The M4 Mac mini is the desktop you didn’t know you needed

If you are in the market for an affordable desktop PC, you’d probably go with a Windows desktop due to its affordable pricing. But with the release of the latest M4 Mac mini, you can get the macOS experience on a budget.

Apple’s M4 Mac mini is powerful, compact, and offers the best value of all Mac desktops, making it a true bang for the buck Mac mini model in a long time. Here’s why the new M4 Mac mini is the desktop you didn’t know you needed, especially as a long time Windows user. 

What is the Mac mini series all about?

Mac mini is Apple’s portable desktop series, which comprises of desktop machines that are less than half the size of a standard Windows desktop, hence the name mini. The Mac mini is famous for its price to size and performance ratio. Mac mini can offer an iMac-like performance in a compact form factor.

Apart from the size, the Mac mini is also cheaper than iMacs and MacBooks, making them perfect for the first-time macOS users who aren’t looking to invest a hefty amount. It’s also great for those who don’t want an all-in-one iMac machine or MacBooks because of their large size and a small screen experience, respectively.

What’s new with the M4 Mac mini?

Apple’s latest M4 Mac mini is special. It comes with double the RAM in the base variant and packs the M4 SoC, which is Apple’s most powerful series of chipset yet.

Apple says that the M4 Mac mini is 6x faster at one-twentieth the size of the best-selling PC desktops in the same price range. The M4 chipset inside has a 10-core CPU and a 10-core GPU, paired with 16GB of Unified Memory.

ALSO READ: Apple M4 Mac mini launched with Apple Intelligence support

This is the first time Apple has opted for a 16GB memory model as the base option, and the credit for it goes to Apple Intelligence. Apple Intelligence requires more RAM and that’s probably one of the reasons Mac mini starts at 16GB memory.

This time around, Apple was serious about the ‘mini’ moniker as it reflected in its compact design. Mac minis are compact, but the latest M4 Mac mini is truly compact as it’s a smallest Mac mini so far. Its size allows for it to be carried anywhere you go.

How is it different from other Apple computers?

Apple has three types of computers – iMacs, MacBooks, and Mac minis. All of them significantly differ from each other. An iMac is an all-in-one desktop for your home or office, where you don’t need a separate unit to power it. However, you do need a keyboard and mouse, like Apple’s Magic Keyboard and Magic Mouse, to use it.

The MacBook is a portable solution for those on the move. MacBooks are like Windows laptops, which means you don’t need any accessory to use it. Therefore, you can use it anywhere and at any time, provided that it has enough charge.

A Mac mini, on the other hand, is a desktop that can be taken with you from your home to office or vice versa. Unlike an iMac or a MacBook, it requires you to have a monitor, a keyboard, and a mouse. Hence, a Mac mini is cheaper of the three, as Apple is only giving its main unit to let you run macOS.

ALSO READ: Apple MacBook Pro 2024 launched with M4, M4 Pro and M4 Max chips

With that said, Mac mini is perfect for those who want to get started with macOS, but don’t want to invest a lot.

What makes the Mac mini value-for-money?

As mentioned above, Mac mini needs to be connected to a monitor, keyboard, and a mouse to begin using it. Hence, Mac mini is Apple’s most affordable desktop PC solution. The latest M4 Mac minis are available with a starting price of just Rs 59,990.

For comparison, the M4 MacBook Pro starts at Rs 1,69,900 and the M4 iMacs start Rs 1,34,900. Considering the huge price difference, the M4 Mac mini makes for a value-for-money preposition, as you get the latest chipset as well as added features like Apple Intelligence at about the price of a Windows desktop.

Who should get the Mac mini?

Now, let’s come to who should get a Mac mini. Those who want to get started with macOS or want an affordable Apple desktop at home or office can consider a Mac mini. Based on the specifications and features, the latest M4 Mac mini is a good choice for its price.

ALSO READ: Apple M4 chip: What’s new with Apple’s newest in-house processor

So, if you were planning to get a Windows desktop due to budget constraints, you can go with the latest M4 Mac mini instead, as it introduces you to macOS for about the same price.

What are your thoughts on the Mac mini series and the latest M4 Mac mini? Do let us know in the comments below.