Apple has been rumored to have a new high-end Mac mini in the works for a long time now. The current entry-level model sports an M1, but high-end models still use Intel chips.
Now, according to a report from 9to5Mac, it appears this new higher-power Mac mini is going to be called Mac Studio.
According to the site, there are two versions in development. One will have an M1 Max processor, the other will have “a variant of the Apple Silicon chip that is even more powerful than the current M1 Max.” It’s unclear if this is a new M1-series chip, a multi-chip solution, or possibly something like an M2 Max—the report gives no details on exactly how this chip is more powerful than the M1 Max.
The report says the name may still change, but the product is being billed as something in-between the current Mac mini and the extremely expensive and powerful Mac Pro, which is also due for an Apple silicon refresh this year. A Mac Studio is likely to coincide with the release of Apple’s rumored new desktop monitor, which could revive the Studio Display brand. A Mac Pro that uses Apple silicon instead of Intel CPUs and AMD GPUs is apparently still on the way at some point in the future, but rumors say Apple intends to refresh the current Intel-based model as well.
9to5Mac’s report is thin on other details like ports, design, price, or even the exact processor specs. The internal code name for the product is “J375.” Apple’s “Peek Performance” event is slated for Tuesday, March 8, but it’s unlikely that this new Mac makes an appearance.
‘Studio’ is for actual pros?
We’ve long thought that Apple has a “Pro” problem. It has products like the Mac Pro and Pro Display XDR that are clearly meant for creative professionals that do intensive work to exacting standards and are priced accordingly. But many other “Pro” products, from the iPhone Pro models to the AirPods Pro and MacBook Pro, are just the “premium” version of its consumer line. While professionals also use these products, they’re not designed to the standards necessary for things like audio production or TV/cinema video work. Nobody’s mixing a major album with AirPods Pro or color-grading the next blockbuster movie on a MacBook Pro.
We’ve long thought that “Studio” is a better name for the true professional tier. It’s not clear that Apple will treat “Studio” as a new category of product or just the branding for a single Mac and monitor pair, but we think there’s value in differentiating real professional gear from the premium consumer tier.