I'm a known Apple hater, but this Mac mini Prime Day deal is so good even I'd buy it

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The Mac mini (M2, 2023) on a blue background with a TechRadar 'Don't Miss' bade.
(Image credit: Apple / Future)

If you know me, or you've read enough of my articles, you'll probably be aware that I'm not the biggest fan of Apple. No, I don't truly hate Apple's hardware, and I'm in awe at how good its recent M-series silicon has performed – but I wouldn't buy a MacBook, because even during  Amazon Prime Day they're still pretty darn expensive.

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But there is one Apple product I genuinely would consider buying this Prime Day, were my home office not already filled with enough laptops to outfit a small army of programmers – and it's the 2023 M2 Mac mini for $499 at Amazon (or £583 for British shoppers – sorry guys).

Seriously, I love this little guy. Not only is it breathtakingly compact, but it's also incredibly powerful for its diminutive size. And given that it's at its lowest-ever price, there's truly no better option for a new home computer right now.

Today's best Mac mini deal in the US

Apple Mac mini with M2: $599$479 at AmazonProcessorRAMStorageOS

Apple Mac mini with M2: was $599 now $479 at Amazon
Processor - Apple M2
RAM - 8GB Unified Memory
Storage - 256GB SSD
OS - macOS

The best compact computer on the market, bar none. The latest Mac mini, released in 2023, comes with Apple's M2 chip, which offers strong performance across creative and productivity tasks. At just five hundred bucks, it's an absolute steal for anyone who needs a new home system.

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Today's best Mac mini deal in the UK

Apple Mac mini with M2: £649£582.97 at AmazonProcessorRAMStorageOS

Apple Mac mini with M2: was £649 now £582.97 at Amazon
Processor - Apple M2
RAM - 8GB Unified Memory
Storage - 256GB SSD
OS - macOS

It might not be as heavily discounted in the UK (yet!), but the M2 Mac mini is still a brilliant choice of compact computer for your home or office. The M2 chip offers excellent performance, and with a full suite of physical ports, you'll never be lacking in connectivity.

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The model on sale is specifically the M2 edition of the Mac mini (and while M1 models are also on sale, I'd recommend getting this one). Since Apple's tiny desktop computer has yet to receive a hardware refresh to the M3 or M4 chip, this is currently the most recent iteration of the mini.

Still, that M2 chip is absolutely no slouch; in our Mac mini M2 review, we praised the performance and power efficiency of Apple's custom-designed SoC (system-on-a-chip), as well as remarking on the M2 Mac mini's great selection of physical ports. It's also near-silent in operation, for those who don't want a noisy desktop system with screeching fans.

Of course, you'll still need some accoutrements to use it, namely a monitor, keyboard, and mouse. But if you're happy to buy non-Apple peripherals (read: not the seriously expensive Apple Studio Display), you could comfortably assemble a full home desktop setup for less than another $200/£200 – and that sounds like a good deal to me.

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Christian Guyton
Christian Guyton
Editor, Computing

Christian is TechRadar’s UK-based Computing Editor. He came to us from Maximum PC magazine, where he fell in love with computer hardware and building PCs. He was a regular fixture amongst our freelance review team before making the jump to TechRadar, and can usually be found drooling over the latest high-end graphics card or gaming laptop before looking at his bank account balance and crying.

Christian is a keen campaigner for LGBTQ+ rights and the owner of a charming rescue dog named Lucy, having adopted her after he beat cancer in 2021. She keeps him fit and healthy through a combination of face-licking and long walks, and only occasionally barks at him to demand treats when he’s trying to work from home.