The same thing was repeated in Cinebench and Geekbench, where the Mac mini managed to get within spitting distance of genuine workstation-grade compact desktops. And in Photoshop, the overall scores were surprisingly close across the board. (And the two highest scorers, in the M1 Ultra-based Mac Studio and the HP Z2 Mini G9, had a lot more RAM.) For cross-platform graphics evaluation, we use GFXBench. The Apple version of this test uses Apple’s Metal graphics API, and it stress-tests both low-level routines such as texturing, and high-level, game-like image rendering. Just as important, it lets us compare numbers directly to the OpenGL-based version of GFXBench that we use for Windows testing. On this test's results, the more frames per second (fps), the better. Samsung’s ‘T’ series of SSDs have been the go-to for creative professionals as they are fast and reliable. And the T7 is no exception.

As for the MX Anywhere 3 wireless mouse, it’s a good all-purpose mouse that helps improve your productivity. You get 5 buttons that can be customized via Logitech’s software. It also has Logitech’s signature MagSpeed scroll wheel found on the flagship MX Master series.

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Then we look at Cinebench R23, using Maxon’s Cinema 4D engine to render a complex scene, testing multi-core and multi-threaded processing. We follow that up with Geekbench Pro, which simulates popular tasks ranging from PDF rendering and speech recognition to machine learning. Both tests produce a point score where higher scores mean better performance. To put the new M2 Pro Mac mini through its paces, we compared it to both Apple and Windows competitors. For Apple, that means desktops as diverse as the M1-powered Apple iMac 24-inch to the uber-powerful Mac Studio with M1 Ultra. We also compared it with the previous Mac mini with M1, to help you make a decision if you're considering an upgrade. You can always trust iMore. Our team of Apple experts have years of experience testing all kinds of tech and gadgets, so you can be sure our recommendations and criticisms are accurate and helpful. Find out more about how we test.

Another reason to get the Logitech keyboard + mouse combo is the multi-device flow support. As such, if you also happen to have a Windows PC, then you can switch between your Mac and the PC seamlessly. For graphics testing across existing Apple platforms, we start with the 3DMark testing suite from UL, specifically its Wild Life Extreme subtest. Wild Life Extreme runs natively on Apple Silicon to benchmark graphics performance across models and generations of Mac. Running in Unlimited mode, the test is resolution-agnostic, so we can compare systems using the 5K Studio Display as well as we can to iMacs or a MacBook's 13-inch screen, making it a great leveling measure of performance. The test produces a total score, with higher scores denoting better performance. Apple hardware comes with Apple software, and the Mac mini is no exception. The compact desktop comes with macOS "Ventura," the latest version of Apple's operating system. As ever, it gives you access to Apple's rich ecosystem, nowadays with more than 15,000 apps and plug-ins, all built to work seamlessly with Apple's hardware. If you're already an Apple user, you're surely familiar with the benefits (and occasional quirks) of using Apple over Windows. The other test we've run on Apple's more premium Macs is Blender, an open-source 3D suite for modeling, animation, simulation, and compositing. In this test, we simulate a common workstation task, recording the time it takes for its built-in Cycles path tracer to render two photo-realistic scenes of BMW cars, one render using the system's CPU and one relying on the GPU. (In both cases, lower times are better.) Logitech is a household name when it comes to PC peripherals. The brand makes solid, reliable products that provide a great user experience. Both, the Logitech MX Keys Mini and the MX Anywhere 3 are excellent accessories if you’re looking for a wireless keyboard and mouse combo. In fact, we would recommend getting them over Apple’s first-party keyboard and the Magic Mouse.Scanning through the results above, it's clear from the outset that the Mac mini gets an upgrade in raw power, especially with the M2 Pro chip used in our test model, but it's still middle-of-the-road compared to some of the more powerful systems we're comparing it to. You'll see faster performance than the previous Mac mini or the iMac offered, but premium workstation-grade systems, like the M1 Ultra version of the Apple Mac Studio, or the HP Z2 Mini G9 in our tested configuration, are faster and more powerful.

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! We recommend getting the 1TB variant since it’s ample storage for most users. The read speeds can go all the way up to 1050MB/s thanks to the USB 3.2 Gen2 connectivity. You get a metal casing which makes the SSD durable too, which is a huge plus. Now, I'm not saying that the M2 Pro lets you use the Mac mini as a full-fledged workstation. But I am saying that it does well enough at some demanding tasks that you may no longer need a workstation, unless you spend all day in these kinds of tasks (and thus, every moment saved is money), and your specific profession requires things like software ISV certifications and error-correcting memory (say, architecture or engineering). If it's about having the power to edit photos and videos, do a little music production at home, or do some serious number crunching or even software development, don't discount the Mac mini. It just might be able to handle everything you need it to do. Graphics Tests

If you’re looking for a standalone best mouse for the Mac Mini, you can consider getting the Logitech M650. The Logitech K380 is a decent keyboard too, and it costs less than the combo we’ve listed above. Our HandBrake 1.4 test times how long it takes to convert a 4K video clip into a smaller 1080p copy. It's a straightforward test that leverages all of the cores and threads available on the CPU level. That makes it easy to see which systems have the better CPU performance; shorter times are better. You can't see it, but the Mac mini's wireless connectivity also gets a boost. The Wi-Fi support gets upgraded to Wi-Fi 6E, and the Bluetooth to Bluetooth 5.3, providing top-of-the-line performance for everything from networking to wireless peripherals. But some big changes are happening this time around. They may be hidden away inside the inscrutable aluminum slab, but they are significant indeed. Here's where we really saw something surprising. The M2 Pro-powered Mac mini managed to just about keep up with a legitimate compact workstation, the HP Z2 Mini G9. It even held its own against the M1 Max-powered Mac Studio. (Not so much against the M1 Ultra one, though.)