News has come to light that points to Apple having decided to abandon plans to redesign the Mac mini in 2022. We have the details…
I think the new Mac mini in 2023 will likely remain the same form factor design.
— 郭明錤 (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) March 12, 2022
According to a recent claim from Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo in a brief tweet, the next model of the Mac mini will retain the same basic aluminium unibody design, which Apple has used for every Mac mini since 2010.
Ming-Chi's claim contradicts earlier claims from leaker Jon Prosser, that Apple was working on a complete redesign for the mini desktop computer that would include a “plexiglass-like" top. Along with other evidence, we believe that Ming-chi has got this one right.
Why Ming-Chi Kuo Is Usually Right
Ming-Chi Kuo is an analyst at TF International Securities, a financial services group in the Asia-Pacific region. He gathers intelligence from his contacts in Apple's Asian supply chain, translating the information he gleans into research notes for clients.
His research notes often provide a solid look at Apple's future plans and while he is not always correct, his connections inside the Apple supply chain mean that his predictions on future Apple products are accurate enough to make him one of the most reliable sources for Apple rumours.
Mac Mini Developments
The entry-level Mac mini got an update in the slew of M1 Apple Silicon releases in November 2020, although bizarrely the high-end Mac mini model is still based around an Intel processor. This made it very likely that Apple would want to update this 2018 Mac mini and bring it into the Apple Silicon fold sooner rather than later.
However, it now looks as if Apple plan to update both the entry-level M1 model and the high-end Intel-powered model at the same time.
Power On: Apple gears up for several new Macs in March, May/June and fall. Read on for details on the new iMac 24-inch, iMac Pro, MacBook Pro 13-inch, Mac minis, MacBook Air, Mac Pro - and their new M2 and M1 Pro chips. https://t.co/CSAIYFgD05
— Mark Gurman (@markgurman) February 20, 2022
In April 2022 we reported Apple Test New M2 Chips In 9 Different Mac Computers, which included 3 entries for the Mac mini
A Mac mini with an M2 chip codenamed J473. This machine will have the same specifications as the MacBook Air.
Apple is testing a Mac mini with an M1 Pro chip, the same processor used in the entry-level M1 powered 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros. This machine is codenamed J374.
Apple has tested an M1 Max version of the Mac mini too, but there is speculation as to whether the Mac Studio will make these machines redundant.
However, it now appears, ag=fter this testing phase that Apple is scrapping plans for new Mac mini models with the M1 Pro and M1 Max chips now that the Mac Studio has been released.
Instead, it is now understood that Apple's plans for the Mac mini are an updated entry-level model with the new M2 chip and a second higher-end model with the new M2 Pro chip.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman believes that the entry-level M2 chip will feature the same eight-core CPU as the M1, but will come with speed and efficiency improvements, along with a new M2 model that will have a nine or ten core GPU.
Following on from the M1 Pro design, it is expected that the M2 Pro will come with the same 10-core CPU, but with improved efficiency and more GPU cores than the current 14- and 16-core options. As we reported in April 2022, testing on the M2 chip is already underway and is evidenced by references to the chip in the latest beta of macOS Monterey and developer logs from third-party apps on the App Store, which have been good predictors of imminent hardware in the past.
[Updated]
— 郭明錤 (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) March 11, 2022
2023: Mac Pro, iMac Pro and Mac mini https://t.co/NiloxXy0jv
Not In 2022
However, it would appear that the change of plans for the Mac mini and the cancellation of the 2022 refresh together with the statement from Apple senior vice president of Hardware Engineering John Ternus in March 2022 on the progress of the Apple Silicon transition said "just one more product to go: Mac Pro," before adding "that's for another day," is being interpreted as meaning that we won’t see new Mac mini models until 2023 according to Ming-Chi Kuo.
So if you are looking to replace an ageing Intel-powered Mac mini in 2022, then the Mac Studio is going to be the machine for you.