4 main reasons why it is perfect for me

After months of searching for a compact desktop that wouldn’t cover my desk, I settled on the Mac mini 2024. Although I’ve considered many small computers, here’s why Apple’s improved Mac mini ticks all the right boxes for me.

1 Finally, it starts with 16GB of unified memory

Since you can’t upgrade unified memory on Apple’s silicon Mac, it’s important to decide ahead of time how much you’ll need. Previous entry-level Macs came with only 8GB of unified memory, and Apple charged an additional $200 to upgrade to 16GB—a significant hit to the value these Macs offer. In 2024, 8GB might seem restrictive for most tasks, making the decision even more important.

Fortunately, the Mac mini 2024 starts with 16GB of unified memory without any price increase, which solves the biggest problem I’ve had with recent Macs. This increase in memory will better support all Apple Intelligence features that can require significant amounts of memory. However, with this upgrade you should also see a noticeable improvement in performance and overall responsiveness, especially when running multiple applications at the same time.

2 The M4 chip

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You can now buy a Mac mini with a higher-end M4 or M4 Pro chip — both of which seem far from minor upgrades. With more cores and higher single-core performance, Apple claims the M4 delivers up to 1.8x the CPU speed of the M1 and 2.2x the GPU performance. The Neural Engine also appears to have been significantly improved, and along with the increased memory, Apple Intelligence tasks on the device should be quite snappy.

The M4 chip isn’t just about performance though; there are also substantial I/O upgrades. The M4 Mac mini includes an additional Thunderbolt 4 port, bringing the total to three. And for the first time on a Mac, the M4 Pro version has three Thunderbolt 5 ports. This, combined with higher memory bandwidth, allows you to connect two 6K monitors and a 5K monitor on the M4 model, or up to three 6K monitors on the M4 Pro model.

I’ve been looking for a small form factor PC for quite some time, and the main reason I’m going with the entry-level M4 is that while most Windows mini PCs offer decent CPU performance, their integrated graphics tend to lag behind. tasks such as video editing or CAD work. Apple’s offering, on the other hand, provides much more powerful graphics performance in the same compact design, so it better suits my needs.

3 New design

After a complete redesign for the first time in 14 years, the new Mac mini is now even more compact, measuring just 5 x 5 inches. Its appearance resembles a smaller Mac Studio, which is perfect if you prefer a minimalist desk setup and don’t want a larger PC taking up space. Cooling should also be a breeze, thanks to a new thermal design with vents located at the feet to dissipate heat more efficiently.

One of my biggest frustrations with the previous Mac mini was the lack of any front I/O, especially for a device designed to sit on a desk. This seemed like a major oversight, especially with the inconveniently placed headphone jack on the back, which often led to a mess of cables and made connecting devices awkward.

However, with this new design, Apple has solved this problem by adding two USB-C ports and a headphone jack on the front, making it much easier to access without having to fumble and guess where the ports are on the back.

4 It’s great value for money

As mentioned earlier, even with all these upgrades, the Mac mini still starts at just $599, a price that most small Windows PCs can’t compete with for value. While it still starts at 256GB of storage, it’s hard to argue against the Mac mini being the best desktop computer for most people right now. And it’s not just for basic tasks; it’s more than capable of handling a moderate workload without breaking a sweat.

In addition, you can also take advantage of the Apple Education Store for an additional discount, allowing you to pick up an M4 Mac mini for just $499. At that price, it’s almost impossible to choose anything else because the value it offers is truly unmatched.

The Mac mini is available for pre-order today at the Apple Store Online, with deliveries and in-store pickup beginning November 8.