Apple Likely Planning to Skip M3 Mac Mini for M4 Refresh in Late 2024

Apple is likely to skip an M3 version of the Mac mini in favor of a bigger update with M4 chips toward the end of the year, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

M4 Mac Mini Feature
In the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman explained that he does not expect Apple to refresh the ‌Mac mini‌ with M3 chips. Apple last updated the ‌Mac mini‌ with the M2 and ‌M2‌ Pro chips in January 2023. Other new features included two extra Thunderbolt 4 ports and an HDMI 2.1 port for ‌M2‌ Pro configurations, Wi-Fi 6E support with a compatible router, and Bluetooth 5.3.

Gurman previously said that Apple is planning to release new ‌Mac mini‌ models with M4 and M4 Pro chips "between the end of 2024 and early 2025." Now, he has clarified that with new Mac minis arriving as soon as the end of the year, there is not sufficient "room for M3 models to come out before then, so it's probably safe to say that those Mac desktops will skip the M3 generation."

Such a move would not be unprecedented since the iMac skipped the ‌M2‌ chip entirely, holding off until a bigger performance bump with the M3 chip late last year. With the M4 chip series, the ‌Mac mini‌ should get a significant CPU performance improvement compared to the existing models with the ‌M2‌ series. The M4 chips are also rumored to have a faster Neural Engine for artificial intelligence tasks.

Related Roundup: Mac mini
Buyer's Guide: Mac Mini (Caution)
Related Forum: Mac mini

Popular Stories

sonny iphone 16 pro colors

All Four iPhone 16 Pro Colors Revealed in New Image

Friday August 16, 2024 4:14 am PDT by
Leaker Sonny Dickson is back today with a new dummy unit image showing all four iPhone 16 Pro color variants, including the rose gold or "bronze" unit that replaces Blue Titanium in the existing iPhone 15 Pro models. The iPhone 16 Pro models are expected to come in black, white or silver, gray or "Natural Titanium," and a rose or rose gold color replacing Blue Titanium, according to Apple...
iPhone 16 Pro Right Side Feature

The iPhone 16 is Getting a New Button: Here's What It Can Do

Tuesday August 13, 2024 4:01 pm PDT by
Multiple rumors have suggested that the iPhone 16 models are going to have an all-new button that's designed to make it easier to capture photos when the devices are held in landscape mode. Apple calls the button the Capture Button internally, and it is going to be one of the most advanced buttons that's been introduced to date with support for multiple gestures and the ability to respond to ...
iPhone 16 Pro Sizes Feature

iPhone 16 Launch Is Just One Month Out – Here's Everything We Know

Saturday August 10, 2024 5:00 am PDT by
Apple typically releases its new iPhone series in the fall, and a possible September 10 announcement date has been floated this year, which means we are just one month away from the launch of the iPhone 16. Like the iPhone 15 series, this year's lineup is expected to stick with four models – iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max – although there are plenty of design...
iPhone 16 Pro Sizes Feature

When Is the iPhone 16 Coming Out?

Wednesday August 14, 2024 6:20 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone 16 series is expected to debut in September 2024. This release follows Apple's trend of introducing new iPhone models annually in the fall. While the exact date has yet to be officially confirmed, the day of Tuesday, September 10 has been rumored as a possible announcement date, and September has traditionally been the month when Apple unveils its latest smartphone innovations. ...
maxresdefault

Apple Aiming to Launch Tabletop Robotic Home Device as Soon as 2026 With Pricing Around $1,000

Wednesday August 14, 2024 11:30 am PDT by
Apple is moving forward with its project to develop a tabletop robotic device, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. The device would feature a large iPad-like display mounted on a "thin robotic arm" that would allow the display to tilt and up and down and rotate a full 360º, and it would serve as a "smart home command center," a...
M4 Mac mini Silver Ortho Cooler

These New Macs Are Coming in 2024

Thursday August 15, 2024 4:34 pm PDT by
It's almost September, but Apple still has multiple new product launches planned for 2024. New iPhone 16 models and Apple Watches are coming in September, and we're also going to get at least three Mac updates with M4 chips this year, according to rumors. Here's what's on the horizon. MacBook Pro Apple plans to refresh both the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, adding M4 chips. The ...
T Mobile Generic Feature Pink 1

United States Fines T-Mobile $60 Million for Failing to Prevent Unauthorized Access to Sensitive Customer Data

Thursday August 15, 2024 1:32 pm PDT by
T-Mobile was fined $60 million by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the US (CFIUS) for negligence surrounding data breaches, reports Reuters. CFIUS penalized T-Mobile for failing to prevent or disclose unauthorized access to sensitive customer data. When T-Mobile merged with Sprint, it signed a national security agreement with CFIUS, which is what led to the fine earlier this year....

Top Rated Comments

cicalinarrot Avatar
17 weeks ago
Fine. 16GB RAM minimum, please.
Score: 42 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Thakk Avatar
17 weeks ago

I hope it has a higher limit for RAM. 16 GB is just not enough anymore,
I'm typing on an M2 Pro Mac Mini with 32GB of memory.
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Carrotstick Avatar
17 weeks ago
The mini needs 64GB RAM.
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CausticSoda Avatar
17 weeks ago
I see no issue with skipping chips in some models like this and the MBA. For the average user, like me, the difference between Mx and Mx+1 is insignificant. As for the RAM, I see it differently... RAM is so absurdly cheap these days that you would hope even the most devoted fan boys can by now see that the 8 GB base model is all about making people pay more than the base price that is advertised or making it more likely they have to ditch their computer in the future earlier than they might have done, had it had 16 GB. I wonder what "Mother Earth" thinks of this screamingly obvious ploy? Now cue all the people who don't get the point and say 8 GB is fine for the average user (which, today, is true)...
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
HobeSoundDarryl Avatar
17 weeks ago
If we "think different," there's probably another choice than only increasing the price at the price Apple charges for that upgrade now. For example, what if Apple just ate the probably $8-$15 added cost to make 16GB base and spun it as "we heard you" value add in the rollout pitch? How well would that go over with pretty much EVERYONE? Then this entire whine goes away (this is called spending a little money to grow customer goodwill). Perhaps overall Apple margin slides from north of 47% to perhaps 46.X% if they can't find $8-$15 per unit somewhere else... but traditional Apple margin was already relatively sky high back when the target was 38%-40%. And there's plenty of marketing punch in 'leading' the industry to 16GB base.

Apple's cost is not $200... not even close. That's just the price they demand from buyers. To get a sense of Apple's approx. cost, shop 16GB RAM on Amazon and then estimate some profit to Amazon and some profit to the manufacturer to shave off of retail pricing... AND consider this is quantity ONE unit pricing instead of buying in Apple volume. I'll save anyone interested the trouble (and this is not even the cheapest option)...



Since a few people seem confused about the idea here, I am NOT suggesting slotted RAM... but that Apple RAM doesn't have to be priced at $200 vs. what RAM costs from RAM-makers at substantially below $200. The point is that 16GB of RAM can cost consumers considerably LESS THAN $50. It does not need to be $200 for 8 more GBs of it in the upgrade.

Attachment Image
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BornAgainMac Avatar
17 weeks ago
I hope it has a higher limit for RAM. 16 GB is just not enough anymore,
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)