M2 Pro Mac Mini Review: Game Changer!

[@CodySiler]

Love hearing you speak about the "normal user" instead of just video export speeds and other creator uses. This seems like a great deal for those who need an Apple product for classes / etc.

[@SirusStarTV]

They could have upgraded 12" macbook with m1/m2 for very normal users, it was thinner than macbook air. Why they forgot about it...

[@13galaxy]

@@SirusStarTV they killed off the MacBook 😢

[@jasonhe54]

@@Dfjs427 MacBooks are surprising nice for classes

[@ransom182]

@@Dfjs427 sure you don't need a Mac specifically but it's going to be way more reliable than running Windows.

[@flushr2694]

Also for programmers it's totally reasonable :)

[@ThreeNeedles]

Your Fastest Man Mini (2012) video was the first piece of content which, brought you and your channel to my attention. I replicated the project a year later but subscribed right away. Just want to say thank you for creating and sharing great tech content for over a decade. Wishing you and your team many more years in this space, peace!

[@vicweast]

True that! Marques has really done well for the community

[@Willeexd1337]

Same for me

[@SchrottgamesLP]

A truly great documentary about about the childhood of Usain Bolt.

[@cyrileo]

Cool! An OG fan! 🤩 Had you pegged since day one. Thanks for the support! 🤝

[@umershaikh7179]

I have an old Mac Sierra 2017. Can I buy and use this with my current Mac keyboard/screen?

[@WildOutdoorLiving]

I've had my M1 Mac Mini for a couple of years now and it has been incredible. I run Zwift on it (a cycling game/simulator) that is notoriously taxing on hardware, a bit of video and photo editing and other normal stuff. I was able to pair it with a keyboard and mouse I actually like and a 32" display (1080p resolution). The end result is an easy to use and comfortable set up that is always ready to go. Obviously you could go with a 4k display and a name brand keyboard to make it even nicer but I think my whole set up was less than $1000. Plus if something gets damaged it doesn't necessarily take down the entire system (like when a dog threw his chew toy into my mac book screen in 2009.

[@blastofo]

Your mac mini may be fast, but I will drop you on Zwift! j/k

[@bald_agent_smith]

Bro you need to buy any 4k/5k display of that size. 1080p just looks terrible on 32 inches. Just try it once you wound never come to these low PPIs

[@alexoatrunner4619]

Love how you mentioned compile times as a use case! It can make such a workflow difference (probably even more than rendering) if the chip is able to render a new live view immediately. 4:30

[@nitrorange]

4:43 MKBHD’s performance per dollar ‘dumb Apple chart’ is priceless 😂

[@techibuzz5464]

It is literally price-less lmao

[@bigbradworld2408]

“Its higher!” 😂😂

[@benjamincurtis6283]

"It's better. The line is higher." LOL

[@PumaM90]

I was sold as soon as I saw how much higher that line was

[@anthonydraper1231231]

I’ve used an M1 Mac Mini for the past couple years now and it’s been a blast. I love that they’ve upgraded it to M2 and it’s cheaper! And yeah, I don’t have to upgrade my monitor and keyboard every time I get a new one. It’s become my favorite Apple product (favorite computer even) after my iPad which I use alongside the Mac Mini every day.

[@SadStateOfAffairs]

Hello, what monitor r u using? Also, can I connect a Mac mini to a 2015 27” iMac? Thanks.

[@visionz_n_media]

Excellent video as always. I had just looked at these and was wondering about them, so I’m glad you gave us the rundown on it.

[@vulcanus9384]

disappointed he didn't mention storage or ram configurations

[@visionz_n_media]

@@vulcanus9384 those are options that you can select yourself. It’s on the Apple Store. My main concern was baseline performance so that I could determine my own ram and storage needs from there. I’m sure that’s why he didn’t dive into those, because they are subjective to the individual needs of each person.

[@hermanstokbrood]

@@visionz_n_media Sure Apple let you choose anything. For you know it the price has doubled or even trippled.

[@visionz_n_media]

@@hermanstokbrood that’s not just an Apple thing. If it is something you really need as opposed to just wanting, then the price will not matter as much.

[@hermanstokbrood]

@@visionz_n_media Yeah at this price level it is just an Apple thing.

[@cjc363636]

From a almost-ignored back trail in the Apple Mac line, to an actual important upper-mid level performer. Very cool!

[@cyrileo]

👍 Wow, that's amazing! 🤯

[@cameronbosch1213]

I'd argue that the iMac has become the more niche almost-ignored Mac in Apple's Mac lineup. It tries to serve the "family computer" role, but it's too expensive, too impractical (with the port selection), and too much e waste for that role anymore.

[@pentagramyt417]

I am a windows user since beggining. I do have an iPhone. But working on "physical OS" as a Mac's, iMacs is different (knowing all possibilites of a software, hardware, knowing all shortcuts, etc.) So my question is IT IS BETTER to invest on: 1) Mac Mini 2 Pro + Screen alone 2) or to go straight for iMac alone? I want it to use for photo editing, in a future for video editing. Sometimes I see people with Mac Mini and iMac at the same time on their board, and I ask myself like... does it connect each other or it's just ego show of showing you have both devices, because I don't know now if you need BOTH to work or could be alone. What's your opinion for my case? If you work with macOS since beggining I would appreciate or have experience with work at Windows and macOS at the same time, appreciate even more.

[@Kidynamo123]

My base model M1 Pro MBP 14” is honestly so ridiculously good for my workflow as a data scientist and developer, even though it’s technically a binned-down SKU at only 8 cores. I’m really impressed with how much Apple improved the architecture on the pro end for what would normally be a very incremental upgrade. It makes me excited for what’s to come in the third generation, which may be enough of a gap to justify an upgrade from M1 Pro, particularly if the rumors about a 3nm manufacturing process are true

[@smartlearning6390]

I wanna go into machine learning , is m1 pro mac book pro , good ?

[@Chilarioo]

@@smartlearning6390 It's brilliant.

[@BirdDogOffRoadAdventures]

Using the MacBook Pro with the M1 currently. I mainly use it for Final Cut Pro video editing for my Channel and it works really good. I think my next purchase would be a mini, but I'll probably wait a couple years since the M1 works so good.

