Apple is Now Selling a Refurbished Mac Mini for Just $319 (!)

[EugW]

I posted this elsewhere but I think it bears repeating here:

With my business application type usage, I will multitask MS Office with Windows VPN, iMessage, Mail, Calendar, and a few other things, including sometimes a bit of Apple Photos.

With 8 GB RAM on an older Intel Machine it runs just fine, but with 1-3 GB swap after using it a while. There are occasional pauses for a couple of seconds here and there, but overall it runs pretty well. It would run better with Apple Silicon, and indeed, a friend who ran professional web design software multitasked on an M1 8 GB Mac mini for a while, and it was fine. Not exactly lightning fast, but faster than his 2015 27" iMac with much more RAM.

With my 16 GB M1, the machine was very responsive with the same business apps, and the swap was 0-1 GB. No significant pauses.

With my current 24 GB M4, it appears to be overkill for this usage. There is never any swap at all.

So yes, 8 GB is perfectly fine for a large chunk of the population, especially if you aren't heavily into AI.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

There is no such rule, just FYI, especially the "optimize" part..

Sure, but my first Mac was a 2009 white plastic MacBook with 2 GB of RAM and it was in use (not necessarily by me because it was purchased used) for eight years in which Apple’s default RAM not only doubled, but then doubled again from 2 to 4 to 8 GB of RAM.
And yet, that little 2009 MB ran all the way from snow leopard to High Sierra (10.6 to 10.13) fine, even with its teeny tiny, literally 1/4 of apples default at the time amount of RAM.
Also, the latest version of iOS runs on phones with 3 GB of RAM fine, and phones with 8 GB of RAM fine.
I certainly don’t expect the default amount of RAM to quadruple in the next seven years, I don’t think 2031 Mac mini‘s will have 64 GB of RAM for $500 by default.
But even if they do, I still expect all of the previous generations to be supported just as well as my 2GB MacBook was.
And this is all under the assumption that the default will change rapidly, which I don’t really expect to happen. 8GB was Apple‘s default RAM for 12 years, 16 GB I expect to be the default for at least half that, maybe more.

 

[turbineseaplane]

Sure, but my first Mac was a 2009 white plastic MacBook with 2 GB of RAM and it was in use (not necessarily by me because it was purchased used) for eight years in which Apple’s default RAM not only doubled, but then doubled again from 2 to 4 to 8 GB of RAM.
And yet, that little 2009 MB ran all the way from snow leopard to High Sierra (10.6 to 10.13) fine, even with its teeny tiny, literally 1/4 of apples default at the time amount of RAM.
Also, the latest version of iOS runs on phones with 3 GB of RAM fine, and phones with 8 GB of RAM fine.
I certainly don’t expect the default amount of RAM to quadruple in the next seven years, I don’t think 2031 Mac mini‘s will have 64 GB of RAM for $500 by default.
But even if they do, I still expect all of the previous generations to be supported just as well as my 2GB MacBook was.
And this is all under the assumption that the default will change rapidly, which I don’t really expect to happen. 8GB was Apple‘s default RAM for 12 years, 16 GB I expect to be the default for at least half that, maybe more.

Oh I'm all for it -- rooting for it!
I just get concerned with, overall, how Apple is needing to really start getting creative to keep "number going up"

Squeezing support cycles down a bit is one way to "squeeze"

I was mainly just highlighting that we only have some precedents to go off of ... there's no support contract or anything here. They can change up "how they used to do things" at any time, of course

 

[Joe Rossignol]

Click bait!!! Not the M4 Mac mini that’s pictured.

Very clickbait-y image/headline combo IMO. Why not put up a picture of the actual Mini that's for sale for $319, instead of the M4 Mini?

As someone else mentioned, this is the M2 mini on sale.

My bad. I changed the image. I had used an an image of the latest Mac mini out of habit. Truly wasn't intentional.

 

[opeter]

It can happen, that the new Apple AI wont work on M1 and M2 Macs.

