Why the Mac Mini M4 Base Model Is Still the Best Budget PC Deal in 2025 at $499

Apple’s Mac Mini M4 base model, priced at $499 (down from $599), is a desktop that exceeds expectations for the price to put it lightly. It’s small, fast and practical – not just a good deal – the best deal in its class.

Small computers often trade power for portability but the Mac Mini M4 reverses that trend. It’s 5 inches by 5 inches and 2 inches tall – smaller than a sandwich. Inside this metal box is Apple’s M4 chip – a 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU. This can handle retouching high res photos to running multiple browser tabs without breaking a sweat. The chip is efficient and keeps the system cool even when doing intense tasks thanks to a well designed thermal system.

Memory is important and Apple has made a huge move by putting 16GB of unified memory in the base model. That’s twice what you got in prior Mac Minis at this price point so multitasking is smooth. Whether you’re doing spreadsheets, streaming music or editing video the system never slows down. The 256GB SSD is fast enough to launch apps in seconds. Most users – students, small business owners or casual creators – will find this enough to get started and external drives can be added at a low cost.

The Mac Mini M4 shines in connectivity with two USB-C ports on the front so you can plug in devices and three Thunderbolt 4, HDMI and Ethernet on the back. You can connect up to three screens including two 6K monitors which is unusual for a budget PC. This is great for professionals who need multiple screens or homeowners who want to build a media hub. The front ports – a first for the Mac Mini – show Apple listened to people who want ease without having to go behind the machine.

The M4’s 16-core Neural Engine means it’s compatible with Apple Intelligence – the company’s suite of AI tools for writing, organizing and more. These features which will be available with macOS Sequoia are useful for tasks like email summarization and rapid text editing. For creative types the Mac Mini can handle 4K video editing in apps like Final Cut Pro.

Value comes from longevity and the Mac Mini M4 is built to last. The aluminum body feels premium not budget. macOS updates keep the system fresh for years not like many budget PCs that feel outdated fast. The base model price hasn’t moved from the M2 and you get a smaller design, more memory and a faster chip. Compare that to other desktops in this range – most skimp on RAM or use older processors so you’ll be upgrading sooner.