M1 Mac mini vs. M2 MacBook Pro 16”: Full specs comparison

The following is a comprehensive comparison of the M1 Mac mini and M2 MacBook Pro 16” specifications, including details on CPU, memory, storage, battery life, display quality, and other features.

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M1 Mac mini image

M1 Mac mini

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M2 MacBook Pro 16” image

M2 MacBook Pro 16”

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M1 Mac mini Pros

Reasons that M1 Mac mini is better than M2 MacBook Pro 16”.

About 45% lighter

M1 Mac mini weighed 2.6 pounds, 45% lighter than the 4.7 pounds M2 MacBook Pro 16”.

WeightM1 Mac miniM2 MacBook Pro 16”
Pound
2.6 lbs.
4.7 lbs.
Kilogram
1.18 kg
2.13 kg
Has one more port and slot

M1 Mac mini has more ports and slots count than the M2 MacBook Pro 16”. It has eight versus seven amount of ports and slots on the M2 MacBook Pro 16”.

PortsM1 Mac miniM2 MacBook Pro 16”
full-size SD card slotNoYes
HDMIYesYes
headphone jackYesYes
power portYesYes
RJ-45YesNo
Thunderbolt 3Yes x2No
Thunderbolt 4NoYes x3
USB-AYes x2No
Total87
Slightly more versatile connectivity

M1 Mac mini has better versatile I/O connectivity than the M2 MacBook Pro 16”. It has six versus five commonly used ports and slots on the M2 MacBook Pro 16”.

PortsM1 Mac miniM2 MacBook Pro 16”
HDMIYesYes
headphone jackYesYes
power portYesYes
full-size SD card slotNoYes
RJ-45YesNo
Thunderbolt 3YesNo
Thunderbolt 4NoYes
USB-AYesNo

M2 MacBook Pro 16” Pros

Reasons that M2 MacBook Pro 16” is better than M1 Mac mini.

Significantly newer manufacturing

2023 vs. 2020

Much faster CPU performance

Apple M2 Max (12C, 38G) inside M2 MacBook Pro 16” has a 106% better multi-core CPU performance score than the Apple M1 (8C, 8G) inside M1 Mac mini.

Geekbench 5 multi-core score
M2 MacBook Pro 16” - Apple M2 Max (12C, 30G)
15,305
M2 MacBook Pro 16” - Apple M2 Max (12C, 38G)
15,305
M2 MacBook Pro 16” - Apple M2 Pro (12C, 19G)
14,899
M1 Mac mini - Apple M1 (8C, 8G)
7,414
Supports larger memory

M2 MacBook Pro 16” supports a larger memory capacity than the M1 Mac mini. It supports up to 96GB versus 16GB of system memory on the M1 Mac mini.

Max system memory size
M2 MacBook Pro 16”
96 GB
M1 Mac mini
16 GB

Prices

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

M1 Mac mini Price
Mac mini Apple M1 chip 8GB Memory 256GB SSD MGNR3LL/A (Renewed)
 Mac mini Apple M1 chip 8GB Memory 256GB SSD MGNR3LL/A (Renewed)
By Apple
$384.95
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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
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Mac mini Desktop Apple M1 chip 8GB Memory 512GB SSD (Renewed)
 Mac mini Desktop Apple M1 chip 8GB Memory 512GB SSD (Renewed)
By Apple
$414.96
$719.95 42% OFF
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M2 MacBook Pro 16” Price
Apple 2023 MacBook Pro Laptop M2 Pro chip with 12‑core CPU and 19‑core GPU: 16.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR Display, 16GB Unified Memory, 512GB SSD Storage. Works with iPhone/iPad; Silver
 Apple 2023 MacBook Pro Laptop M2 Pro chip with 12‑core CPU and 19‑core GPU: 16.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR Display, 16GB Unified Memory, 512GB SSD Storage. Works with iPhone/iPad; Silver
By Apple
$1,998.99
$2,499.00 20% OFF
See at Amazon
2023 Apple MacBook Pro with M2 Pro chip (16.2-inch, 16GB, 512GB SSD Storage) (QWERTY English) Space Gray (Renewed)
 2023 Apple MacBook Pro with M2 Pro chip (16.2-inch, 16GB, 512GB SSD Storage) (QWERTY English) Space Gray (Renewed)
By Apple
$1,716.11
See at Amazon
2023 Apple MacBook Pro with Apple M2 Pro Chip (14-inch, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD Storage) (QWERTY English) Space Gray (Renewed)
 2023 Apple MacBook Pro with Apple M2 Pro Chip (14-inch, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD Storage) (QWERTY English) Space Gray (Renewed)
By Apple
$1,428.99
$1,498.38 5% OFF
See at Amazon

