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Apple Mac Mini - Compact 8GB RAM 512GB SSD M2 Mini PC
Apple Mac Mini - Compact 8GB RAM 512GB SSD M2 Mini PC
Apple Mac Mini - Compact 8GB RAM 512GB SSD M2 Mini PC
Apple Mac Mini - Compact 8GB RAM 512GB SSD M2 Mini PC
Apple Mac Mini - Compact 8GB RAM 512GB SSD M2 Mini PC
Apple Mac Mini - Compact 8GB RAM 512GB SSD M2 Mini PC
Apple Mac Mini - Compact 8GB RAM 512GB SSD M2 Mini PC
Apple Mac Mini - Compact 8GB RAM 512GB SSD M2 Mini PC
Apple Mac Mini - Compact 8GB RAM 512GB SSD M2 Mini PC
Apple Mac Mini - Compact 8GB RAM 512GB SSD M2 Mini PC
Apple Mac Mini - Compact 8GB RAM 512GB SSD M2 Mini PC
Apple Mac Mini - Compact 8GB RAM 512GB SSD M2 Mini PC
Apple Mac Mini - Compact 8GB RAM 512GB SSD M2 Mini PC

Apple Mac Mini - Compact 8GB RAM 512GB SSD M2 Mini PC

(859 reviews)

Experience powerful performance in an ultra-compact design with the Apple Mac Mini featuring 8GB of RAM and a lightning-fast 512GB SSD. Perfect for both home and office use, this mini PC seamlessly handles multitasking and demanding applications. The latest M2 chip ensures that you enjoy snappy operations, whether you're streaming, gaming, or running complex software. With its sleek design and impressive capabilities, the Apple Mac Mini is your ideal solution for efficient computing without sacrificing space.

Experience powerful performance in an ultra-compact design with the Apple Mac Mini featuring 8GB of RAM and a lightning-fast 512GB SSD. Perfect for both home and office use, this mini PC seamlessly handles multitasking and demanding applications. The latest M2 chip ensures that you enjoy snappy operations, whether you're streaming, gaming, or running complex software. With its sleek design and impressive capabilities, the Apple Mac Mini is your ideal solution for efficient computing without sacrificing space.

$1,039.46 - $1,149.00

in 2 offers

The lowest price for Apple Mac Mini - Compact 8GB RAM 512GB SSD M2 Mini PC right now is $1,039.46 at eBay.com.au, compared across 2 retailers.

The all-time low was $1,039.46 on 19 Oct 2026. That's the lowest price we've ever tracked — a great time to buy.

Prices last updated 19 Oct 2026.

Capacity:

256GB

Apple Mac Mini - Compact 8GB RAM 512GB SSD M2 Mini PC

$1,039.46

(859 reviews)

Experience powerful performance in an ultra-compact design with the Apple Mac Mini featuring 8GB of RAM and a lightning-fast 512GB SSD. Perfect for both home and office use, this mini PC seamlessly handles multitasking and demanding applications. The latest M2 chip ensures that you enjoy snappy operations, whether you're streaming, gaming, or running complex software. With its sleek design and impressive capabilities, the Apple Mac Mini is your ideal solution for efficient computing without sacrificing space.

Experience powerful performance in an ultra-compact design with the Apple Mac Mini featuring 8GB of RAM and a lightning-fast 512GB SSD. Perfect for both home and office use, this mini PC seamlessly handles multitasking and demanding applications. The latest M2 chip ensures that you enjoy snappy operations, whether you're streaming, gaming, or running complex software. With its sleek design and impressive capabilities, the Apple Mac Mini is your ideal solution for efficient computing without sacrificing space.

