A new dawn for Mac gaming? Apple's M4 Mac mini uses hardware-accelerated ray tracing

2 weeks ago

Image showing nan backmost of nan M4 Mac mini

(Image credit: Apple)

Apple is introducing hardware-accelerated ray tracing connected nan Mac mini
The M4 Mac mini’s guidelines exemplary will usage 16GB of unified memory
This is Apple's best-value desktop PC, starting astatine $599

Apple’s large uncover of nan M4 chips past week promised important enhancements crossed nan committee for its Mac devices, and nan M4 Mac mini could get 1 of nan biggest upgrades - a characteristic called ‘hardware-accelerated ray tracing’ for gaming.

The Cupertino institution has considered gaming connected erstwhile Apple Silicon Macs, but nan past guidelines exemplary M2 Mac mini only utilized 8GB of unified representation (similar to guidelines M2 and M3 models of nan MacBook Pro), and because this representation is shared betwixt strategy representation and video representation (hence being called ‘unified’) it meant those chips couldn’t grip precocious graphics for illustration ray tracing. However, nan guidelines exemplary of nan M4 Mac mini starting astatine $599 (£599 / AU$999) comes pinch 16GB of unified memory.

It’s nary wonderment Apple is looking to boost its Macs gaming credentials, arsenic nan gaming room for Macs is continuing to grow, and nan mention of hardware-accelerated ray tracing for games for illustration Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown and Control (which tin beryllium found connected nan charismatic Mac mini page), suggests it could finally beryllium clip for Apple to return a superior measurement into nan gaming PC marketplace (potentially consoles too).

Could nan pricing of nan M4 Mac mini supply title for Windows gaming PCs?

Considering its mini size, gaming capacity claims from Apple, and nan pricing of nan M4 Mac mini, I judge this will surely shingle things up successful nan desktop gaming PC market. While going toe-to-toe pinch nan best gaming PCs disposable is unlikely, nan $599 (£599 / AU$999) value is simply a bargain considering nan capacity enhancements coming wrong nan M4 chip.

The prices of GPUs (specifically Nvidia’s high-end GPUs) time off immoderate gaming experiences retired of scope for galore PC gamers. With nan M4 chip, you’ll person nan luxury of a 10-core CPU and GPU and nan aforementioned 16GB of unified representation (which immoderate pre-built gaming PCs don’t have).

This alongside Apple’s move to bring much celebrated games to Mac devices for illustration nan Resident Evil 4 remake and Cyberpunk 2077, shows america that gaming is slow but surely becoming a beardown trading constituent for nan company, and nan M4 Mac mini appears to beryllium nan adjacent large measurement successful nan correct direction…

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Isaiah is simply a Staff Writer for nan Computing transmission astatine TechRadar. He's spent complete 2 years penning astir each things tech, specifically games connected PC, consoles, and handhelds. He started disconnected astatine GameRant successful 2022 aft graduating from Birmingham City University successful nan aforesaid year, earlier penning astatine PC Guide which included activity connected deals articles, reviews, and news connected PC products specified arsenic GPUs, CPUs, monitors, and more. He spends astir of his clip uncovering retired astir nan breathtaking caller features of upcoming GPUs, and is passionate astir caller crippled releases connected PC, hoping that nan ports aren't a complete mess.

Source Technology