Apple Mac Mini With M1 Chip: Details, Prices And More

Apple has announced three new Mac devices powered by its new M1 chip. All three devices are refreshed versions of their older, Intel-powered predecessors and are now available for pre-order via the company’s online store.

While two of these devices come in the form of MacBooks, the third one is the new Mac mini – Apple’s latest desktop computer.

Apple said this new model is way more powerful than its direct predecessor that was powered by Intel’s chips and is much smaller but more powerful compared to similarly-priced Windows computers.

Details

The new Mac mini features the new M1 chip inside its small frame. It has an 8-core CPU and 8-core GPU backed by 8GB of what Apple calls “unified” memory. Despite the seemingly low memory allocation, the company said it has enough juice to take on demanding tasks.

As per Apple, the M1’s 8-core CPU boasts up to three times faster performance compared to the previous generation Mac mini. This allows the device to take on “dramatically accelerating demanding workloads, from compiling a million lines of code to building enormous multitrack music projects.”

The 8-core GPU, on the other hand, increases the Mac mini’s graphics performance by up to six times compared to its predecessor’s. This allows the device to take on performance-intensive tasks such as “complex 3D rendering with ease.”

The new Mac mini also boasts up to 15 times faster performance when it comes to machine learning (ML) workloads, Apple said.

Comparing older models

According to the Cupertino tech giant, the new M1-powered Mac mini can do so much more at a faster rate compared to the older Mac mini. This includes:

• Playing graphics-intensive games with up to four times higher frame rates
• Using up to three times as many real-time plug-ins when producing music using "Logic Pro"
• Rendering complex timelines using "Final Cut Pro" by up to six times faster
• Increasing the resolution of a photo using "Pixelmator Pro" by up to 15 times faster

The new Mac mini with M1 chip is now available for pre-order via Apple’s online store. The 256GB SSD storage model costs $699, while the 512GB SSD storage model retails for $899.