The new M6 Mac mini costs considerably more than its predecessor. But owners of an M4 model could find that upgrading to the new version cheaper than they expect thanks to the high trade-in value of their current computer.
A post on social media showing Apple offering a customer nearly the full original price for a used Mac mini ought to raise a few eyebrows.
M4 Mac mini: Amazing trade-in values!
The M4 Mac mini arrived in 2024 with a $599 starting price. But then the global memory chip shortage dubbed RAMageddon drove the cost of computers, and the new M6 Mac mini starts at $899.
But there’s an interesting wrinkle. It seems the value of memory already in computers is going up too. And that’s reportedly driving up what Apple will pay for Mac mini trade-ins.
Take the example posted Friday by Malone Hedges on X (formerly Twitter). He says, “bought a Mac mini for $542.04 last December and Apple is buying it back from me for $565.”
bought a mac mini for $542.04 last december and apple is buying it back from me for $565 pic.twitter.com/22iCoweiQc
— malone (@malonehedges) September 25, 2026
Get an M6 Mac mini at an affordable price
Of course, not every Mac mini owner will be offered the same amount as Hedges. Much depends on the condition of the computer.
Still, anyone considering upgrading from the M4 Mac mini to the new M6 version should take the time to find out what Apple will offer for their current device. Cupertino says trade-in values for the product go up to $620.
So for M4 Mac mini users, the cost of a new model isn’t $899. It’s the difference between the M6’s price and whatever Apple is willing to pay them for their current Mac. And given the high trade-in values, Apple’s latest desktop could cost you only $300 or $400.
And there’s reason to consider the upgrade. Cult of Mac did an in-depth, head-to-head comparison, but Apple says the new M6 chip delivers up to 40% faster CPU performance than the M4, 2x faster graphics and storage, and up to 4x faster AI performance compared with the previous generation. The 2026 Mac mini also gets Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and upgraded 2.5Gb Ethernet.
Ed Hardy has been writing full-time about tech for 26 years, and using it for much longer than that. His intro to Apple was a Macintosh SE/30 (which he still has), but now he uses a 13-inch iPad Pro as his primary computer.
That’s because he’s a “tablet first” type of guy. Rather than use a Macbook, he connects a keyboard case to the iPad. And instead of a desktop Mac, he connects his tablet to a 27-inch display and full-size keyboard. (So don’t try to tell him that everyone has to use a Mac to be productive.)
Before coming to Cult of Mac, Ed wrote for NotebookReview, TabletPCReview and Brighthand, as well as other sites.
