Apple Boosts its Mac mini: Massive Performance Upgrade for the Pros

Finally, after four long years of zero updates, the Mac mini lineup gets a serious boost in its capabilities derived from a massive increase in performance, aiming for professional usage.

Quad- and 6-core processors, up to 64GB

Armed with quad- and 6-core processors, up to 64GB of faster memory and blazing fast all-flash storage, the new Mac mini delivers an insane five times faster performance, making it the most powerful Mac mini ever made, allows you to build your ideal stationary FCPX editing workstation.

Five Times Faster with 8th-generation Intel Core processor

We wrote here before an article about Intel’s new 8th-generation to be used in the development of the new Macbook Air, but we didn’t predict it will be utilized by the new Mac mini as well.

As stated by Apple’s press release: “ Now with quad- and 6-core 8th-generation Intel Core processors with Turbo Boost Speeds up to 4.6GHz and Intel UHD graphics, Mac mini delivers up to five times faster performance than the previous generation. Mac mini now rips through traditional desktop tasks like photo and video editing, music creation and software development, and crushes pro workflows including video transcoding, code compiling and live musical performances. And with up to 64GB of 2666 MHz memory, Mac mini can load larger files into memory, run more virtual machines or manipulate even larger data sets. Every Mac mini now features the speed and reliability of all-flash storage. With capacities up to 2TB, the SSDs on Mac mini are up to four times faster, so working with large files and opening apps is quicker than ever.”

[bctt tweet=”Mac mini can load larger files into memory, run more virtual machines or manipulate even larger data sets” username=””]

“Now with quad- and 6-core 8th-generation Intel Core processors with Turbo Boost Speeds up to 4.6GHz and Intel UHD graphics, Mac mini delivers up to five times faster performance than the previous generation”

T2 Security Chip: Transcoding speed X 30

The Apple T2 Security Chip brings industry-leading security to your Mac mini, which features an SSD controller with on-the-fly data encryption so everything stored on the SSD is automatically and fully encrypted. Moreover (relevant to filmmaking) T2 also features HEVC video transcoding (HEVC stands for high-efficiency video coding, like H.265) that’s up to 30 times faster, enabling pro users to work more quickly with higher resolution video throughout their workflow.

T2 also features HEVC video transcoding that’s up to 30 times faster, enabling pro users to work more quickly with higher resolution video throughout their workflows.

[bctt tweet=”Mac mini video transcoding is up to 30 times faster, enabling pro users to work more quickly with higher resolution video throughout their workflows.” username=””]

Thunderbolt 3 and 10Gb Ethernet

The new Mac Mini is equipped with four Thunderbolt 3 ports, twice as many Thunderbolt ports as the previous generation and each with double the performance. Also, the new Mac Mini can connect to high speed storage, 4K and 5K Thunderbolt displays, and output video in three formats. Mac mini also features an HDMI 2.0 port, two USB-A ports, an audio jack and Gigabit Ethernet, so it can connect to almost anything. Also, Mac mini offers a 10Gb Ethernet option. 

Pricing: $799 for the 3.6GHz Quad-Core 128GB version, and $1,099 for the 3.0GHz 6-Core 256GB version.

Buy it on B&H

Final thoughts

Seems that Apple aims to the pro market like us, filmmakers, editors, colorists and sound designers by establishing a smooth, simple and affordable workstation. In 2014 I didn’t dare to think about editing and/or grading on a Mac Mini workstation. Now it might be a logical step. With those capabilities the Mac mini seems like an easy solution for building your editing suite, especially when editing on FCPX.