Skip to main content

This $499 M2 Mac Mini could finally convince me to buy an Apple device - How about you?

Apple Mac Mini (2023)

Best Apple workstation PC for budget

CPU: Apple M2 | GPU: Apple M2 | RAM: 8GB | SSD: 256GB

Stunning value for money
Solidly built
Great performance
No next business day support
No expansion capabilities
1-year warranty
Shop the deal

Mac mini M2: was $599.99 now $499 at Amazon
 The baseline Mac mini M2 makes for an excellent entry level Apple workstation with solid specs that promise solid performance in a tiny chassis. The Mac mini M2 includes an 8-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 8GB RAM, and 256GB storage.View Deal

The Mac mini (with the M2 processor) packs a powerful punch as a signature Apple package but that's not why I chose the highlight it here.

Amazon and other retailers are selling this particular model for $499, a $100 saving off its suggested retail price. Apple rarely does discounts that deep (17%) on its latest models (this device is from 2023).

OK, while it's not as powerful as the other workstations on this list, it has a few tricks up its sleeve which makes this worth considering. First, you can add an external graphics card to the Mac mini for added graphical prowess. You can also chain several Mac minis together and offload tasks onto each machine, making it an expandable – and incredibly versatile – workstation.

The 2023 vintage of the Apple Mac mini M2 received perfect marks from TechRadar, which is surprising considering it was a surprise launch.

Even with the 8GB of RAM, the performance efficiency of Apple devices means that it performs incredibly well, making great as an entry level workstation. Even Apple pitches it as a powerful desktop for content creation, claiming that it will allow users to "run more plug-ins and layer more audio tracks in Logic Pro" as well as editing "multiple 4K and 8K ProRes" feeds.

On top of that, the Mac mini is small and looks gorgeous, a powerful machine that barely takes up space on your desk. The only downside is that once you purchase it you can't upgrade it, so make sure that you get the configuration that works best for you before taking the plunge.

(ed: That's definitely a candidate for both our best workstation PC and our best mini PC buying guide. It's already in our best business PC one.)

This version of the Mac mini has eight CPU cores and 10GPU cores plus 8GB unified memory and a 256GB SSD. You can run up to two display via its HDMI and one of its Thunderbolt 4 ports. It does have two USB-A connectors as well as a Gigabit Ethernet port, Wi-Fi 6e and Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity.

There's no VESA mount so you can't hide it behind a monitor but let's not kid ourselves, the gorgeous Mac mini is one to be seen, rather than hidden.

Mac vs Windows: Which is the best workstation OS?

That's a tricky question: while there's one Mac OS, there's actually three different versions of Windows geared towards workstation users (Home, Professional and the lesser known Workstation edition). Double that number if you consider downgrades from Windows 11 to Windows 10 (for the more conservative business users out there. Windows offer a much wider choice for users and supports arcane, legacy and niche applications as well. Mac works well for software that's native to its platform, unshackled by legacy code and compatible with its powerful Arm-based processor range. Ultimately the choice of operating systems depends on a few parameters outside the scope of this FAQ. 

✅Are you a new user or an existing one?
✅What OS do you currently use?
✅Would you consider investment for training?
✅Do you want to move to another platform?
✅Are you the one (or part of the team) taking the business decision?
✅Is your main software suite tied to Windows or Apple?




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Windows Copilot leak suggests deeper assimilation with Windows 11 features

Key Windows 11 features may soon be customizable as Microsoft further integrates its Windows Copilot AI assistant into the operating system. This tidbit comes from tech news site Windows Latest , which claims to have discovered new .json (JavaScript Object Notation) files within recent preview builds of Windows 11. These files apparently hint at future upgrades for the desktop AI assistant. For example, a “TaskManagerService-ai-plugin.json” was found which is supposedly a “plugin for Task Manager integration”. If this ever comes out, it could give users the ability to “monitor or close running apps using” Copilot. In total, six are currently tested and they affect various aspects of Windows 11. Next, there is an “AccessbilityTools-ai-plugin.json” that gives Copilot a way to “control accessibility [tools]. This would make it "easier for those with [a] disability to navigate through the system.” Third is “ai-plugin-WindowsSettings.json” for controlling important Windows 11 set...
Post a Comment
Read more

Google Chrome releases security fix for this major flaw, so update now

Google says it has fixed a high-severity flaw in its Chrome browser which is currently being exploited by threat actors in the wild.  In a security advisory , the company described the flaw being abused and urged the users to apply the fix immediately.  "Google is aware that an exploit for CVE-2023-2033 exists in the wild," the advisory reads. Automatic updates The zero-day in question is a confusion weakness vulnerability in the Chrome V8 JavaScript engine, the company said. Usually, this type of flaw can be used to crash the browser, but in this case it can also be used to run arbitrary code on compromised endpoints.  The flaw was discovered by Clement Lecigne from the Google Threat Analysis Group (TAG). Usually, TAG works on finding flaws abused by nation-states, or state-sponsored threat actors. There is no word on who the threat actors abusing this flaw are, though. Read more > Patch Google Chrome now to fix this emergency security flaw > Emergency...
Post a Comment
Read more

Samsung's ViewFinity S9 may be the monitor creatives have been searching for

Originally revealed during CES 2023 , Samsung has finally launched its ViewFinity S9 5K monitor after nine long months of waiting.  According to the announcement, the ViewFinity S9 is the company’s first-ever 5K resolution (5,120 x 2880 pixels) IPS display aimed primarily at creatives. IPS stands for in-plane switching , a form of LED tech offering some of the best color output and viewing angles on the market. This quality is highlighted by the fact that the 27-inch screen supports 99 percent of the DCI-P3 color gamut plus delivers 600 nits of brightness.  Altogether, these deliver great picture quality made vibrant by saturated colors and dark shadows. The cherry on top for the ViewFinity S9 is a Matte Display coating to “drastically [reduce] light reflections.”  As a direct rival to the Apple Studio Display , the monitor is an alternative for creative professionals looking for options. It appears Samsung has done its homework as the ViewFinity S9 addresses some of...
Post a Comment
Read more