Mini PCs are a niche category where lesser-known brands dominate by assembling components into compact machines that prioritize space-saving over brand recognition. Apple’s Mac mini faces virtually no real competition in this segment, and combines iconic industrial design with performance and connectivity that generic mini PCs struggle to match.
The latest Mac mini with M4 chip and 256GB SSD storage currently sells for $479 on Amazon, reduced from its $599 list price, and hits a record low that eclipses the competition just before Christmas. This newest generation shrinks the already-compact form factor down to five by five inches while packing a 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU that outperforms most desktop computers twice its size.
Desktop Performance
The M4 chip is Apple’s fourth-generation custom silicon and it has a 10-core CPU that is split into performance and efficiency cores which handle demanding tasks and background processes in a smart way. This architecture gives the Mac mini performance that is on par with Intel and AMD desktop processors, but it uses much less power.
This means that the Mac mini can run quietly without the loud fan noise that comes with most desktop towers. The 10-core GPU can handle graphics-heavy tasks like editing photos in Lightroom, editing 4K videos in Final Cut Pro and even playing moderate games through Apple Arcade or native Mac games. Unified memory architecture gives the CPU and GPU 16GB of memory to share and gets rid of the slowdowns that happen when separate graphics cards have to move data back and forth between system RAM.
The new chassis is only five by five inches which is about the same size as a big coffee mug on a desk. It can do the same things that a full-size desktop tower can do. This smaller size makes the Mac mini perfect for minimalist desk setups, small apartments where space is at a premium, or workstations with multiple monitors where tower PCs would take up too much space. The aluminum construction passively dissipates heat while keeping the high quality that Apple products are known for.
Port configuration finally fixes one of the Mac mini’s long-standing problems by adding USB-C ports on the front and a headphone jack that makes it easier to reach around than in previous generations. The front ports make it much easier to connect USB drives, charging cables, or headphones on a daily basis. The back panel still has Thunderbolt 4 ports, HDMI output, and Gigabit Ethernet for permanent connections. Thunderbolt 4 can connect up to three 6K displays or one 8K display and gives creative professionals and productivity users the ability to use more than one monitor at a time.
With Apple Intelligence integration, AI-powered features are built right into the operating system: These features include help with writing, summarizing emails, and organizing photos intelligently without sending data to other servers. This processing on the device keeps your information private while also giving you features like smart replies, automatic transcription, and suggestions based on what you’re doing that help you get more done.
Right now, the M4 Mac mini is now cheaper than many prebuilt Windows desktops that don’t come with a monitor and have worse processors.
