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Apple Mac mini review (M4 Pro, 2024): Shockingly small, incredibly powerful

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"That's a computer?!" My daughter just couldn't believe her eyes when I pulled the new Mac mini out of its box. It measures just five-inches by five-inches across, and it sits a mere two inches tall. The Mac mini is an adorable box that resembles an oversized Apple TV. But what's more impressive is that it's significantly faster than before, thanks to Apple's M4 and M4 Pro chips, and it still starts at $599. Once again, the Mac mini redefines what a desktop can be.

While Apple may have started the tiny PC trend with the original Mac mini in 2005, it's certainly not alone today. Intel's NUC line survived execution and is now being spearheaded by ASUS, but those boxes are still expensive and relatively niche. HP sells "Elite MIni" desktops for businesses, but they mainly exist to make IT workers' lives easier.

The Mac mini, meanwhile, has for years been an affordable gateway into the world of Apple desktops. Now, it's the cheapest way to get a taste of Apple Silicon, especially if you already have a monitor, keyboard and mouse. (And if you don't, you can still configure a whole desktop setup for under $1,000.) As I said when it was announced, even if you don't need one, the Mac mini's pint-sized frame and powerful hardware makes it incredibly compelling.

Just look at it! The Mac mini's redesigned case is less than half the size of the previous version, so you won't have to devote as much desk space to it. It also features front connectivity for the first time — two USB-C ports and a headphone jack — something that previously required upgrading to the $1,999 Mac Studio. Most people will likely be better off with the 3.5mm jack up front, but if you’re the rare user who needs to connect speakers, you’re better off relying on a USB-C dongle in the rear, or a high-quality audio interface.

More so than aesthetics, the Mac mini's biggest upgrade this time around is Apple's new M4 hardware, as well as the fact that it – like all new Macs going forward – now comes with 16GB of RAM standard. The M4 sports a 10-core CPU (four high-performance cores and six high-efficiency), a 10-core GPU and a 16-core Neural Engine. For $1,399, you can bump up to the dramatically more powerful M4 Pro chip (which is what's in our review unit), featuring a 14-core CPU (10 high-performance and four high-efficiency) and 20-core GPU.

Apple Mac mini (2024) rear ports: Power, Ethernet, HDMI and three USB-C Thunderbolt 5 connections.
Devindra Hardawar for Engadget

The M4 chip includes support for Thunderbolt 4 on its three rear USB-C ports, while the M4 Pro brings Thunderbolt 5 to Macs for the first time, with triple the data transfer speeds (120 Gb/s compared to 40 Gb/s). Every Mac mini also includes a full-sized HDMI connection (supporting up to 8K 60Hz or 4K 240Hz), as well as an Ethernet port (gigabit standard, or upgradable to 10GbE). While it lacks the integrated SD card reader of the Mac Studio, the Mac mini is otherwise well-equipped to meet the demands of many creative professionals.

There are some curious design choices, though. For one, the Mac mini's power button is along the bottom of its rear end, which leads to some awkward finger gymnastics whenever you want to turn it on. (Read into that what you will.) That means you probably wouldn't want to hide it in an unreachable corner of your desk. The previous Mac mini also hid the power button along its rear, but at least that was right beside its ports, and it didn't require tipping over the device.

Apple likely doesn't expect its users to be completely turning off their devices very often, but that's also clearly at odds with its sustainability efforts. (The company loudly claims the Mac mini is carbon neutral, for example, as it's mostly built with recycled metals and other materials.)

Apple Mac mini (2024) in hand, viewing the USB-C ports and headphone jack up front
Devindra Hardawar for Engadget

The Mac mini was the fastest computer I've reviewed this year, at least when it comes to CPU benchmarks. I've grown used to being impressed by Apple Silicon, but the M4 Pro in our review unit (which was also equipped with 48GB of RAM) was still a bigger leap ahead than I expected. While running in high power mode, which cranks up performance, the Mac mini’s Geekbench 6 single-threaded score of 3,943 was well above the typical 2,500 to 2,800 point range we've seen in PCs this year. Its multithreaded Geekbench 6 score reached a whopping 22,850 points — the only other systems that cracked 14,00 points this year were the Snapdragon X Elite-powered Surface Laptop 7 and XPS 13.


