One of the best, under-rated, and under-marketed products Apple ever made is the Mac Mini. It’s a desktop personal computer that is cheap, can almost any software in the world, and contrast to other Apple products, it is very affordable. The only downside that is not mobile (although attempts have been made), the Mac Mini is the best Apple product. Period.
Here is a guide on how to get the best bang for your buck.
Overview
The Mac Mini was introduced in 2005 as a headless Mac to attract more people to use the Mac and eventually the ecosystem. Apple eventually focused more on its biggest moneymaker, the iPhone, which left other Apple product development behind. But Apple didn’t completely abandon the Mac, as it remains the most versatile computing platform ever. The table below is a snapshot of the progress Apple made. The first Mac Mini was a decent Mac, and today’s Mac Mini is nothing short of a supercomputer.
Apple updated the Mac Mini 2024 with a brand new more compact design. This replaces the unibody Mac Mini whose design was from 2010 and remains unchanged over the years. To be honest, it is a long time coming since the M2 Mac Mini, if you open the internals, half of it is just dead space because how little power and circuitry that the Apple Silicon uses.
| Early 2005 | 2023 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |  |  | |
| CPU | PowerPC G4 (1.24 GHz) | Apple M2/M2 Pro | Apple M4/M4 Pro |
| Memory | 256MB expandable to 1GB | 8GB to 24GB (M2) / 16GB to 32GB (M2 Pro) | 16GB to 32GB (M4) / 24GB to 64GB (M4 Pro) |
| Storage | 40GB HDD expandable to 80GB | 256 GB / 512 GB expandable to 8TB | |
| Ports | 2x USB-A, 1x FireWire 400, Audio-out jack, DVI-port | 2x USB-A, 2x USB-C (4x for M2 Pro), HDMI, Audio-out jack, Ethernet (10G optional) | 2x USB-C, 3x Thunberbolt 4 (Thunderbolt 5 for M4 Pro), HDMI, Audio-out, Ethernet (10G optional) |
| Networking | Wi-Fi 3 / 10/100 Base-T Ethernet; Modem / Bluetooth optional | Wi-Fi 6E / Gigabit Ethernet (configurable to 10G), Bluetooth 5.3 | Wi-Fi 6E/ Gigabit Ehternet (10G optional), Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Dimension | 51mm x 170mm x 170mm | 36mm x 197mm x 197mm | 50mm x 127mm x 127mm |
| Weight | 1.3kg | 1.3kg | 0.67kg |
Buyer’s Guide
The problem with current Macs (and all other Apple products for that matter) is that there is no way to upgrade the internals after buying the product. For the Mac, you have to select your storage and memory amount and that’s it, you no longer have the option to upgrade later down the road.
So here are some hints
Processor: This is the most important part. The M4 Mac Mini starts at $599. While the M4 Pro Mac Mini starts a $1,399. A $800 premium. You’ll get extra starting memory and ports on the M4 Pro Mac Mini. You have to think about your workflow. For the most part, you can get away with using the M2 Mac Mini. If most of your tasks are graphic intensive, get the M2 Pro.
Memory: Other than the processor, the next most important thing on the Mac Mini is the amount of memory that you have. Since upgrading down the road is no longer an option, it is necessary to have as much memory as you can afford. Luckily, beginning with the M4 generation, starting memory has been upgraded from 8GB to 16GB, which means you don’t need to spend an extra $200 for a $20 memory upgrade. For the most part, you can get away with 16GB of memory. The M4 Pro is a powerhouse with a starting memory of 24GB and options up to 64GB.
Storage: Storage starts at 256GB on the M2 Mac Mini and 512GB on the M2 Pro Mac Mini. You can order upgrades up to 2TB for the M2 version or 8TB for the M2 Pro version. Thankfully, there are USB-C ports that can support up to 40GB/s transfer speed, so in most cases, you can get away by buying an external SSD instead of paying upgrades to Apple. Yes, higher speed is attainable with internal storage, but you can also opt to use external, which is good enough.
Setup Guide
Now we have optioning your Mac Mini out of the way, here’s how to unleash the power of your Mac Mini with recommended setups.
