Apple Mac mini M4 Silver 2024

The Mac mini M4 is a tiny titanium fist of a computer that makes Windows desktops feel old and slow. Skip it only if you need a real GPU for gaming, otherwise this is your next computer.

The M4 chip here is a weird beast. In CPU tasks, it's solidly middle of the pack compared to big desktop towers, which is honestly incredible for a computer you can palm like a basketball. But the real story is single-core speed. Apps open with a snap that makes Windows machines feel like they're thinking about it first. The integrated GPU is the weak spot, landing near the bottom of our database. For photo editing, coding, and running a dozen browser tabs, it's a champ. For 3D rendering or gaming, it's a letdown. The 24GB of RAM in our review unit is plenty for most people, but the 512GB SSD is a bit stingy at this price.

Stacked against the Lenovo Legion 34IAS10 or the HP Omen GT22, the Mac mini isn't even playing the same sport. Those towers are big, loud, and built for gaming with dedicated GPUs that demolish the M4's integrated graphics. If you want to play Cyberpunk, buy one of those. But for everything else, the Mac mini is smaller, quieter, and faster in daily use. The ASUS ROG GM700TZ is a beast of a gaming rig, but it's also the size of a small suitcase. The Mac mini's real competition is the iMac, and honestly, unless you need that built-in screen, the mini is the smarter buy.

The price spread on this thing is wild, ranging from $954 to $1199 depending on where you look. At the low end, it's a steal for the performance. At the high end, you're getting gouged. Shop around. Best Buy seems to have the most consistent pricing right now. For a home office or creative workstation, the value is outstanding. Just don't pay over a grand for this specific 24GB/512GB config.

The new Mac mini M4 is basically Apple showing off. They took a chip that already embarrassed most desktop CPUs, shrunk the whole computer to the size of a sandwich, and then had the audacity to put ports on the front. It's the best compact desktop you can buy right now, period. The base model finally starts with 16GB of RAM, which means the old 'Apple tax on memory' argument just got a lot weaker. If you're coming from an Intel Mac or even an M1, this thing will feel like a teleportation device. Just don't expect to play any serious games on it, and maybe invest in a USB-C hub if your desk still looks like 2015.

If you're looking for a gaming rig, this ain't it. The integrated GPU is one of the worst we've seen for modern titles. Go grab an HP Omen or a custom-built PC with a real graphics card instead. You'll get way more frames for your dollar, even if the computer is ten times the size.

Buy it. Unless you're a gamer or a 3D artist, this is the desktop to beat. The M4 Mac mini is the best combination of price, performance, and size we've seen in years. The move to 16GB of RAM in the base model fixes the one thing that made the old one a tough sell. The power button placement is dumb, and you'll need to budget for a dongle or two, but those are minor annoyances on an otherwise brilliant machine.