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.

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.

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

People have been puzzling over the decision to move the M4 Mac mini's power button to the underside of the PC, but Apple thinks the placement is "optimal."The Latest Tech News, Delivered to Your Inbox

The M4 Mac mini is Apple's cheapest Mac available, and also the best for most people. Here's why you should only get the base model.

The M4 Mac Mini's power button can't be reached without picking up the entire computer, small as it is, and finding it on the underside. One of those comical "design" decisions that Apple makes now and again,