Thinking about buying a Mac mini? 5 things you need to know first

The Mac Mini is one of Apple’s most attractive computers, especially for those who want the benefits of a desktop computer without the premium pricing of Apple’s more business-minded Mac Studio. The Mac mini is Apple’s smallest desktop option, after all, and with the latest models featuring the M4 or M4 Pro chip, it offers plenty of performance for most people’s computing needs. Starting at $599 for the base model, the Mac Mini also costs significantly less than the new iMac.

But the Mac Mini is a little different from other Apple computers. In order to get to that $599 price point, Apple has left out a few things from the package that you would normally get when you buy another Apple computer. The Mac Mini also requires a little knowledge to make sure you’re getting your money’s worth, and these are important considerations when making a purchase.

Understanding what comes in the box, what doesn’t, and which hardware configurations are best for your needs will be essential as you go through the process of purchasing a Mac Mini. These considerations can be the difference between a great value purchase and a costly mistake. So let’s explore some of the things you need to know before buying a new Mac Mini.

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You need external devices

Unlike other Apple computers, the purchase of the Mac Mini only includes the power cord and the Mac Mini. That means no keyboard, no mouse, and no display. This is important to know when purchasing, as it will help you minimize the actual cost of going with a Mac Mini as your desktop computer. Staying within Apple’s hardware ecosystem will set you back $79 for the Magic Mouse or $129 for the Magic Trackpad, plus $99 for the Magic Keyboard. And with the Apple Studio Display going for $1,599, getting an Apple-made display for the Mac Mini will add quite a bit to its cost.

Of course, if you’re switching from another desktop computer you probably already have all the peripherals you need to make the Mac Mini a real value play. It will work with non-proprietary Bluetooth accessories like keyboards and mice, and includes USB-C ports and an HDMI port for connecting a monitor. Brands like Dell, BenQ, and LG make more affordable monitor options than Apple if you don’t already have a monitor you can pair with a Mac Mini. Third-party keyboards and mice will also be more affordable than Apple’s offerings if you need some entry-level equipment to get up and running with the new Mac Mini.

It has port limitations

Apple has equipped the Mac Mini with some quick connection options. On the back you’ll find three USB-C ports with Thunderbolt 4 support, each capable of transmitting data at high speeds. These are ideal for connecting hard drives, solid state drives, and card readers for transferring large media files. With the M4 chip onboard, the Mac Mini can power up to three external displays using these ports. While the back of the Mac Mini has an HDMI port and an Ethernet port, the front of the computer sports two USB-C ports and a headphone jack.

But Apple’s all-USB-C approach presents limitations for some users. If you’re bringing old devices from a previous desktop computer into your Mac Mini setup, you’ll be fine if they’re wireless peripherals that connect via Bluetooth. But the Mac Mini has no USB-A ports, which means it’s important to recognize that any of your older devices that use a USB-A connection will need an adapter. The Mac Mini also lacks a built-in SD card reader, so if you do creative work that relies on media captured by external devices, you’ll need to track down an external USB-C card reader.

Choose the right processor

The base Mac Mini comes with Apple’s M4 chip. It’s the same processor that Apple uses in its Mac lineup, and it’s designed to be both powerful and power efficient. Power efficiency isn’t particularly important with desktop computers, but it’s imperative to make sure you’re not spending money on performance capabilities you don’t need. The M4 processor is going to provide plenty of power for users with only basic computing needs, but it’s also capable of handling tasks like photo editing, 4K video playback, and multitasking in software. The cheapest M4 Mac Mini is the only model most users need, especially if your daily tasks are limited to emails, word processing, spreadsheets, and web browsing.

Apple has pros in mind with the Mac Mini, however. The M4 Pro chip is a significant upgrade over the base M4, and is available as an upgrade option on the Mac Mini. The M4 Pro’s GPU is nearly twice as powerful as the M4’s, and its neural engine contributes to faster AI-based workflows. With the M4 Pro onboard Mac Mini, professional video editors can capture multiple streams of 8K video, and coders can compile millions of lines at a time. Upgrading to the M4 Pro chip drops the price of the Mac Mini from $599 to $1,399, so make sure it’s something you can fully use before spending that extra money.

Minimize your RAM and storage

Older versions of the Mac Mini had a design that allowed you to access the hardware and perform upgrades on your own, but that’s not the case with the current Mac Mini. Through its integrated memory architecture, Apple has integrated RAM directly with the M4 chip. It offers faster performance and better power efficiency, but it means you have to select your Mac Mini’s RAM correctly at checkout. Apple includes 16GB of RAM in its $599 base model, and for an additional $200 you can upgrade to 24GB. A Mac mini with 32 GB of RAM will cost $999.

Minimizing the proper amount of internal storage for a Mac mini isn’t as drastic as getting the RAM right, since you can always connect an external SSD through one of the USB-C ports. But upgrading the internal SSD in a Mac Mini is not an easy process, and Apple does not officially support such a move. Despite Apple’s markup on internal components, upgrading the internal storage will be easy when buying a Mac mini. The base model comes with 256GB of storage, which will be enough for users who don’t plan to load the machine with large applications or large media libraries.

There are savings on buying refurbished

If you’ve looked at MacBooks, iMacs, and Apple’s lineup of professional desktop Macs and decided on a Mac Mini purely for financial reasons, shopping for refurbished Mac Minis is also an option. Apple often discounts the refurbished base model Mac Mini to $509, which is $90 less than buying it new. Upgraded Mac minis are also available in Apple’s refurbished inventory, and they can come with even more savings. Apple doesn’t have a fixed price drop for its refurbished products, but often a refurbished Mac Mini with upgraded hardware can cost some of that hardware free of charge compared to a new model with the same specs.

The advantage of buying from Apple’s Refurbished Store instead of searching for used Mac Minis on third-party markets is that Apple backs refurbished products with the same one-year warranty that new models offer. They’re also eligible for AppleCare+ extended coverage, and Apple will package a refurbished Mac Mini in a new box with its included power cable. One of the biggest limits to shopping for Apple’s refurbished Macs is inventory. Refurbished Macs can sell out quickly, with no guarantee of which models are coming next. If you find a refurbished Mac Mini that fits your needs, be sure to buy one when you know it’s in stock.

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