Mac mini may be a smarter buy than a MacBook if portability doesn't matter

Tech outlet Engadget has weighed up who should choose Apple's smallest desktop, the Mac mini, over a MacBook laptop. Its conclusion: if you mostly use a computer at a desk, you may not need to pay extra for portability, since the Mac mini offers more performance for less money.

Prices and specifications

According to the article, the cheapest MacBook currently available is the MacBook Neo. It starts at $699 and uses the iPhone's A18 Pro chip with 8GB of RAM. That is enough for many users, but may fall short for video editing or other demanding work. The MacBook Air, one of the most popular laptops, starts at $1,299.

The base Mac mini starts at $899. For that price it comes with the latest M6 chip and 16GB of RAM. Engadget says this is enough for demanding software such as the video editing app Final Cut Pro or the developer tool Xcode.

Cooling and ports

The Mac mini has a cooling system with a fan, which helps it sustain high CPU and GPU performance for longer. A fanless MacBook, by contrast, reduces its performance when it gets hot. For light tasks such as web browsing or editing documents the difference is small, but for 4K editing, compiling code or some 3D games, cooling makes a noticeable difference. The Mac mini also has more ports than any MacBook: several USB-C Thunderbolt ports, Ethernet, HDMI and a headphone jack.

The trade-off

The Mac mini costs less than a MacBook Air or an iMac because a laptop's price includes parts such as the display and battery. The machine has no display, keyboard or mouse, so the benefit is greatest for people who already own them. If accessories must be bought separately, the total can approach the price of a MacBook Air.

For people who are constantly on the go, such as those working from coffee shops or while travelling, the article recommends a MacBook. If portability is not a priority, it suggests considering a Mac mini instead.