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Mac mini

All three Mac mini designs sitting vertically on a table
The current Mac mini with larger, older versions behind it.

The Mac mini is a compact desktop computer developed by Apple. It’s designed to offer powerful performance in a small form factor, making it suitable for a range of users, from casual consumers to professionals.

It uses Apple’s custom silicon chips, such as the M4, M4 Pro, and potentially newer versions. These chips integrate CPU, GPU, and machine learning capabilities for excellent performance and efficiency.

The Mac mini runs on macOS, Apple’s operating system, providing access to apps like Safari, iWork, iMovie, Final Cut Pro, and a wide range of third-party software. macOS is optimized for Apple’s silicon, ensuring seamless performance.

The base model is among Apple’s most affordable Mac computers, typically starting around $599. Higher configurations with the M4 Pro or larger memory/storage capacities increase the price.

Read Cult of Mac’s latest posts on Mac mini:

When to expect more M5 MacBooks and Mac desktops

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M5 Mac release dates
An M5 MacBook Air, Mac mini and Mac Studio are all on the way.
Image: Apple/Cult of Mac

The Apple M5 chip jumped from rumor to reality Wednesday with the launch of MacBook Pro and iPad Pro models running the new cutting-edge processor. But so far, there’s been no official mention of an M5 Mac mini, M5 MacBook Air, M5 Studio or M5 iMac.

Here’s when the next generations of these Macs are rumored to reach customers, along with the probable launch dates of the M5 Pro and M5 Max versions of the MacBook Pro.

These are my favorite Apple devices of all time

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A stylized Apple logo with a heart in the middle.
It's easy to fall in love with Apple products. Here are my all-time favorites.
AI image: Midjourney/Cult of Mac

Over the years, Apple has launched hundreds of products — some iconic, others forgettable. I’ve used a fair share of them, with some earning a permanent spot on my “all-time favorites” Apple devices list.

Each of these devices represented Apple at its best, with a sleek design, impressive performance and an experience that few other brands can match. So, here’s my list of Apple devices that have truly stood the test of time.

Get an M4 Mac mini for just $499

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Mac mini deal
M4 Mac mini is tiny and so is the price (especially with this deal).
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

Apple’s tiny yet powerful M4 Mac mini is an amazing deal at any time, and a sale on the desktop computer makes it an even better value. You can get the latest model with 16GB of unified memory and a 256GB SSD for only $499. That’s 17% off the list price.

Configure the Mac mini with an M4 Pro or more memory and you can get it starting at $1,301, which is $98 below the usual cost.

Mac mini user loves NuPhy’s new low-profile mechanical keyboard [Setups]

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NuPhy Air 75 v3
This Mac mini and Studio Display also features two new items: the latest NuPhy Air 75 v3 low-profile mechanical keyboard and BenQ updated Halo monitor light.
Photo: [email protected]

Who doesn’t love new gear in their computer setup — either brand new or just new to them? Today’s Mac mini and Studio Display setup comes complete with two shiny new items recently added to the market — the NuPhy Air75 v3 low-profile wireless mechanical keyboard and the updated BenQ ScreenBar Halo 2 monitor light. And he’s got some over-ear headphones I find enviable, too.

Giant smart TV dwarfs 32-inch display in Mac mini rig [Setups]

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Hisense smart TV
A huge smart TV and a complete Audioengine sound system distinguish this M2 Mac mini setup.
Photo: [email protected]

Big smart TVs crop up in computer setups online as external displays with increasing regularity. That includes today’s featured M2 Mac mini rig with a 55-inch Hisense smart TV as well as a 32-inch LG 4K monitor that looks tiny by comparison.

And the setup’s audio is no slouch. It features excellent Audioengine bookshelf speakers, a dedicated digital-to-audio converter (DAC) plus a wireless subwoofer for a big low end. Most setups stop at speakers on the desk.

Get a load of what replaces this 2017 iMac [Setups]

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Satechi Mac mini hub
This is the user's "before" picture, with 2017 iMac. See the "after" picture below.
Photo: [email protected]

I love the “before” and “after” setups posts with photos on social media. Today’s is on the basic side, but it’s always fun to see clear visuals of what people do. In this one, an iMac toiling away for eight years gets judged into well-deserved retirement by Apple’s hot little M4 desktop machine on a Satechi Mac mini hub that greatly expands connectivity and storage. With the iMac’s lovely screen gone, the new rig is a Dell-4K-display-Mac-mini combo.

Mac shipments surge with double-digit growth

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M4 iMac in use
Apple keeps selling more and more Macs each quarter.
Photo: Apple

Mac shipments increased 21.4% in the second quarter of 2025, according to a market research firm. Apple has shown strong growth in shipments every quarter since the launch of multiple M4-powered Mac models began last autumn, and the new chip has helped grow the company’s share of the global market.

