You can’t get a much better desktop computer for the money than Apple’s recent Mac Mini. It’s small, it’s sleek, and it’s mighty thanks to the use of the continuously impressive chips Apple made in house. Normally, this little workhorse starts at $599, but Amazon has it going for $500 right now.
The Mac Mini, updated with the newer M2 chip, has a lot more power than you’d expect from a desktop PC this small and affordable.
As the name suggests, the Mac Mini is small. It’s a squat little square measuring just 7.75 inches to a side. It not only makes for an elegant desk setup but also for a desktop computer you could slide into a backpack and use with a portable monitor.
Despite its small size, the Mac Mini has a decent selection of ports with a full-size HDMI port, two USB-A ports, an Ethernet jack and two Thunderbolt 4 ports that open up a whole world of options for connectivity. Because the internal storage is not upgradeable, that high-speed connectivity in the back could be handy if you need more storage down the line.
For everyday computing, this Mac Mini will be more than up to the task. In our review, it easily ran dozens of browser tabs, a handful of communication apps and output visuals to two monitors without any slowdowns. Even photographic work is snappy. With all it offers, this Mac Mini is already a hell of a deal at $599, so it’s only that much better $99 off.