Apple Mac Mini M2 2023, 16GB, 256GB SSD, Silver

The Mac Mini M2 is the best value desktop Apple has ever made. Buy the base model, skip the overpriced upgrades, and get a USB hub.

The M2 chip is the star here, and it's genuinely impressive. Our database puts the CPU at about average for desktops overall, but that's misleading because this thing sips power while delivering snappy performance that feels much faster than the numbers suggest. The 10-core GPU lands in the middle of the pack, which is fine for photo editing and light video work but don't expect to play modern games at anything beyond basic settings. The real surprise is how quiet this thing runs. It's essentially silent even under load, which is something you don't appreciate until you've lived with a desktop that sounds like a jet engine.

Compared to the Lenovo Legion 90YA003GUS or HP OMEN GT16-0364, the Mac Mini gets absolutely destroyed in gaming performance. Those machines have dedicated GPUs that will run circles around the M2's integrated graphics. But they're also bigger, louder, and use way more power. The Dell Desktop ECT1250 is a more direct competitor for office work, but it doesn't have the same build quality or reliability track record. If you want a quiet, reliable machine for work and creative tasks, the Mac Mini wins. If you want to game, look elsewhere.

At $749 USD, this is the best value in Apple's entire lineup and honestly one of the best value desktops period. You're getting a machine that will handle photo editing, coding, office work, and general use without breaking a sweat. The catch is that Apple's upgrade pricing is predatory. Bumping to more RAM or storage costs way more than it should, so buy the base model and add external storage if you need it.

The Mac Mini M2 is the rare Apple product that feels like a genuinely good deal. For $749 USD, you're getting a tiny aluminum box that punches way above its weight for everyday work, creative tasks, and pretty much anything that isn't serious gaming. The one thing to know: this is the best value desktop Apple has made in years, but the base 256GB SSD is slower than it should be and you'll probably want a USB hub.

If you're looking for a gaming desktop, this isn't it. Go get a Lenovo Legion or HP OMEN with a dedicated GPU instead. And if you need tons of built-in storage or RAM without paying Apple's absurd upgrade prices, a Windows desktop will give you way more flexibility for the money.

Buy it. The Mac Mini M2 is the desktop most people should get if they don't need Windows or serious gaming performance. It's fast, quiet, reliable, and the price is actually reasonable for what you get. Just be smart about the configuration. Get the base model, add an external SSD if you need more storage, and don't pay Apple's ridiculous upgrade prices.