Most of the top Windows makers also saw growth last quarter, but none can match Apple’s pace.

Mac Studio-wielding designer adores dual Studio Displays [Setups]

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dual Studio Displays
A Mac Studio and dual Studio Displays? What could be better.
Photo: [email protected]

Two of the common laments among Mac users talking computer setups online? Too bad Studio Displays are so expensive, and when will Apple jack up that 60Hz refresh rate? But of course the monitors have legions of fans, especially among folks like designers. With today’s featured setup, a designer and video editor loves his pair of Studio Displays and says why. And other commenters get into a little dust-up defending Mac Studio from those who think the small-but-mighty M4 Mac mini is even better.

Here’s the best way to hide your computer [Setups]

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under desk mount
The M4 Mac mini is small, but it takes up even less space when it's mounted under the desk.
Photo: [email protected]

The M4 and M4 Pro Mac mini desktop computers are smaller than their predecessors, but they still take up space on desks. That is, unless you come up with a clever way to hide them while keeping them fully functional. In today’s featured setup, which also includes a MacBook Pro under an overarching external display, the user mounts the mini under the desk. And under-desk mount is the best way to hide your computer.

Slim NVMe SSD enclosure pairs perfectly with M4 Mac mini

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Satechi USB4 Slim NVMe SSD Enclosure
The Satechi USB4 Slim NVMe SSD Enclosure expands Mac mini.
Image: Satechi

Adding a high-speed SSD to the Mac mini M4 just got easier with the Satechi USB4 Slim NVMe SSD Enclosure. It can hold up to 8TB drives and transfer data at up to 5 GB per second.

The accessory hit store shelves Tuesday and comes with a 17% launch discount.

Upgrade your Mac mini with 7 more ports and storage but no extra clutter

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Macally MminiDock
Add more ports and storage capacity to your M4 Mac mini with the Macally MminiDock.
Image: Macally

Macally designed the new MminiDock with the M4 Mac mini in mind. It sits under the tiny desktop, increasing the selection of available ports with front-facing USB-A, plus 4K HDMI, an audio jack and more without increasing the computer’s footprint. And there’s an SSD enclosure inside for 8TB of additional capacity.

The accessory launched Monday and comes with a 20% off launch coupon.

MacBook Pro covers for aging Mac mini in picture-perfect rig [Setups]

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LG ultra-wide display
Cool wallpaper on that LG ultra-wide display, eh? There's also an old Mac mini hiding in this pic.
Photo: [email protected]

Some computer setups showed off on social media aren’t packed with the latest and greatest tech gear — they just look great. Today’s featured setup is a fine example. It packs two still-going-strong older Macs — a MacBook Pro from 2021 and a Mac mini from all the way back in 2012 — driving an LG ultra-wide display. But the subtle lighting and tasteful decor, including great use of plants, go a long way in this one.

M4 Mac mini takes over for ‘semi-retired’ M1 MacBook Pro [Setups]

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Mac mini computer
This setup's M4 Mac mini handles most of the work, as the M1 MacBook Pro is "semi-retired" (but still going strong).
Photo: [email protected]

Apple silicon computers have serious staying power. Setups left and right feature M1 machines, released in late 2020, including today’s featured setup. The user said their M4 Mac mini pretty much took over for their M1 MacBook Pro in the workstation. So they reserve their “semi-retired” laptop for outdoor use, though it’s still running strong after more than five years of constant use.

Get an M2 Mac mini for just $359.99

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Mac Mini M2
Get 27% off the price tag of this Mac Mini M2 refurb!
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

The Mac mini is already a great deal, but this grade-A refurbished model drops the price of a 2023 model to just $359.99 with free shipping. Apple’s M2 chip powers the small desktop computer, delivering excellent performance in a sleek, compact design.

This deal offers exceptional value for both professionals and casual home users. But if you want one, act fast — stock is limited.

5-computer workstation boasts gargantuan 57-inch display [Setups]

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huge computer monitor
Three Macs and two PCs work with that 57-inch Samsung curved ultra-wide monitor.
Photo: [email protected]

Believe it or not, today’s magnificent featured setup includes five computers — each with a job to do, even the ol’ trash-can Mac Pro — and one absolutely huge computer monitor. It’s a 57-inch curved ultra-wide Samsung. What, 49 inches wasn’t big enough for ya?

And the workstation includes other great features. Those include a Rode PodMic, the same great open-back Sennheiser headphones I own, and powerful Klipsch bookshelf speakers paired with a subwoofer that I wish I owned.

