Rumors have been swirling for weeks that Apple’s Mac mini is set for a major overhaul, but until now everything has been unofficial. We may have just got our first hint of an official confirmation, though, as Apple appears to have accidentally confirmed at least one aspect of the Mac mini’s upcoming facelift.
As spotted by MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris, Apple seems to have introduced a new line of code – presumably within the freshly-launched macOS Sequoia – that refers to a changed design for the Mac mini. Specifically, the new code string is: “Apple silicon Mac mini (5 Port).”
That’s important because it lines up with a previous report from Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman, who claimed that the next Mac mini – due to launch at a special event this October – will come with five USB-C ports, including two on the front of the device and three on the rear.
The current Mac mini locates all of its ports around the back, so putting two on the front (like you get with the Mac Studio) would make them much more accessible. As well as that, the maximum number of USB-C ports you can get on the existing Mac mini is four, so the rumored change to five could give users more flexibility when connecting peripherals.
What else is new?
Of course, the leaked code doesn’t specifically refer to the ports as USB-C, as it only states that the Mac mini will come with five ports.
But Gurman has a strong track record when it comes to Apple leaks, so his assertion that these ports will be USB-C carries weight. As well as that, Apple has been increasingly ditching legacy ports like USB-A and shifting over to USB-C (or Thunderbolt, which uses the USB-C connector), so it’s a good bet that this is what Apple is referring to when it uses the “5 Port” designation.
It’s not the only change rumored for the next Mac mini. Gurman has also claimed it will take on an all-new design with a much smaller footprint, with the result being that it will occupy about as much space on your desk as an Apple TV box. In return, it will become slightly taller, Gurman believes.
If true, this will mark the first major redesign for the Mac mini since June 2010, a gap of over 14 years. But with a new look, better USB-C connectivity and M4 and M4 Pro chip options, it could be a great time to upgrade if you’ve had your eye on Apple’s tiniest desktop computer.
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alexblake.techradar@gmail.com (Alex Blake)