Computer

Geekbench 6

Geekbench 6 GPU

Cinebench 2024

Apple Mac mini (M4 Pro, 2024)

3,934/22,850

69,753

172/1660 GPU:8953

Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (M4, 2024)

3,797/14,571

37,869

172/979 GPU: 3770

Surface Laptop 7 (Snapdragon X Elite)

2,797/14,400

19,963

123/969

Apple iMac (M3, 2023)

3,152/11,892

30n388

138/629 GPU:3711

Naturally, other laptops with dedicated, power-hungry video cards outclassed the Mac mini in the Geekbench 6 GPU test, but Apple's tiny desktop still beat out the RTX 4050 in Dell's XPS 14, as well as the Radeon 7700S in the 16-inch Framework Laptop. That's still a very impressive result for graphics built into a single system-on-a-chip.

Outside of benchmarks, the Mac mini impressed me by running Lies of P in 1,440p with maxed out graphics settings at 60fps. It even managed to run the game in 4K with medium graphics settings, but the frame rate hovered around 30fps, which wasn't very playable. That's not a huge surprise though — what's more important is that I know the GPU is powerful enough to run modern games at more reasonable resolutions. Resident Evil 4 and No Man's Sky also held a steady 60 fps in 1,440p.

To test out the Mac mini's AI capabilities, I used the Whisper Transcription app to transcribe an hour and nine-minute long episode of the Engadget Podcast. That took two minutes and nine seconds, using the small language model. In comparison, the M4-powered 14-inch MacBook Pro took three minutes and three seconds, while an M3 14-inch MacBook Pro took three minutes and thirty-seven seconds. These figures tell us Apple's M4 hardware can help students quickly get notes from lecture recordings, or even transcribe classes in real-time without much effort.

Apple Mac mini (2024) from the bottom, viewing the intake vent.
Devindra Hardawar for Engadget

As I threw benchmarks, games and encoding jobs at the Mac mini, I was constantly impressed by how much it could tackle without making any discernible fan noise. But Apple can’t escape heat. The Mac mini has a large intake fan along its bottom that sucks in cool air and spreads it out throughout the entire system. However, when I started running Cinebench's multithreaded benchmark, the fan kicked into high gear and the Mac mini sounded like it was getting ready to take off.

It's not an unpleasant sound — it's more like a calming white noise machine than the obnoxiously loud Mac fans of yore — but it's certainly noticeable. If you're typically wearing headphones or blasting music, it may not be an issue, but it could make the Mac mini very annoying in a shared office setting. If you're planning to constantly throw heavy workloads at it in high power mode, you might be better off with the larger Mac Studio, which can better handle heat. Apple still hasn't updated the Studio with M4 chips, though — you'll have to wait until next year for that.

Apple Mac mini (2024) alongside a Studio Display
Devindra Hardawar for Engadget

There's no doubt the M4 Pro Mac mini is an absolute beast, but at $1,399 (with 24GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD to start), it's mainly targeted at creative professionals. I didn't have the $599 M4 model to test (which starts with 16GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD), but I benchmarked that exact same chip on the 14-inch MacBook Pro and still found it impressive. Its Geekbench 6 and Cinebench scores still beat out most of the computers we've tested this year, and its GPU is fast enough for solid 1080p 60 fps gameplay.

If you're just looking for a basic and adorably small Mac desktop, the $599 Mac mini will likely be all you need. And if you're looking to do a bit more serious work, and can't justify the $1,999 Mac Studio, the $1,399 model is a decent value compared to PC workstations. Just be prepared to stomach Apple's upgrade prices: You'll have to spend an additional $400 just to get 32GB of RAM on the base Mini, and another $400 to get a 1TB SSD. That's wildly out of step with prices outside of the Apple ecosystem, where you can easily find a decent 1TB NVMe SSD under $100. (That said, unlike a laptop, connecting a cheap but capacious external drive to the mini is a more viable option.)