Price comparison

Price data powered by pricesAPI.io

Last updated at 19/10/2026 06:48:49

Please note: price history and price alerts are not available for some stores, including Amazon.com.au.
https://www.google.com/s2/favicons?domain=ebay.com.au&sz=64eBay.com.au

$1,039.46

Apple Mac mini (512GB SSD, M2, 8GB, Gigabit Ethernet) Silver - MMFK3LL/A (January, 2023)

Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a small commission for purchases made through this link at no extra cost to you. This helps support our site. Thank you!

https://www.google.com/s2/favicons?domain=backmarket.com.au&sz=64Back Market

$1,149.00

Apple Mac mini (2023) M2 8-Core CPU / 10 Core-GPU 8GB RAM 512GB SSD

Delivery between Thu – Fri $8.99

Price history

Price history

Please note: price history and price alerts are not available for some stores, including Amazon.com.au.

Reviews

A Super small computer for dedicated tasks
13 October 2024Robert

originally posted on bhphotovideo.com

I have three of these Apple Minis. I used one to replace a 2012 iMac that is no longer supported. I bought a Dell 21-in screen, a Magic Mouse, and a wired keyboard. It works like a charm for her applications.I use a second with an attached 8TB Thunderbolt drive to offload 2 TB of photo images that I back up with BackBlaze. This assures that my workhorse iMac is not burdened with the slow upload speed of the data. This machine is run blind--no mouse, no screen, no keyboard. I control it 100% with Apple Remote Desktop.The third is used as a portable device that I use to give lectures in. a hall where I am not allowed to put any software on corporate machines especially and I do not have a MacBook of my own. I use the corporate projector and carry my own mouse and ... MoreI have three of these Apple Minis. I used one to replace a 2012 iMac that is no longer supported. I bought a Dell 21-in screen, a Magic Mouse, and a wired keyboard. It works like a charm for her applications.I use a second with an attached 8TB Thunderbolt drive to offload 2 TB of photo images that I back up with BackBlaze. This assures that my workhorse iMac is not burdened with the slow upload speed of the data. This machine is run blind--no mouse, no screen, no keyboard. I control it 100% with Apple Remote Desktop.The third is used as a portable device that I use to give lectures in. a hall where I am not allowed to put any software on corporate machines especially and I do not have a MacBook of my own. I use the corporate projector and carry my own mouse and keyboard. I load this machine with ARD as well. Again, it works like a charm.These guys are super easy to use and behave just like my workhorse iMac. they run Sonoma just fine.I could not be more pleased.

Fantastic mac mini M2
7 May 2024auldmacuser24

originally posted on webuy.com

I bought the Mac Mini M2 last month, this is the first chance i've had to write the review so please bear with me! I was replacing an old 2012 Intel Mac Mini, had swapped the hard drive with an SSD but it was beginning struggle particularly with Adobe apps. I wanted to go for an M2 Mac Mini as the M1 version was already 4 years old (albeit still a capable machine). My only issue was if I should go for the 8gb or 16gb and 512gb Storage. Finally saw a 16gb / 512gb on the CEX website and I'm so happy I pulled the trigger on it. The Mac arrived fairly quickly and there was plenty of info on the delivery progress. I was also unsure to go for A or B grade, in the end went for B grade, I shouldn't have worried the Mac was in great condition, it looks as good as new.As ... MoreI bought the Mac Mini M2 last month, this is the first chance i've had to write the review so please bear with me! I was replacing an old 2012 Intel Mac Mini, had swapped the hard drive with an SSD but it was beginning struggle particularly with Adobe apps. I wanted to go for an M2 Mac Mini as the M1 version was already 4 years old (albeit still a capable machine). My only issue was if I should go for the 8gb or 16gb and 512gb Storage. Finally saw a 16gb / 512gb on the CEX website and I'm so happy I pulled the trigger on it. The Mac arrived fairly quickly and there was plenty of info on the delivery progress. I was also unsure to go for A or B grade, in the end went for B grade, I shouldn't have worried the Mac was in great condition, it looks as good as new.As expected the performance is really impressive compared to the Intel Mac Mini, websites load extremely quickly, Adobe apps run well on the M2 too, now I can use the AI features of Photoshop etc., plus many of the other OS features such as sidecar to use an iPad as an extended screen. I just need to get a new monitor to take advantage of the upgrade.If you are thinking of buying from the CEX website I would definitely recommend it, sure you could buy elsewhere second hand, but you won't get the warranty and the price is competitive compared to a lesser specced new Mac. So I'm very happy with the purchase.

