Mac Mini 2022: Release date, Price, Specifications, and More details
Apple debuted the Mac Mini (M1), together with the MacBook Air (2020) and 13-inch MacBook Pro, over two years ago (2020). So a new model — presumably using the same M2 microprocessor as the predicted MacBook Air (2022) – is due. When we tested the mini-PC in 2020, we were delighted by its overall performance and the M1 chip that powers it. Still, a home PC is a large machine. Can a redesigned Mac Mini in 2022 win over non-fans? So far, here’s what we know.
Apple Mac Mini 2022 Release Date and Price
Since the Apple Mac Mini (2022) hasn’t been announced yet, we can’t confirm a release date. The last Mac Mini (M1) was released in late 2020, thus we expected it to be unveiled during the March 2022 event, but that didn’t happen. Apple may still announce it before the end of the year if it plans to produce an M2 SoC. Both 2020 versions have the M1 chip and were unveiled at the same time. Some say the 13-inch MacBook Pro won’t get a big overhaul, saving it for a later-year MacBook Air presentation. If that’s the case, the M2 Mac Mini might be introduced alongside the 13-inch MacBook Pro, since a Mac Mini redesign generates less interest than a MacBook overhaul.
It’s better to announce two M2-powered gadgets than one, and changing the M1 for the M2 would make mass production much easier. Recent speculations suggest Apple may have opted to delay the Mac Mini 2022 until 2023 – in which case we’ll have to stop calling it the Mac Mini 2022.
Mac Mini 2022 Design
The Mac Mini’s size is ideal for folks who require a home PC but don’t want a huge PC case or an all-in-one computer like the new iMac. But will it? The lack of a redesign for the 13-inch MacBook Pro has also been discussed. Which side do we expect the Mac Mini to take? Sadly, the less interest in a Mac Mini redesign, the less incentive Apple has to remodel the Mac Mini. However, the lack of a facelift for the 13-inch MacBook Pro makes sense because the 14-inch MacBook Pro may replace the 13-inch MacBook Pro after this year (2021).
If you’re going to keep making a product, and we don’t expect the Mac Mini to be retired soon, you’re going to have to remodel it to match other Mac devices, including the iMac, and MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro 14-inch and 16-inch. Earlier leaks indicating a change in form factor were batted down by different sources. Let’s see what the Mac Mini 2022 looks like.
Mac Mini 2022 Specification
In the absence of an Apple processor, we can only assume that the Mac Mini will offer the same 8GB/16GB Unified Memory configuration possibilities, with SSDs ranging from 256GB to 2TB. We expect the number and types of ports to remain stable, but we’re looking for a USB-C Thunderbolt 4 upgrade from Thunderbolt 3. The same goes with HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 1.4 upgrades, although with Thunderbolt 4, those connections may be unnecessary, therefore they may be removed with a new Mac Mini. That may affect our list of the best Mac Mini monitors, but we doubt Apple is concerned.
Things can become intriguing when it comes to the new device’s chips. Some say we’ll see not only an M2-powered Mac Mini but also an M1 Pro and maybe an M1 Max-powered Mac Mini. The last two could be more for professionals than home PCs, but they could give the Mac Mini a far broader appeal, especially because they’d be less than a MacBook Pro.