M2 Mac mini vs. 2022 ROG Zephyrus M16: Which is better?

Here is a side by side comparison between M2 Mac mini and 2022 ROG Zephyrus M16 specs including CPU, RAM, storage, battery, display, and more.

M2 Mac mini Pros

Reasons that M2 Mac mini is better than 2022 ROG Zephyrus M16.

Newer manufacturing

2023 vs. 2022

Significantly faster CPU performance

Apple M2 Pro (12C, 19G) inside M2 Mac mini has a 23% better multi-core CPU performance score than the Intel Core i9-12900H inside 2022 ROG Zephyrus M16.

Geekbench 5 multi-core score
M2 Mac mini - Apple M2 Pro (10C, 16G)
14,899
M2 Mac mini - Apple M2 Pro (12C, 19G)
14,899
2022 ROG Zephyrus M16 - Intel Core i9-12900H
12,027
2022 ROG Zephyrus M16 - Intel Core i7-12700H
11,774
M2 Mac mini - Apple M2 (8C, 10G)
8,819
About 42% lighter

M2 Mac mini weighed 2.6 pounds, 42% lighter than the 4.41 pounds 2022 ROG Zephyrus M16.

WeightM2 Mac mini2022 ROG Zephyrus M16
Pound
2.6 lbs.
4.41 lbs.
Kilogram
1.18 kg
2.00 kg

2022 ROG Zephyrus M16 Pros

Reasons that 2022 ROG Zephyrus M16 is better than M2 Mac mini.

Supports larger memory

The 2022 ROG Zephyrus M16 supports a larger memory capacity than the M2 Mac mini. It supports up to 48GB versus 32GB of system memory on the M2 Mac mini.

Max system memory size
2022 ROG Zephyrus M16
48 GB
M2 Mac mini
32 GB
Upgradable memory

The 2022 ROG Zephyrus M16 comes with one SODIMM slot that allow you to replace or upgrade when needed. On the flip side, you can't upgrade RAM on the M2 Mac mini since it has onboard memory.

MemoryM2 Mac mini2022 ROG Zephyrus M16
Slots
Onboard
x0,1
TypeLPDDR5DDR5
Supports discrete graphics

Configurable up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080Ti 16GB GDDR6 100W TGP vs. integrated

Upgradable storage

The 2022 ROG Zephyrus M16 comes with two M.2 slots that you can easily upgrade and install an additional SSD to expand the storage on the device.

SlotsM2 Mac mini2022 ROG Zephyrus M16
M.2
Onboard
Yes x2
More versatile connectivity

The 2022 ROG Zephyrus M16 has better versatile I/O connectivity than the M2 Mac mini. It has eight versus six commonly used ports and slots on the M2 Mac mini.

PortsM2 Mac mini2022 ROG Zephyrus M16
HDMIYesYes
headphone jackYesYes
power portYesYes
RJ-45YesYes
Thunderbolt 4YesYes
USB-AYesYes
microSD card slotNoYes
USB-CNoYes

Prices

Here are the latest price updates and offers for both devices.