Specs Comparison

Availability

M1 Mac miniM2 MacBook Pro 16”
Released20202023
Release DateAnnounced on November 10th, 2020
  • Announced on January 17, 2023.
Available on January 24, 2023.
Pricing
  • $699
    Apple M1 Chip | 8GB RAM | 256GB SSD
  • $899
    Apple M1 Chip | 8GB RAM | 512GB SSD
  • $2,499
    M2 Pro 12-Core CPU 19-Core GPU 16GB 512GB
  • $2,699
    M2 Pro 12-Core CPU 19-Core GPU 16GB 1TB
  • $3,299
    M2 Max 12-Core CPU 30-Core GPU 32GB 1TB
  • $3,899
    M2 Max 12-Core CPU 38-Core GPU 64GB 1TB
  • $4,299
    M2 Max 12-Core CPU 38-Core GPU 64GB 2TB
  • $4,899
    M2 Max 12-Core CPU 38-Core GPU 64GB 4TB
  • $6,099
    M2 Max 12-Core CPU 38-Core GPU 64GB 8TB
  • $6,499
    M2 Max 12-Core CPU 38-Core GPU 96GB 8TB
Generations

Exterior

M1 Mac miniM2 MacBook Pro 16”
Dimensions7.7” x 7.7” x 1.4” (197 mm x 197 mm x 36 mm)
  • Height: 0.66 inch (1.68 cm)
  • Width: 14.01 inches (35.57 cm)
  • Depth: 9.77 inches (24.81 cm)
Weight2.6 lb (1.2 kg)
  • 4.7 pounds (2.15 kg)
    M2 Pro models.
  • 4.8 pounds (2.16 kg)
    M2 Max models.
Colors
Silver
Space Gray Silver
Keyboard and Trackpad-Backlit Magic Keyboard with:
  • 78 (U.S.) or 79 (ISO) keys including 12 full-height function keys and 4 arrow keys in an inverted-T arrangement
  • Touch ID
  • Ambient light sensor
  • Force Touch trackpad for precise cursor control and pressure-sensing capabilities; enables Force clicks, accelerators, pressure-sensitive drawing, and Multi-Touch gestures

Display

M1 Mac miniM2 MacBook Pro 16”
Size-16.2 Inches
Info-
  • Liquid Retina XDR display
    • 16.2-inch (diagonal) Liquid Retina XDR display;10 3456-by-2234 native resolution at 254 pixels per inch
  • XDR (Extreme Dynamic Range)
    • Up to 1000 nits sustained (full-screen) brightness, 1600 nits peak brightness
    • 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio
    • Color
      1 billion colors Wide color (P3) True Tone technology
  • Refresh rates
    • ProMotion technology for adaptive refresh rates up to 120Hz
    • Fixed refresh rates: 47.95Hz, 48.00Hz, 50.00Hz, 59.94Hz, 60.00Hz

Ports

M1 Mac miniM2 MacBook Pro 16”
M1 Mac mini Ports
Image Source: Apple
Back (8)
  • 1 x power port
  • 1 x RJ-45
    1 Gbps
  • 2 x Thunderbolt 3
    40 Gpbs, USB 4.0 (40 Gbps), DisplayPort, Power Delivery
  • 1 x HDMI
    v2.0
  • 2 x USB-A
    USB 3.1 Gen 1 (5 Gbps)
  • 1 x headphone jack
    Headphone/Microphone
Left (4)
M2 MacBook Pro 16” Ports - Left
Image Source: Apple
  • 1 x power port
    MagSafe 3
  • 2 x Thunderbolt 4
    40 Gpbs, USB 4.0 (40 Gbps), DisplayPort, Charging
  • 1 x headphone jack
    Headphone/Microphone
Right (3)
M2 MacBook Pro 16” Ports - Right
Image Source: Apple
  • 1 x full-size SD card slot
  • 1 x Thunderbolt 4
    40 Gpbs, USB 4.0 (40 Gbps), DisplayPort, Charging
  • 1 x HDMI
    v2.1, 8K@60Hz, 4K@240Hz

Internal Specs

M1 Mac miniM2 MacBook Pro 16”
Processor
  1. Apple M1
    8 cores, 8 threads, 3.20 GHz, 10W
  1. Apple M2 Pro (12C, 19G)
    12 cores, 12 threads, 2.42 → 3.50 GHz,
  2. Apple M2 Max (12C, 30G)
    12 cores, 12 threads, 2.42 → 3.70 GHz,
  3. Apple M2 Max (12C, 38G)
    12 cores, 12 threads, 2.42 → 3.70 GHz,
Integrated Graphics
  1. Apple M1
    Apple M1 iGPU
    8 Graphics Cores, 1280 MHz
  1. Apple M2 Pro (12C, 19G)
    Apple M2 Pro iGPU
    19 GPU Cores, 16 Neural Engine Cores,
  2. Apple M2 Max (12C, 30G)
    Apple M2 Max iGPU
    30 GPU Cores, 16 Neural Engine Cores,
  3. Apple M2 Max (12C, 38G)
    Apple M2 Max iGPU
    38 GPU Cores, 16 Neural Engine Cores,
Memory
  • 8GB
    4266 MHz LPDDR4X onboard memory
  • Configurable to 16GB
16GB 32GB 64GB 96GB
Unified Memory
Storage
  • 256GB 512GB
    SSD
  • Configurable to 1TB or 2TB
512GB 1TB 2TB 4TB 8TB
SSD

