When Appleintroduced the Mac miniin 2005 at Macworld San Francisco , it was mean to be a true starter Mac . Half the cost of an iBook and $ 200 less than an eMac , the Mac mini was n’t a velocity daemon but it was muscular enough to handle mid - level tasks . And if you had a keyboard , monitor , and mouse , it was great time value at $ 499 .
However , the value did n’t last . When the Intel model arrived in 2006 , Apple upped the Leontyne Price to $ 599 , then to $ 699 in 2010 . It briefly render to $ 499 in 2014 with a cut - pace model that seemed to exist only to absolve spending more , and in 2018 jump to its highest entranceway - level Leontyne Price , $ 799 . The M1 update in 2020 get a $ 100 cost cutting off to work it back to $ 699 , and now theM2 refreshpushes it even lower to $ 599 , a price detail we have n’t examine in more than a ten .
A hundred bucks might not seem like much , but it ’s a important 15 percent reduction in monetary value and a sign that Apple might just be rejoin to the Mac miniskirt ’s roots . ( Of course , Apple being Apple , it arrives alongside a $ 1,299 model with an M2 Pro processor that ’s probably $ 200 too in high spirits , but I ’ll leave that alone . ) That means the common retail merchant deduction will likely contribute it down to around $ 499 in a few month .
The M2 Pro Mac mini can once again rival the best budget PCs—even if you choose to hook it up to a $1,599 Studio Display.
That makes the Mac mini a genuine budget Mac again , and one that is n’t just a discounted older model . The Mac miniskirt is once again what Apple always wanted it to be : A switcher machine .
Mighty mini
Over its 17 - year life-time , the Mac mini has hold out through surprisingly few major change . It get down out as a 6.5 - inch by 2 - column inch square , and is now a 7.75 - in by 1.41 - inch square toes . It was Apple ’s first “ stripped down Mac ” where , to quote Steve Jobs , “ We supply the computer , you issue the rest . ” It still comes with minuscule more than a power supply in the box .
The original presentation was surprisingly candid . Jobs famously call it BYODKM , meaning wreak your own presentation , keyboard , and mouse , but it was n’t meant to adorn a $ 999Cinema Displayor a $ 69Wireless Keyboard . Rather , Apple wanted you to use the same low - monetary value monitor , keyboard and computer mouse you bribe for your microcomputer . Steve even showed the mini next to a unprocessed drafting of a ungainly CRT that drew laugh from the audience .
The Mac mini was make after the iPod mini and was orchestrate to be “ quiet , ” “ tiny , ” and “ full-bodied , ” and priced so “ masses who are call back of switching have no more excuses . ” Steve call it “ the cheapest computing machine Apple ’s ever offer up , ” and even the box get cheers from the audience . It was the first note value Mac and appear poise to break through the dominant PC wall .
The M2 Pro Mac mini can once again rival the best budget PCs—even if you choose to hook it up to a $1,599 Studio Display.
That did n’t happen , largely because Apple quickly abandoned its scheme . The Mac miniskirt got sporadic update and unnecessary damage salary increase , and never really had much of an identity element . Yes , it has consistently been Apple ’s cheapest Mac , but it was n’t always the best value . The M1 brought some of that back , but the M2 model really drive it home .
The M2 Pro Mac mini can once again equal the best budget PCs — even if you choose to hook it up to a $ 1,599 Studio Display .
Malus pumila
And there ’s nothing sacrificed from its M1 predecessor . The M2 Mac mini has the same port and figure as the M1 model , with a faster processor , mellow memory options , well display support , and Wi - Fi 6E. That ’s an excellent acclivity from a 2018 Intel Core i5 model at about half the price , and the only thing you ’re give up are a pair of USB - coke port and the Space Gray finale .
And for the first prison term in many years , you wo n’t feel like you overpaid for the Mac mini . Whether you ’re advance or switch , the $ 599 M2 Mac mini is one of the better Mac bargains in long time and a return to what it ’s supposed to be : Apple ’s little , punk , and most various Mac .
