Set up my new mini this afternoon with no issues migrating data from my 2019 MacBook Air. The only thing I don't like is the external speaker jack on the front of the machine. The install would look much cleaner if it was on the back so the speaker cable was hidden....
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Hands On With Apple's New M4 Mac Mini
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It is literally amazing how small and powerful this M4 Mac Mini is! Just got mine today and I am quite impressed with it!
Here is a guy upgrading the new M4 Mac mini SSD chips right after he received the new Mac mini, so we know it can be done:
Here is a guy upgrading the new M4 Mac mini SSD chips right after he received the new Mac mini, so we know it can be done:
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While more powerful than an Apple TV for sure, you have to have a keyboard and mouse/trackpad to make it useful. Plus most streaming services do not integrate like they do on TVos on the Apple TV.
You could totally have the Mac Mini near the Apple TV for usage on the TV though, or as a multimedia server to feed to the Apple TV
I get it, but it's weird and feels a bit fake how so many reviewers are "amazed" at the smallness of this computer. The chip inside is in a very thin iPad already and it's not that much more powerful than the phone chip. I don't mean to be a killjoy, but if the thing was 2x2 I might get on board. At 5x5, I am thinking it's pretty big for that tiny chip. (I'm referring to the M4, not the M4 Pro - please don't pedant me)
And don’t forget if you are a college student or in many cases an alumni, you can often buy at/through the bookstore with the education price and in some places Without sales tax, so that could save a few extra pennies.
No downsides with the MacBook Pro (x86). The Luna is a bit finicky with dongles and software. Had to quit using LittleSnitch, which seems to be unreliable on modern macOS. The interaction of LittleSnitch and MacOS kept resetting the thunderbolt ports resulting in drives unmounting and the network becoming unavailable. Have no idea which was causing the problem. But the result was that Luna was also not reliable. Remove LittleSnitch, resulting in my drives, networking and Luna becoming rock solid. The Luna folks worked with me for weeks to get this sorted out. I would have to say "great support" from Luna.
Just sent the Luna bug report for my M4 mini today. Have to wait and see what they say.
If apple had a modern FrontRow I think that it could be doable.
UI is mostly what you are going to run into. MacOS is very much driven by keyboard & mouse.
With that said, I think I saw a driver out there that could let you use an Xbox/PS controller as a mouse so that could help. But I think you will find yourself bouncing between web sites, Apple TV app, Plex, etc. In a more cumbersome way.
If it were just me in the house that might Be acceptable, however with my wife, kids, etc. That wouldn’t work out well.
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
Many wishes for a hypothetical Front Row 2 to show up. All the wishes to load up an AppleTV with a M-series chip (except the cheaper price of course) could be resolved by a bit of classic software updated in one of these.
The GPU on your Studio is better than the mini M4 pro. Like you, I'm in no hurry to replace my M1 Max Studio. I may be a little more patient though. I think I'm good until the M6 or M7.
I've looked into the U2723QE 27" 4K UHD - nice design with symmetrical borders (!) but I held off as I gather glare can be a downsides, so look into that.
Regarding the ProArt Display PA27JCV 27" 5K, I don't see any in the UK at the moment but why couldn't they have made the monitor with symmetrical borders?
Apple could compete with current game consoles with a M1 max or M2 max GPU in an Apple TV (well, a bigger Apple TV). They prefer pushing Wheel of fortune on Apple Arcade though. 🤷♂️
Total shameless promotion but I did a quick unboxing, benchmark and will it DOOM video on my entry level M4 Mac mini
Geekbench Results: https://browser.geekbench.com/v6/cpu/8722235
Geekbench Results: https://browser.geekbench.com/v6/cpu/8722235
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So apparently the SSD is removable and upgradeable! Which is the biggest shock of all. Got mine today. Best MAC since..... I can't even remember. The power button is a nothing burger to me as I never turn it off and Mac/MacOS have the best sleep modes in the industry. BUT, it's an easy fix that I'm sure you will have all over Amazon in a month or so. A 1-inch high circular stand the diameter of the bottom just before the vents would do the trick.
I have zero use for a Mac mini but man I want one. Theoretically...can I replace my AppleTV with this?
I assume it could output 4K with support for HDR/Dolby Vision? I wonder if an ATV remote can be paired to it.
I assume it could output 4K with support for HDR/Dolby Vision? I wonder if an ATV remote can be paired to it.
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
I suspect very best chance at this popular wish would be via hypothetical Front Row 2 software... basically the AppleTV tvOS "app" tweaked so it can run on M4 Base or Pro Mac mini or M-Ultra Mac Studio. Since A and M-series chips are not exactly Apples to Oranges, it doesn't seem like this would be some great feat of programming- just a choice.
That would be far (hardware) overkill for purely AppleTV-type uses but the gamers dreaming of "more power" could scratch their itches well.
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Is there any downside of flipping the Mac mini "upside-down" from the common consensus? That way, the power button would be on the top, as well as well as the words "Mac mini", and probably have even more airflow, too, no?
Im on the same page hah. Im sooooo tempted to grab the Pro model already, but I just finished paying off the brand new M2 Pro, and the misses M2 Minis I bought a year ago. Being a Cubase user, I'd love the extra number crunching, but I have to resist the 'latest and greatest' syndrome this time. I already felt like I was short changing the 2020 Intel Mini I have when I got the M2 Pro last year, and that got a good 3 years before I replaced it..
Try lulu, I switched to it a few years ago and it’s essentially the same thing.
Objective-See: LuLu
objective-see.org
Agreed. But I did find that GeForce Now works quite well on any Mac so long you subscribe to the Ultimate level that gives you RTX 4080 servers and you use hardwired internet at 150MB/s or better. This Mac mini would be a great gaming HTPC if you can stomach paying the monthly of GeforceNow which is way cheaper then buying an RTX 4080.
If Apple would turn the HDMI port vertical they could get another TB4 port on the back!
I have a 2012 mini with 4TB of TV/movie/music files. I'm able to run it with just a Magic Trackpad sitting on a low table next to ye old easy chair. When I need a keyboard I have one of the wireless keyboards standing by. It's not connected to the net, so I don't need the keyboard very often. I just use Finder and VLC for everything.