Mac mini 2024

Apple impresses with Mac mini redesign

iMac, iOS refreshes also land but Apple Intelligence not likely to be seen in Europe until next spring
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Image: Apple

30 October 2024

Following last week’s iPad announcement Apple has released a refresh of it’s iMac desktop line and set iOS 18 loose but the most impressive of its new slate of products is a shrunken Mac mini.

The new Mac mini – equipped with an M4 or new M4 Pro chip – is also much smaller: measuring less than 13x13cm. This super-compact system is thanks to Apple silicon energy efficiency and an innovative thermal architecture. Thanks to that architecture, air flows through the various system layers, while ventilation runs through the base.

Mac mini. Image: Apple.

With the M4 chip, Mac mini’s CPU is up to 1.8x faster and the GPU up to 2.2x faster than the M1 model.

 

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On the front are two USB-C ports that support USB 3 plus a mini-jack jack suitable for high-impedance headphones. At the rear are three Thunderbolt 4 ports on the M4 model, while on the M4 Pro model are three Thunderbolt 5 ports.

Mac mini comes standard with Gigabit Ethernet and configurable with 10Gb/s Ethernet for faster network speeds. Also standard is the HDMI port to which you can connect a TV or HDMI display without an adapter. The Mac mini with M4 lets you connect two 6K displays and one 5K display. The Mac mini with M4 Pro lets you connect three 6K displays at 60 Hz, with over 60 million pixels combined.

The Mac mini with M4 and M4 Pro is available for pre-order for release on 8 November with the M4 version starting at €729 and M4 Pro at €1,679.

iMac with M4 chip

Apple also announced a new iMac with M4 chip and Apple Intelligence in its familiar ultra-thin design. Packing an M4 chip, the new iMac is up to 1.7x faster than the M1 model.

The new iMac is available in new colours, and for the 24″ 4.5K Retina display, you can now choose nano-textured glass. The iMac features a new 12MP Center Stage camera with Blue View, up to four Thunderbolt 4 ports and matching accessories with USB-C port.

iMac. Image: Apple

Gamers benefit from a frame rate up to 2x higher than on an iMac with M1.

The new iMac is available in seven new shades of green, yellow, orange, pink, purple and blue, as well as silver. The back stands out with its distinct colour, but the front has a more subtle hue from the new palette so that all the attention goes to the content on the screen. Each iMac comes with a Magic Keyboard and Magic Mouse in the same colour or, optionally, a Magic Trackpad. These accessories now have a USB-C port, so one cable is all you need to charge all your devices.

You can order the new iMac starting today for an entry-level price of €1,529 with deliveries starting 8 November.

iOS 18.1

The full features of Apple’s new intelligence-powered tools, dubbed Apple Intelligence, are not yet available for iPhone and Mac users in the European Union with the latest update for iOS – at least not without some workarounds.

However, the new updates released Monday, including iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1 and macOS 15.1, do offer several practical enhancements and crucial security fixes that users might find beneficial.

If you own AirPods Pro 2, you can now use them as hearing aids or for hearing protection. The update includes a built-in hearing test and improvements for those with mild to moderate hearing loss. The AirPods can also shield against harmful noise, such as loud music at concerts.

iOS 18. Image: Apple

Currently, Apple Intelligence is only being rolled out in the United States. But Apple has noted that switching the language and Siri settings to US English allows you to access some AI features like spellchecking, text editing and text summaries even if you are not based in the US.

According to Apple, the tools should be available in the European Union in the spring of 2025. But uncertainty persists because Apple is currently at an impasse with the bloc over new competition rules.

Thanks to the iOS update, the Control Center now features additional controls for AirDrop and Wi-Fi settings. A dedicated button for personal hotspot connectivity simplifies access.

The search functionality in the App Store has been enhanced to better interpret everyday language, making it easier to find apps without knowing their exact names.

For Podcast users, unplayed episodes in your subscribed list will no longer mistakenly show as played.

The updates also address several security vulnerabilities in iTunes, app security and Safari’s private browsing mode, which could have previously allowed access to browsing history.

The update to iOS and iPadOS 18.1 can be found in the device settings under General and Software Update for compatible iPhones and iPads.

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