The M2 chip proved meaningfully faster than the M1 in our performance tests, but it was an evolution rather than the revolution I was hoping for after seeing the incredible performance of the M1 Pro and M1 Max chips in Apple's 2021 MacBook Pros.

When we first tested Apple's M2 chip in the MacBook Air M2 and the 13-inch MacBook Pro M2, I was impressed but not blown away.

The Mac mini M2 is a capable gaming machine, especially when fully upgraded.' I'll talk a bit about actual performance numbers when gaming shortly, but first let's talk about the results we got from our in-house performance testing lab. I was also surprised at how much fun I had playing games like Metro Exodus and Resident Evil Village, which run better than I expected on the upgraded M2 Pro chip. I had no trouble flipping between 30+ tabs in Chrome and Safari while listening to music and playing a game in windowed mode, with apps like Lightroom opening nigh-instantaneously. In my time using the Mac mini M2 for work and play, I've found it (and the upgraded M2 Pro chip inside) to be more than capable of handling just about anything I throw at it. However, the entry-level Mac mini can't support an 8K or 240Hz display - only the M2 Pro model can handle that. The entry-level Mac mini is no slouch in this department either, and it can support up to two external displays at up to the same resolutions (6K via Thunderbolt 4, 4K via HDMI).

The HDMI port is also capable of supporting one 8K display with a refresh rate of up to 60Hz or a 4K display with a refresh rate of up to 240Hz, which is remarkably high on both counts. This likely won't make much difference for most, but for true multi-monitor fiends the Mac mini with M2 Pro can support up to three external displays, two via Thunderbolt (at up to 6K resolution and 60Hz refresh rate) and one via HDMI (at up to 4K/60Hz). You also get improved external display support thanks to the added power of the M2 Pro. Upgrade to the Mac mini M2 Pro and you get double the Thunderbolt 4 ports, for a total of four.

Mac mini 2012 review