Apple Mac mini 3.2 2018, i7, 32GB, 2TB SSD, Space Grey

A tiny Mac with a big brain for memory but the graphical horsepower of a potato. Buy a used Apple Silicon mini instead and don't look back.

The CPU is the big surprise here, and not in a good way. A 12th percentile ranking in our database is rough for a chip that was a top-tier option in its day. For basic office and browsing, it's still snappy, but modern Apple Silicon Macs run literal circles around it. The real star is the 32GB of RAM and that 2TB SSD. Having that much fast storage in a machine this size is a standout, landing in the 85th percentile. It's a multitasking monster for memory-hungry apps, as long as those apps don't ask the integrated Intel UHD 630 graphics to do any heavy lifting.

Pitting this against a modern M2 Mac mini is just mean. The M2 is faster, has a usable GPU, and modern connectivity for the same price new. The real competitors listed, like the HP Omen 45L and Lenovo Legion Tower 5i, are in a different universe. They're giant gaming desktops with dedicated graphics cards that will run circles around this Mac for gaming or 3D work. But they're also massive, loud, and run Windows. This Mac mini isn't competing with them on power. It's competing on size and the macOS ecosystem, and it loses on power to its own younger sibling.

At $900 to $1000 for a refurb, this is a tough sell. You're paying a premium for the 32GB of RAM and 2TB of storage in a tiny box. But for the same money, a used M1 or even M2 Mac mini with 16GB of RAM will feel twice as fast for daily tasks and sip power. This is only a good deal if you absolutely need 32GB of RAM and 2TB of internal storage in macOS on a tight budget, and you're willing to sacrifice everything else to get it.

This is a weird one. Apple stuffed a then-beefy Intel i7 and a massive 32GB of RAM into their tiny Mac mini, then paired it with a graphics chip that belongs in a budget laptop. The result is a compact powerhouse for very specific tasks, and a total dud for anything else. If your workflow lives in spreadsheets, code compilation, or running multiple virtual machines, this little box will fly. Just don't expect it to render a 3D model or play a game made after 2015.

If you're looking for a capable home computer for photo editing, light gaming, or anything involving a GPU, this isn't it. Go get a refurbished M1 Mac mini with 16GB of RAM instead. It'll be faster in every way that counts and won't make you want to pull your hair out.

Skip it. The 2018 Intel Mac mini was a stopgap, and it shows. The 32GB of RAM and 2TB SSD are tempting specs on paper, but they're bolted to a slow CPU and a graphics solution that's one of the worst we've seen. Unless you find one for a steal and your only needs are running a dozen terminal windows and a web browser, a refurbished M1 Mac mini is the smarter, faster, and more future-proof buy.