First Time user of Mac OS
31 January 2024Ozzy

originally posted on johnlewis.com

I have an iPhone and iPad, but I have always used a windows based PC (due to work). However this Mac mini had some impressive reviews and I didn't really have the need for a full laptop, so decided to give it a go.At first I must admit it took a while to get used to a few of the differences between Windows and Mac OS, but with the help of Google it was relatively easy to get over the differences.I've even started to migrate some complex Excel spreadsheets to Numbers, and although a few equations need tweaking, I would certainly recommend persevering with using something that comes bundled for free, rather than pay extra for Office!Still only a few weeks in, but overall I'm more than pleased. Mac OS even has some really great features that Windows doesn't! (Like ... MoreI have an iPhone and iPad, but I have always used a windows based PC (due to work). However this Mac mini had some impressive reviews and I didn't really have the need for a full laptop, so decided to give it a go.At first I must admit it took a while to get used to a few of the differences between Windows and Mac OS, but with the help of Google it was relatively easy to get over the differences.I've even started to migrate some complex Excel spreadsheets to Numbers, and although a few equations need tweaking, I would certainly recommend persevering with using something that comes bundled for free, rather than pay extra for Office!Still only a few weeks in, but overall I'm more than pleased. Mac OS even has some really great features that Windows doesn't! (Like automatically recognising you by your iWatch, so you don't have to use your password to unlock your desktop is very cool).The Hardware is also impressive - more than fast enough for what I have done so far.

Specification

Supported OSmacOS
OS VersionmacOS Ventura
Internal Storage TypeSSD
Number of CPU Cores8-Core (CPU)
CPU Clock Speed3.49 GHz

Price comparison

Updated about 15 hours ago
Please note: price history and price alerts are not available for some stores, including Amazon.com.au.
https://www.google.com/s2/favicons?domain=ebay.com.au&sz=64
eBay.com.au

$1,039.46

Apple Mac mini (512GB SSD, M2, 8GB, Gigabit Ethernet) Silver - MMFK3LL/A (January, 2023)

Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a small commission for purchases made through this link at no extra cost to you. This helps support our site. Thank you!

https://www.google.com/s2/favicons?domain=backmarket.com.au&sz=64
Back Market

$1,149.00

Apple Mac mini (2023) M2 8-Core CPU / 10 Core-GPU 8GB RAM 512GB SSD

Delivery between Thu – Fri $8.99

Price history

Price history

Please note: price history and price alerts are not available for some stores, including Amazon.com.au.

Reviews

A Super small computer for dedicated tasks
13 October 2024

I have three of these Apple Minis. I used one to replace a 2012 iMac that is no longer supported. I bought a Dell 21-in screen, a Magic Mouse, and a wired keyboard. It works like a charm for her applications.I use a second with an attached 8TB Thunderbolt drive to offload 2 TB of photo images that I back up with BackBlaze. This assures that my workhorse iMac is not burdened with the slow upload speed of the data. This machine is run blind--no mouse, no screen, no keyboard. I control it 100% with Apple Remote Desktop.The third is used as a portable device that I use to give lectures in. a hall where I am not allowed to put any software on corporate machines especially and I do not have a MacBook of my own. I use the corporate projector and carry my own mouse and ... MoreI have three of these Apple Minis. I used one to replace a 2012 iMac that is no longer supported. I bought a Dell 21-in screen, a Magic Mouse, and a wired keyboard. It works like a charm for her applications.I use a second with an attached 8TB Thunderbolt drive to offload 2 TB of photo images that I back up with BackBlaze. This assures that my workhorse iMac is not burdened with the slow upload speed of the data. This machine is run blind--no mouse, no screen, no keyboard. I control it 100% with Apple Remote Desktop.The third is used as a portable device that I use to give lectures in. a hall where I am not allowed to put any software on corporate machines especially and I do not have a MacBook of my own. I use the corporate projector and carry my own mouse and keyboard. I load this machine with ARD as well. Again, it works like a charm.These guys are super easy to use and behave just like my workhorse iMac. they run Sonoma just fine.I could not be more pleased.

