RLSOCO Case for Apple Mac Mini M2 Chip(2023) / Mac Mini M2 Pro/Mac Mini M1 & Previo us Model

Product Information

For this review, I was supplied with the 12-core M2 Pro rather than the 10-core model, so you will see slightly less impressive results from the 10-core chip, but nonetheless it’s obvious that it’s a pretty big step up from the M2 to the M2 Pro. Like the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro 13-inch, the Mac mini (M1, 2020) keeps the same design as its predecessor. These aren't the latest and greatest games, but we use them to benchmark performance because they run on a wide variety of both Mac and Windows PCs. While these scores pale in comparison to the best gaming PCs, they're quite good for a desktop Mac and prove the Mac mini M2 is more than capable of playing the best Mac games, especially when fully upgraded. Mac mini M2 review: Verdict Results are compared to previous-generation Mac mini systems with Apple M1, 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 16GB of RAM, and 2TB SSD.

When we first tested Apple's M2 chip in the MacBook Air M2 and the 13-inch MacBook Pro M2, I was impressed but not blown away. The M2 chip proved meaningfully faster than the M1 in our performance tests, but it was an evolution rather than the revolution I was hoping for after seeing the incredible performance of the M1 Pro and M1 Max chips in Apple's 2021 MacBook Pros. Those upgraded M1 chips are absolutely beastly, and they gave me newfound respect for Apple silicon. Testing conducted by Apple in November and December 2022 using pre-production Mac mini systems with Apple M2 Pro, 12-core CPU, 19-core GPU, 32GB of RAM and 8TB SSD, pre-production Mac mini systems with Apple M2, 8-core CPU, 10‑core GPU, 24GB of RAM and 2TB SSD, production Mac mini systems with Apple M1, 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 16GB of RAM and 2TB SSD, and production 3.8GHz 8-core Intel Core i7–based iMac systems with AMD Radeon Pro 5500 XT with 8GB of GDDR6, 8GB of RAM and 512GB SSD, as well as production 3.2GHz 6-core Intel Core i7–based Mac mini systems with Intel Iris UHD Graphics 630, 64GB of RAM and 2TB SSD. Final Cut Pro 10.6.5 tested using a 55-second clip with 4K Apple ProRes RAW media, at 4096x2160 resolution and 59.94 frames per second, transcoded to Apple ProRes 422. Performance tests are conducted using specific computer systems and reflect the approximate performance of Mac mini and iMac. Before we get to accessories for the Mac Mini M2 though, here are some other articles that may interest you –Paired with Studio Display and Magic accessories, Mac mini delivers a phenomenal desktop experience. Studio Display completes the full Mac desktop setup experience with its expansive 27-inch 5K Retina display, 12MP Ultra Wide camera with Centre Stage, studio-quality three-mic array, and six-speaker sound system with Spatial Audio. Customers can add matching Magic accessories that complement the elegant design of Mac mini and Studio Display. However, we should note that the move to the M1 chip means the memory is capped at 16GB, and you can no longer use external graphic cards (eGPUs). This will disappoint anyone who needed to upgrade their Mac mini. Testing conducted by Apple in November and December 2022 using pre-production Mac mini systems with Apple M2 Pro, 12-core CPU, 19-core GPU, 32GB of RAM and 8TB SSD, pre-production Mac mini systems with Apple M2, 8-core CPU, 10‑core GPU, 24GB of RAM and 2TB SSD, production Mac mini systems with Apple M1, 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 16GB of RAM and 2TB SSD, and production 3.8GHz 8-core Intel Core i7–based iMac systems with AMD Radeon Pro 5500 XT with 8GB of GDDR6, 8GB of RAM and 512GB SSD, as well as production 3.2GHz 6-core Intel Core i7–based Mac mini systems with Intel Iris UHD Graphics 630, 64GB of RAM and 2TB SSD. Tested with Adobe Photoshop 24.0.0 using the following filters and functions: mesh from layer, difference clouds, lighting effects, tree and spherical panorama. Performance tests are conducted using specific computer systems and reflect the approximate performance of Mac mini and iMac. When we put our review unit to the test using the Geekbench 5.4 multi-core CPU benchmark, it earned a score of 15,038. That's good, and better than what the M1 Pro chip earned (12,477) when we put the 2021 MacBook Pro through its paces. In fact, it's almost as good as the 17,229 earned by the 12th Gen Core i9 Intel CPU in a recent Acer Predator Orion 7000 gaming PC we tested, which shows you that Apple's latest mid-grade Mac chip is catching up to Intel's top-tier CPUs in terms of performance.

Overall, the Mac mini (M1, 2020) is an impressive bit of kit, with Apple’s latest hardware and software taking center stage. It’s great to see Apple embracing its quirky little PC, and using it as a showcase for its M1 hardware in a desktop PC.Previously, we mentioned creating a portable rig with a monitor using a VESA mount. However, if you want something more compact, then this case for the Mac Mini M2 should be on your radar. The unique aspect of this case is that it has an iPad holder. So, you can slot your iPad into it and connect your Mac Mini to the device and use the contraption as a mini laptop setup – how cool is that!