You can upgrade up to 32 gigabytes of memory and 8 terabytes of storage if you don't balk at the cost. My configuration consisted of a 12-core CPU, 19-core GPU, 16 gigabytes of memory, and a 1-terabyte SSD. Compared to the M1 Pro, Apple says its successor has 20 percent faster CPU performance (than the 10-core M1 Pro) and graphics that are 30 percent faster. I tested the Mac Mini with the M2 Pro, Apple's newest chip in the M-series lineup. That's enough for most people, but if you upgrade to the M2 Pro you can connect up to three displays to bask in all that blue light. If you prefer tons of screens around your workspace, then you may be disappointed to learn that the base Mac Mini still only supports two external displays, just like the M1-powered model. And at 2.6 pounds it's lightweight and portable, which makes it great for hybrid workers splitting time between the home and the office. The machine itself is tiny and unobtrusive, so it's easy to plan accessories around its footprint. There are tons of cheap and excellent keyboards, mice, and monitors you can snag that won't balloon the cost. Even if you're starting from scratch and building your workspace, it doesn't need to be too expensive. Plug everything in and you're good to go. This BYO design is great news if you already have those peripherals. You'll definitely want to add a pair of speakers for when you're not using headphones, because the built-in speakers aren't pleasant. The initialism, originally used by Steve Jobs when he announced the first Mac Mini in 2005, stands for “bring your own display, keyboard, and mouse,” because you get only the machine and a power cord in the box. The Mac Mini still follows the BYODKM rule. Whichever processor you get, the Mini is a smart and hassle-free way to get all the power most people need without emptying your wallet-and you actually have a say on what kind of peripherals to get. But most people don't need that much power. The closest desktop alternative is the base Mac Studio with an M1 Max chip for $1,999.

The only other M2 Pro-powered Macs are the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros, which start at $1,999 and $2,499, respectively. The base price is more affordable than ever, starting at $599, and the Mac Mini is the cheapest way to access the M2 Pro processor at $1,299. That alone breathes new life into this compact system, as it's a low-cost plug-and-play solution that's still powerful enough for the likes of content creators.

The new Mac Mini is similar to its predecessor from 2020 except it now employs Apple's next-gen M2 and M2 Pro processors. But it’s Apple’s most utilitarian machine, and that's more evident with the 2023 refresh. You can't quite tote it around and work anywhere like you can with a MacBook. It’s not ultra-powerful like the Mac Studio, modular like the Mac Pro, or colorful like the 24-inch iMac. It's easy to overlook the Mac Mini: Apple’s small, squarish PC isn’t particularly exciting.

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