The Mac Mini, along with the more mobile MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro, was one of the first Apple computers to ditch Intel silicon in favor of Apple’s impressive M1 processor. It didn’t get the M1X update that the 14-inch MacBook Pro and 16-inch MacBook Pro did last fall, but the Mac Mini remains the company’s least expensive MacOS computer and is discounted at Amazon right now.
The baseline model of the M1-based Mac Mini costs $699 from Apple and features 8GB of RAM and a 256GB solid-state drive. The step-up model costs $899 from Apple and doubles the storage capacity to 512GB. Bigger discounts were available earlier this year at Amazon when the 256GB model was $129 off and the 512GB model was $149 off. Both Mac Mini models are discounted by only $30 at Amazon at the moment, which is still the biggest price break we see for either right now from any online retailer.
One benefit of paying full price and buying from Apple is you can customize the machine and add more RAM or a higher-capacity SSD, whereas the models sold on Amazon and other retailers are fixed configurations. And unlike in most other desktops, the Mac Mini’s RAM is not user-upgradable. Apple’s M1 system-on-a-chip integrates the CPU, GPU, RAM and other components for greater power and efficiency, but the downside of this integration is the lack of DIMM slots that would allow you to add additional RAM after purchase.
There is a rumor that Apple will be hosting an event on March 8 which could have some new Mac Mini and iMacs included as part of the product announcements. While still unconfirmed, it’s worth noting just in case you prefer to have the latest and greatest models.
Apple’s student discounts and refurbs
It’s worth noting that the Apple Store offers students an educational discount, where you can save $50 on the price of a new Mac Mini. Some upgrades are discounted, too. For example, doubling the RAM to 16GB costs $180 with the student discount instead of the usual charge of $200.
Also at Apple, you might find a refurbished M1 Mac Mini. Apple has started selling refurbs of the M1 Mac Mini at its Certified Refurbished Mac page. You can usually find a refurbished M1 Mac Mini with a 256GB SSD for $589 with a $110 discount, or the step-up model with 512GB SSD for $759 with a $140 discount. Refurb inventory changes rapidly so you may not always find an M1 Mac Mini listed. It’s worth keeping an eye out, however, because you can lock in substantial savings. Rick Broida, CNET’s Cheapskate emeritus, is a big fan of refurbs — particularly Apple’s, which are often as good as new.
Keep reading to see the best US prices currently available for Apple’s Mac Mini. We update this page regularly and give prices that are accurate at time of publication, but note that they fluctuate.
Mac Mini discounts, compared
| Model w/ CPU and storage capacity | List price | Best price (current) | Best price (all-time) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mac Mini w/ M1 chip, 256GB SSD | $699 | $669 | $570 |
| Mac Mini w/ M1 chip, 512GB SSD | $899 | $869 | $750 |
Note that “all-time” means the best price that we’ve seen at an Apple-authorized retailer in the product’s lifetime.
The baseline Mac Mini features Apple’s new M1 chip, 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD. Amazon currently has it for $669, which is $30 less than it would cost you from Apple directly.
Dan Ackerman/CNET
The step-up Mac Mini bumps the storage up to 512GB, an increased capacity that most people will benefit from, as 512GB is about the smallest SSD we’d recommend for any desktop. Like the baseline model, it’s discounted at Amazon by $30 compared to the price you’d pay from Apple.
Watch this:
Hands-on with the entire new Apple Mac M1 lineup
9:02