Apple’s gonna Apple when it comes to upgrade pricing, but at least you can finally buy a $599 Mac mini with 16GB of RAM. That alone is reason to celebrate. The fact that it’s cute enough to impress my kid is a nice bonus.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/apple-mac-mini-review-m4-pro-2024-shockingly-small-incredibly-powerful-140042432.html?src=rss

Blink’s new Sync Module XR extends wireless range far beyond the standard version

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Blink just unveiled the Sync Module XR wireless extender, which is an update of the pre-existing Sync Module. This device is primarily intended to extend the wireless range of the company’s Outdoor 4 security camera. To that end, it can increase the range by up to 400 feet, which is four times the standard Blink Sync Module.

This means that users can plop the affiliated security camera pretty much wherever they want, even in the case of a large and expansive property. Blink says that “customers now have the freedom to install Outdoor 4 on their fence, gate, shed or entry of their driveway and know their cameras will stay online and connected.”

A description of the range.
Blink

The company also says that the Sync Module XR can better penetrate obstacles to deliver a clean signal. This includes walls, shrubs and trees. However, it still says that performance may fluctuate “due to environment or other factors” and that “video resolution may vary.”

All Blink Outdoor 4 cameras can use this new module right out of the box, and it can support up to ten cameras at once. Jonathan Cohn, head of product at the company, said in a blog post that the Sync Module XR is intended to “make it easier for our customers to build a comprehensive home security system.”

The device also acts as a centralized system hub via the company’s proprietary app. This lets folks adjust any connected camera. Finally, there’s a MicroSD slot for clip storage. The Blink Sync Module XR is available for purchase right now in the US and Canada. It costs $60, though early adopters will get a free Outdoor 4 camera with a purchase.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/blinks-new-sync-module-xr-extends-wireless-range-far-beyond-the-standard-version-140027521.html?src=rss

Nikon’s Z50 II targets creators with a dedicated film simulation button

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Camera companies are starting to get the hang of marketing entry-level cameras with features that help beginners take great photos right away. Nikon's $910 Z50 II mirrorless joins that trend with a dedicated "Picture Control" button that produces fun, social media-ready looks. The new model also promises faster shooting speeds than the five-year-old Z50, improved autofocus and better-quality video. 

There's no question that the Z50 II is aimed at the creator crowd with a host of new features borrowed from Sony, Fujifilm and Panasonic. That starts with the Picture Control button (not a dial) that offers 31 presets like Denim, Toy Camera and Carbon, for both photos and video. It also lets you download "Imaging Recipes" from the Nikon Imaging Cloud, with custom presets for color, brightness, hue and more, à la Panasonic's S9. On the video side, it now offers a Product Review Mode that immediately focuses from a creator's face to a product they hold up, exactly like Sony's Product Showcase feature.

Nikon's Z50 II takes a page from Fujifilm with a dedicated film simulation dial
Nikon

At the same time, the Z50 II is surprisingly powerful. You can shoot bursts at up to 30 fps (JPEG only) in electronic mode or 11 fps (RAW/JPEG) with the mechanical shutter. Autofocus has been overhauled to be more responsive and now includes 3D tracking with AI modes for animals, birds and vehicles — along with an auto mode that selects the subject for you. 

Video is also much improved. It offers oversampled 4K 30p (no crop) and 4K 60p (1.5x crop), compared to just 4K 30p before. Better still, it now offers N-Log 10-bit shooting compared to just 8-bit with no log on the Z50. That should greatly improve dynamic range and give video shooters more room for creativity in the edit suite. 

Nikon's Z50 II takes a page from Fujifilm with a dedicated film simulation dial
Steve Dent for Engadget

One downside to this camera is the resolution, which is on the low side in this price range at 20.9 megapixels. It also lacks in-body stabilization, so you'll need to rely on electronic stabilization for video (which adds a small crop) or purchase lenses with built in stabilization (VR, as Nikon calls it). I'm also not a fan of the boring body, but I imagine that Nikon will be releasing a Zfc II later with the same features in a retro design. 