 

[d3vilsadvocate]

hmm is there a "synology-drive" like software for this so that I could use this as a low-power file server?

my synology draws like 80W at all times and I don't need 99% of my files most of the time.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

Hard to fully agree with this, as a 13 Mini and iPad Mini 5 user

I guess it depends upon the subjective definition of "destroying"

This is destroying.

Just because the video says parody in the title, it’s not, read the description and it explains.
This is also destroying…

Meanwhile, this is what we get today…

Little slow downs, and lags that build up overtime and the obvious battery decline, but basically the complete opposite of unusable.
Obviously, an 8 GB of ram computer in 2031 won’t be the fastest thing on the planet, but it will run a lot more similar to the six year old XS than the five year old 4S or two years old 3G.

 

[EugW]

Sure, but my first Mac was a 2009 white plastic MacBook with 2 GB of RAM and it was in use (not necessarily by me because it was purchased used) for eight years in which Apple’s default RAM not only doubled, but then doubled again from 2 to 4 to 8 GB of RAM.
And yet, that little 2009 MB ran all the way from snow leopard to High Sierra (10.6 to 10.13) fine, even with its teeny tiny, literally 1/4 of apples default at the time amount of RAM.
Also, the latest version of iOS runs on phones with 3 GB of RAM fine, and phones with 8 GB of RAM fine.
I certainly don’t expect the default amount of RAM to quadruple in the next seven years, I don’t think 2031 Mac mini‘s will have 64 GB of RAM for $500 by default.
But even if they do, I still expect all of the previous generations to be supported just as well as my 2GB MacBook was.
And this is all under the assumption that the default will change rapidly, which I don’t really expect to happen. 8GB was Apple‘s default RAM for 12 years, 16 GB I expect to be the default for at least half that, maybe more.

Regarding 2 GB vs 8 GB base. I think it's partially a matter of diminishing returns.

Some of the 2 GB Macs were RAM starved at launch, even for basic usage. This isn't true even today for 8 GB Macs. For light usage, they run just fine, even arguably fast.

Yes, those 2 GB Macs were supported for a long time, but they ran like @ss after the first couple of years, which isn't a surprise considering they were merely just usable at launch with base RAM.

I'm not sure there's ever been a better value Mac than this particular refurb offering

I agree. And I don't see another price like this going forward for any other Macs for the foreseeable future (5 years).

 

[Zdigital2015]

Now, for Apple to get over their ridiculous upgrade pricing for storage. It’s coming one way or another, and they know it. Everyone here knows that Apple only increased base RAM because they had to come up with an AI strategy and got caught with their schedules behind. The next shoe to drop is storage. I still think plenty of people can work and live well on 256GB, but the tier upgrade prices are just punitive now and even the average consumer sees it. I’m sure there is a spreadsheet/cost projection that says when services profits hit a certain amount, they’ll offset the storage cost reductions and not one minute sooner. And then apple will announce it like it’s the best gift in the world. Bookmark this post.

 

[gpat]

I seriously think looking back, the 8 GB base will be considered one of the more anti-consumer things Apple has ever done.

Pfffft. Not even close.
Base memory cuts on iPhone (8GB until 2014, 16GB until 2016) were way more crippling. Together with
- 1GB RAM on iPhone 6
- 2GB RAM on basic Macbook Air for way too long (until 2012)
- 64GB SSD on basic Macbook Air until 2013
- 256MB RAM on 2010 iPad.

2010s Apple had an unprecedented level of arrogance towards the customer.
Also 2020s Apple looks friendlier than ever to me.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

Oh I'm all for it -- rooting for it!
I just get concerned with, overall, how Apple is needing to really start getting creative to keep "number going up"

Squeezing support cycles down a bit is one way to "squeeze"

I was mainly just highlighting that we only have some precedents to go off of ... there's no support contract or anything here. They can change up "how they used to do things" at any time, of course