M2 Mac mini Price
Apple 2023 Mac Mini Desktop Computer M2 chip with 8‑core CPU and 10‑core GPU, 8GB Unified Memory, 256GB SSD Storage, Gigabit Ethernet. Works with iPhone/iPad
Apple 2023 Mac Mini Desktop Computer M2 chip with 8‑core CPU and 10‑core GPU, 8GB Unified Memory, 256GB SSD Storage, Gigabit Ethernet. Works with iPhone/iPad
By Apple
$499.00
$599.00 17% OFF
2023 Apple Mac with Apple M2 Chip with 8-core CPU (8GB RAM, 256GB SSD Storage) (QWERTY English) Silver (Renewed)
2023 Apple Mac with Apple M2 Chip with 8-core CPU (8GB RAM, 256GB SSD Storage) (QWERTY English) Silver (Renewed)
By Apple
$499.97
Apple Mac Mini Desktop Computer, M2 Chip with 8-Core CPU and 10-Core GPU, 16GB Memory, 512GB SSD, Early 2023
Apple Mac Mini Desktop Computer, M2 Chip with 8-Core CPU and 10-Core GPU, 16GB Memory, 512GB SSD, Early 2023
By Apple
$999.00
2022 ROG Zephyrus M16 Price
ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 (2022) GU603ZM-M16.I73060 (Intel Core i7-12700H Processor, 16GB RAM, 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 6GB Graphics, 16" WUXGA 165Hz, Windows 11) - Black
ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 (2022) GU603ZM-M16.I73060 (Intel Core i7-12700H Processor, 16GB RAM, 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 6GB Graphics, 16" WUXGA 165Hz, Windows 11) - Black
By ASUS
$1,192.99
asus ROG Zephyrus M16 Gaming Laptop 16'' WUXGA IPS 165Hz 100% sRGB 12th Generation Intel 14-core i7-12700H 16GB RAM 512GB SSD GeForce RTX 3060 6GB Backlit Thunderbolt USB-C Win11 + HDMI Cable
asus ROG Zephyrus M16 Gaming Laptop 16'' WUXGA IPS 165Hz 100% sRGB 12th Generation Intel 14-core i7-12700H 16GB RAM 512GB SSD GeForce RTX 3060 6GB Backlit Thunderbolt USB-C Win11 + HDMI Cable
By Asus
$1,249.99
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 Gaming Laptop | 16" WUXGA IPS 165Hz | 12th Gen Intel 14-core i7-12700H | 16GB DDR5 1TB SSD | GeForce RTX 3060 6GB Graphic | Backlit Thunderbolt USB-C Win11Pro + HDMI Cable
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 Gaming Laptop | 16" WUXGA IPS 165Hz | 12th Gen Intel 14-core i7-12700H | 16GB DDR5 1TB SSD | GeForce RTX 3060 6GB Graphic | Backlit Thunderbolt USB-C Win11Pro + HDMI Cable
By Asus
$1,299.00

Availability

M2 Mac mini2022 ROG Zephyrus M16
Released20232022
Release Date
  • Announced on January 17, 2023.
  • Available on January 24, 2023.
Announced on January 05, 2022 (CES 2022)
Pricing
  • $599
    M2, 8C CPU, 10C GPU, 8GB, 256GB
  • $799
    M2, 8C CPU, 10C GPU, 8GB, 512GB
  • $1,299
    M2 Pro, 10C CPU, 16C GPU, 16GB, 512GB
  • $1,599
    M2 Pro, 12C CPU, 19C GPU, 16GB, 512GB
  • $1,999
    M2 Pro, 12C CPU, 19C GPU, 32GB, 512GB
  • $2,199
    M2 Pro, 12C CPU, 19C GPU, 32GB, 1TB
  • $2,599
    M2 Pro, 12C CPU, 19C GPU, 32GB, 2TB
  • $3,199
    M2 Pro, 12C CPU, 19C GPU, 32GB, 2TB
  • $4,399
    M2 Pro, 12C CPU, 19C GPU, 32GB, 8TB
  • $4,499
    M2 Pro, 12C CPU, 19C GPU, 32GB, 8TB, 10GbE
  • 2022 ROG Zephyrus M16
  • ROG Zephyrus M16 (2022)
  • ROG Zephyrus M16 GU603
  • ROG Zephyrus M16 GU603ZE
  • ROG Zephyrus M16 GU603ZM
  • ROG Zephyrus M16 GU603ZX
  • ROG Zephyrus M16 GU603ZW
Generations

Exterior

M2 Mac mini2022 ROG Zephyrus M16
Dimensions7.75” x 7.75” x 1.41” (197 mm x 197 mm x 35.8 mm)13.98” x 9.57” x 0.78”  (355 x 243 x 19.9 mm)
Weight
  • 2.6 lbs. (1.18 kg)
    M2
  • 2.8 lbs. (1.28 kg)
    M2 Pro
4.41 lbs (2.0 kg)
Colors
Silver
Black
Keyboard and Trackpad-Stealth Type Keyboard
  • Full-size backlit chicklet keyboard
  • 1.7 mm key travel
  • Overstroke technology
  • Aura Sync
  • N key rollover
  • Hotkeys
    Volume up Volume down Microphone mute ROG Armoury Crate
  • Trackpad - large and more accurate glass precision trackpad.
Chasis Information-
  • Prismatic shine - The dot-matrix design on the lid is made with a precision CNC milling process that creates 8279 tightly spaced perforations. Prismatic film gleams beneath, adding a subtle shimmering effect against the stark “Off-Black” chassis.