Other features include a built-in flash, flip-out display, brighter 2.36-million dot EVF (now 1,000 nits), a single UHS-II card slot, mic and headphone jacks, a tally lamp, waveform display, USB streaming support and a wider ISO range up to 512,000. The Nikon Z50 II is now on pre-order for $907 (body only) or $1,050 with a Nikkor Z 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 VR kit lens.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/nikons-z50-ii-targets-creators-with-a-dedicated-film-simulation-button-133037492.html?src=rss

Striking New York Times tech workers made their own versions of Wordle and Connections

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The New York Times Tech Guild asked the publication's readers not to play its games, including Wordle and Connections, in solidarity when it announced that it was going on strike on November 4. Now, the guild has released its own versions of the The Times' games so that readers can still play without crossing its digital picket line. Of course, the workers' versions won't be able to keep your Wordle streak running, but they're pretty much the same games you've been playing on the publication's website. 

The guild is made up of over 600 unionized tech workers that include software engineers, product managers, data analysts and designers — the people behind the publication's games, as well as The Times' Cooking app. In the guild's GoFundMe for the strike, it said it's been bargaining for its first contract over the past two years, but the The Times' management "dragged its feet" and even allegedly committed unfair labor practices by implementing return-to-office mandates without bargaining and trying to intimidate members who were going on strike. 

The guild explained that it's pushing for The Times to address racial disparities in its workers' pay and to ensure real job security. Apparently, the publication's management had fired someone days before a major brain surgery in the past and had used performance review plans as a pretense to fire employees. The guild is also accusing management of disproportionately targeting women and POCs with its "arbitrary disciplinary process."

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/nyt-tech-workers-on-strike-made-their-own-versions-of-wordle-and-connections-130047922.html?src=rss

Matter’s latest version will try to smooth out the smart home platform’s rough edges

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The latest version of Matter, the open smart home standard that largely hasn’t yet lived up to its lofty promises for seamless device-agnostic integration, is now available. Hardware makers and platforms can integrate Matter 1.4 into their products on Thursday. The new version’s biggest feature may be Enhanced Multi-Admin, which aims to improve interoperability between different device ecosystems.

The Connectivity Standards Alliance, which manages Matter, describes version 1.4 as “a significant step forward in the Matter ecosystem.” It says the update resulted from the coalition’s hundreds of member companies (including Apple, Amazon, Google and Samsung) working with thousands of engineers and product experts. Given the platform’s struggles to deliver on its promise of a smooth and headache-free smart home, it could use all the help it can get.

One of the new highlights, Enhanced Multi-Admin, strives for less setup when connecting to multiple ecosystems (like Apple HomeKit, Google Home or Alexa). Matter 1.4 only requires user consent once. After that (at least in theory), new and existing devices will connect to multiple ecosystems without making you approve the same device for each additional platform. If hardware manufacturers implement the feature without issues (again, a big ask based on Matter’s rocky first two years), this could improve on a big pain point and move the platform’s big promises of seamless integration closer to reality.

The update also opens the door to Matter-certified routers and access points that securely store your Thread protocol credentials. The Alliance says the networking hardware will “provide the foundational infrastructure of smart homes by combining both a Wi-Fi access point and a Thread Border Router, ensuring these ubiquitous devices have the necessary infrastructure for Matter products using either of these technologies.”

Following the addition of basic energy management features in version 1.3, Matter 1.4 expands on that with support for new device types. Solar panels, batteries (including battery walls, storage units and Battery Energy Storage Systems), heat pumps and water heaters can now work with the standard. In addition, it now covers Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE). So, EV owners can use the management features to specify when they want their car to be charged, choosing times based on convenience or cost.

Matter 1.4 also adds protocols to lengthen battery life for low-powered devices like switches, buttons and sensors that only connect intermittently. More flexible automation options for products like in-wall switches that control lights, fans and other non-smart appliances are also on the menu. This addresses yet another pain point in previous versions, which treated all of these device types as “lights.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/matters-latest-version-will-try-to-smooth-out-the-smart-home-platforms-rough-edges-130003372.html?src=rss

The Morning After: Our verdict on the PS5 Pro

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Sony’s new beastly console is a niche product for PlayStation gamers who want the most premium experience. The PlayStation 5 Pro is the console equivalent of the iPhone Pro Max or the Kindle Signature but still cheaper than a PC gaming rig. It has a more powerful GPU, capable of offering 4K and 60 fps gaming, an AI upscaler to polish up textures, new ray tracing and a substantial 2TB SSD to store all your games. (No disc drive, however.) And, as you’ll read in our full review, the PS5’s back catalog has never looked better.

