Best budget desktop

The cheapest way to own a new Mac

You only get the computer and power cord in the box — no accessories are supplied.

THE MAC MINI is the cheapest Mac in the Apple Store by some considerable distance. The entry–level model is just $599, a full $500 less than the next cheapest option — the 13–inch MacBook Air ($1,099). However, don’t assume it’s underpowered. This entry–level Mac mini features the latest Apple silicon M2 system–on–a–chip (SoC), with an 8–core CPU, a 10–core GPU and 8GB of unified memory. You only get 256GB of storage, but if you want more, you can add an external drive or buy the mid–range model instead ($799, 512GB). The top–of– the–range Mac mini also has a 512GB SSD, but it has an M2 Pro chip with 16GB of unified memory and other enhancements, and costs $1,299.

Whichever Mac mini you buy, it has one significant, or maybe “potential”, drawback. All you get in the box is the computer and a power cord. You don’t get accessories; not even a mouse, trackpad or keyboard. As the Mac mini has no screen, you need a monitor too. Naturally, this isn’t a problem if you already own these items, but if you don’t, make sure you factor in their cost when deciding what to buy. Not that these need to be particularly expensive, of course. A Windows keyboard works fine with a Mac, but make sure the display has an HDMI connection. With some hunting and a bit of luck, you could potentially buy everything you need for your Mac mini for around $250-$350.