Apple Mac mini M4 & M4 Pro

M3 Series Mac mini will be skipped over for new M4 Series

Apple Mac mini M4 $999.00 ?? minimum as recommended below
Apple Mac mini M4 Pro $1299.00 ?? minimum as recommended below

The Mac mini will be passing over the M3 Series. Mark Gurman says there will be a “A Mac mini in both M4 and M4 Pro configurations, coming between the end of 2024 and early 2025.”

The Mac mini M4 Series is also rumored to be in a new smaller form factor, similar in size to an Apple TV.

Mac mini computers are amazing machines with one caveat. Do not upgrade them too much. If you upgrade them too much, the next higher model will make more sense.

Mac mini M4

The Mac mini M4 will ditch the USB-A ports, but rumor information is less clear about what other ports it will have.

Mac mini M4 Pro

The Mac mini M4 Pro will also ditch the USB-A ports, but will have five USB-C ports (two in the front and three in the back). It will also have an ethernet port, an HDMI port, and a headphone jack, according to Gurman’s sources.

Information you need to properly digest web sites & especially YouTube.
Updated frequently – Apple Technology YouTube Critique

CPU & GPU Performance Benchmarks

I would generally advise to not get too tied up in the minutiae of benchmarks, but they are useful for relative comparisons of processors. It is worth noting that no M Series processors are slouches. Some more than others, but all of them are a noticeable improvement over the Intel processors in previous generation Macs.

That said, the Mac mini M4/M4 Pro is not out yet, we do not know exactly how it will perform. It is however, relatively easy to approximate as a clear improvement to its predecessors.

DAW Performance Benchmarks

Check software compatibilities

It should go without saying, but I’m gonna say it anyway. M Series has been out since November 2020. I think it’s crazy that any DAW or plugin should have issues or still be running on Rosetta emulation, but not everyone listens to me. Do your homework!

Furthermore, in my opinion any major software company that markets to Apple users and hasn’t updated their software to include Apple silicon compatibility deserves to lose your business. It’s been over 3 years, and at this point it’s a real screw you. They obviously don’t care about their customers and should be replaced by a company that cares more about their customers.

macOS 13 Ventura: Compatibility Guide

macOS 14 Sonoma: Compatibility Guide

My personal experience with Sonoma has been very good. Everything I use runs natively on M Series and is compatible with Sonoma. But don’t listen to me, do your homework!

Ports are important for musicians & content creators

The ports on the Mac mini M4 Series can be a bit tight for musicians and creators, but can also be easily expanded with a hub if you need more. The ports on the Mac mini M4 Pro are better for musicians and creators. Also an external monitor like the Apple Studio Display has 3 more USB-C ports in addition to the Thunderbolt 3 connection port.

You will want to plug your interface directly into USB-C. You will need a hub or cable conversion to use legacy USB-A hard drives, flash drives, cables to synths, cable to printer etc.

Obviously wise future purchases will be solidly Thunderbolt or USB-C. The HDMI will be very useful for TV, and occasionally most musicians like to plug headphones directly into the system, though most of the time it’s either through an interface or Bluetooth. You can also buy the Apple USB-C VGA Multiport Adapter for an older existing monitor if you need it. This adapter also has a USB-C and a USB-A.

Mac mini hardware upgrades

Remember no internal hardware upgrades can be performed. This is especially true with Apple silicon. SoC or System on Chip as you probably already know, cannot be upgraded. The advantages are more than worth it, but push yourself to adequately configure memory and storage for the future or get the appropriate system.

External storage alternatives

I recommend backing up all data to the cloud, and supplementing the internal Apple SSD with an external USB-C or Thunderbolt SSD/HD.

SSD speed needs for music production are similar to photography and video. This video will help you choose external SSD solutions (also in YouTube playlist below).

See Apple M Series External USB-C SSD Options for a more extensive discussion and specific product recommendations.

More soon, check back!

Thanks!
-Yehuda

Manufacturer’s website
https://www.apple.com/mac-mini/

Product support, downloads
https://support.apple.com/

Videos

Yehuda Rothschild Apple Mac mini M4 Series YouTube Playlist

Useful Links