Hands-On With the New M2 Pro Mac Mini

[ShufromChina]

Got my M2 Pro Mac mini today. All I wanted was to test 8K@60hz and 4K@120hz via HDMI 2.1. Played some native 8K Youtube videos on my 8K screen. Whoa, smooth as butter. Don't need to wait forever for PS5 or XSX to add support for 8K streaming anymore.

 

[JosephAW]

More interested in behind the scenes performance comparing it to my Intel Mini Apache server running PHP and SQL with multiple large databases.

 

[dizmonk]

Yea just tried it again with Safari (on the left), Firefox (the right). Way lower scores than other macs.

 

[Rishinthewa]

Hi,

Seeking some thoughts. I’m upgrading from a 2012 corei7 Mac Mini (the date isn’t a typo). I like to keep my computers for a while (I still have a working … barely … PowerBook 180 … also not a typo).

Uses will be home (email, web surfing, video streaming and some limited home movie editing). Home/office use is via Citrix.

I can get educational pricing and was intrigued by the M2 Pro version. I would add ram and use my old Mini as a server.

Any thoughts/advice appreciated.

Thank you!

 

[jasnw]

Can those who have one of these report on fan noise, or any whine/whistle/belch that is there and shouldn't be?

 

[namenotfound]

Still with the Jony Ive approved peripheral ports on the back. Yes, some of us plug SD cards into their computers. A USB port or two on the front or side would be nice.

 

[jdb8167]

Yea just tried it again with Safari (on the left), Firefox (the right). Way lower scores than other macs.

Perhaps you have low power turned on? Those numbers are terrible. Or check Activity Monitor (make sure it is set to all processes and sorted by %CPU.) Something is not right.

 

[Realityck]

Yea just tried it again with Safari (on the left), Firefox (the right). Way lower scores than other macs.

Are you using Monterey or Ventura with your Mac Studio? Safari Version 16.3 (18614.4.6.1.5) is what I am using, it ships with MacOS 13.2. Yes Ventura with Safari 16.3 is faster.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

Ok… I’m not going to lie. This is actually pretty cool. Slow transition of getting out of China. Wow 🤩!!!

 

[SFjohn]

Still with the Jony Ive approved peripheral ports on the back. Yes, some of us plug SD cards into their computers. A USB port or two on the front or side would be nice.

Sounds like the Mac Studio is made for you! 😉

 

[257Loner]

With regard to the SSD speed. C'mon Apple you can do better than this!

When Apple installs two 512 GB chips in one of their computers for a total of 1 TB, the computer reads and writes to both chips simultaneously, increasing the read/write speed. But when you purchase the 512 GB model it will be slower because there's only one chip to read/write to. This is a natural part of selling a computer, so it's not Apple's fault. Apple could have installed two 256 GB chips for faster speeds, but then they would need to purchase an inventory of 256 GB chips for only one configuration (512 GB model). Instead, Apple purchases 512 GB chips, which are then suitable for two configurations: 512 GB, and 1 TB. This saves Apple from having to purchase and store an inventory of 256 GB chips.

 

[obviouslogic]

Disappointed with the slower SSD speed. That was an unnecessary move by Apple. Still an impressive machine for what you pay for tho.

It's completely logical from a cost/performance perspective. Anyone who really needs blazingly fast SSD speeds is also probably going to need more of it and will bump up the internal SSD size, which will then double the number of SSD "chips" and double the performance.

 

[dizmonk]

Are you using Monterey or Ventura with your Mac Studio? Safari Version 16.3 (18614.4.6.1.5) is what I am using, it ships with MacOS 13.2. Yes Ventura with Safari 16.3 is faster.

Ventura with today's update

 

[obviouslogic]

Hmmm. Wish they could've tested the normal (not binned) version the M2 Pro with that M1 Max. Especially since it's 2 p-cores that are missing. So they're comparing M1 Max's 2e+8p with M2 Pro's 4e+6p.

 

[dizmonk]

Perhaps you have low power turned on? Those numbers are terrible. Or check Activity Monitor (make sure it is set to all processes and sorted by %CPU.) Something is not right.

I can't find any low-power mode setting in the Studio... and here are the activity monitor readings... It doesn't look like anything extreme there... I've gotten the same Speedometer readings since I've had the device. How reliable is that test?

 

[nsayer]

I was (still am, really) considering trading my M1 Max Studio in for an M2 Pro Mini, but was disappointed to discover that you can't trade in the Mac Studio. What's up with that, Apple?

 

[pacalis]

The Mac Mini needs Apple Mac Mini Feet Kit. Why did Apple not release this for the M2 Mac Mini?

View attachment 2147671

Not buying until these come in starlight.

 

[MacRumorUser78]

I'd wait for the M2 Max Studio to be released. That will cause the refurbished M1 Mac Studio's to drop in price. Then decide if you want that or save some cash on an even more discounted refurbished M1 Max Studio.

Would be nice to see comparison to current Studio. I need the ports, so the savings from not getting a $300 or $400 hub will got part way to getting me more machine than I need. I can live with 16 GB, but why not 32? But I'm also waiting to see if a 27" iMac happens.

 

[Alfredo_Delgado]

When Apple installs two 512 GB chips in one of their computers for a total of 1 TB, the computer reads and writes to both chips simultaneously, increasing the read/write speed. But when you purchase the 512 GB model it will be slower because there's only one chip to read/write to. This is a natural part of selling a computer, so it's not Apple's fault. Apple could have installed two 256 GB chips for faster speeds, but then they would need to purchase an inventory of 256 GB chips for only one configuration (512 GB model). Instead, Apple purchases 512 GB chips, which are then suitable for two configurations: 512 GB, and 1 TB. This saves Apple from having to purchase and store an inventory of 256 GB chips.

🤔 What kind of chip do you suppose they use in the 256 GB model?

 

[jdb8167]

How reliable is that test?

Gold standard. Designed by Apple. Something is really wrong. But I have no idea what it is.

 

[FloatingBones]

The Mac Mini needs Apple Mac Mini Feet Kit. Why did Apple not release this for the M2 Mac Mini?

View attachment 2147671

I dislike photoshopped fake product listings. If you had crossed off "Mac Pro" and scribbled on "Mac Mini", that would have been funny. You could still fix it....

 

[emulator]

I today purchased at my local Apple Store a new Mac Mini M2 Pro (10 core CPU, 16 core GPU) $1,299 model. It has 512GB SSD, and I was surprised to find the SSD disk read and write speed at about 3,000 MB/s each. This compares with M2 Pro and M2 Max Macbook Pros I watched reviews on with about 6,000 MB/s. I wish Apple would have disclosed this, as my only option now is to order a BTO (Build To Order) custom Mac Mini to rectify this problem (and wait for them to send it to me from the factory in China.)

Aren't these made in Vietnam? The M1s were.

 

[CarAnalogy]

Please MacRumors, do me a solid. I would love to see you guys have a standard gaming test. Maybe just give me some FPS in Doom or something. I would love to see the Windows gaming benchmarks under virtualization. Maybe it’s not what they’re for, but I think it would give a good idea of real world performance in non-ideal conditions.

Especially since Apple keeps talking up the GPU with every refresh, let’s see how it can handle that. I guess everyone else out there is just running ML models or something with it.

 

[CarAnalogy]

Guessing it has something to do with whatever is changing the font to comic sans.

Comic Sans is a huge red flag to IT troubleshooters. Generally it’s a sign that someone tends to mess around with stuff just enough to be dangerous. No offense to OP, this is just based on many years of personal experience.

 

[antiprotest]

Apparently the base model SSD is half the speed of the 2018 Intel model.