When Apple redesigned the iMac for Apple Silicon, it achieved its ultra-thin design and its significant reduction in overall volume by ditching its USB-A ports. For the current Mac mini, the M2 model has two USB-C ports and two USB-A ports, and the M2 Pro model has four USB-C ports and two USB-A ports. Now that we’ve been expecting a significant overhaul of the smaller computer, it looks like that model will follow suit, according to Mark Gurman’s latest edition of the Powered On newsletter.
He states that the upcoming Mac mini with M4 Pro chip will have a total of 5 USB-C ports and zero USB-A ports – two of the USB-C ports will be located on the front and three of them will be located on the back. Other ports that will still be on the redesigned Mac mini are the Ethernet port, an HDMI port, and the 3.5mm headphone jack. Gurman has no word on what how many ports that upcoming Mac mini with the base M4 chip will have, but my take on this is that it could have the same amount of USB-C ports on the higher end model. Here’s how.
Apple has two models of the Mac Studio with a Max and an Ultra chip. Both models have the same number of USB-C ports; however, the major difference is that the front two ports on the Max model are not Thunderbolt-enabled, but those two ports on the Ultra model are. So Apple could take the similar approach to the redesigned Mac mini by having the front USB-C ports with Thunderbolt capabilities on the M4 Pro model and having the front USB-C ports without Thunderbolt capabilities on the M4 model. The M4 model is expected to start shipping this month, but the M4 Pro model won’t start shipping until next month, so we may see an October announcement for this highly anticipated product.
