Rumors have been swirling for weeks that Apple’s Mac mini is getting a major overhaul, but so far, nothing has been official. We may have just gotten our first hint of official confirmation, as Apple appears to have accidentally confirmed at least one aspect of the upcoming Mac mini facelift.
As noted by MacRumors employee Aaron Perris, Apple appears to have introduced a new line of code – presumably within the recently released macOS Sequoia – that hints at a redesign for the Mac mini. Specifically, the new string of code reads: “Apple silicon Mac mini (5 Port).”
That’s significant because it lines up with an earlier report from Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman, who claimed that the next Mac mini – due to launch at a special event in October – will have five USB-C ports, including two on the front of the device and three on the back.
The current Mac mini has all of its ports on the back, so putting two up front (like you get with the Mac Studio) would make them much more accessible. Additionally, the max 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 reference USB-C ports. It just says that the Mac mini will have five ports.
But Gurman has a strong track record when it comes to Apple leaks, so his claim that these ports will be USB-C carries some weight. Additionally, Apple has been increasingly ditching legacy ports like USB-A in favor of 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 that it will get an all-new design with a much smaller footprint, meaning it will take up about the same amount of space on your desk as an Apple TV box. In return, it will be slightly taller, Gurman believes.
If true, it’ll be the first major redesign for the Mac mini since June 2010, a gap of more than 14 years. But with a fresh new look, better USB-C connectivity, and M4 and M4 Pro chip options, it might be a good time to upgrade if you’ve had your eye on Apple’s smallest desktop computer.