r/macmini

I was going to buy one macmini m4 in May but I waited until july because leakers said macmini m5 was coming july 8, nothing happened and macmini m4 got like 200 eur more expensive a few weeks ago. My question is, should I buy one used macmini m4 right now or wait until october for the macmini m5 launch? I heard people say prices are going to get even more expensive so maybe I should buy now the m4? My current windows PC has one amd graphics card that is always crashing my computer and has like 30 small dead pixel lines on my screen wich is annoying to work.

What stands do ya’ll like for your Mac Mini M4s? I’m thinking about something that will give a little better airflow, maybe little better Wi-Fi by getting that antenna off the desk, and look like it was made by Apple to perfectly match the aesthetic.

Hi. Recently, my Mac (mini m4) started waking up on its own a few seconds after putting it to sleep. Without even touching the mouse, just with a keyboard shortcut. I tried many tips online, but the only thing that worked was disabling the Bluetooth mouse.

Fortunately, I found an interesting solution that works for some reason. When I set the computer to go to sleep when the cursor is moved to the corner of the screen, it seems to happen at a slightly different pace, and it no longer wakes up on its own a few seconds after the monitor turns off.

I'm posting this because I've seen many people having the same problem.

Hope it will help someone :)

I've got a lot of Mac mini's from 2018. base models (8gb or ram and 128gb apple nvme drives.) intel core i3 processors. what do I do with them? Home assistant? can they run windows 11 natively?

I have recently bought a base m4 mac mini and I ran out of my 256gb storage. I am budget conscious but don’t mind paying more if it’s worth it. was gonna buy the cheapest external ssd I can find on Amazon but I then found out that buying an nvme with a case can workout cheaper/around the same but much faster?

Hi, Is there a way to default external speaker to Bose instead of mac mini. It resets to mac min speakers, every time it wakes or i restart .

Hello folks,

I recently got a Mac Mini M2 from Croma (I was searching for old mrp m4 but found none only this was there so got it). It was available in a bundle, 36k INR for Mac Mini M2 Base along with 3 years Apple Care Services (by Servify not AP+). However it shows the warranty on the settings as protect+ it's for 3 years till 2029. I was wondering if I can extend it when it's near expiry or switch to applecare+

Anyone with experience?

I recently bought mac mini M4 256GB. Soon I realized I need more storage I see people doing internal storage upgrade, external storage, external SSD, dock, etc. So many options out there.

I want recommendations on what would be best use case for me. I mainly do lots of photo editing and occasional video editing.

Please give me your recommendations.

I’ve been in the Apple ecosystem for a long time (iPhone, iPad Pro, Apple Watch, etc.), but my computers have always been Windows/Linux. My main desktop is staying Windows because I still need it for certain things, but my laptop recently died and I’d like to finally add a Mac to the mix.
I’m an IT student with about a year and a half left of college, working part-time retail plus an internship doing data entry. Classes start soon, so I’m trying to figure out which $699 option makes more sense for me:

Mac mini
16GB unified memory
256GB storage
$699
Could potentially stretch to 24GB RAM while staying within a budget I’m comfortable with

MacBook Neo
8GB unified memory
512GB storage
$699
Obviously much more convenient as an actual portable computer
Touch ID

My main concern is 8GB vs. 16/24GB of unified memory, especially since the RAM can’t be upgraded later.
For school, I’m studying Networking & Cyber Defense. My normal laptop workload is browser tabs, Office/Google Docs, email, SSH/RDP, Linux tools, coding/scripting, and accessing school labs/VMs. I have a powerful desktop at home for anything that really needs Windows or significantly more horsepower, so this doesn’t need to replace my main PC.
The weird part: the Mac mini could actually work as a semi-portable option for me. I already own a portable monitor, keyboard, mouse, USB hub, external SSDs, etc., so I could basically toss everything into a bag and build a tiny workstation at school. Not as convenient as a MacBook, obviously, but workable.
For reference, here’s what I’m coming from:

Desktop:
Ryzen 9 3900X / 32GB RAM / RTX 2080 Super 8GB

Dead laptop:
MSI Pulse GL66 / 11th-gen i7 / 16GB RAM / RTX 3070 8GB

Current emergency laptop:
2008 MacBook Pro Unibody / 8GB RAM / Linux Mint XFCE. Affectionately named “Gramps.” It technically works, but thermal throttling into the ~400–600MHz range means opening Firefox occasionally feels like asking an elderly man to run a marathon. 😂

So my priorities are:
Reliable for the remaining ~1.5 years of college and hopefully several years beyond that
Enough memory for heavier multitasking and IT/cybersecurity coursework
Good value — I work part-time, so $699 is already a meaningful purchase
Portability is important, but I’m willing to sacrifice some convenience if the Mini is significantly better long-term
Storage isn’t a huge concern because I already have external SSDs and other storage options

Would you choose the 8GB/512GB Neo for the convenience of a real laptop, or the 16GB (possibly 24GB)/256GB Mac mini for the extra memory and performance headroom?