[@Muhluri]

Just wait. I don’t see myself upgrading to M2 anytime soon. Final cut pro has almost no problems. The battery life is also more than enough

[@valentinlyubenov9323]

Thanks

[@Thorz74]

Another shockingly concise and to the point review man, thank you for continuing to improve the channel with good and useful content every single day, just love it ❤️

[@자시엘]

Shockingly?

[@Joe-nb3fs]

Cheaper, but the storage is apparently 30% slower for the entry level M2 than the previous entry level M1 (similar to what happened on the Airs)

[@ChrisBa303]

Only with base storage and still way faster than comparative stuff at $600

[@danielgharvell1739]

Thanks!

[@ivideogameboss]

I don't know how MKBHD does it, but his videos are never boring. He knows exactly what I want to hear and exactly how to say it. Pure genius!

[@snakejuce]

That's because you're a sheep consumer. He could be saying anything and you'd be in love. 🤡🤡

[@SkyzzV_]

@@snakejuceyeah no… same opinion as OP, but I don’t buy anything at all marques talks about, except the iPhone… it’s not always black and white my dude

[@snakejuce]

@@SkyzzV_ I would hope so my brotha. But scr€w iPhones lol. Too many limitations, unless you simply don't care about having freedom on your mobile device, in which case, by all means enjoy it. All my family members own one. Hopefully you iPhone users get some USB C on your phones or hopefully governments force apple to use USB-C, quite frankly it's ridiculous that they still have their own exclusive charging cable BS.

[@SkyzzV_]

@@snakejuce im totally with you… I own iPhone because I like the design, the OS, the stability… of course it’s quite restricted, but I don’t really care about that… not what I’m looking for. Same with the charger… I don’t give a shit, but someone surely does, so I don’t mind a change there. Of course I paid quite the price with 1579€ for a phone, but I love it. But some bullshit with apple needs to stop, your totally right there

[@ashthegeek7400]

@@snakejuce “freedom” lmao. Please do elaborate what I’m missing by owning an iPhone. I don’t think there’s any feature that I miss on a regular basis lmao

[@linuspotocnik]

The speed of improvement and performance-affordability always fascinates me every time I think about it. Think back like 10 years ago, something like a HD video recording or a terabyte of storage was something incredibly impressive and expensive, while nowadays you wouldn’t even be impressed by a camera with 4K recordings because tech got so affordable. Truly an amazing era to live in!

[@lokidoki471]

imagine the leap in the next 10-20 years, cant wait!!

[@VargVinter]

actually 10 years ago, 1 terrabyte was already nothing special and well it isn't today. 1 Petabte, then what you said "could" be true, but even that.. well I guess you haven't really lived in that time. What remains is, that apple created some of the best performing hardware to this day, but combined with one of the worst OS it is not very impressive. Mac OS is as good as, let's say windows 7, not more not less. If there would be an option to get a mac book m2 with windows or linux, well that would be something to get excited about. But MacOS........ it is as shit as DR-Dos was when windows came around

[@Freak80MC]

@@catboy3471 One example of them lowering the price doesn't change the fact that Apple stuff is usually overpriced.

[@kaktusgoreng]

@@Freak80MCindeed. But it should not go discredited. This mac mini is what microsoft should’ve made years ago since the surface rt days

[@MuppetsSh0w]

@@VargVinter I think he meant SSD

[@vivekchavanmusic]

This video has got me absolutely convinced to get one of these. I'm on a 2015 Mac Air and I've been wanting to upgrade since the M1 chips came out but they were just a little over the edge for me in terms of price. This fits right in. Thanks Marques!

[@AnjuliMack]

Did you upgrade? How is it going? I have a 2015 27 inch iMac and want to upgrade

[@AfoteyAnnum]

It's honestly insane how powerful these machines are. I've been using an 8GB M1 for a long while now for video editing, and I haven't had to create any proxies at all for anything. Not my 5k 422 10 bit 400Mbps footage, not my multicam videos, nothing. I'm for sure going to upgrade when the Ultra comes out, but for now, I'm pretty good. Really surprised by how much power these things pack TBH

[@nightthemoon8481]

The sheer delusion :skull: they have dedicated media engines for basic video work, try adding any real effects and rip Try any kind of 3d work and you get 3050 mobile speeds

[@michaelhubbard5013]

I was using a similar M1 Macmini from my previous job, and I was getting into video editing I was thoroughly impressed with how it handled scrubbing through footage and how snappy it was in AfterEffects. Rending out / exporting the videos took a lot longer than I would have preferred, but for the form-factor it blew me away except for that one aspect of it.

[@nightthemoon8481]

@Vicinity 1. Wattage doesn't matter on a desktop 2. I meant the m2 max not the base m2 or pro being at most equivalent to a 3050 mobile in 3d work, the pro is equivalent to a 1660 in most use cases but in 3d it's closer to a 1050, the base m1 equivalent to a 1650 but in 3d there's no equivalent 3. which part of what i said was wrong, the criteria for delusion is being extremely wrong, was i wrong about it being weak? No Now his claim of them being "extremely powerful", the base m2 is around 40x-50 slower than a 4090 mobile in 3d, the max around 10x, in cpu based workloads there's less of a difference but still several times as fast

[@nightthemoon8481]

@@michaelhubbard5013 exactly, all the basic tasks that are hardware accelerated, if you use any effects like optical flow, lumetri colour, tracking, etc all of that falls back to gpu, so your playback speed gets crippled Essentially because the media engines can't do the heavy lifting anymore in those workflows Extrapolating the thought that the whole thing is fast because of how 1 specific hardware accelerated task performs is pretty disingenuous Everyone in the mkbhd discord server has been complaining about how ignorant and extremely misleading his last 2 vids have been

[@s.i.m.c.a]

" being the first desktop arm processor Apple manufactures for the home user" - lame. They use same upgraded GPU as A15 Bionic, which they make for years, and it is still mobile class CPU/GPU (m1, m2). They quite experienced with what they are doing, and it is not desktop class arm CPU lol. Wana desktop class, you can check Ampere Altra, for example.

