It’s easy to love Apple’s powerful little desktop computer, as long as you can avoid buying more RAM or storage.

When it was introduced during the white plastic heyday of peak iPod-era Apple, the Mac mini was pitched as the cheapest way to buy into the Mac ecosystem. It was $499. And despite some fluctuation (as high as $799 for the entry-level 2018 mini, $599 for this year's refresh), the Mac mini has stayed the cheapest entry-level Mac ever since.

The Mac mini M4 improves upon what was already a great mini PC with excellent performance, extra ports on both the front and back and a much more capable base model. Its smaller size also makes it a more compelling upgrade that takes up less space on your desk.

Apple provided me with two very different Mac Mini units. This first review is focused on the standard M4 model, which includes a 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, and the default 16GB of memory. My machine has 512GB of storage,

The Mac mini (M4) is on sale from November 8, 2024. The Mac mini starts at £599, which is for the Apple M4 processor with 16GB of memory and 256GB of storage. If you want to upgrade to the M4 Pro processor, which comes with 24GB memory and 512GB storage as standard, you’ll pay £1,399.

If you're not entrenched in the world of Windows, are Mac curious, and want a desktop device, the M4 Mac mini (2024) is the best option out there. It improves on its larger M2 counterpart in nearly every way, including its sleek new design that looks nearly as small as an Apple TV and like a baby Mac Studio.

For years, the Mini was the odd man out in the Mac desktop lineup. Apple has given plenty of love to the iMac over the years. The Mac Pro has had a few