Robert originally posted on bhphotovideo.com
Fantastic mac mini M2
7 May 2024

I bought the Mac Mini M2 last month, this is the first chance i've had to write the review so please bear with me! I was replacing an old 2012 Intel Mac Mini, had swapped the hard drive with an SSD but it was beginning struggle particularly with Adobe apps. I wanted to go for an M2 Mac Mini as the M1 version was already 4 years old (albeit still a capable machine). My only issue was if I should go for the 8gb or 16gb and 512gb Storage. Finally saw a 16gb / 512gb on the CEX website and I'm so happy I pulled the trigger on it. The Mac arrived fairly quickly and there was plenty of info on the delivery progress. I was also unsure to go for A or B grade, in the end went for B grade, I shouldn't have worried the Mac was in great condition, it looks as good as new.As ... MoreI bought the Mac Mini M2 last month, this is the first chance i've had to write the review so please bear with me! I was replacing an old 2012 Intel Mac Mini, had swapped the hard drive with an SSD but it was beginning struggle particularly with Adobe apps. I wanted to go for an M2 Mac Mini as the M1 version was already 4 years old (albeit still a capable machine). My only issue was if I should go for the 8gb or 16gb and 512gb Storage. Finally saw a 16gb / 512gb on the CEX website and I'm so happy I pulled the trigger on it. The Mac arrived fairly quickly and there was plenty of info on the delivery progress. I was also unsure to go for A or B grade, in the end went for B grade, I shouldn't have worried the Mac was in great condition, it looks as good as new.As expected the performance is really impressive compared to the Intel Mac Mini, websites load extremely quickly, Adobe apps run well on the M2 too, now I can use the AI features of Photoshop etc., plus many of the other OS features such as sidecar to use an iPad as an extended screen. I just need to get a new monitor to take advantage of the upgrade.If you are thinking of buying from the CEX website I would definitely recommend it, sure you could buy elsewhere second hand, but you won't get the warranty and the price is competitive compared to a lesser specced new Mac. So I'm very happy with the purchase.

auldmacuser24 originally posted on webuy.com
First Time user of Mac OS
31 January 2024

I have an iPhone and iPad, but I have always used a windows based PC (due to work). However this Mac mini had some impressive reviews and I didn't really have the need for a full laptop, so decided to give it a go.At first I must admit it took a while to get used to a few of the differences between Windows and Mac OS, but with the help of Google it was relatively easy to get over the differences.I've even started to migrate some complex Excel spreadsheets to Numbers, and although a few equations need tweaking, I would certainly recommend persevering with using something that comes bundled for free, rather than pay extra for Office!Still only a few weeks in, but overall I'm more than pleased. Mac OS even has some really great features that Windows doesn't! (Like ... MoreI have an iPhone and iPad, but I have always used a windows based PC (due to work). However this Mac mini had some impressive reviews and I didn't really have the need for a full laptop, so decided to give it a go.At first I must admit it took a while to get used to a few of the differences between Windows and Mac OS, but with the help of Google it was relatively easy to get over the differences.I've even started to migrate some complex Excel spreadsheets to Numbers, and although a few equations need tweaking, I would certainly recommend persevering with using something that comes bundled for free, rather than pay extra for Office!Still only a few weeks in, but overall I'm more than pleased. Mac OS even has some really great features that Windows doesn't! (Like automatically recognising you by your iWatch, so you don't have to use your password to unlock your desktop is very cool).The Hardware is also impressive - more than fast enough for what I have done so far.

