Apple unveils a compact redesigned Mac Mini, marking its first update since 2010.

• On Tuesday, Apple unveiled new Mac Mini models with a compact redesign that greatly reduces the size of the desktop computer.
• These new computers feature Apple's latest chip, either the M4 or a more powerful version called the M4 Pro, as their main upgrade.
• Apple's Mac starts at $599, but the display is sold separately.

On Tuesday, Apple unveiled new Mac Mini models with a major redesign, making the desktop computer significantly smaller.

The main upgrade on these new computers is the inclusion of Apple's latest chip, either the M4 or a more powerful version called the M4 Pro, in addition to a redesign that reduced the computer's volume in half.

The Mac Mini, Apple's most affordable Mac, costs $599 and does not come with a display, which must be purchased separately. When it was initially launched in 2008, the Mac Mini was advertised as a convenient option for individuals transitioning from Windows, allowing them to easily connect their existing keyboard, mouse, and monitor to the sleek silver device.

Although the Mac Mini is not one of Apple's top-selling computers, it holds a significant place in their product lineup, particularly for developers who create apps for Apple devices. Many iPhone developers utilize a Mac Mini as a personal development server for managing uploads and code.

The new design features three USB-C ports on the rear and two on the front, similar to Apple's laptops, for easy access to modern devices.

The M4 chip, introduced by Apple in May 2022, is a significant improvement over the M2 chip released in 2022. Graphics and games are more than twice as fast, and the M4 can support up to 14 CPU cores and 20 GPU cores, an increase over the past generation.

Apple is positioning the new Mac Minis, along with its other new products launched this year, as designed for Apple Intelligence, the company's AI system that was recently released. Apple has announced that it will soon integrate ChatGPT into writing fields within apps such as Word, allowing users to generate and rewrite text and emails using the system.

Since 2020, all Apple computers with the M1 chip and newer can run the company's AI, unlike on the iPhone where only phones released in the past two years will support Apple Intelligence.

Despite being less significant to the company than the iPhone, Apple's Mac family continues to be a substantial business segment. In the June quarter, the company reported $7 billion in Mac sales, representing a 2% increase from the previous year.

Apple's chief marketer previously hinted at a "week of announcements." The company has already unveiled new iMac computers, so it's likely that more is on the horizon. This week's new Macs could be Apple's final major hardware announcements for the year.