M4 Mac Mini could get slimmer and ditch USB-A ports

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We recently heard rumors about new Macs powered by Apple’s next-gen M4 silicon. Alongside this rumor, there has been the Mac Mini redesign rumor, suggesting the new version will be much smaller than its current iteration.

Today, renowned Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman, in his latest edition of the Power On newsletter, reports that the M4 Mac Mini is not only getting a redesign but also finally ditching the USB-A ports. The same may happen to the Mac Pro and Mac Studio next year. 

Mac Mini design overhaul: Overdue for 14 years 

Apple’s Mac Mini design has remained unchanged since 2010. Although Apple removed the DVD drive in 2011, and the internals have changed since then, the device has remained the same 7.7-inch square block. 

According to Gurman, we could now see a change as Apple is replacing the USB-A ports on the Mac Mini with USB-C ports. 

There will be five USB-C ports: two in front and three in the back. 

The total lack of USB-A ports could be an issue, as some desktop accessories, like dongles for wireless mice, depend on that port. 

However, this shouldn’t come as a surprise, as Apple has killed the USB-A port on most of its computers, so it was only a matter of time for the Mac Mini. 

Gurman did say that the five USB-C ports he talked about were for the M4 Pro version of the Mac Mini. So, we are unsure whether the base model will retain five ports or less. 

Either way, Gurman said, the Mac Mini will retain Ethernet, HDMI, and the headphone jack. However, the power supply will be internal, which is a little concerning.

Would you rather want a slimmer Mac Mini or keep your USB-A ports? Will you be buying one when it comes? Let’s talk below in the comments, or head over to our Twitter or Facebook.