Display

M2 Mac mini2022 ROG Zephyrus M16
Size-16 Inches
Info-
  • 16” WUXGA 165Hz Display
    16:10 Aspect Ratio 1920 x 1200 IPS 165Hz refresh rate 3ms response time Patone Validated 100% DCI-P3 MUX Switch + Optimus Dolby Vision
  • 16” WQXGA 165Hz Display
    16:10 Aspect Ratio 2560 x 1600 IPS 165Hz refresh rate 3ms response time Patone Validated 100% DCI-P3 MUX Switch + Optimus Dolby Vision

Ports

M2 Mac mini2022 ROG Zephyrus M16
M2 Mac mini Ports
Image Source: Apple
Back (10)
  • 1 x power port
  • 1 x RJ-45
    1 Gbps, Configurable to 10 Gbps
  • 2 x Thunderbolt 4
    40 Gpbs, USB 4.0 (40 Gbps), DisplayPort 1.4, Power Delivery
  • 2 x Thunderbolt 4
    40 Gpbs, USB 4.0 (40 Gbps), DisplayPort 1.4, Power Delivery, M2 Pro only, Optional
  • 1 x HDMI
    v2.0 on M2, v2.1 on M2 Pro
  • 2 x USB-A
    USB 3.1 Gen 1 (5 Gbps)
  • 1 x headphone jack
    Headphone/Microphone
2022 ROG Zephyrus M16 Ports
Image Source: ASUS
Left (7)
  • 1 x power port
  • 1 x HDMI
    v2.0b
  • 1 x RJ-45
    1 Gbps
  • 1 x USB-A
    USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps)
  • 1 x Thunderbolt 4
    40 Gpbs, USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps), DisplayPort 1.4, Power Delivery 3.0
  • 1 x USB-C
    USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps), DisplayPort 1.4, Power Delivery 3.0
  • 1 x headphone jack
    Headphone/Microphone
Right (3)
  • 1 x USB-A
    USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps)
  • 1 x microSD card slot
  • 1 x lock slot
    Kensington Lock

Internal Specs

M2 Mac mini2022 ROG Zephyrus M16
Processor
  1. Apple M2 (8C, 10G)
    8 cores, 8 threads, 2.42 → 3.48 GHz,
  2. Apple M2 Pro (10C, 16G)
    10 cores, 10 threads, 2.42 → 3.50 GHz,
  3. Apple M2 Pro (12C, 19G)
    12 cores, 12 threads, 2.42 → 3.50 GHz,
  1. 12th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-12700H
    14 cores, 20 threads, 2.30 → 4.70 GHz, 24MB SmartCache, 45W
  2. 12th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-12900H
    14 cores, 20 threads, 2.50 → 5.00 GHz, 24MB SmartCache, 45W
Integrated Graphics
  1. Apple M2 (8C, 10G)
    Apple M2 iGPU
    10 GPU Cores, 16 Neural Engine Cores,
  2. Apple M2 Pro (10C, 16G)
    Apple M2 Pro iGPU
    16 GPU Cores, 16 Neural Engine Cores,
  3. Apple M2 Pro (12C, 19G)
    Apple M2 Pro iGPU
    19 GPU Cores, 16 Neural Engine Cores,
  1. 12th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-12700H
    Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics
    96 Execution Units, 400 → 1400 MHz
  2. 12th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-12900H
    Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics
    96 Execution Units, 400 → 1450 MHz
Memory
  • 8GB 16GB
    unified memory.
  • Configurable to 32GB
Up to 48GB 4800MHz DDR5 SDRAM
1 x 16GB on-board memory and 1 x SO-DIMM slot up to 32GB of DDR5 SDRAM.
Discrete Graphics-
  • NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 3050Ti
    4GB GDDR6 VRAM, 1695MHz at 80W (1745MHz at 100W with Dynamic Boost).
  • NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 3060
    6GB GDDR6 VRAM, 1425MHz at 100W (1475MHz at 120W with Dynamic Boost).
  • NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 3070 Ti
    8GB GDDR6 VRAM, 1035MHz at 100W (1085MHz at 120W with Dynamic Boost).
  • NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 3080 Ti
    16GB GDDR6 VRAM, 1125MHz at 100W (1175MHz at 120W with Dynamic Boost).
Storage
  • 256GB 512GB
    SSD
  • Configurable to 8TB
  • Single
    • 512GB 1TB
      M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD
  • Dual
    • 512GB+512GB 1TB+1TB
      M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD
      Supports RAID 0.

