The original Mac miniskirt was release 20 years ago today . And while it was a miniature marvel when it debuted , it ’s gone from strength to military strength in the class since . Today , it ’s one of thebest screen background computersyou can buy .
WhenSteve Jobspulled out the first Mac minion phase in 2005 , it was met with gasp and cheerfulness from the interview , such was its unbelievably compact form factor . Yet when it was bring in , Jobs ’ description of it was somewhat underwhelming : “ This is a very rich computer , but it ’s very , very flyspeck . ” You got the feeling that even Apple was n’t taking it particularly in earnest .
Now , with theM4 serial publication chipsand the smallest pattern it ’s ever had , everyone is taking the Mac mini in earnest .
Not only does theM4 Mac minipack a seriously impressive amount of power into a seriously impressive footprint , but it disprove the wide held belief that all Apple tech is expensive and overpriced . The Mac miniskirt is not just the most low-cost Mac available — it also offers some of the good economic value for money of any computer on the marketplace today .
Its original missionary post back in 2005 was to be a “ rifle - down Mac that is more affordable , ” as per Steve Jobs , and to that goal , it bring down with a price tag of $ 499 . Today , you could get one for $ 599 . study the 20 days of inflation that have passed , that ’s still an incredible damage . Incidentally , $ 499 in 2005 is about $ 825 today , highlighting what a superb steal the Mac mini is .
If you do n’t intend to work on the go , the Mac miniskirt is in all probability the best Mac for most the great unwashed aright now . unite with the fantastic ecosystem ofMac appsand the growing plethora ofAAA Mac games , it should have everything necessitate for 90 % of the computer - buying population .
Falling in love with the Mac mini
I ’ve been a fan of the Mac mini for year . My M1 model hail with plenty of power for my want and does n’t clog up my desk . And while I thought mysmall - pattern - gene Windows PCwas lilliputian , the M4 Mac mini just blows it out of the water .
As well as that , I ’ve never liked Apple ’s keyboard and black eye — the Magic Keyboard is expensive and unsatisfying to typewrite on , while the more I use theMagic Mouse , the more uncomfortable its low - profile human body feels .
I do n’t have to steady down for Apple ’s stimulation devices in the way I do with the MacBook Pro , as the Mac mini has no build - in peripheral machine . As Steve Jobs once tell , the Mac miniskirt is BYODKM ( or “ bring your own display , keyboard and mouse ” ) . I can use agaming black eye , amechanical keyboard , and a massive , high - declaration displayand still get a fantasticmacOSexperience . It ’s seamster - made for customization in a way that few other Apple products are .
A few months ago , I was consideringgiving up on the Mac miniskirt — not because mine is bad , but because myMacBook Prodoes everything I require . I determine myself reaching for my laptop computer over my Mac mini much of the clock time . What was the point of having two Macs if I used one far more than the other ?
Then theM4 Mac minicame along , with its incredibly tiny footprint and wonderful force output , all wrapped up in a gorgeous conception . It ’s totally changed my mind and made me sorely tempted toditch my Windows microcomputer altogether . It ’s reminded me why I fall in love with the Mac mini in the first situation .
The next 20 years
Over the preceding 20 years , the Mac mini has always had a lot go for it . The original fashion model might wait bulky today , but it was almost unfathomably small when it was launch . Successive models cut down the ponderosity even further while bringing in ever - more potent components , helping it persist relevant ( if not always the most herculean Mac in the roster ) .
But with the introduction of Apple Si in 2020 and the further power increase of the M4 chips introduced in 2024 , the Mac miniskirt has a novel lease on life . No longer is it a machine that ’s modest in both form and ability — today , it proves that mini can mean mighty .
Indeed , today ’s Mac mini is in the best embodiment of its sprightliness and is a genuinely strong option for anyone who need a adequate to computer that far outperforms its inexpensive cost tag . Now , I ’m looking forward to seeing where it finish up in another 20 years ’ clip .
