Apple's newest Mac mini M4 is a tiny powerhouse that is nearly flawless save for a few annoying shortcomings. One is the awkward placement of the power button, which has been controversial. It's one reason we suggested you skip the Mac mini M4.
Designers at Apple managed to make the latest mini desktop computer half the size of the previous model while giving the device more accessible ports. You can see where engineers would be challenged in laying out external features on the casing.
Two Apple executives were interviewed by the Bilibili channel "Movie Hurricane" (via IThome), and they broke down why the power button is on the bottom of the computer. Bilibili is China's version of YouTube.
Greg Joswiak, Apple's Senior VP of Worldwide Marketing, and John Ternus, the Senior VP of Hardware Engineering, made sure to emphasize that the button is easily accessible by "tucking" a finger under the mini to press it.
In the interview, they claim that because the Mac Mini M4 is much more compact, the new placement is "the optimal spot for a power button."
Previous iterations featured the button on the device's rear next to the ports.
"Honestly, most people almost never use the power button on a Mac," one of the execs added.
We couldn't find any hard numbers, though some smaller surveys suggested that most people don't turn off their computers or put them in sleep mode at the end of the day. So, for most, hitting the power button isn't going to be a daily or weekly moment.
Still, it's inconvenient, and if you have to put the mini in a tight space, it could be hard to access.
This hasn't stopped people from 3D-printing clever hacks. A personal favorite is one created by Jerrod H on Maker World (via PC Gamer) that looks like an old PowerMac G5. Others have created simple extensions that you can tap without lifting the mini.
Despite the awkward placement of the power button, the Mac mini M4 is a great computer and easily one of the best mini PCs. In our review, we said, "The Mac mini M4 is an excellent mini PC, and besides being the smallest, it’s also the most powerful one Apple has released yet."