Mac mini rig elevates cable management to art form [Setups]

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desk cable management
There's a reason this desk and setup look so clean and tidy. And that reason is hidden under the desk.
Photo: [email protected]

The best desk cable management seems like magic because it makes things disappear. Today’s M4 Mac mini setup with dual 4K displays shows that off beautifully, hiding most of the workstation’s gear underneath an elegant desk.

“That cable management is art,” said one appreciative commenter.

In this case, the user made the cable-management parts using a 3D printer. But you can achieve the same effect using a few inexpensive products that aren’t difficult to install.

Behold ‘an Apple fan’s dream setup’ [Setups]

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dream setup
This dream setup features an M4 Pro MacBook Pro and a Studio Display.
Photo: [email protected]

“Everything starts with a dream,” goes an old saying — and it even applies to computer setups. Today’s attractive and highly functional M4 Pro MacBook Pro, Mac mini and Studio Display setup amounts to a dream for its owner. But in expressing that dream on social media, its owner found commenters had plenty to say about their versions of “an Apple fan’s dream setup.”

Satechi Stand & Hub for M4 Mac mini: Sleek and super-useful [Review] ★★★★

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Satechi M4 Mac mini hub and stand★★★★
The Satechi Stand & Hub for the M4 Mac mini is a sleek and practical accessory.
Photo: Rajesh Pandey/Cult Of Mac

The M4 Mac mini stands out as one of the best value-for-money Macs in Apple’s lineup. But it’s not perfect, with the lack of an SD card slot and USB-A ports being two major annoyances. Satechi’s Mac Mini M4 Stand & Hub with SSD Enclosure aims to address these flaws while offering a way to expand storage on the cheap.

That’s a bold pitch. So, does the accessory deliver? Here’s what I found.

Killer Mac mini rig sports color-calibrated BenQ displays [Setups]

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Mac mini setups
Lucky Mac mini! BenQ calibrates these 4K displays for accurate Mac color matching.
Photo: [email protected]

If you work with visual media in some way — like as a graphic designer or video editor — you know how important color accuracy on external monitors can be. Today’s M4 Pro Mac mini user relies on a pair of BenQ monitors specifically calibrated to match Mac colors. They’re actually made for MacBook Pro and MacBook Air, to reproduce the rich colors on the laptops’ Liquid Retina (Air) and Liquid Retina XDR (Pro) displays.

And that’s not all. The sleek and deceptively simple setup actually packs in a surprising amount of cool gear. See below.

Mac mini user ditches Studio Display for ultra-wide OLED monitor [Setups]

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ultra-wide monitor
In a back-and-forth battle, Studio Display ultimately lost out to a Samsung G8 OLED ultra-wide monitor.
Photo: [email protected]

The turf war between standard displays and ultra-wide monitors continues — sometimes within one computer setup. Today’s M4 Mac mini user went back and forth multiple times before their Samsung ultra-wide OLED display retook the crown from their Studio Display, which is now “gone.” And that’s the case despite their acknowledgement that “Studio Display is the best monitor for Mac, no discussion.”

Sometimes it’s all about the irresistible knick-knacks [Setups]

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computer setup decor
In this "after" photo, the cable management looks good, but commenters seem more interested in the cool decorative items.
Photo: [email protected]

This Mac mini and iPad Pro setup shows off a great cable management effort, complete with “before” and “after” photos. And yet all commenters wanted to know about — and I don’t blame them — are the cool knick-knacks. Mostly mood-lighting-related, they’re functional decor. And maybe everyone should have these three items in their setup!

Apple sends its final Intel Mac mini to the vintage shelf

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iPhone 6s and 2018 Mac mini go vintage.
Two classic products join Apple's vintage list.
Photo/Graphics: Apple/Rajesh Pandey/CultOfMac

The 2018 Intel-based Mac mini has officially entered Apple’s vintage list. Alongside this, the 2015 iPhone 6s also joins the list.

This means that these products will only receive limited repair support from Apple.

Old Thunderbolt displays keep up with new Studio Display [Setups]

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Thunderbolt Displays
This user loves the color reproduction on their Thunderbolt displays.
Photo: [email protected]

Have you ever run multiple displays with different resolutions? Today’s featured Mac mini setup sports older Apple Thunderbolt Displays (2.5K resolution, aka 2560 x 1440p) flanking a newer Studio Display (5K, or 5120 x 2880p). Seems like that might cause a touch of seasickness looking back and forth between them all the time — or maybe a sticky mouse cursor — but it doesn’t bother the user at all. For them, it’s all about the excellent color reproduction across the board.