The M4 Mac Mini is the first redesign of the model's form factor since 2010, a span of 14 years. This teardown documents the external design, internal modules, power supply, and logic board.

Packaging and Accessories

• The packaging contains no stickers. It includes a full-color instruction leaflet and legal information.
• The power cable connector lacks the punch marks found on some plugs sold in Japan and China. Those marks were originally intended to help the plug stay in the wall. The presenter stated that they no longer serve that function. The plug is not typically shipped in this form to the United States.

External Design and Disassembly

• Power button: The button sits on the bottom of the unit. It has a depression that makes its position easy to identify by touch. By contrast, the Mac Studio's power button is on the rear edge and is harder to locate.
• Bottom cover: The cover has no visible screws. It is held by four snaps and adhesive on opposing corners. Foam tape along the edge is a replaceable part.
• Cover material: The bottom is plastic. The presenter noted that this allows future aftermarket modifications.

Airflow

• Intake vents on the bottom direct air into a centrifugal blower located in the center of the unit.
• A shroud channels exhaust out the rear, away from the intake, to prevent recirculation of hot air.
• A copper heat pipe connects the system-on-chip (SoC) to the exhaust vent. The presenter's assessment is that this route removes most of the system's heat. Other components run cooler as a result.
• The presenter hypothesized that the blower also draws ambient air from the sides of the case to circulate air inside the enclosure, which helps cool hotter components.

Battery

• The system uses a removable coin-cell battery for the System Management Controller (SMC).
• The battery is a Panasonic BR1632A, a 16 mm diameter cell. The presenter noted that it is not a CR2032.
• Replacement does not require removing the main enclosure.

Wireless Networking Module

• The module is a separate board connected by three coaxial connectors to three Wi-Fi antennas.
• Specifications: Bluetooth 5.3 and Wi-Fi 6E.
• The presenter stated that Wi-Fi 7 adds little cost, is used in newer iPhones, and offers substantially higher performance than Wi-Fi 6E.
• Because the board is modular and removable, the presenter expects it to simplify future Wi-Fi upgrades.
• The power button connects to this board through a header. It is a push-button switch that shorts two contacts together.
• The battery contact on the board uses a conductive foam pad. The negative side connects through this pad. The positive side connects through screw holes in the retention plate.

Storage

• Historical context: According to the presenter, Apple began soldering Mac Mini components in 2014. Storage remained user-replaceable until 2018. From 2018, memory was soldered. The exception was the high-end 2018 model (described as the i9 in the recording), which had soldered storage but user-removable memory housed in a shielded enclosure.
• Current model: The SSD is proprietary. It slides out rather than hinging, and it has no springboard mechanism.
• Base configuration (256 GB): Earlier Apple models with 256 GB base storage used a single flash chip. The presenter stated that this design reduces SSD speed and lifespan. This model uses two 128 GB chips, one on each side of the board.
• Upgradeability: The presenter stated that the SSD could be upgraded by replacing the flash chips through reballing, a rework process that requires specialized equipment.

Speakers and Audio

• Dave2D reported that the speaker is improved over the previous model, though still limited in quality. The previous speaker was described as effectively unusable.
• The driver appears unchanged, but the design adds a new enclosed chamber. The presenter stated that the chamber likely increases bass response and also controls airflow.
• Two speaker ports are individually secured with screws and held in place with a small amount of adhesive for assembly.

Other Components

• Status LED and headphone jack: The status indicator LED and a 3.5 mm headphone jack are on the front panel.
• USB-C ports: The front USB-C ports are bare connectors. The housing provides most of the port's mechanical support.

Logic Board and Power Supply

• Power connection: Two screws secure the logic board to the power supply's bus bar. These screws carry the main input voltage and are sized accordingly.
• Removal: The logic board required removal from the back toward the front to clear the port knuckles.
• Power supply specifications:
  • Model: PA-1161, revision A
  • Output: 12.6 V at 12.3 A (150 W)
  • Input: 110–240 V, 50–60 Hz, 2.12 A
• Design: The power factor correction (PFC) capacitors are mounted through the board, the same design the presenter observed in the Studio Display. This allows the power supply to be thinner.
• Capacitors: The presenter stated that the filter capacitors are from a brand identified as "Cap Song" (as transcribed). The presenter considers this a lower-tier brand compared with Japanese manufacturers. The presenter noted that Apple previously used premium capacitors and has since moved to less expensive components. The presenter cited the large number of failed Mac Mini power supplies listed for sale online as evidence that these components can fail.

Environmental Claims

According to the presenter, Apple's stated environmental commitments for this model include the following:

• This is Apple's first fully carbon-neutral Mac.
• The factory that produces the product runs on 100% renewable energy.
• Apple offsets the energy consumed by the product over its expected lifespan through carbon credits and other methods. The projected energy use is included in the sale price.
• Rare earth materials, gold traces on the printed circuit board (PCB), and aluminum all use 100% post-consumer recycled content, wherever possible.
• The aluminum enclosure is produced by extrusion instead of CNC milling from a solid block. The presenter stated that extrusion requires less machine time and energy.

Thermal Module

• The heat sink is nickel-plated, likely brass or copper.
• A spring steel retention clip applies even pressure across the SoC die to ensure consistent thermal contact with the heat sink.
• A copper interface sits at the contact point with the M4 SoC.
• Two thermal pads sit alongside the SoC. The presenter identified them as memory. The M4 uses on-die shared unified memory, accessed by the CPU, GPU, and Neural Engine.

Logic Board Layout

• SoC: The M4 is marked only with an Apple logo and a partially legible part number beginning "E02."
• Storage: The SSD sits close to the SoC to maintain fast access and low seek times.
• Shielding: The presenter hypothesized that the copper-colored shield stickers provide electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding for the Wi-Fi antennas on the bottom of the board. The presenter stated that the stickers are not thermal components.
• Thunderbolt controllers: Three controllers serve the three rear Thunderbolt ports.
• Display output: The HDMI port supports HDMI 2.1. In the previous generation, only the Pro variant supported HDMI 2.1; the base model supported HDMI 2.0. The display controller is manufactured by Parade.
• Ethernet: A Broadcom BCM57762 controller provides gigabit Ethernet. A landing pad with a ball grid array is present. The presenter hypothesized that it supports the optional 10 Gb Ethernet controller, which costs $100 extra. The presenter also suggested that the gigabit controller may remain on 10 Gb models as a fallback.
• Power regulation: Several Texas Instruments parts are present. The presenter believes they handle DC step-down and voltage regulation for USB-C output, adjusting voltage to match the connected device's requests from the 12 V supply.
• Audio: A small chip in the corner of the board is associated with the headphone jack.