I review mini PCs for a living and this Mac mini M4 deal is an absolute steal at $100 off

A Mac mini M4 on a desk with a Tom's Guide Price Drop deal badge — (Image credit: Tom's Guide)

There’s never been a better time to ditch your laptop or downsize from a big bulky desktop and pick up one of the best mini PCs instead.

While there are plenty of great mini PCs that run Windows, there’s only one that runs macOS though and after using it for the past six months, I have to admit the Mac mini M4 is almost perfect.

Thanks to Apple’s powerful M4 chips and the fact that the base model now comes with 16GB of RAM as standard, the Mac mini M4 is a powerful mini PC that’s perfect if you don’t want to shell out extra cash for one of the best MacBooks.

Compared to its predecessor, the Mac mini M4 is a big step up. Not only does it feature Apple’s M4 chips but the case has been redesigned from the ground up to be smaller and more compact at just 5 x 5 x 2 inches.

Likewise, you now get two USB-C ports and a headphone jack on the front, which means you don’t have to reach around back to plug in a pair of wired headphones or to connect accessories to your Mac mini M4.

The rear ports of the Mac mini M4 — (Image credit: Tom's Guide)

Around back, you now get three Thunderbolt ports, an HDMI port and a gigabit Ethernet port. It’s worth noting that while the standard Mac mini M4 has three Thunderbolt 4 ports, the pro version features even faster Thunderbolt 5 ports instead.

One of my favorite things about the Mac mini M4 when compared to other mini PCs I reviewed is that it features an internal power supply. This makes cable management just as easy as bringing this PC with you on a trip since you don’t have to lug around a bulky power adapter with you. It also uses a standard power cord, so it’s easy to replace or get a longer one if you need to.

The Mac mini M4 is an excellent all-around mini PC that’s great for both work and play. It’s also very easy to set up and use which makes it a fantastic choice for older users as well as younger ones.

At $100 off its normal price, this is a deal you won’t want to miss, especially if you’re looking for a new Mac. Check out my article on reasons to buy or skip the Mac mini M4 if you’re still on the fence!

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Anthony Spadafora is the managing editor for security and home office furniture at Tom’s Guide where he covers everything from data breaches to password managers and the best way to cover your whole home or business with Wi-Fi. He also reviews standing desks, office chairs and other home office accessories with a penchant for building desk setups. Before joining the team, Anthony wrote for ITProPortal while living in Korea and later for TechRadar Pro after moving back to the US. Based in Houston, Texas, when he’s not writing Anthony can be found tinkering with PCs and game consoles, managing cables and upgrading his smart home.

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