[@groupwbench]

I was a big fan of the 2012 Mac Mini which if I remember correctly was the only upgradable Mac Mini available and at the time, it was a killer machine with its Intel i7 and maxed out ram, etc. I still run that machine in my basement for basically just web surfing and light video editing and it still eats up whatever task I throw at it. It's definitely an overlooked product and now with everything that I learned from this video about the new product lineup.... I might be putting my 2021 16" MacBook Pro in the backseat to make room for a maxed out Mini. Thanks for the great video!

[@MohamedAnsary]

The M2 Pro Mac Mini is a game changer! It's powerful, sleek and perfect for both work and play. The upgrade to the M2 chip makes a significant difference in performance and the compact design makes it easy to take on the go. Overall, a fantastic device that I highly recommend. Thanks, Marques.

[@cliffordduhh45]

I built the late 2012 maxed out mini very similar yours from college. It’s still a fantastic little desktop machine!

[@pabloespinoza9046]

just as similar as a cat and a cheetah

[@seantwentyfour471]

I just had to comment - I bought a Mac Mini as a refurbished in 2012. It was actually a 2011 model which hasn't had support since 2017. It's the only computer I own. You've convinced me to finally go to the M2 soon. I just don't know how to transfer the old, out-dated files and programs from my old 2011 mini to the new one (when I get it). Great review.

[@ghost-user559]

Super easy to transfer. You can use “migration assistant” and connect the two devices.

[@corlissmedia2.0]

I received my Mac mini yesterday afternoon. It's SUPER QUIET. Which is the main thing I wanted in a new Mac (of some kind). Everything was going on smashingly at first. Then I did a huge update that was needed. After that, my old wireless / bluetooth Apple Mouse would no longer work. Thanking I have more than one keyboard/mouse combo in my office. I still can't get the blue-tooth adapter to work with the mouse it came with, but I'll keep trying. Thank You for this video. My new Mac mini cost about the same as my 2006 Mac Pro. It's so SNAPPY! I've got a couple of external G-Drives plugged into it, and they're doing FANTASTICALLY. Ventura (the most current version, I gather), is very clean, and very very nice. Thanks for the recommendation. Your video showed me the way!

[@TheTechieNerd]

It's absolutely insane at a really good price.

[@SmokingCrop]

Until you start upgrading the ram to 16GB and the SSD to 1TB or 2TB. Where they easily make 4x margin on retail prices, let alone their own cost per TB.

[@RoyRosales]

@@SmokingCrop so don’t do that…

[@MrBrax]

@@RoyRosales using a computer with less that 16/32 is painful

[@LeMatt87n]

I kinda disagree. It’s good if you’re not Into gaming. And need MACOS.

[@twocsies]

The Apple pricing is ridiculous. Unless you get the M2 256GB 8GB RAM, which is affordable, it's hundreds of dollars for RAM or SSD upgrades that would cost $50 if you could add them yourself. The M2 512GB 16GB is doouble the price of the M2 256GB 8GB... A sucker born every minute. (And as a software developer, you will be disadvantaged even at the 16GB RAM, I know from experience that universal memory aka paging is just not good enough, Apple knows it, so doubles the price of the machine for modest increase in SSD and RAM capacity)

[@curtvaughan2836]

I've been needing to update my 4 year old 27" iMac the last 6 months, but Apple hasn't put out an updated iMac with a 27" screen. I've about given up, but this new Mac Mini looks like a great option. For roughly the same price I'd expect to pay for a 27" iMac with the 2+ TB SSD and 32 GB of memory I need, I can get a similarly spec'd Mac Mini and a reasonably priced 27" monitor. Thanks for this review.

[@Roushfan5]

Same boat. My 2015 27 inch iMac is chugging along, but I'm having to restart it more and more and it no longer supports the latest Mac OS. Maybe a mini and 3rd party display is in my future, since the Studio display is a freaking joke.

[@georgek5798]

@@Roushfan5Target Display Mode! You can use your iMac as a display for the Mac Mini

[@craigjohnchronicles2504]

27” LG 5K ultrafine display for $1,100 USD is the same LG 5K display in the 27” iMac.

[@rkeithh5]

Coming back to this a few months later - I recently, and somewhat reluctantly bought a new iMac from an older 27", which my wife uses is mostly for architecture, and it was starting to chug. She had checked it out in the store and though it would be okay. As soon as I set it up, I regretted it - much more noticeable change in the screen size, and it just felt more flimsy in a way, less substantial. Returned it and bought the mid level Mac Mini with M2, and a refurbished Studio Display to save a bit of money, on top of the savings I get through work and using the Apple credit card. Waiting on it to be delivered but am more excited about that setup.

[@TheTeaPodcast]

Still killing it with my 2020 MacBook Air M1. It's still the best laptop/computer I have ever owned and is still blowing my mind to this day. I can't imagine having anything faster, and yet, here we are. Love your content MKBHD!

[@46I37]

Opposite experience here. Bought my wife a MacBook my air and it’s a dog. Worse performance than her 6 year old 27inc iMac. Stutters, needs rebooting, usb mics stutter. Big disappointment.

[@leebeeskee]

@@46I37 Don't base that as grounds for describing all M1 Airs. You got unlucky there and any product can be a "dog". Mine is amazing and has never let me down or even stuttered.

[@Fedegamo]

same here, top tier laptop

[@dingdong2103]

@@46I37 Was your laptop equipped with the smallest ssd? That's always a mistake. As with this M2 mac mini, the smallest SSD is a single chip design and it's 1/4th the speed of the larger models. Also it dies much faster.

[@46I37]

@@dingdong2103 No. Has the 512G SSD but 8G RAM. Research said 8G was as good as 16G on intel, esp with fast SSD.

[@cesarsfalcao]

My last Mac was a 5th gen i5 MacMini and I'm definitely buying a M2 model, insane deal.

[@HungryWalker]

Agree! I bought the m2 mac mini recently to replace my old iMac

[@IlluminatiSilver]

Great info presented at a nice calming steady pace, highlighting not just the features and benefits but also which options in the range are the best value for money. One of the best presentations we have come across for a long time.

[@thomasjanssen9124]

Your reviews are really spot on! Thanks for the updates!