Ozzy originally posted on johnlewis.com
[Rewarded Review] Great Performance, Low Cost, But Essentially Crippled
9 January 2024

I have been a Mac person since the MacPlus I purchased in College. They've met my needs and been simple and most importantly, easy to expand. This M2 Mac Mini replaced a late 2021 Mac Mini (purchased from B&H in 2013) that had been expanded to 16gb of RAM and had an SSD swapped in after several years. It was reliable and did the job for over a decade, but apps stopped working so a replacement was needed.The M2 is fast, there is no denying that. Every from startup on is vastly superior. But, the minuscule internal SSD required planning and 8gb of RAM, no matter what wand waving Apple claims, gets chewed up easily if you aren't careful. The fact that the port count has dropped to barely any: 2 USB-A and 2 USB-C is still only 4 ports, while my decade old Mini had 4 ... MoreI have been a Mac person since the MacPlus I purchased in College. They've met my needs and been simple and most importantly, easy to expand. This M2 Mac Mini replaced a late 2021 Mac Mini (purchased from B&H in 2013) that had been expanded to 16gb of RAM and had an SSD swapped in after several years. It was reliable and did the job for over a decade, but apps stopped working so a replacement was needed.The M2 is fast, there is no denying that. Every from startup on is vastly superior. But, the minuscule internal SSD required planning and 8gb of RAM, no matter what wand waving Apple claims, gets chewed up easily if you aren't careful. The fact that the port count has dropped to barely any: 2 USB-A and 2 USB-C is still only 4 ports, while my decade old Mini had 4 USB-A along with a novel FireWire connection (that I still used) and even an SD card reader. Not being able to add memory or drive space internally makes this Mac less computer and more appliance and that's just sad.It does what I need, but in reality, could have been the size of a deck of cards considering the actual content and its solid-state, no upgrade design.

Linda originally posted on bhphotovideo.com
[Rewarded Review] Great... Mostly
30 March 2024

Product is great.This is a review of Macs in general too.There are some things that Apple does that I love:1. The computer comes will a lot of software you would expect to have from a new computer: You need to make a quick spreadsheet? Done. No need to buy Office 365 license since the price is baked into the cost of the computer itself.2. If you need everything saved offline, you can make it happen. Apple really doesn't force you to use iCloud. But I cloud is awesome for iPhone and Mac functionalities: I can send and receive Apple Messages on my computer, and that is amazing!3. I really like that iMovie is baked into the price of the computer4. Screen recording is also baked into the price, and it's a great tool!5. OCR on the Apple Notes is pretty decent6. I ... MoreProduct is great.This is a review of Macs in general too.There are some things that Apple does that I love:1. The computer comes will a lot of software you would expect to have from a new computer: You need to make a quick spreadsheet? Done. No need to buy Office 365 license since the price is baked into the cost of the computer itself.2. If you need everything saved offline, you can make it happen. Apple really doesn't force you to use iCloud. But I cloud is awesome for iPhone and Mac functionalities: I can send and receive Apple Messages on my computer, and that is amazing!3. I really like that iMovie is baked into the price of the computer4. Screen recording is also baked into the price, and it's a great tool!5. OCR on the Apple Notes is pretty decent6. I love the feature that when you hold down a key you can chose accents or varients. It's perfect when you need to type in another language. This is almost a major selling point in of itself if you have to work with people from foreign-speaking countries and with English-speaking ones.The cons are kind of niche:1. This mac had problems with displaying the correct resolution on an older Apple Display with a mini display port adapter. What happened was when you would put the screen to sleep, the settings would change when you wake it up. Locking the computer seems to be the work-around. The best way to do that is changing one of the Hot Corners and make sure to use the command key with the Hot Corner so you don't accidentally lock the computer.2. Apple Books and Music are all saved in really obscure places in the folder hierarchy. Don't get me wrong: I really like that it's all there, and I can make true offline backups. It's just strange.3. Took me a while to figure out that photos are saved in compressed folders called Albums. It makes sense, but not what I'm used to.4. Home and End keys on the keyboard don't function in a way that you would expect, (only on some apps) and it's one of my biggest complaint. It's a really small thing but it's also aggravating!5. No default app for serious technical writing or web development. Not unique to Apple products, though. On Windows, my favorite app is NotePad++. On Apple, it's CoEditor which is almost perfect, but not quite there.6. Multi-factor authentication takes a while to figure out and set up.7. PhotoBooth is so close to being perfect for unlimited document scanning, but I don't think the developers have quite got it right if you need to use your mac with you phone to scan documents. But it's almost there, I can feel it.