Connectivity

M2 Mac mini2022 ROG Zephyrus M16
Wi-Fi
  • 802.11ax Wi‑Fi 6E wireless networking
  • IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac compatible
Intel® Wi-Fi 6E with Gig+ performance (802.11ax)
BluetoothBluetooth 5.3 wireless technologyBluetooth 5.2
Ethernet
10/100/1000 BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet (RJ-45 connector)
Configuration up to 10 Gbs
Gigabit LAN
Speed: 10/100/1000 Mbps.

Battery

M2 Mac mini2022 ROG Zephyrus M16
Size-90 Wh
4-cell Li-ion battery
Battery Life-Up to 10 hours
Video Playback.
Power Supply
  • 150W built-in power supply
    M2
  • 185W built-in power supply
    M2 Pro
  • 280W
      ø6.0 mm power adapter.
  • 100W
      USB-C power adapter.
  • Supports fast charging technology with up to 50% in 30 minutes.

Software

M2 Mac mini2022 ROG Zephyrus M16
OSShipped with macOS VenturaWindows 11 Home
Built-in Apps
Photos iMovie GarageBand Pages Numbers Keynote Siri Safari Mail FaceTime Messages Maps News Stocks Home Voice Memos Notes Calendar Contacts Reminders Photo Booth Preview Music Podcasts TV Books App Store Time Machine Find My QuickTime Player
Armoury Crate

Camera & Audio

M2 Mac mini2022 ROG Zephyrus M16
Camera-
  • Front-facing 720p HD camera.
    Top-mount front camera, 0.92 Megapixels (1280 x 720 HD).
  • Built-in IR Camera. 
    For Windows Hello Facial Authentication.
Audio
  • Built-in speaker
  • 3.5mm headphone jack
  • HDMI port supports multichannel audio output
  • 2 x 2W tweeter
  • 2 x 2W dual-force woofer with Smart Amp Technology
  • Audio by Dolby Atmos
  • Hi-Res audio certification
  • Built-in array microphone
  • AI mic noise-canceling

Misc

M2 Mac mini2022 ROG Zephyrus M16
Sensors-IR Camera
Security-
  • BIOS Administrator Password and User Password Protection
  • Kensington Lock
  • Windows Hello Facial Authentication
In the box
  • Mac mini
  • Power cord
  • ROG Zephyrus M16 (2022)
  • Barrel-type power adapter
  • ROG Backpack (optional)
  • ROG Delta headset (optional)
  • ROG Chakram Core mouse P511 (optional)
  • ROG STRIX Impact mouse P303 (optional)
  • 100W USB-C AC Adapter (optional)
WarrantyYour Mac mini comes with 90 days of complimentary technical support and a one-year limited warranty. Purchase AppleCare+ for Mac to extend your coverage to three years from your AppleCare+ purchase date and add up to two incidents of accidental damage coverage, each subject to a service fee of $99 for external enclosure damage, or $299 for other repairable damage, plus applicable tax.-
MoreM2 Mac mini: video supports
  • Simultaneously supports up to two displays:
    • One display with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt and one display with up to 5K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt or 4K resolution at 60Hz over HDMI
  • Thunderbolt 3 digital video output supports
    • Support for native DisplayPort output over USB‑C
  • HDMI 2.0 display video output
    • Support for one display with up to 4K resolution at 60Hz
M2 Pro Mac mini: video supports
  • Simultaneously supports up to three displays:
    • Up to three displays: Two displays with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt and one display with up to 4K resolution at 60Hz over HDMI
    • Up to two displays: One display with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt and one display with up to 4K resolution at 144Hz over HDMI
    • One display with up to 8K resolution at 60Hz or 4K resolution at 240Hz over HDMI
  • Thunderbolt 4 digital video output
    • Support for native DisplayPort output over USB‑C
  • HDMI display video output
    • Support for one display with up to 8K resolution at 60Hz or 4K resolution at 240Hz
-

