Apple Mac mini (M4) vs Apple Mac mini (M6)
Two of the desktop pcs in our most energy-efficient desktop pcs, ranked on official energy star power figures comparison, lined up spec by spec. Every figure comes from the manufacturer pages linked below, and the scores use the same published formula as the full ranking.
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Best for: Official TEC 12 kWh, official sleep 0.6 W
Check price at AmazonBest for: Official TEC 12.9 kWh, official sleep 0.7 W
Check price at AmazonSpec-by-spec comparison
Green marks the better published figure. "Not listed" means the manufacturer doesn't publish it.
| Spec | Apple Mac mini (M4) | Apple Mac mini (M6) | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Official TECThe official Typical Energy Consumption (TEC) of the certified configuration, in kWh, published on the ENERGY STAR Computers V9.0 record. Lower official TEC is a lower certified annual-energy figure. It is a laboratory result for the configuration shown, not a utility bill we measured. Official values outside the reference range are clamped at the range ends for scoring only; the official figure is still shown. | 12 kWh | 12.9 kWh | 45% |
| Official sleep powerThe official Sleep Mode power published on the ENERGY STAR record, in watts. Lower official sleep power means less certified power while the computer is in sleep. If the field is blank it is shown as Not listed. Official values outside the reference range are clamped for scoring only; the official figure is still shown. | 0.6 W | 0.7 W | 30% |
| Official short-idle powerThe official Short Idle power published on the ENERGY STAR record, in watts. Lower official short-idle power means less certified power in that idle test state. Official values outside the reference range are clamped for scoring only; the official figure is still shown. | 2.8 W | 2.9 W | 25% |
| Official ENERGY STAR unique ID | 4,513,878 | 4,693,494 | info |
| Official model name | Mac mini (M4) | Mac mini (M6) | info |
| Official model number | A3238 | A3534 | info |
| Official product type | Desktop | Desktop | info |
| Official TEC | 12 kWh | 12.9 kWh | info |
| Official sleep mode power | 0.6 W | 0.7 W | info |
| Official short-idle power | 2.8 W | 2.9 W | info |
| Official long-idle power | 2.4 W | 2.5 W | info |
| Official off-mode power | 0.1 W | 0.2 W | info |
| Official system memory | 16 GB | 16 GB | info |
| Official CPU cores | 10 | 12 | info |
| Official processor brand | Apple | Apple | info |
| Official processor name | Apple M4 | Apple M6 | info |
| Official CPU base clock | 3.9 GHz | 4.5 GHz | info |
| Official storage technology | SSD | SSD | info |
| Official ENERGY STAR date certified | 2025-10-16T00:00:00.000 | 2026-08-17T00:00:00.000 | info |
| Official touch screen | No | No | info |
| Official internal PSU rated power | 155 W | 155 W | info |
| Other official certified configurations | The ENERGY STAR record lists 2 official certified configurations under this official model. This page uses the official configuration with the lowest official TEC (12 kWh). Other official TEC values listed for this model include 14.3. | The ENERGY STAR record lists 2 official certified configurations under this official model. This page uses the official configuration with the lowest official TEC (12.9 kWh). Other official TEC values listed for this model include 15.6. | info |
| BytePick score | 10.0/10 | 9.9/10 | 100% |
Where each one comes out ahead
Apple Mac mini (M4)
Better published figure on: Official TEC, Official sleep power, Official short-idle power.
What we like
- Official ENERGY STAR record lists a TEC of 12 kWh.
- Official ENERGY STAR record lists sleep-mode power of 0.6 W.
Watch out for
- Official ratings are for the certified configuration shown; other official configurations of this model can list different TEC, memory or processor figures.
Apple Mac mini (M6)
No scored spec where it is strictly ahead; its case rests on the strengths below.
What we like
- Official ENERGY STAR record lists a TEC of 12.9 kWh.
- Official ENERGY STAR record lists sleep-mode power of 0.7 W.
Watch out for
- Official ratings are for the certified configuration shown; other official configurations of this model can list different TEC, memory or processor figures.
Verdict
On published specs, the Apple Mac mini (M4) scores higher (10.0 vs 9.9). Specs don't capture sound character or feel, so weigh the pros and cons above too.
- Choose the Apple Mac mini (M4) if this sounds like you: official TEC 12 kWh, official sleep 0.6 W.
- Choose the Apple Mac mini (M6) if this sounds like you: official TEC 12.9 kWh, official sleep 0.7 W.
- Apple Mac mini (M4): ENERGY STAR Certified Computers V9.0 (pd_id 4513878)
- Apple Mac mini (M4): ENERGY STAR Product Finder (computers)
- Apple Mac mini (M6): ENERGY STAR Certified Computers V9.0 (pd_id 4693494)
- Apple Mac mini (M6): ENERGY STAR Product Finder (computers)
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