the best part about the Mac Mini has always been its simplicity. This tiny desktop PC is easy to add to any workstation—just plug it into your peripherals, and that’s it. Apple’s latest version maintains this reputation, though with a new look for the first time in more than a decade. It also supports a pair of processors: the M4 or M4 Pro chipset.
It’s the most affordable way into what the latest and greatest Macs have to offer, including Apple Intelligence, the company’s artificial intelligence features. The base model with the M4 starts at $599, while the M4 Pro–powered Mac Mini starts at $1,399. Apple’s only other desktop option is the new iMac with the M4, starting at $1,299.
As is the case with most Apple hardware over the past few years, the new Mac Mini sports incremental updates over its predecessor. That’s not a bad thing. This is still a great little computer, and you can build an affordable, stationary setup around it. But anyone with a recent Mac Mini (2020 or newer) shouldn’t feel the need to upgrade unless you’re feeling a performance drag.
Miniature PC
The Mac Mini is a computer designed to sit stationary on your desk, but now that it’s smaller and more portable than ever, it’s a little enticing to just pick it up and throw it in a bag for hybrid work setups. Maybe you have a monitor and peripherals at the office or the same at home—after all, this thing has a smaller footprint than a MacBook (5 x 5 inches) and weighs just 1.5 pounds (down from 2.6 pounds).
It is slightly taller though, with vents that slope down for airflow, but retains its cube-like shape. This shape still slots in nicely at the base of Apple’s Studio Display, not that you have to spend the absurd price on this lovely monitor. (We have plenty of more reasonably priced monitor recommendations here.)
The front of the Mac Mini.
Photograph: Brenda Stolyar
A lot of people compared the Mac Mini’s new look to an Apple TV box, but I think it looks more like a mini Mac Studio—especially with the new port arrangement. Apple finally added ports to the front (a gripe I had with the M2-powered version), which means I can spend less time annoyingly reaching over to the back to plug a cable in.