I’m hoping with Google and Samsung‘s recent announcements that their phones will at least get seven years of updates, Apple will *not* change that long held standard.
At the current moment, Samsung and Google are just talking the talk, the first phones they promised would get seven years of updates only came out two years ago, so we are still in the “wait and see if they will actually do it” phase.
Meanwhile, Apple has given everyone of their phones at least six years of updates since the 6S. Their last phone to not at least receive six years of updates was the 6.
On the Mac side, their last computer to receive less than six years worth of updates was the 2008 MacBook Air, and that was 17 years ago.
And given how well M1 machines are holding up almost 5 years later, i’m not particularly actively concerned that Apple will start abandoning the majority of their Mac customers.
An important reminder that Apple‘s most popular computer, the one that actually makes them probably the most amount of money, is the base MacBook Air. Which was only updated to 16 GB of RAM by default three months ago. There are likely more 8 gigabytes of RAM MacBook Air and usage today than 16 GB of RAM MacBook Airs.
Even in the world of making as much profit as possible, Apple still has a duty to keep customer satisfaction numbers up, and given that the vast majority of Macintosh computers purchased within the last several years have 8 GB of RAM I don’t expect support and optimization to end for these anytime soon.

 

[EugW]

Pfffft. Not even close.
Base memory cuts on iPhone (8GB until 2014, 16GB until 2016) were way more crippling. Together with
- 1GB RAM on iPhone 6
- 2GB RAM on basic Macbook Air for way too long (until 2012)
- 64GB SSD on basic Macbook Air until 2013
- 256MB RAM on 2010 iPad.

2010s Apple had an unprecedented level of arrogance towards the customer.
Also 2020s Apple looks friendlier than ever to me.

I refused to buy the iPhone 6 Plus because of its 1 GB RAM.
I refused to buy the original iPad because of its 256 MB RAM.

I wanted to wait on the iPad Pro M4 because it hadn't got a RAM upgrade to 12 GB*, but I figured 8 GB would be OK for my usage, and I didn't want to wait another 2 years for OLED. I'm pretty sure it will get a RAM upgrade in its next iteration though.

*What makes it more annoying is that at least some of them actually do have 12 GB, but with 4 GB deactivated.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

Yes, those 2 GB Macs were supported for a long time, but they ran like @ss after the first couple of years, which isn't a surprise considering they were merely just usable at launch with base RAM.

This was not my experience though.
I used that 2 GB of RAM Mac running Mavericks, Yosemite, El Capitan and Sierra every day. Sure, especially once we were going into 2017 and the machine was eight years old, it was slow and starting to struggle.
But… The thing launched with snow leopard. It was still very usable six or seven operating system versions and eight years later.
And as you say, today’s 8 GB of RAM computers are already in a better position than those old 2GB ones.

 

[jz0309]

It can happen, that the new Apple AI wont work on M1 and M2 Macs.

And what’s going to happen then? Will the world come to an end???

 

[EugW]

This was not my experience though.
I used that 2 GB of RAM Mac running Mavericks, Yosemite, El Capitan and Sierra every day. Sure, especially once we were going into 2017 and the machine was eight years old, it was slow and starting to struggle.
But… The thing launched with snow leopard. It was still very usable six or seven operating system versions and eight years later.

Well, that was my experience with 2 GB RAM on that era of machines, with even just my business apps.

I upgraded my 2009 MacBook Pro to 4 GB RAM pretty quick, and then an SSD upgrade. And then later to 8 GB RAM.

 

[trip1ex]

not worth it. You can get the new mini for $499.

In a few months you can get it and an additional college promotion usually a gift card for $499.


$319 for an m2 16GB would have been attractive tho.

 

[gpat]

Well, that was my experience with 2 GB RAM on that era of machines, with even just my business apps.

I upgraded my 2009 MacBook Pro to 4 GB RAM pretty quick, along with an SSD upgrade. And then later to 8 GB RAM.

The problem is that 2GB RAM made it until 2013 in soldered form for the 11" MacBook Air... way more crippling than 8GB in 2020, or even in 2030.

 

[WarmWinterHat]

It can happen, that the new Apple AI wont work on M1 and M2 Macs.

