed up timeline exports. It was 34% faster than the M2 in the MacBook Air I tested last year, with 47% more GPU cores.
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