That 16GB memory ceiling may be a curiosity for content-creation pros used to
piling on the gigabytes for memory-hogging programs like Adobe Photoshop,
and for heavy multitasking. That said, the memory approach with the Apple M1
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upshot of which ostensibly reduces latency between the SoC’s modules and
gives more direct access to the memory to both the CPU and GPU cores.
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overall benchmark numbers, which are baked, as it were, into the performance
cake. But we’ll address that holistically in the testing section below.
CONNECTIVITY: A NEW MIX
The back panel of the M1-based Mac mini is the biggest physical change from
the 2018/early 2020 model. Like the lack of internal upgradability, it’s about
less, not more.
You get a dedicated Ethernet jack, two Thunderbolt 3/USB Type-C ports, an
HDMI output, two USB Type-A ports, and a combined headphone/mic jack.
That’s in contrast to the earlier Mac mini model’s four Thunderbolt 3/USB-C
ports. The Thunderbolt 3 ports are capable of up to 40Gbps transfers, and
support for the forthcoming USB 4 signals 10Gbps peak transfers with USB-C
devices. The Type-A ports are ordinary 5Gbps USB.
Is fewer Thunderbolt ports than before a major issue? For most casual users,
not really. We’d be hard-pressed to drum up four Thunderbolt 3 peripherals in
PC Labs at one time, never mind on our individual desks. If you’re using an
HDMI-connected monitor, you have two Thunderbolt/USB-C ports to play