Key Features

M2 Mac mini2022 ROG Zephyrus M16
At Glance
Released in Early
2023
Weight
2.6 lb
1.18 kg
Up to
Apple M2 Pro (12C, 19G)
12C/12T, 2.42 → 3.50 GHz
Geekbench 5
1,943
Single Core
Geekbench 5
14,899
Multi-Core
With integrated
Apple M2 Pro iGPU
19 GPU Cores, 16 Neural Engine Cores
Configurable up to
32GB
LPDDR5 Memory
M2 Mac mini Ports
Released in Early
2022
16:10 WQXGA
16”
1600p 165Hz
Weight
4.41 lb
2.00 kg
Up to
Intel Core i9-12900H
14C/20T, 2.50 → 5.00 GHz
Geekbench 5
1,758
Single Core
Geekbench 5
12,027
Multi-Core
With integrated
Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics
96 Execution Units, 400 → 1450 MHz
Upgradable up to
48GB
4800 MHz DDR5
2022 ROG Zephyrus M16 Ports
Nvidia GeForce
RTX 3080Ti
16GB GDDR6 100W TGP

Comparison Summary

M2 Mac mini vs. 2022 ROG Zephyrus M16

Apple has released the M2 Mac mini in early-2023. It is powered by up to 12-core Apple M2 Pro (12C, 19G) with a boost clock speed up to 3.50 GHz. The laptop has an integrated graphics option up to Apple M2 Pro iGPU (19 GPU Cores, 16 Neural Engine Cores).

On the other hand, we have the 16-inch ROG Zephyrus M16 was introduced by ASUS about a year earlier in early-2022. It comes with up to 14-core Intel Core i9-12900H with a boost clock speed up to 5.00 GHz. It has a dedicated GPU option up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080Ti with 16GB GDDR6 100W TGP.

Geekbench 5 Single Core

M2 Mac mini1
Apple M2 (8C, 10G)1,93399.49%
2
Apple M2 Pro (10C, 16G)1,943100.00%
3
Apple M2 Pro (12C, 19G)1,943100.00%
2022 ROG Zephyrus M161
12th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-12700H1,65885.33%
2
12th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-12900H1,75890.48%
01,943

Geekbench 5 Multi Core

M2 Mac mini1
Apple M2 (8C, 10G)8,81959.19%
2
Apple M2 Pro (10C, 16G)14,899100.00%
3
Apple M2 Pro (12C, 19G)14,899100.00%
2022 ROG Zephyrus M161
12th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-12700H11,77479.03%
2
12th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-12900H12,02780.72%
014,899

The M2 Mac mini weighs 2.6 lbs. about 69% lighter than the 4.41 lbs. 2022 ROG Zephyrus M16. Moreover, measured at 7.75” x 7.75” x 1.41”, the M2 Mac mini is considerably more portable than the 2022 ROG Zephyrus M16 at 13.98” x 9.57” x 0.78”.

M2 Mac mini2022 ROG Zephyrus M16

There are a toal number of 10 ports and slots available on M2 Mac mini. That includes a power port, an RJ-45 port, three Thunderbolt 4 ports, an HDMI port, a USB-A port, and a headphone jack. With that said, it has the same number of ports and slots as the 2022 ROG Zephyrus M16 including a power port, an HDMI port, an RJ-45 port, two USB-A ports, a Thunderbolt 4 port, a USB-C port, a headphone jack, a microSD card slot, and a lock slot.

Moving over to upgradability, Apple claims that the M2 Mac mini supports up to 32GB LPDDR5 memory. However, it has an onboard memory module that is not upgradable by the users. It also has soldered storage, and there are no M.2 slots for expansion.

For 2022 ROG Zephyrus M16, it supports up to 48GB 4800 MHz DDR5 memory that you can upgrade with memory module slots on the motherboard. It also has two M.2 slots that users can easily swap or add an extra SSD to get extra space when needed.

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