The difference between the two is that the newer Mac mini with M2 Pro can support more external displays, with higher refresh rates, than its predecessor. However, it's important to note that the HDMI port on the 2020 Mac mini M1 was HDMI 2.0, while the new Mac mini with M2 appears to have an HDMI 2.1 port. That's a significant upgrade over the 2020 model, which offered two Thunderbolt 3 ports, two USB-A ports, a 3.5mm headphone jack and an HDMI port. The new Mac mini M2 sports two Thunderbolt 4 ports (or four if you splurge for the M2 Pro upgrade), as well as two USB-A ports, an HDMI port, an Ethernet port (configurable from 10-100GB), and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

The Mac mini M1 did depart from its predecessors by changing up its port array, and now the Mac mini M2 has once again updated its offerings to be more relevant to modern needs. While we'll have to wait until we get one in for testing to check for ourselves, it's likely the new Mac mini M2 has a removable black plastic disc on the bottom which elevates it off your desk slightly, potentially improving airflow and cooling.

If you like the design of the existing Mac mini this isn't a problem, and we certainly praised it in our review, noting the 'Mac mini's square shape and rounded corners are iconic, literally like an icon rendered in 3D' that sits on your desk. Mac mini M2 vs Mac mini M1: Designįor better or worse, Apple appears to have changed basically nothing about the design of the Mac mini M2 vs.

Given that the 2020 Mac mini with M1 offered no upgrade over its M1 chip and had a starting price of $699, the new 2023 Mac mini is clearly a better value with more versatility than its predecessor. The entry-level Mac mini with M2 Pro has a starting price of $1,299, making the price of upgrading to M2 Pro roughly $700. 8-core CPU, 10-core GPU on the M2), though it costs more too. This is a more powerful version of the base M2 chip that offers more CPU and GPU cores (10-core CPU, 16-core GPU vs. However, unlike 2020's Mac mini with M1, the latest model can be upgraded with a beefier M2 Pro chip. and Australia, respectively), which is $100 cheaper than the entry-level Mac mini M1 was at launch. The base price for the new Mac mini is $599 (as well as £649 or AU $999 in the U.K. The Mac mini M2 is available for order right now via Apple's website (opens in new tab), and will begin shipping January 24th.

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