The new M4 Mac mini is… mini. It’s way more mini than the old mini, which wasn’t a very big desktop computer at all. At just 5×5 inches square and 2 inches tall, it’s less than a quarter the volume of the Mac Studio, which is also a small desktop computer, and only 1.33 inches bigger than the Apple TV 4K in length and width and not even an inch taller.
But what does that really mean? How does that size compare to other everyday objects? Perhaps these photos will provide a better point of reference for just how mini Apple’s new Mac mini really is.
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Here’s something you may have already: A Magic Trackpad. Its footprint actually exceeds that of the new Mac mini. It’s thinner, of course, but just know that a Magic Trackpad takes up more room on your desk than a Mac mini.
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Even placed diagonally, the iPhone 16 Pro Max extends well beyond the boundaries of the new Mac mini.
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Is it bigger than a couple of decks of standard playing cards? Yes, of course, it’s not that tiny. But it’s not as much bigger as you’d expect.
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Do you love coffee? Me, too. But I bet you’re not used to your coffee mug dwarfing your desktop computer.
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Even a PS5 DualSense controller is bulkier than the Mac mini.
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Here’s a great way to visualize the Mac mini: stack two standard household smoke detectors on top of each other. That’s almost exactly how big this little computer is.
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I don’t know about you, but I certainly don’t have any other desktop computers small enough to easily wear my sunglasses.
Author: Jason Cross, Senior Editor, Macworld
Jason has written about technology for more than 25 years - first in the gaming press, then focusing on enthusiast PCs and general technology. He enjoys learning how complicated technology works and explaining it in a way anyone can understand.