Connectivity

M1 Mac miniM2 MacBook Pro 16”
Wi-Fi
  • 802.11ax Wi‑Fi 6 wireless networking
  • IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac compatible
  • 802.11ax Wi-Fi 6E wireless networking
  • IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac compatible
BluetoothBluetooth 5.0 wireless technologyBluetooth 5.3 wireless technology
Ethernet
10/100/1000 BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet (RJ-45 connector)
-

Battery

M1 Mac miniM2 MacBook Pro 16”
Size-100 Wh lithium‑polymer battery
Battery Life-
  • Up to 15 hours of wireless web
  • Up to 22 hours of Apple TV app movie playback
Power Supply150W built-in power supply140W USB‑C Power Adapter 
Charging up to 50 percent in just 30 minutes with included USB-C to MagSafe 3 Cable.

Software

M1 Mac miniM2 MacBook Pro 16”
OSShipped with macOS CatalinaShipped with macOS Ventura
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
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

Camera & Audio

M1 Mac miniM2 MacBook Pro 16”
Camera-1080p FaceTime HD camera 
Advanced image signal processor with computational video.
Audio
  • Built-in speaker
  • 3.5mm headphone jack
  • HDMI 2.0 port supports multichannel audio output
  • High-fidelity six-speaker sound system with force-canceling woofers
  • Wide stereo sound
  • Support for spatial audio when playing music or video with Dolby Atmos on built-in speakers
  • Spatial audio with dynamic head tracking when using AirPods (3rd generation), AirPods Pro, and AirPods Max
  • Studio-quality three-mic array with high signal-to-noise ratio and directional beamforming
  • 3.5 mm headphone jack with advanced support for high-impedance headphones

Misc

M1 Mac miniM2 MacBook Pro 16”
Sensors-Touch ID sensor
Security-
  • Touch ID sensor
  • Apple T2 Security Chip
In the box
  • Mac mini
  • Power cord
  • 16‑inch MacBook Pro
  • 140W USB‑C Power Adapter
  • USB-C to MagSafe 3 Cable (2 m)
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.Your MacBook Pro 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 every 12 months, each subject to a service fee of $99 for screen damage or external enclosure damage, or $299 for other repairable damage, plus applicable tax.
MoreVideo Support
  • Simultaneously supports up to two displays:
    • One display with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz connected via Thunderbolt and one display with up to 4K resolution at 60Hz connected via HDMI 2.0
  • Thunderbolt 3 digital video output supports
    • Native DisplayPort output over USB‑C
    • Thunderbolt 2, DVI, and VGA output supported using adapters (sold separately)
  • HDMI 2.0 display video output
    • Support for one display with up to 4K resolution at 60Hz
    • DVI output using HDMI to DVI Adapter (sold separately)
Display Supports
  • M2 Pro
    • Simultaneously supports full native resolution on the built-in display at 1 billion colors and:
    • Up to two external displays with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt, or one external display with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt and one external display with up to 4K resolution at 144Hz over HDMI
    • One external display supported at 8K resolution at 60Hz or one external display at 4K resolution at 240Hz over HDMI
  • M2 Max
    • Simultaneously supports full native resolution on the built-in display at 1 billion colors and:
    • Up to four external displays: Up to three external displays with 6K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt and one external display with up to 4K resolution at 144Hz over HDMI
    • Up to three external displays: Up to two external displays with 6K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt and one external display with up to 8K resolution at 60Hz or one external display with 4K resolution at 240Hz over HDMI
  • Thunderbolt 4 digital video output
    • Native DisplayPort output over USB‑C
  • HDMI digital video output
    • Support for one display with up to 8K resolution at 60Hz or 4K resolution at 240Hz

Key Features

M1 Mac miniM2 MacBook Pro 16”
At Glance
Released in Late
2020
Weight
2.6 lb
1.18 kg
Powered By
Apple M1 (8C, 8G)
8C/8T, 3.20 GHz
Geekbench 5
1,705
Single Core
Geekbench 5
7,414
Multi-Core
With integrated
Apple M1 iGPU
8 Graphics Cores, 1280 MHz
Configurable up to
16GB
Unified Memory
M1 Mac mini Ports
Released in Early
2023
16:10 XDR
16.2”
2234p 120Hz
Weight
4.7 lb
2.13 kg
Up to
Apple M2 Max (12C, 38G)
12C/12T, 2.42 → 3.70 GHz
Geekbench 5
2,075
Single Core
Geekbench 5
15,305
Multi-Core
With integrated
Apple M2 Max iGPU
38 GPU Cores, 16 Neural Engine Cores
Configurable up to
96GB
LPDDR5 Memory
M2 MacBook Pro 16” Ports - Left
M2 MacBook Pro 16” Ports - Right

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