All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team independently of our parent company. Some of our stories contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may receive an affiliate commission.
Want to try Apple’s M1 desktop hardware but can’t justify splashing $ 1,299 on a new iMac? Then you should give the Mac Mini a look. Amazon is currently selling Apple’s base desktop for $ 600, compared to the original price of $ 699. Note that at checkout, the $ 69 discount is displayed.
Buy the Mac Mini M1 256GB on Amazon – $ 600
In terms of specs, this Mac mini model has 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, which should be suitable for casual users. Obviously, those looking to run high-productivity software (or want to save multiple games) should seek a better setup. However, if you find the entry-level option works, you can take advantage of the ultra-fast M1 chip for less than half the price of a new iMac.
Regular Engadget readers will know that we are big fans of Apple’s proprietary silicon. The M1 system on a chip delivered impressive results during our MacBook M1 tests, opening everything from multiple apps to bulky websites at breakneck speed.
If you take a closer look, you’ll find that the internals of the 2020 Mac Mini and the 2021 iMac are pretty similar. Both have an 8-core CPU with four performance cores and four efficiency cores as well as a 16-core neural engine. In fact, the Mini has an 8-core GPU compared to a 7-core GPU on the base iMac. Yes, you will not get a 4.5 KByte display or a Magic keyboard, but there may already be (less complex) alternatives lying around.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buy recommendations.