Apple's portable desktop computer, the Mac mini, is expected to receive its first major redesign since 2010 later this year.
Smaller Design
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman expects the next Mac mini to be nearly as small as an Apple TV.
M4 and M4 Pro Chips
Gurman said the next Mac mini will be available in M4 and M4 Pro chip configurations, for faster performance over previous models.
Front-Facing USB-C Ports
Both an Apple software leak and Gurman have pointed to the next Mac mini being equipped with five USB-C ports. Similar to the Mac Studio, Gurman said two of the ports will be located on the front of the new Mac mini. Technically speaking, at least some of these ports will likely be Thunderbolt 4 ports, which use the USB-C connector design.
It is possible that only M4 Pro configurations of the Mac mini will have all five USB-C ports.
Gurman said the next Mac mini will lack USB-A ports, but he expects an HDMI port, Gigabit Ethernet port, and headphone jack to remain.
Launch Timing
The new Mac mini is currently expected to be announced at an Apple event in October, alongside new MacBook Pro and iMac models with the M4 series of chips.
The current Mac mini was released in January 2023.