Apple Defends Awkward New Placement Of Mac Mini’s Power Button
Image via Apple
Apple’s new M4 Mac mini features a power button placement that’s raised some eyebrows, mainly because it’s now located underneath the device. Well, the tech giant has now gotten to the bottom of this awkward design choice.
Talking to a tech influencer on Chinese video-sharing site Bilibili, Apple’s senior vice president of hardware engineering John Ternus and senior vice president of worldwide marketing Greg “Joz” Joswiak shared that the relocation was a necessity driven by the ultra-compact design of the M4 Mac mini, the brand's tiniest desktop yet.
this is the bottom of Apple's new Mac Mini. Yes, that's the power button 🙃 https://t.co/R2aGQ8Rduf pic.twitter.com/1hKFFhfCSZ
— Tom Warren (@tomwarren) October 29, 2024
The duo explained that the smaller size demanded some creative changes, including putting the button on the underside. They reasoned that users would still be able to slip their fingers under the Mac and push the button without much hassle.
Video screenshot via Apple
Still, many have found the new location cumbersome, especially when there are multiple cables connected to the device. Some have even resorted to 3D-printing extenders—or even flipping their Mac minis over—to make the power button more reachable.
M4 Mac mini power button problem solved™ pic.twitter.com/Rh2uQjTnzW
— Mr. Macintosh (@ClassicII_MrMac) November 9, 2024
Apple’s stance, however, is that the power button isn’t exactly a feature that sees much use. It argues that most users prefer to handle power-offs and reboots through the macOS interface, meaning the physical button's location might not be as critical as it seems. And typically, people leave their devices in sleep mode instead of shutting them down altogether.
So, is this change a turn on or off for you in deciding whether to get the new Mac mini?