[@RiannaNicole]

Stuff like your videos help me feel a little more at home with not needing to upgrade from my m1 Mac mini. I enjoy my m1 and will probably keep it until it doesn’t take software updates, as I’m a basic user. I do enjoy seeing how the latest and greatest look and perform, but I’m just a basic user on PC so I’ll watch and live vicariously through those who would take use of the upgrades

[@mrhobs]

Yeah don't let FOMO get to you. I just left an overly long comment concluding with my excitement to essentially drive my 2017 (specced out) iMac into the ground haha. Gonna try to make it work for me until summer 2027. 😂 Anyway, the longer you wait, the sweeter it will feel to upgrade, and the more exciting the new product will be... not to mention the money saved and the minimized environmental impact.

[@JamesScholesUK]

M1/M2 mac mini are the first apple computers in a looooong time which I would actually consider owning. It's really hard to argue against it as a portable workstation. Almost everywhere I go I can probably find a monitor, and bring a keyboard/mouse along, and for the money I save over speccing out an ultrabook I can probably throw in a luggable screen for coffee shop use too. Also asahi has been making huge strides forwards. Watching with interest.

[@The_kayotic]

Now i want one…

[@phillblake6829]

Why you got your Mac on a cheese board bro? 😂

[@ozmond]

You aren’t gonna bring this to a coffee shop lolol

[@Yaboical24]

Love the review as always! The Mac Mini seems like the solid move for me. I have a intel core i5 MacBook Air that gets cooked on basic things. I already have the monitor since I'm on ps5 so this would be a perfect upgrade for the price

[@wonrei]

Can you game tho

[@q_u_a_c_c]

@@wonrei he has a ps5...

[@Yaboical24]

@@wonrei Yep

[@simonmaduxx6777]

Was just talking about this with my friend today. Monitors especially for work are in a very weird place where there is barely any middle ground at all. It's either you buy something garbage with a limited color space or you got to shell out a couple of thousand.

[@melon528]

keep up the great effort you put into editing your videos. what a quality channel

[@GenghisKhanrad]

Good thing you said something, he was about to stop.

[@melon528]

@@GenghisKhanrad yea isaved his channel

[@rotissary4331]

I normally clown on Apple products but this is super impressive. Powerful, well priced, portable, recycled materials, and the ability to select your own peripherals. Great upload

[@lopwidth7343]

Apple is going in for the kill on prebuild consumer spec office PCs

[@derkaiser9881]

@@lopwidth7343 Honestly the iMacs from relatively recently were already doing that. This thing is similar but a little less plug and play.

[@lopwidth7343]

@@derkaiser9881 iMacs are too expensive. I have seen one in my entire lifetime

[@Bulziibileg]

noob here, will this be enough for photoshop and illustrator

[@Bulziibileg]

@@catboy3471 thank you

[@MBSCDS]

I've had the M1 mini since shortly after it came out. it was my leap from desktop pc to desktop mac. it is phenomenal. the most stable personal computer I've ever used in past 25+ years

[@steffenkawa8374]

i like the form factor, power. What i really dislike is the integrated RAM and storage. Upgrades are very expensive and you can't repair anything. So you put a perfectly fine pc in the bin because your SSD/nvme failed.

[@robertcurzon6085]

Your reviews are my favorites, and there are SO many to choose from. Your presentation is honest, thorough, clearly spoken and easy to listen to. I have a 2016 MB Pro and seldom use it - no need to upgrade. I have a top tier iMac with 40 gigs of RAM. I am a Realtor and photographer and need a great screen, hence the Macs. Mac mini looks great, but I'd love more than a 27" screen with hi-res and great color. 5K for the Apple 32" and 1K for the stand would be great, but . . . that's a lot of money. Thanks for another great review!

[@GuidoHaverkort]

One of the first apple products in years that makes actual sense for regular costumers

[@stevesteve8098]

yep that's why they continue to loose market share... and why cook is floundering about trying this endless boxing in, to boost profits. rather than go for market share....

[@ArthropodSpidey]

Costumers? Did you just tell the internet about your cross-dressing fetish?

[@ArthropodSpidey]

@@stevesteve8098 you do realize they've gained market share since the M1 came out right? Morons like you are hilarious.

[@jayemitchell8022]

@@tbrowniscool points made:0

[@electricianron_New_Jersey]

Loose?

[@SharaMcBride]

1:48 “using Apple’s stupid unlabeled charts” 😂😂😂I bout died.

[@msturner79]

I run a Mac mini m1 with 16gb ram for my architecture firm that I use Autocad all day everyday. It’s insane how good it is. I’ll be upgrading to the m2 pro model.

[@vijaymatharu8454]

Where do you do your visualisation and rendering. Second year architecture student here and would be interested to know.

[@memo29b]

Do you never have a desire to use Revit? I'm on Windows because that's so important for 3d drawing.

[@CubanRider]

Thanks to your videos I bought the M1 Mac Mini for less than I bought my phone and this thing is AMAZING. Completely silent and lets me edit video with FCP super smoothly, with only 8GB! Looking forward to repurposing this one and getting the M2 Pro in the future. 🤙

[@Cazamalos]

In my old office they upgraded (almost) everyone to mac m1 minis from old dell PCs, and even though I can't really do my job on a Mac I was kinda jealous of that little box performance.

[@Daniel-dj7fh]

Unless your old pc's weren't dell xps or higher, it is to be expected that this will run better

[@itskevinmalibu]

It's crazy the number of options we have these days! We used the "trash can" Mac Pro at my old videography job -- this would KILL now!

[@harrison00xXx]

Sadly these Mini PCs, including Mac Minis and Studio just serve a SPECIAL PURPOSE. In general the average person is still better served with a MacBook of any kind used with external Screen, KB and mouse, like this the whole mac is portable and independent from anything on the desk and by using AlDente you can control the battery very good to mainain its performance and for best longevity.

