The new Mac mini is…mini. It’s way more mini than the old mini, which wasn’t a very big desktop computer at all. At just 5×5 inches square and 2 inches tall, it’s less than a quarter the volume of the Mac Studio, which is also a small desktop computer, and only 1.33 inches bigger than the Apple TV 4K in length and width and not even an inch taller.

The Mac mini M4 is more than an iteration on previous versions of Apple’s smallest Mac. Its redesigned chassis is absolutely tiny, the base model doubles the amount of memory that comes standard, the M4 chip is even better in a desktop and you now have ports at both the front and back of the device.

To be fair, both of those other computers have significantly more memory bandwidth than the Mac mini, and both have better GPU performance. If maxing out as many GPU cores as possible is important to you, you’re probably better off with an M4 Max, which means either a MacBook Pro or waiting for an updated Mac Studio.

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.

You can also configure the Mac Mini M4 with up to 32GB of memory and a 2TB SSD, which will cost you $1,799 or $1,899 if you add a gigabit Ethernet port. You can trick out the Mac Mini M4 Pro with a 14-core CPU, up to 64GB of unified memory, an 8TB SSD, and a gigabit Ethernet port. However, it will set you back a whopping $4,699.

Apple wants the Mac to become a gaming destination, and it has the perfect machine to take on consoles from Sony and Microsoft in the form of the M4 Mac mini.The Latest Tech News, Delivered to Your In

Apple’s M4 Mac mini offers tons of powerful, modern technology at a compelling price point. Here’s why that makes it great for PC switchers.