Possibly—but the answer depends on whether you mean watching a 4K60 YouTube Live stream or broadcasting a playlist from the Mac mini. Watching mainly requires a capable connection and browser. Broadcasting also requires the Mac to play the videos, render and encode a live signal, and sustain an upload connection. Apple and OBS document relevant M2 and Apple Silicon capabilities, but neither guarantees that a particular setup will run unattended continuously.
First, distinguish watching from broadcasting
Watching a 4K YouTube Live stream
For playback, YouTube recommends a sustained 20 Mbps connection for 4K UHD. That is a download-speed recommendation for viewing, not an upload target for creating a livestream. YouTube also advises using an up-to-date browser and a good internet connection; premium video such as live streams may need faster connections and more processing power. YouTube’s playback requirements
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Broadcasting a playlist to YouTube Live
For an outbound stream, the Mac must supply the video, render the scene, encode it in real time, and upload it. The relevant network figure is therefore the upload bitrate for YouTube ingest—not the 20 Mbps playback recommendation. The machine’s ability to display a 4K60 signal also does not establish its ability to encode and transmit one continuously.
What the M2 Mac mini’s specifications establish
Apple’s specifications for the 2023 Mac mini with M2 list an 8-core CPU, 10-core GPU, memory configurations of 8 GB, 16 GB, or 24 GB, and a media engine with hardware-accelerated H.264, HEVC, ProRes, and ProRes RAW, plus video decode and encode engines. Those capabilities make video processing plausible, but they are not a continuous-streaming certification or a guarantee for a particular playlist, OBS scene, encoder, or network.
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Apple separately says the 2023 M2 Mac mini supports an external display up to 4K (3840 × 2160) at 60 Hz over HDMI, subject to display configuration. That specification describes display output, not sustained live encoding. Apple’s display support details
OBS and YouTube settings for a 4K60 broadcast
OBS compatibility is not a workload guarantee
OBS lists Apple Silicon among its supported Mac hardware and requires macOS 11 or later on the cited system-requirements page. It cautions that meeting the basic requirements does not guarantee performance at a specific resolution, frame rate, encoder, or scene complexity. OBS also documents Apple’s VideoToolbox hardware encoding on Apple Silicon and supports H.264 streaming through it. This is general support information, not an M2 Mac mini 4K60 endurance test. OBS system requirements · OBS hardware encoding
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Use the ingest bitrate for the codec you actually send
YouTube’s 2026 guidance for 2160p (4K) at 60 fps gives different recommendations by codec. These are platform recommendations, not guarantees of stability:
| Ingest codec | YouTube recommended bitrate | YouTube minimum bitrate |
|---|---|---|
| AV1 or H.265 (HEVC) | 35 Mbps | 10 Mbps |
| H.264 | 50 Mbps | 14 Mbps |
Use the figures for the codec selected in the encoder, and leave upload headroom for bitrate variation and other network traffic. A speed test result by itself cannot establish that the connection will remain stable for the full run.
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Set the stream protocol and encoding behavior deliberately
YouTube’s encoder guidance supports RTMP or RTMPS and recommends RTMPS. It lists H.264, H.265, and AV1 as ingest codecs, constant bitrate (CBR), frame rates up to 60 fps, and a two-second keyframe interval; do not exceed four seconds. At 4K, YouTube’s low-latency option is unavailable, and streams are optimized for quality at normal latency. Check the current YouTube Live encoder settings when configuring the stream, since platform guidance can change.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to assess whether your setup can run unattended
There is no cited official guarantee for a continuous runtime on a specific M2 Mac mini configuration. Before relying on it, test the complete setup for at least the kind of run you intend to use, rather than inferring reliability from the chip specifications.
- Match the real workload. Use the actual playlist files, source resolution and frame rate, OBS scene, transitions, filters, and any other applications you expect to run. OBS says these factors affect demands.
- Configure the intended YouTube ingest. Select the actual codec and matching 4K60 bitrate recommendation, CBR, and a two-second keyframe interval. Use RTMPS where your chosen encoder supports it.
- Test representative video and audio. YouTube advises testing with audio and video motion similar to the planned event. Verify the playlist advances correctly and that sound remains in sync.
- Monitor the full test. Watch OBS dropped-frame and encoder indicators and YouTube stream health and messages. Confirm that the upload connection remains stable rather than relying on a single speed test.
- Test interruptions and recovery. Check how the setup behaves when the network drops, a source file ends, or the playlist transitions. Confirm whether the encoder and stream resume as you expect.
- Check unattended operation. Review macOS sleep and power behavior and ensure the Mac will not suspend the stream during the intended run. A successful short test does not prove an unlimited runtime.
Common reasons a 4K60 playlist stream fails
- YouTube reports poor stream health or viewers see buffering: the upload may not sustain the selected bitrate. Reduce competing traffic, verify sustained upload performance, or choose a lower stream resolution or bitrate appropriate to the connection.
- OBS shows dropped frames: this commonly points to network delivery problems. Check the connection and YouTube stream health; avoid treating the Mac’s hardware encoder as a fix for insufficient upload capacity.
- Encoding or rendering falls behind: the chosen resolution, frame rate, encoder, scene complexity, or concurrent workload may exceed the tested configuration’s headroom. Simplify the scene or test a less demanding setting.
- The stream stops during a long unattended run: investigate sleep settings, network interruptions, source or playlist transitions, encoder errors, and the recovery behavior of the complete setup. No cited source promises automatic recovery for OBS in this configuration.
- A 4K60 display works but the stream does not: display output and live encoding are different workloads. Confirm the encoder settings and monitor stream health rather than using the display specification as proof.
Or let it run in the cloud
If the goal is a YouTube channel that keeps uploaded videos live around the clock, StreamNeo is an alternative to leaving a Mac mini running. Upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live; StreamNeo loops the uploaded videos from the cloud. Nothing has to stay on at home. It streams the uploaded video as made, up to 4K 60fps, at one flat price per slot, with automatic recovery if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card, one free day per account. Monthly pricing is $9.99 per month. StreamNeo is for YouTube and uploaded videos, not a camera broadcast. Learn about StreamNeo, or start the free first day.
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