The M4 Mac mini arrives this Friday. The tiny, redesigned computer packs a lot of power, and with a low $599 price tag. All of which makes me think: this may be the best offering Apple has ever had for PC switchers. Here’s why.
Value of the hardware is hard to beat
Almost every Mac starts at $999 or higher. In my mind, and I think in most people’s minds, Apple’s computers come at a premium. And that premium usually means a starting price of around $1,000, then skyrocketing from there.
The new Mac mini starts at just $599. In a time when inflation continues to drive all other costs up in our lives, that’s pretty remarkable.
And what you get for that starting price is even more impressive.
First, there’s the M4 chip. It’s Apple’s most cutting-edge silicon, with a powerful 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU, plus a 16-core Neural Engine supercharged for AI.
It may not be a fair comparison, but the M4 is also two full generations ahead of the M2 found in the $3,500 Vision Pro.
But there’s more to the value game with Mac mini.
For that $599 model, you get:
- 16GB of RAM
- 256GB SSD
- drives up to three displays
- Two front USB-C ports and headphone jack
- Three Thunderbolt 4 ports
- HDMI port
- Gigabit Ethernet port
- the first carbon neutral Mac
All of this in a tiny 5×5 package.
The $599 Mac mini is not a computer you instantly have to spec up. Yes, you can opt for a larger SSD, more memory, or an M4 Pro chip if you need those things. But what’s there in the entry model is already a compelling package for most anyone—including PC users.
Software is more friendly than ever for iPhone users
The M4 Mac mini also arrives at a time when macOS presents the most value for iPhone users ever. And lots of PC owners use iPhones.
Apple for years has been steadily improving the Mac experience for iPhone users. Apps across the two platforms keep getting more similar. Continuity features like Universal Clipboard, Handoff, AirDrop, and Text Message Forwarding make the cross-device benefits of the Apple ecosystem hard to resist.
Not long ago, Continuity Camera debuted as a great addition for Mac mini buyers especially. There’s no need for a dedicated webcam when you own an iPhone.
And most recently, macOS Sequoia’s iPhone Mirroring launched as an especially useful and powerful feature that could win over PC owners. It brings the Mac and iPhone closer together than ever before.
Finally, Apple Intelligence is going to be a huge part of Apple’s software for years to come, and the M4 Mac mini is primed and ready for it all.
M4 Mac mini wrap-up
Top comment by Å tÄpán Pazderka
People will still complain. They will definitely complain about lack of USB-A ports. Even though USB-C was introduced literally 10 years ago (early 2015) and can do much more things than USB-A, PC users still hoard little old USB-A flash drives, so they will complain about that. BTW: USB-C flash drive costs like 15 USD
Taking into account everything above, and all the strengths of the Mac mini and macOS that I haven’t mentioned, it’s clear that the M4 Mac mini is one of the best value products in Apple’s lineup.
If you don’t own a monitor, keyboard, and mouse already, then sure, that $599 entry price won’t be a sufficient budget. But many PC owners have those peripherals already, and if not they can be purchased very affordably as needed.
If $599 still seems like too much, I’m not sure what to say. Other than that the M4 Mac mini is discounted to $579 on Amazon. No excuses.
What do you think of the M4 Mac mini’s value? Is it a compelling option for PC switchers? Let us know in the comments.
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