[@skippy336]

Hear me out, if the Mac minis were able to be charged through USB C, if you had an iPad you could use the sidecar feature to use your iPad display, and plug the Mac mini into the iPad USB c port to charge it, and boom a monitor for ur m1 mac mini, and the iPad could be used as a monitor and charger/battery

[@zkol3287]

Under rated comment

[@everythingappletech5470]

Yeah I wish

[@bongoremixer7357]

Would've been nice and useful

[@drmillion7799]

Yes

[@itsgooglyeyes6686]

You would like that

[@vicweast]

Smart take on the current lineup and sweet spot. It really is amazing what you get with these newest machines.

[@gorritas1234]

Brand new today to your channel, just what I was looking for in the way of review for the new mini, I’m moving forward to purchase! Thank you!!!

[@peterfconley]

I’ve never daily driven a Mac, but this Mac mini is really enticing. It actually seems like a good value proposition from Apple.

[@MrCallahan]

Thinking the same! Always been a Windows guy, have an old Windows desktop that needs to be replaced...but this is very tempting! good price for the massive capabilities it has.

[@Daniel-dj7fh]

I was thinking so too until I checked and saw that you're getting a 256Gb 8Gbram M2 for 699 (in Germany everything is 100 bucks more). For 500Gb storage you're almost at 1k. And for the m2 and 16Gb of ram you're around 1500€. And there I can only laugh. I built a pc with a Ryzen 5 3600, 16Gb of ram, 2x500Gb of storage with an Rtx3060 for under 1500. Checked benchmark comparisons, whilst the m2 can do some stuff slightly better, other stuff it can't do at all. Plus my rig has the benefit of upgradeability and repairability. I do give credits on the mac mini's size, but you can probably get a similar sized r5 3400u cpu in there, cut the gpu and save 400 bucks and maybe get slightly worse performance.

[@LuLeBe]

@@Daniel-dj7fh I mean the ease of use, especially when using apple software (why you'd wanna do that? I have no clue, Google calendar etc works better even on an iphone) is an upside that can be worth quite a lot. Plus some stuff just works better on macOS (final cut is just so smooth compared to adobe and davinci resolve for example) or maybe it's only available for macOS like xcode. But everyone with a desktop computer has a reason to have it, if it's just Excel and chrome on the why not get a Chromebook or so. And for many of these uses, windows just works better (gaming) or Linux is a great option (development) or it really doesn't matter at all (blender, Adobe etc) and then upgradability is king on a PC build.

[@justitgstuff5284]

@@Daniel-dj7fh 8GB memory and 256GB storage is plenty for most people. Remember that it is MacOS so you're not gonna be filling up your storage with 100GB game installations. It's also easy to add an external SSD and still have it be very fast thanks to the thunderbolt ports on the back. Not everyone wants to build their own desktop PC, especially a small form factor build, which are typically more tedious to build. Sure, upgradeability and repairability are great, but at least for the target demographic, they're kind of irrelevant. You're also comparing it to a PC that costs twice as much, uses way more power, and takes up significantly more space while also producing more heat and noise overall. Also, the 3400G isn't really close at all to the M2 in performance or efficiency. It gets destroyed in basically every area by comparison. Even the 3600 is a fair bit slower in many areas (and doesn't have an integrated GPU).

[@bjvink0130]

@@Daniel-dj7fh the 699euro price is because americans don't calculate VAT on their 600 dollar prices, im pretty sure in germany you use 19% on electronic devices so 600$ = 550 euro 550 x 1.19 = 665euro, so youre only paying about 34 euros above the real msrp. also the student discount is 100 euro, so that would make 599 euro incl VAT

[@gehadouda3101]

great video man and it's very important that you mentioned that it's not important to upgrade for those who don't needs more GPU power...EXCELLENT

[@ianwestray7919]

You make this look easy, and it's not. I'm routinely impressed by the density of information in your still-accessible reviews, which seem thoughtful written and edited. For example, here you delivered several specifics about the separation between different tiers of M2 Mini that are difficult to suss out using Apple's own Compare tool. (GPU comparisons, for example, or something as simple as the display limitations of the non-Pro chip models: Not quickly available from Apple, but you deliver that info in the natural contexts, and the right level of detail, here.)

[@umershaikh7179]

I have an old Mac Sierra 2017. Can I buy and use this with my current Mac keyboard/screen?

[@EvertG8086]

​@@umershaikh7179What screen do you have?

[@RiposteThis]

I was going back and forth with the M2 vs M2 Pro Mac mini, but I'm just looking to do Lightroom, Photoshop and some Final Cut Pro, so I just went with the M2 and upgraded the memory and purchased a 1TB USB 3.2 external drive. I feel like that's a win since it was under $1000 CAD for everything.

[@voloftn]

Right choice.

[@paulhorn24]

Good choice, well done!

[@andreamoorcroft6127]

Will you keep the external drive plugged in permanently?

[@DJMarcusGrant]

@@andreamoorcroft6127 mine hasn’t been plugged out from my M1 Mac Mini since the day it was released 😅. Money saved and no long lasting reduction in performance

[@andreamoorcroft6127]

@@DJMarcusGrant thanks for letting me know. I get a bit twitchy with external drives after a couple suddenly failed a few years ago, taking all my work with it.

[@TechyBen]

MB is the only person I see shooting his intros and B-Roll that is so good, it looks like a computer render. It's that perfect!

[@The_Horizon]

When the botted reply doesn't realize he doesn't have one of those intros rn

[@poolkrooni]

Dave2D has entered the chat 👀

[@TechyBen]

@@The_Horizon Who me? The desk shots are amazingly clean and well lit. It sounds stupid to say it, but the cinematography on a simple "review" here are amazing. Not a bot, just impressed. :)

[@zakaryan2004]

@@TechyBen he talks about the bot who replied to your comment saying "thank you for watching my content..."

[@TechyBen]

@@zakaryan2004 Ah, already deleted on my side.

[@abpdev]

You speaking more about normal users and actually explicitly making recommendations for students and so forth, it adds the value that I have been feeling like most reviewers lack, and what you sometimes also lack lately. Like we get it, you work with 8k and staff so obviously things like that should impress you, but the percentage of your viewers who care about that, even understands or can even watch it in their own device, it is so small that at no point should it ever become the main focus of your video. I truly appreciate this balanced review, and it has been a minute since I got this feeling. Lol funny part is that I am a software engineer intern at a FAANG company, so personally I do understand the very technical aspects and so forth, but as a long time subscriber, I think your value proposal is mainly in your balanced review, and not in catering for a niché. That's just my take.