...and all the sudden m1 and m2 Macs
skyrocket in value!

 

[QuarterSwede]

I posted this elsewhere but I think it bears repeating here:

With my business application type usage, I will multitask MS Office with Windows VPN, iMessage, Mail, Calendar, and a few other things, including sometimes a bit of Apple Photos.

With 8 GB RAM on an older Intel Machine it runs just fine, but with 1-3 GB swap after using it a while. There are occasional pauses for a couple of seconds here and there, but overall it runs pretty well. It would run better with Apple Silicon, and indeed, a friend who ran professional web design software multitasked on an M1 8 GB Mac mini for a while, and it was fine. Not exactly lightning fast, but faster than his 2015 27" iMac with much more RAM.

With my 16 GB M1, the machine was very responsive with the same business apps, and the swap was 0-1 GB. No significant pauses.

With my current 24 GB M4, it appears to be overkill for this usage. There is never any swap at all.

So yes, 8 GB is perfectly fine for a large chunk of the population, especially if you aren't heavily into AI.

I hate to agree with this but I do.

I have a work issued Ryzen 5 laptop that has 8GB and it runs its display plus 2 others at 1080p on Windows 11. I always have Chrome (~20 tabs, 7 at 1.9GB/piece), Excel, Outlook, Teams, and WhatsApp (don’t ask) running. I’ve literally never noticed running out of RAM.

For the vast majority of people it’s fine. Only 2 of my team have needed 16GB but that is solely because they’re lunatics in how many tabs they have open at a time.

At $319 I would never complain. That’s a killer deal for Apple Silicon anything.

 

[EugW]

BTW, it's even cheaper in Canada.

It's CA$439 / US$309 in Canada.

Used resale values must be tanking now. I'm glad I sold my M1 Mac mini a couple of weeks ago.

 

[JosephAW]

Currently using this machine with external 4tb T7 ssd. Still very capable machine. Using Libre office, daVinci resolve and photoshop elements for my work load.
Got mine new for $499 retail at Best Buy. Needs $299 price to clear out inventory but still a good entry price and lists of life left for the average user or option for server farm setup.

 

[WarmWinterHat]

I hate to agree with this but I do.

I have a work issued Ryzen 5 laptop that has 8GB and it runs its display plus 2 others at 1080p on Windows 11. I always have Chrome (~20 tabs, 7 at 1.9GB/piece), Excel, Outlook, Teams, and WhatsApp (don’t ask) running. I’ve literally never noticed running out of RAM.

For the vast majority of people it’s fine. Only 2 of my team have needed 16GB but that is solely because they’re lunatics in how many tabs they have open at a time.

At $319 I would never complain. That’s a killer deal for Apple Silicon anything.

Same. I have a work i7 Dell, with 8gb ram, laptop running two monitors when docked. I run heavy excel files, word, a browser, teams, outlook, a couple remote desktops and Citrix. I've never been close to running out of ram.

 

[brofkand]

Wow probably the highest value computer deal in the world right now. I have one and I love it.

 

[Rychiar]

I mean that’s all it’s worth. I sold mine for around that in November

 

[EugW]

My wife and daughter both have 8 GB Macs. The bottleneck is definitely not the RAM. It's their CPUs, old Intel models.

Even their 256 GB SSDs are fine. Actually both Macs shipped with 128 GB, but I ended up upgrading them to 256 within the first year, with inexpensive used OEM Apple/Samsung drives. For my wife it was her iMessage taking up 40 GB and some system files that put her over 100 GB total, greatly slowing that machine down. However, even today, she only uses 120 GB. My daughter only uses about 60 GB though, since most of her school assignments are done in the cloud.

I gave my 2017 27" iMac to my son. It's well-spec'd with 1 TB SSD and 24 GB RAM, but it's way, way overkill for him. He has similar computing needs as my daughter, so his 1 TB SSD has about 950 GB free.

I mean that’s all it’s worth. I sold mine for around that in November

Used. Not really a good price comparison.