by Jason Snell
Is the Mac mini finally getting truly mini?
Mark Gurman of Bloomberg reports that the M4 Mac mini will be much smaller than previous models:
Apple Inc. is planning a new version of the Mac mini that will be its smallest desktop computer yet, part of a broader overhaul of the Mac line with AI-focused chips. The new model — due later this year — will mark the first major design change to the mini since it was revamped under Steve Jobs in 2010, according to people with knowledge of the matter. The device will be far smaller than its predecessor, approaching the size of an Apple TV set-top box, according to the people, who asked not to be identified because the work is secret.
I have been hoping for a more Apple TV-sized Mac mini since 2017, during the dark final days of Intel Macs. Could it finally happen? I dabbled with a small Intel NUC for a little while, and I love the size.
The Mac mini is made to be a Mac that fits into the cracks of various workflows, a utility knife of a Mac that often gets shoved in a closet or under a desk. Making it physically smaller just seems fitting.