MountainOut originally posted on bestbuy.com
[Rewarded Review] LOVING my new Mac Mini M2 Pro
28 August 2024

I know the M4's are around the corner but I could not wait any longer. I'm a creative professional and my 2017 iMac was not cutting it anymore. So after MONTHS of research I chose the M2 Pro 16/512 set-up. I also bought an Apple Studio display refurbished from Apple. I immediately noticed a tremendous difference in performance when it came to Lightroom. I could easily go thru my photos without a multi-second lag. When I use the AI denoise feature - it's MUCH faster - with my 2017 iMac it would take about 35 seconds - with my m2 pro Mac Mini it completes the task in less than 10 seconds. When you apply that to HUNDREDS of photos the time saved is worth it alone. Editing 4K footage in Premiere is effortless.I also bought an SSD enclosure with a 2TB Western Digital ... MoreI know the M4's are around the corner but I could not wait any longer. I'm a creative professional and my 2017 iMac was not cutting it anymore. So after MONTHS of research I chose the M2 Pro 16/512 set-up. I also bought an Apple Studio display refurbished from Apple. I immediately noticed a tremendous difference in performance when it came to Lightroom. I could easily go thru my photos without a multi-second lag. When I use the AI denoise feature - it's MUCH faster - with my 2017 iMac it would take about 35 seconds - with my m2 pro Mac Mini it completes the task in less than 10 seconds. When you apply that to HUNDREDS of photos the time saved is worth it alone. Editing 4K footage in Premiere is effortless.I also bought an SSD enclosure with a 2TB Western Digital SSD to serve as my scratch disk. Finally I got the magic trackpad and touch ID keyboard.I'm loving this set-up!

Rusty originally posted on bhphotovideo.com
[Rewarded Review] M2 Mac Mini - Took the Dive!!!
7 September 2024