[@podracer35]

Dang... The size of that makes me want one for the portability and space saving, but I'm personally not a Mac user. I do hope we get some PC equivalents in this size and price range (assuming it doesn't exist already, which it certainly might and I just don't know about it)

[@nandobeatsmusic369]

The size is so nice I put in my backpack and go to my friends house and just connect it to his tv

[@e.l.6562]

Apple upgrade pricing aside, you really can't beat the entry level base model for price and performance equivalent on a PC prebuilt...

[@jpesicka492]

If it’s PC u want just build one. Never buy prebuilt PC’s. If you’re willing to overpay for prebuilt then buy a Mac.

[@nezby3945]

Imagine if apple made a motherboard capable of having two M2 ULTRAs and idk like a whole ass thing where you could use it as a server and it'd have a modified debian that you could install on it and use it as a server I'll just say it if they tried they'd turn into the biggest server provider with those incredible power usages these chips have damn.

[@pmievil]

It looks like a very interesting offer . If you expand Mac mini’s SSD storage a lot pricier unfortunately.

[@0cr]

I think a smarter option would be to use the SD port for additional storage

[@cameronbosch1213]

@@0cr I would upgrade the RAM to 16 GB and storage to at the minimum 512 GB (to avoid the single NAND issue on the base models). SD card requires a dongle.

[@0cr]

@@cameronbosch1213 Yeah, cost vs performance fallacy again.

[@Cl-Lego-Studios]

I love that small mkbhd figure on the desk and it just goes to show how small the mini m2 pro is!

[@MultiNakir]

base ssd options of all m2 lineup has slower ssd as well, just keep this in mind if you're going to use it profesionally and ssd speed has relevance // just bump it with one level and you should be good

[@TeaganMcLaren]

This video is amazing. My first time coming across your stuff and I'm definitely a fan. Thanks so much!

[@YanookiOfficial]

I love how this video addresses different points of views in terms of its users, It dosen't just talk about exporting or importing videos as a creator. + Marques if your reading this man you've really inspired me to push myself and try to make the best youtube videos I can. Keep it up bro!

[@newyearbetterdays]

That's exactly what I was thinking bro, its literally the worst when a review just talks about "importing and exporting films" instead of users in general

[@spreadinglove648]

Yes, excellent video by Marques

[@joeljrichards]

If you spec out a Pro mini with comparable RAM, SSD, and ethernet it is about the price of the M1 Max Studio. It will be interesting to see what happens to the pricing once the M2 (or M3 studio is released). It is the Apple way to ladder/tier their prices but these two items actually seem TOO close once the generation gap is closed.

[@ljdelgado]

After watching so many of your videos over the years, today I realize ten years ago I watched your series on fastest Mini, which I eventually replicated. Come 2023 and I'm still using that 2012 Mini with 16GB RAM and 1TB SSD; still holding up, but guess why I'm watching today's video hahaha... Cheers

[@StoriesByDighe]

They’re so stable. Happy upgrade!

[@Cohen-]

You'd probably be blown away with an upgrade. I'm not a Mac user nor do I think I will be. But things like this are just so... tempting

[@binohuan1162]

Wow that is amazing story.

[@rydellgarcia]

damn!!! 2012 mac mini still holding up to this day?!!! that's like using an iphone 5 (in terms of phone). over a decade is crazy! wtf. thats why im planning to buy a macbook pro for my school shit. because evryone in my school uses windows either Predator, Asus or whatever that is. I think i'll be the first student to have a macbook in the csampus cause ive never seen one, besides my prof. im more into the longevity of stuff. My brother's predator laptop bought back in 2017 gave up last year lmao and that's worth $2k+

[@CreepyOz]

Man can I just say your sheer dedication is incredibly impressive. That fact that you actually shrink yourself just for a cool thumbnail. Amazing.

[@Owen_Gallagher]

The thumbnail is amazing. Love the consistent effort y’all put into the videos.

[@balajustar]

Agreed lol

[@Fabbyyy]

well he doesn't do it for free so the effort is to be expected.

[@matthiasmaiwald8236]

I have had quite good experience over the years with Dell monitors on Macs, specifically the U (ultrasharp) line. I am currently running one Dell U2717 and one U2414 on a 2014 Mac Mini each, and I am quite happy. I will upgrade one of the Mac Minis to the 2023 M2 Pro Mac Mini.

[@jesseself1562]

Ok, now we need a video on the best $600 display options for the Mac Mini. 😊

[@RoastBeefSandwich]

Whatever Dell monitor fits your needs and budget.

[@WestCoastAce27]

I got a 34” monitor at Best Buy last yr - ~$350.

[@shiota79]

@@RoastBeefSandwich Correction. it's whatever LG display you can get.

[@ricepony33]

BenQ if you need color accuracy.

[@pooyanmanoochehry2629]

Team BenQ! Got the PD2700U and it's a fantastic monitor for grading.

[@JulianCanto]

Can we pause very briefly, please, and give the team a shoutout. The production quality is, as always, fabulous. You can see how much love has gone into the setup on the monitor, which is exactly in line with the window frame. It's always great to see how much attention is paid to even the smallest details. My eyes and my inner "Monk" say thank you!

[@alemany1919]

Love and hugs from the "Monk" international club mate! I felt exactly the same 😁

[@beatkultr]

New add to the list. Thanks man!

[@thewallacepf]

Would be great to see a display comparison to match this little beast.

[@TheReallyBadChannel]

You're gonna pay at least $1500 trying to get a display that's on par with the Mac Books and iPads.

[@jonathanswift8736]

I love the way MKBHD takes everything into account. I mean he's reviewing a mac mini so he makes a thumbnail with a miniature version of himself. Show's just how much thought goes into every video.

[@mshafi4180]

SuperSaf style 🕶️

[@TheHoodGuru]

I got 2 of these. I got the M1 a bunch of months ago when Costco had a sale, and now just got an M2 with another Costco sale. They are definitely the fasted CPUs in my house and I've had a few gaming PCs between me and my son. I always buy a USB Type C SanDisk SSD for extra storage. I swing my Photos and some larger apps to that storage to keep the main OS drive at max space. And with a nice 2K or 1440 or more monitor, you can beat these.