I’m especially interested in hearing from IT/CS/cybersecurity students or anyone who’s actually lived with an 8GB Apple Silicon Mac. How limiting is 8GB in practice?

I recently got a Mac Mini M4 and have been using it for a few months. But for the past 2 weeks, we’ve been having rotational power outages, so the power sometimes cuts off multiple times in one night while I’m working. There were also a few times when the Mac was just in sleep mode when the power went out.

Could this damage my Mac Mini over time? I literally just connected it to a UPS last night, so hopefully I’m not too late. Is there anything else I should do to protect it from these random power cuts? Or should I just burn down our electric company?

Hey folks,

I do not have a personal laptop currently and I was planning to buy a MacBook Air M4 for long term usage. I work as a software engineer and I want to use the laptop for general browsing, using AI tools(not locally, mostly cloud subscriptions). Also to work and build on personal projects.

Looking at the current prices, everything has rocketed sky high. Hopes of buying a MacBook have been kinda ruined. I was wondering if the Mac mini is the better option since it performs better and I have all the peripherals already. I was looking for a 16 GB 256 GB SSD. Also wondering if this is enough for long term usage?

What do you think is a better option looking at the prices currently?

Hey guys. I normally do “side by side” with my pc and m4 mini. I’ve tried to set the m4 to full screen on my 49” Samsung Neo G9. It goes funky. Won’t give a stable image.

Am I missing something or is there a work around?

Thanks!

I have a 2023 Mini with M2 Pro that will turn on, then nothing beyond that. I first noticed it yesterday (8/16) when I tried to turn it on to pay some bills. I first thought it might be the HDMI cord to the monitor, but after trying a different cord - nothing. I've tried to restart and press Command-R, still nothing.

All I can see it doing is powering on (white light in back + Mac startup sound), then the white light goes off and on, then it changes to a yellow/orange light and starts blinking like it is sending me some message in morse code. 4 fast blinks, 3 slow blinks, 2 fast blinks over and over. No idea what that is. Power supply is fine, I can plug other things in the same place and they work OK.

I have an appointment to get it checked out this coming weekend, but wondered if anyone has any ideas what's going on.

*Edited to add that the reason I am waiting nearly a week to get an appointment is that most of the area around the local Apple Store/Genius Bar is submerged (Google Indianapolis flooding) and I am not sure how hard it is to get there.

Hi everyone,

I’m setting up a home workstation and would appreciate some recommendations for a reliable docking station.

My setup:

* MacBook Pro 13" M1 (2020) + Work Windows Laptop
* 2 × MSI PRO MP275Q E14 27", 2560 × 1440, 144Hz monitors
* Both monitors will be used as separate extended displays, not mirrored
* Laptop will normally stay connected to the dock, so I’d like the dock to charge the MacBook as well
* Mainly used for accounting/finance work, Excel, study and general productivity rather than gaming

As this is my first setup, I’ve been researching online and have come across options such as the Plugable USBC-6950PDZ, Anker Prime DL7400, and Lenovo ThinkPad Hybrid USB-C Dock 40AF0135AU. However, I’m seeing mixed reviews, and some people recommend going with a Thunderbolt dock instead.

At this point, I’m unsure which option would work best for my setup while also offering good value for money and being future-proof enough that I won’t need to replace it in a year or two. I’d really appreciate any recommendations based on this specific setup. I don't necessarily need 144Hz on both monitors for work dual QHD 60Hz would be acceptable but if there is a sensible way to retain 144Hz on the primary monitor, that would be a bonus.

If you’re using an M1 MacBook with dual 1440p monitors, I’d especially appreciate hearing what dock you’re using, what refresh rates you actually get, and whether you’ve experienced any DisplayLink or sleep/wake issues.

Thanks!