I will start out with saying I have never owned a Mac before. The last apple computer I worked on was in high school (Apple 2 - Ouch I'm getting old).I have been seeing the M2 mini on sale several times and really needed to replace an aging windows / linux PC I have been using for over 12 years now. So, I decided to take the plunge and try apple again. The biggest decision was base base model or upgraded to more RAM / bigger HD / M2 Pro?After doing loads of research, I decided on the base model as I am not editing / producing video or music, but just doing some basic document writing, web surfing and other miscellaneous tasks that don't require a higher end model. I was pleasantly surprised at how peppy / responsive this machine is. I have had no issues with ... MoreI will start out with saying I have never owned a Mac before. The last apple computer I worked on was in high school (Apple 2 - Ouch I'm getting old).I have been seeing the M2 mini on sale several times and really needed to replace an aging windows / linux PC I have been using for over 12 years now. So, I decided to take the plunge and try apple again. The biggest decision was base base model or upgraded to more RAM / bigger HD / M2 Pro?After doing loads of research, I decided on the base model as I am not editing / producing video or music, but just doing some basic document writing, web surfing and other miscellaneous tasks that don't require a higher end model. I was pleasantly surprised at how peppy / responsive this machine is. I have had no issues with anything so far. I am not a gamer, so I can't really expound on that experience. I did find so many arguments on why you "Should or should not" get the Pro or the upgraded models instead of the base model. Finding good and honest reviews really helped make a decision, and I hope this will help someone else as well. Base model is absolutely fantastic, and if it lasts even half as long as my last PC (Which I built myself), I will be completely satisfied considering the price point. Getting the the computing power from a windows based PC at this price point will never happen.The base model only has 2 USB A and 2 Thunderbolt ports, which could be an issue for some folks depending on your needs for hooking up external devices. There is a stand / hub that the mini will sit on...https://www.bestbuy.com/site/satechi-stand-hub-for-mac-mini-studio-with-nvme-ssd-enclosure-silver/6573622.p?skuId=6573622and would be a nice add on for those who need more ports. I have nit run into this yet as I have a wireless mouse and keyboard that uses a USB A dongle to connect, so I still have a second USB available.To round things up, I am completely satisfied with the decision I made in purchasing the base model M2. Looking at upgrades, like 16 GB RAM or a larger HD, get expensive at $200 for each upgrade, which if you did the RAM and HD, you are only a few hundred dollars away from the pro model, which offers so much more in processing power. For me, it would be like buying an 800 HP race car to drive a few miles down the road to work every day when a normal every day vehicle will do just fine. Some folks suggested adding on an external HD or jump drive in one of the ports if you run out of drive space or if you need extra drive space for whatever reason.Glad I made the decision to give Apple a shot!

ImarailHO originally posted on bestbuy.com
[Rewarded Review] Mac Mini is the way to go...
24 October 2024

... if you're not planning on doing your work at a Starbucks! The M generation of Mac chips are great. I bought a Mac Mini with an M2 Pro chip rather than an M3 because I'm not doing video editing or photographic work that might benefit from the latest M3 or M3 Pro chip though the M2 will do a great job there as well. I'd been mainly using My 2018 MacBook Air with 8GB RAM was excellent as a writing tool especially when working outside of the house, but lately I'd been using it as a 'desktop' using an HDMI cable attached to a monitor and of course that was quite limited, especially with the older generation chip and only 8GB RAM, but I used it until it 'died' and became a good-looking doorstop. I'd thought of getting a new MacBook Air but as I was going to mainly use ... More... if you're not planning on doing your work at a Starbucks! The M generation of Mac chips are great. I bought a Mac Mini with an M2 Pro chip rather than an M3 because I'm not doing video editing or photographic work that might benefit from the latest M3 or M3 Pro chip though the M2 will do a great job there as well. I'd been mainly using My 2018 MacBook Air with 8GB RAM was excellent as a writing tool especially when working outside of the house, but lately I'd been using it as a 'desktop' using an HDMI cable attached to a monitor and of course that was quite limited, especially with the older generation chip and only 8GB RAM, but I used it until it 'died' and became a good-looking doorstop. I'd thought of getting a new MacBook Air but as I was going to mainly use it plugged into a monitor I thought, why did I need a laptop? A Mac Mini was the obvious solution with the money going directly into computing power and not into the MacBook Air's liquid crystal display. IMHO 8GB RAM is just not enough and gets quickly eaten up if you have two or more windows open, like a word processor, a spreadsheet, and a browser and my Air was starting to freeze up. So, a very important consideration was more RAM and 16GB is more than enough for anything I do. I can keep as many programs going simultaneously as I need. I checked out buying a Mini through the Apple site but it was more expensive than Walmart with almost a month long wait for delivery. Amazon had the Mini but configured with only 8GB RAM. Only Walmart had a 16GB M2 Pro which could be delivered in no more than a few days. Very happy with the purchase.