[@kstew003]

What monitors do you use?

[@TheHoodGuru]

@@kstew003 I got a Samsung J791 Series 34-Inch Ultrawide QHD (3440x1440) monitor connected by the USB-C cable and the other is a Lenovo Q27h-10 27-Inch Monitor, QHD (2560x14440) IPS monitor. Both work with no issues.

[@RollGlide]

Thanks for the review. The M2P Mini is shaking my desire for a Studio. But I will hold my wallet for the M2M Studio at least for now. It's awkward when I select the 12-core CPU/32GB RAM/2TB SSD for the M2P Mini, it overlaps with the Studio's pricing. And the Studio has better peak performance and peripheral support. Which makes it very hard to make a decision.

[@crafter505]

@@sharedknowledge6640 apple knows what they are doing 😂 they are doing it on purpose as a marketing strategy

[@craigjohnchronicles2504]

If you need that peak performance and peripheral support, it’s not a hard decision at all. Get the Mac Studio.

[@craigjohnchronicles2504]

@shared knowledge: Apple knows what they’re doing. Or are you suggesting Apple shouldn’t upgrade their products so they don’t overlap CPU performance? I’d prefer they keep pushing for overlap in certain features, as in the Mac Studio M1 Max out performing a $12,000 upgraded Mac Pro. I don’t need all that internal expansion in the Pro, but I definitely want the performance gain the Mac Studio offers for $9,500 less money. :)

[@RollGlide]

@@craigjohnchronicles2504Yup. I actually ordered a Studio last month, but cancelled after hearing the M2 series rumor. Surprised they didn’t update full product line to M2 all at once. So I will wait for the M2M Studio.

[@craigjohnchronicles2504]

@@RollGlide - Not sure the M2 Max Mac Studio is coming. My guess is they're going to skip this generation as they roll out a new Mac Pro, then have an M3 Max/Ultra Mac Studio in 2024. And to be fair, the M2 Max Mac Studio doesn't seem to be significantly faster than the M1 Max Mac Studio. Nothing worth losing sleep over anyway.

[@jas_bataille]

This is super cool! You can mount those things in racks to use as rigs for servers, or live performance where you can have 2 in one unit so if one goes down there is no downtime. Put them on the corner of a desk. Even get a portable touch screen and use that on the go! If you factor in how big a dock you need to carry with the Macbook plus those connections, that make sense. Really amazing move by Apple!

[@gideonovie9850]

Every time I watch your videos about tech, it made me think I have missed out something really big for being where I am. The things you say are just an exposure I keep getting from you and some time what I read on the internet... outside seeing them on your videos, reading on the internet and books. I have never gotten a chance to own the least of anything seen on your reviews. A high school Computer teacher without a single gadget unless for this 1gb ram phone I have been using for over 2 years to view KZbin diy videos and so on. I can relate to your videos on the abstract and it's been helpful to me. thanks Bro.

[@jadensieppert259]

You could get an base m1 air for on the go AND and the $799 Mac mini plus still have 400 bucks left over for a display and peripherals and it would cost the same as just getting the base level 14” MacBook pro alone. Apple has actually really been impressing me with the value on their newer stuff even since they introduced silicon.

[@CHiCguitar]

I've been looking at an inexpensive desktop option because I hate using my laptop at my desk and I'm seriously considering a mini!

[@Daniel-dj7fh]

Build your own PC if you don't need MacOS.

[@xbutterguy4x]

@@Daniel-dj7fh mac mini destroys most self built PCs at a lower cost except for gaming. this thing is a game changer

[@nandobeatsmusic369]

Mini trust me it’s a game changer

[@_quasarstudio]

i love this mac. it was my first brand new mac purchase. i absolutely love it. i do have the m2 max mbp just because i shoot 4k and edit in premiere pro and not in final cut. however i still use it for AI and PS and LR.

[@Dvance]

7:32 Student discount does take $100 off the price of this M2 Mac Mini. Base model is $499. No verification required to use the Education section of Apple. $100 off for anyone.

[@josephleoned]

Apple's M2 Pro Mac Mini is the perfect representation of the phrase: "What's little is more."

[@navigator590]

That’s what she said. ….wait a minute.

[@colinleask4777]

Can’t wait to see the M2 Studio and what that can do.

[@SamiPaju]

Another sustainability note: assuming nothing breaks, the Mac Mini is going to last for years for an average user. With laptops you always have battery degradability as a problem, but not with this one. I ordered the base model M2 Pro Mac Mini for personal use, and expect it to serve me for the next 5-8 years. For context, I do get a MacBook Pro from work, I don’t game much (on a Mac, that is), and I mainly use office applications, browse web etc., with some occasional relatively modest video and photo editing thrown into the mix.

[@andrewmullins5169]

I am still using my mac mini from 2011. its been my daily for a very long time.

[@SamiPaju]

@@thewatchersofthewood3530 I haven’t seen anything yet to convince me that 16gb -> 32gb in ram or 512gb -> 1t ssd would make a big difference (especially when the most demanding stuff I do is occasional photo editing). Especially considering how much either of those upgrades would cost.

[@SamiPaju]

@@andrewmullins5169 That’s amazing longevity! Definitely a benchmark for my M2 Pro Mac Mini ;)

[@MichaelBlanksonGolf]

Really want the M2 Mini standard option. But after seeing tests done on its SSD speeds (being much slower than previous macs) I’d have to get the 512 which is at 200$ more.

[@ImaginarySpace]

Ye, they swapped on bigger SSD chips so 256 now has less chips and therefore less total bandwidth. I would go 512 anyway as in 2022 512 is not even that much storage and file sizes are not getting any smaller. Especially if you do something where you need those higher SSD speeds.

[@kurejirin]

Or wait next year if its not that necessary

[@0072gldnfngr]

Definitely appreciate the review! You mentioned GPU and I’m looking to get into Photoshop and video animation in the near future. I won’t be tackling any extremely huge projects as I’ll be learning but obvi the more I learn the more I’ll do. Trying to decide if I should just skip this and get the Studio or would this do for a while. That said, how do you think the GPU on this holds up in the aforementioned scenario?