Official
This setup is when you buy everything from Apple. And to be honest, Apple’s solution is quite unique. TouchID, 6K displays, Magic Trackpad. Those things do not have equivalent in the market.
| Low | High | |
|---|---|---|
| Display | Studio Display ($,1335) - Amazon | Pro Display XDR ($4,999) - Amazon + Stand ($999) or VESA mount ($299) |
| Keyboard | Magic Keyboard with TouchID ($135) - Amazon | Full Size Magic Keyboard with TouchID ($179) - Amazon |
| Mouse | Magic Mouse ($79) - Amazon | Magic Track Pad ($121) - Amazon |
Alternative
This setup is the alternative if you decide you don’t want to use any of Apple’s options. Customizable mechanical keyboard, high refresh displays, and super sensitive mouse are some of the ways you can customize your Mac Mini build.
| Low | High | |
|---|---|---|
| Display | SAMSUNG 27" ViewFinity S9 ($819) - Amazon | Dell Ultrasharp Up3218K ($5999) - Amazon |
| Keyboard | AULA F99 Wireless Mechanical Keyboard ($82) - Amazon | Keychron Q1 Pro ($219) - Amazon |
| Mouse | Logitech MX Vertical Wireless Mouse ($75) - Amazon | ProtoArc Wireless Trackpad ($70) - Amazon |
| Speakers | PreSonus Eris 3.5 Studio Monitors ($99) - | Bowers and Wilkins M-1 Satellite Speaker $(299) - Amazon |
Gaming
Yes, Mac is not famous for gaming, but with all those microtransactions, Apple is one of the five largest gaming companies in the world.
| Low | High | |
|---|---|---|
| Controller | PlayStation DualSense Wirless Controller ($60) - Amazon | Razer Wolverine V2 Pro Wireless Gaming Controller ($220) - Amazon |
| High-Refresh Display | Sceptre Curved 24.5-inch Gaming Monitor ($139.05) - Amazon | SAMSUNG 32" Odyssey Neo G8 ($660) - Amazon |
Content Creation
One of the best features of the Mac is the operating system that is versatile and stable. With stability and color accuracy that is second to none, the Mac in general is the go-to choice for content creators.
| Low | High | |
|---|---|---|
| Studio Monitor | Edifier R1280T Powered Bookshelf Speakers ($99.50) - Amazon | Yamaha HS4 Powered Studio Monitor ($249.99) - Amazon |
| Audio Mixer | Riworal VP4-DSP 4-Input Audio Mixer ($55.99) - Amazon | YAMAHA MG06X 6-Input Compact Stereo Mixer with Effects ($169.99) - Amazon |
| Video Mixer | Osee GoStream Deck HDMI Pro Live Streaming Multi Camera Video Mixer ($236) - Amazon | Blackmagic Design ATEM Mini Pro ($295) - Amazon |
| Microphone | Logitech for Creators Blue Yeti USB Microphone ($119.99) - Amazon | Shure MV7+ Podcast Dynamic Microphone ($277.99) - Amazon |
Plug
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| Base | Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| iPhones | iPhone 16 / iPhone 16 Plus - (Amazon) | iPhone 16 Pro / iPhone 16 Pro Max - (Amazon) |
| Watch | Apple Watch SE (Amazon) / Apple Watch Series 10 | Apple Watch Ultra 2 (Amazon) |
| AirPods | AirPods 4 (Amazon) | AirPods Pro 2 (Amazon) / AirPods Max (Amazon) |
| iPad | iPad 10 (Amazon) / iPad Mini (Amazon) | iPad Air M2 (Amazon) / iPad Pro M4 (Amazon) |
| Laptops | MacBook Air M3 (Amazon) | MacBook Pro M3 (Amazon) / MacBook Pro M3 Pro/Max (Amazon) |
| Desktop | Mac Mini (Amazon) / iMac (Amazon) | Mac Studio / Mac Pro |
| Displays | Studio Display (Amazon) | Pro Display XDR (Amazon) |
Other Ecosystem Items