HowieG originally posted on walmart.com
[Rewarded Review] Mac Silicon and VM's - Yeah
15 March 2024

When Microsoft banned computer hardware that didn't have the TPM chip and therefore would not run Windows 11, I said, That's it. Fool me once Microsoft. shame on you... What's to stop Microsoft from doing this again in the future? I began looking at alternatives and decided that running Windows 11 as a Virtual Machine (VM) inside a product called Parallels Desktop on a Mac was the way to go. I'm one who always assembled his own PC's and keeping my budget at $1000 for the box (no new monitor, keyboard, mouse, external devices) BUT, if I was going to run Windows 11 inside of my new Mac, the Mac had better be on the robust end of the spectrum. My former Macs have always had 8 to 16GB of RAM which was adequate for my usage. But since Windows 11 doesn't thrive until ... MoreWhen Microsoft banned computer hardware that didn't have the TPM chip and therefore would not run Windows 11, I said, That's it. Fool me once Microsoft. shame on you... What's to stop Microsoft from doing this again in the future? I began looking at alternatives and decided that running Windows 11 as a Virtual Machine (VM) inside a product called Parallels Desktop on a Mac was the way to go. I'm one who always assembled his own PC's and keeping my budget at $1000 for the box (no new monitor, keyboard, mouse, external devices) BUT, if I was going to run Windows 11 inside of my new Mac, the Mac had better be on the robust end of the spectrum. My former Macs have always had 8 to 16GB of RAM which was adequate for my usage. But since Windows 11 doesn't thrive until reaching 16GB, I decided that 32GB should be fine with this new Mac (it's perfect)Next, storage. VM's require a lot of storage space. I'm running a Windows 11 VM, Mac Sonoma (this is an additional Mac VM) and a Linux VM. My Mac now has 850GB free on a 2TB drive. Yes, get the 2TB storage! I have no storage insecurity which counts for a lot. Perhaps I'll try moving the VM's to external storage someday but I don't have resources for trying experiments now - using RAID arrays, etc.So now I have an expensive Mac (it's all relative, I know). I justify it by saying that I was going to have to buy my $1000 Windows box anyway plus I wanted the new Mac silicon. Installing Parallels Desktop and the Windows 11 VM is mostly an automated experience. Everything is fast.

Richard originally posted on bhphotovideo.com
[Rewarded Review] Powerhouse at its best in the Apple Ecosystem
20 April 2024

The mac mini has always been a powerhouse in its form factor. Apple silicon in the form of the M2 chip takes it to a new level as a base for your digital lifestyle. 8GB of RAM is often maligned, but as an everyday user who pushes the boundaries of general multi-tasking (educator and bored tech nerd). I constantly have 20-30 web browser tabs open with no problems of freezing and apps closing. The keys is using Apple's Safari browser, or other new streamlined browsers over the memory-hungry Chrome browser (which you can still run successfully). The bigger storage configuration carried by Bestbuy makes the smaller integrated RAM works extremely well through swap memory. Don't be scared away by claims of unsatisfactory performance with the base memory. It is a smooth ... MoreThe mac mini has always been a powerhouse in its form factor. Apple silicon in the form of the M2 chip takes it to a new level as a base for your digital lifestyle. 8GB of RAM is often maligned, but as an everyday user who pushes the boundaries of general multi-tasking (educator and bored tech nerd). I constantly have 20-30 web browser tabs open with no problems of freezing and apps closing. The keys is using Apple's Safari browser, or other new streamlined browsers over the memory-hungry Chrome browser (which you can still run successfully). The bigger storage configuration carried by Bestbuy makes the smaller integrated RAM works extremely well through swap memory. Don't be scared away by claims of unsatisfactory performance with the base memory. It is a smooth and efficient machine for daily and educational use; and shines as part of an ecosystem that can/may include an Apple watch, iPad, or Macbook. You don't need them; but they work well together. The mini can be the base of your setup at home, and the other things can help you enjoy the experience on the go.

Coachmrj originally posted on bestbuy.com

Specification

Supported OSmacOS
OS VersionmacOS Ventura
Internal Storage TypeSSD
Number of CPU Cores8-Core (CPU)
CPU Clock Speed3.49 GHz

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