[@marknosrati9128]

I have been waiting for the Mac "Mini" Studio to come out with the M2 Ultra mainly cause I want to future-proof myself. But now I'm thinking maybe this M2 Mac Mini is more than enough. The Mac Mini M2 fully loaded for me is $2600 vs the Mac Studio fully loaded was like $6700. I'm having a hard time justifying the $4100 difference. Why does the Mac Studio cost so much?

[@Fr3hd33]

☝️🎁Thanks for being an active subscriber, you have been selected among my giveaway winners kindly send me a direct text to claim your prize

[@andreirachko]

Beefier power supply, much more capable cooling, more ports, larger body. I still don’t think the Studio is $4,100 better than Mini, but there are reasons for it to cost at least $1,500 more.

[@noenken]

Question: M1 mac mini was inaudible regardless of how hard you push it. How does the M2 Pro version compare in terms of noise?

[@erockindaworld]

Marques is the best! 17M followers and counting damn!!!! So chill and straightforward. Anyway, got the M1 and it's great. Been working on a boot camp in UX/UI and brought my set up downstairs and was working outside in perfect weather. My sister saw me, pointed at the M1 Mac mini and said, "What's that?" and I replied, "That's my computer". She needs a computer and was thinking that maybe I sell her my M1 and get the new M2???? What you peeps think????

[@wohfab]

I think, I'll buy the M2 Mini as a small home server. Of course it's more expensive than a DIY build, but for the plug-and-play type and my familiarity with macOS, it's unbeatable for me right now. A Synology NAS for storage and I am set for quite some time, I'd guess...

[@tigerrx7]

Marques is the kind of guy who’ll subtly show you how dope he is with his little action figure while doing a dope tech review. Well done!

[@beegees21]

Do you or anyone you know has "little action figure" of themselves?

[@jiamingsun1701]

Wonder where is it from, is it 3D printed?

[@coldacre]

he's the dopiest!

[@FujiboHeavy]

Thanks for the review! I just picked up 2023 M2 Pro, to replace my 2013 iMac. Looking forward to see how it performs. Mainly used for iMovie editing and work

[@dougroyce5784]

Can’t wait to get one! I’ve never had a Mac computer. The mini fits what I need. That price point is very attractive!

[@fanclub999]

You’ll love it, my old 2013 mini with i7 processor 16gig ram is still performing like new.

[@Mo-xj8sx]

Did you get it? Was it worth it?

[@dougroyce5784]

Not yet. I wanted more than the base model. @@Mo-xj8sx

[@ftvfuntimevideos]

0:38 That figurine caught me OFF GUARD! 😂

[@zackmweemba01]

Same

[@blumeenie]

Great review. Let it be known that there are deals out there on Minis. I just picked up a refurbished M2 Pro Mini with 32G of RAM and a 512G drive for under $1500...from none other than Apple.

[@HausOfPain]

I had that in my bag and came back to check out after work and it was gone! Damn you! 😅

[@blumeenie]

@@HausOfPain - It works quite well. See! 😎

[@DJWIK]

I would love to see a video on how these M2 Macs fair when playing AAA games? Is it possible on these M2 machines ?

[@elvinshoolbraid84]

compatibility is a much bigger issue than performance. I haven't tried a windows VM yet, however.

[@nigel-uno]

@Elvin Shoolbraid Feel free to test native MacOS games that also have native Windows ports. The gaming performance reveals that the M1 and M2 machines are not the behemoths fanboys think they are. Only when Apple is compared to Intel with Intel integrated graphics lol sure but compare to current AMD chips or Nvidia discrete graphics LOL.

[@JayzBeerz]

I just bought the M2 base for $499.99. What a deal.

[@glen1742]

I'm still using an iMac from early 2008. 15 year old machine still works great for me and my uses.

[@benrichey2593]

Our 2014 is running strong with its 2008 CinemaDisplay.

[@joeldowell5059]

I just may purchase one of these later this year. I've been a Windows user for a while, but these Macs are just super compelling right now, and the prices are something that's hard to pass up, too.

[@Confoundedjoe]

You have amazing power for a great price but what do you do with it off you aren't rendering video or graphics? If you could do proper gaming this would be much more intriguing. So limited though on the library.

[@jsVfPe3]

It's all about having a Windows desktop for games, media server hosting, etc and an Apple Silicon laptop for unbeatable battery life, build quality, etc. These Mac Minis are cool but I think I'd always rather have the portability of the laptop since you don't sacrifice any performance unlike any Windows computer.

[@Confoundedjoe]

I just checked and 9 out of the top 10 games on Steam don't run on Mac os.

[@Smorfar]

@@Confoundedjoe thats true but there are poeple who just dont play games

[@Confoundedjoe]

@@Smorfar okay but if they don't do rendering work what is the point of all that power?

[@10p6]

Apple needs to make a M1 Server the size of a packet of gum that sips power and one can hide anywhere.

[@SaiyaRanGaming]

recently got an M1 Mac Mini for video editing it's BLAZING fast, so I know the M2 Pro is insane

[@mtgne5351]

My Mac Mini M2 Pro has been laughing at me for 14 days. 😊

[@jaironino6545]

Be careful with the slow SSD speed for the base model mac mini. I highly recommend you pick up at least the 512gb model

[@Razertw]

“slow”

[@Thirsty_Fox]

Slow SSD and RAM starved/paging addicted... it really benefits from going up at least one on each, but then it's nearly twice the cost already. Wish they kept the same base price but included one of those upgrades.

[@mrosenblatt]

I bought a Mac Studio a few months back and it's been outstanding. I wonder how this M2 Pro Mac Mini holds up to the current baseline Mac Studio?

[@Natrist2]

The Mac Mini is faster and better designed.

[@rafalxyz]

One thing that came to my mind instantly is that the base Mini is a very good deal if u have a gaming Windows PC but want to work on a Mac. The quality monitor(s) are already there. It also uses so little power it can be a home server at the same time - buy the version with more ram, plug in an external drive if you need it, install a Linux VM, boom done