There are good arguments for not buying the PlayStation 5 Pro — it’s a beefed up midcycle console with base performance for $700 — but if you haven’t jumped on the PS5 bandwagon yet, it gives a solid no-compromise experience.

— Mat Smith

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The biggest tech stories you missed

Canada has ordered TikTok to shut down its operations in the country, citing unspecified “national security risks” posed by the company and its parent, ByteDance. Canada’s crackdown on TikTok follows a “multi-step national security review process” by its intelligence agencies, the government said in a statement. TikTok will be forced to “wind up” all business in the country, though the app won’t be banned.

Continue reading.

TMA
Microsoft

A new AI feature, called Rewrite, is coming to Microsoft’s Notepad. It can rewrite sentences, change the tone and alter the length of text in Notepad — if you’re a Windows Insider. Even the Paint app is getting its own AI features: Generative Fill and Generative Erase. The new fill feature can edit and add visual features to your photos and drawings. You draw a box and input text to describe the image.

Continue reading.

Google’s new AI prototype accidentally found its way to the public through the Chrome Web Store. It’s a little different to the Siris, Alexas and Geminis of this world, though. The store page described the Jarvis prototype as “a helpful companion that surfs the web for you” using web browsers to take care of common tasks, such as buying groceries, booking flights and researching topics. Google’s new AI can steer your browser for you, completing these simple tasks without manual human input.

Continue reading.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-our-verdict-on-the-ps5-pro-121836720.html?src=rss

The best AirPods for 2024

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You don’t need a set of AirPods to get wireless audio from your iPhone, iPad or Mac, but Apple’s earbuds and headphones offer a lot of convenient integrations with its other products that you won’t find anywhere else. After helping popularize true wireless earbuds with its original AirPods, the company has expanded its lineup to include noise-canceling models and a set of over-ear headphones. Here’s what you need to know about AirPods in general, along with the best overall, budget and over-ear picks from Apple’s current slate of products.

When it comes to Apple’s earbuds and headphones, there are several things you’ll want to keep in mind before making your final decision. First, the AirPods are the open-design earbuds with no tip that allow some environmental noise to come into your ears at all times. The AirPods Pro are the model with the soft ear tips that completely close off your ear, which enables features like more powerful noise cancellation and the hearing test. Lastly, the AirPods Max are Apple’s over-ear headphones, and currently the company’s only option for wireless headphones at all that aren’t made by Beats.

There are a few features that are available across all models as they’ve become inherent to the AirPods experience. First, you can expect Automatic Switching between Apple devices that are synced with your iCloud account. This means that AirPods will automatically change to your phone when you get a call while you’re listening to music on a MacBook, for example. It’s functionally similar to multipoint Bluetooth, but the feature isn’t limited to two devices like most earbuds and headphones. Second, hands-free access to Siri is the default, allowing you to ask the assistant for help without touching your AirPods. And lastly, Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking is available across the entire lineup, even on the most affordable version of the AirPods 4.

If you don’t think any of the AirPods options are right for you, consult our recommendations on the best wireless earbuds and best wireless headphones for some alternatives.

The AirPods 4 with ANC represent the first time active noise cancellation has been available on the open-wear, “regular” AirPods. Design-wise, they’re the same as the non-ANC model, so the difference is entirely in the features list. This more expensive version adds Adaptive Audio, Transparency mode, Conversation Awareness and a wireless charging case. The ANC isn’t as powerful as the AirPods Pro 2, partially due to the fact that the AirPods 4 doesn’t completely seal off your ears. The noise-canceling performance is definitely useful though, working best with constant, low-frequency annoyances like fans and white noise machines. Lastly, you won’t get access to Apple’s hearing test and hearing aid features, partially due to the fact that the AirPods 4 with ANC doesn’t seal off your ears, which would affect accuracy and effectiveness.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/best-airpods-100041810.html?src=rss

Canada orders TikTok to shut down its business operations in the country due to ‘national security risks’

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Canada has ordered TikTok to shut down its operations in the country, citing unspecified “national security risks” posed by the company and its parent ByteDance. With the move, TikTok will be forced to “wind up” all business in the country, though the Canadian government stopped short of banning the app.

