Apple M4 Mac mini users are reporting problems with USB-C connectivity
A recent report by the reputed Apple-focussed publication AppleInsider has detailed that some users of the well-reviewed M4 Mac mini are complaining of issues with USB-C connectivity. The report cites plenty of social media posts of Mac mini users suffering from USB-C-related problems.
The social media posts discovered by AppleInsider go all the way back to the very launch of the product, which was in October of last year. Some of the issues detailed by the report include USB-C accessories, such as keyboards, "disconnecting intermittently" and necessitating a reconnection procedure to reinstate functionality. Another report states that the issues are confined to the rear USB-C ports, while a separate report claims that external storage peripherals, such as hard drives, disconnect when heavy workloads are triggered.
Of course, there has been no response from Apple yet, allowing us some breathing room to speculate on our own. It might be possible that there are underlying hardware issues with the Mac mini's soldered rear ports (the front I/O is modular). However, that would have likely led to much more widespread issues than what we are witnessing right now. It is also entirely possible that there is a different point of failure in the reported instances, such as a damaged cable, faulty external hardware, and the like.
A software bug in macOS is also possible, and such an issue can be easily fixed via an over-the-air software update. However, that does seem rather unlikely, considering the disproportionate amount of such reports that solely concern the rear ports and not the ones on the front of the M4 Mac mini (currently $569 on Amazon). As of right now, there is no concrete evidence that may point at a particular cause, but we will be sure to update if and when more information comes our way.
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