“The government is taking action to address the specific national security risks related to ByteDance Ltd.’s operations in Canada through the establishment of TikTok Technology Canada, Inc,” Canada’s Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry François-Philippe Champagne said in a statement. “The decision was based on the information and evidence collected over the course of the review and on the advice of Canada’s security and intelligence community and other government partners.”

Canada’s crackdown on TikTok follows a “multi-step national security review process” by its intelligence agencies, the government said in a statement. As the CBC points out, the country previously banned the app from official government devices. It also comes several months after the United States passed a law that could ban the app stateside. US lawmakers have also cited national security concerns and the app’s ties to China. TikTok has mounted an extensive legal challenge to the law.

In a statement, a TikTok spokesperson said the company would challenge Canada’s order as well. "Shutting down TikTok’s Canadian offices and destroying hundreds of well-paying local jobs is not in anyone's best interest, and today's shutdown order will do just that,” the spokesperson said. “We will challenge this order in court. The TikTok platform will remain available for creators to find an audience, explore new interests and for businesses to thrive."

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/canada-orders-tiktok-to-shut-down-its-business-operations-in-the-country-due-to-national-security-risks-002615440.html?src=rss

Sega apparently has a new Virtua Fighter game in the works

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Virtua Fighter may soon be punching its way back into the public eye. Justin Scarpone, Sega's global head of transmedia, casually dropped the news about a new game in the franchise during an interview with VGC. "We have a suite of titles in development right now that fall into that legacy bucket, which we announced last year at The Game Awards," he said. "Crazy Taxi, Jet Set Radio, Streets of Rage, Shinobi, and we have another Virtua Fighter being developed. And so all that’s very exciting."

Exciting indeed. Most of those titles were indeed showcased during The Game Awards as part of a new era for Sega, but Scarpone's mention of Virtua Fighter is a new revelation. The last numbered entry in the series was Virtua Fighter 5 all the way back in 2006. That's not to say the fighting game franchise has been static since then; there have been riffs and redos such as Virtual Fighter 5: Final Showdown in 2015 and 2021's Virtua Fighter Ultimate Showdown. But it has been nearly 20 years since fans have gotten an all new game.

Beyond this offhand confirmation that Sega is working on a follow-up, we know nothing about what the future might hold for a possible Virtua Fighter 6. It seems likely that Akira Yuki and other familiar faces will return, but anything's possible for the characters and mechanics.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/sega-apparently-has-a-new-virtua-fighter-game-in-the-works-235417627.html?src=rss

Roblox details two new safety policies for protecting children

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Roblox is implementing new safety policies intended to better protect the platform's young users. We learned last month that changes were in the works for the game, and a post on the Roblox developer forum today detailed more about those rules. The big takeaway is that a greater section of Roblox content will not be available to players under age 13.

The first part of the new Roblox policy is that starting December 3, users younger than 13 will not be able to play, search or discover any unrated experiences on the platform. However, they can still view information on the experience detail page via a direct link. Roblox is thus requiring creators to confirm that the information on their experience detail pages — such as the thumbnail, title and description — meets the company's criteria for either all ages or for ages 9 and up.

The second part of the policy will restrict access to Roblox's Social Hangouts and Free-form User Creation experiences to users who are over 13. This rule will take effect on November 18.

Roblox has a rocky history when it comes to safety for youth and preteen users. Since 2018, at least two dozen people have been arrested by US policy on accusations of abducting or abusing child victims met through Roblox.

Update, November 6, 2024, 6:27PM ET: Article has been updated to fix an incorrect date. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/roblox-details-two-new-safety-policies-for-protecting-children-225053423.html?src=rss