My thoughts on the M2 Mac Mini
So, recently I bought a new computer. I ended up buying the M2 Mac Mini. And I also ended up moving away from Windows after using the operating system for over 20 years.
After using it now for a little over a month now (closer to two months), I decided I’d share my experiences of using it. This isn’t my first Mac, but it is my first Mac that uses the Apple silicon.
What I love about it
Performance
This Mac is fast. I’ve read plenty of reviews that talked about how fast it was but when you start using it yourself, it’s a mind blowing experience.
The Mac Mini I have has an 8 core CPU and a 10 core GPU.
Getting my site running locally with Gatsby takes seconds, not minutes. Firefox loads up instantly. Loading up large images in Pixelmator doesn't tax the system. I could go on, but the main point is that the M2 is a fantastic System on a chip! I haven’t had an experience where I needed to wait for something for more than a couple of seconds.
Applications that are built for the new Apple Silicon have fantastic performance. And the number of applications that are built for Apple Silicon are increasing.
The performance alone is a major reason why you should consider this Mac Mini if you’re in the market for a new computer.
It’s so quiet
My old Windows desktop was loud, and the fan was incredibly noisy. There’s also the noise from the PSU as well which would hum in the background. But this Mac is whisper quiet even when running PyTorch to create tensors, Gatsby and more. I’ve never heard the fan spin up once.
It’s compact
It’s the most compact computer I’ve ever owned and I think it’s great that I can put this computer just about anywhere. It doesn’t take up much space on my desk.
Backwards compatibility
Switching to an ARM based Mac brings the question of software being compatible. Thankfully, Apple has that covered with Rosetta 2 - a translation layer for applications that haven’t been compiled to ARM.
I haven’t had any issues with running any application yet. To be fair, I’m late to the party when it comes to joining the M based Mac club, so a majority of the applications that I use now have versions that support the newer Macs.
Quality software
Speaking of software, the number of high quality software available for the Mac is good. This isn’t just the software that is included on the Mac, but applications such as Pixelmator Pro and PDF Expert are fantastic to use on the Mac.
Plus, the new Macs are compatible with iOS/iPadOS software as well (since iOS/iPadOS devices used ARM SOCs) so you can install your favourite iOS application on your Mac. Which is a neat feature. However, the experience isn’t always great as sometimes applications aren’t designed for Macs.
Value for money
I know this sounds odd, considering that Macs are very much a premium product, but the Mac Mini is the most affordable Mac to buy. And given it’s shipping with the M2, it’s a fantastic machine for the money. The base model starts at £649, which considering you get the M2, it's a very good price.
What I don’t like about it
The built in speaker
It’s awful. I don’t know why it’s there. Who honestly uses it? Please don’t use it, it’s horrendous. It sounds like nails on a chalk board.
Out of everything bad I can say about the Mac Mini, the built in speaker is probably the worst part about it.
The M2 Pro model is the only model with 4 Thunderbolt ports.
I wish the other models had more than 2 Thunderbolt ports. Having two ports is limiting, especially since I’d like to switch to a USB-C monitor at some point.
All the ports are on the back
When I say all the ports are on the back, I mean that all the ports are on the back. This means if you want to attach a USB drive or something, you'll need to reach around the back of the Mac. I kinda wish they put at least one USB port at the front.
Storage options aren’t great (and the upgrades are expensive)
Sure, you can configure the Mac to have more storage, but the price you pay for the extra storage is questionable. If you’re looking for a Mac Mini with 1TB of storage, you’ll be paying an extra £200 for it. The upgrades for RAM are also pricey.
Installing other operating systems is an odd situation
At some point, Apple will stop supporting the M2. Which leaves the question of what could you do with your Mac? Installing Linux would be an option except it isn’t fully supported yet. There is the Asahi Linux project which is making excellent progress (it’s currently in Alpha). In the future, I imagine this won’t be an issue.
Bring your own keyboard (and mouse)
When you buy a Mac mini, you have to provide your own mouse and keyboard. The mouse isn’t a major issue (well, the Magic Mouse is terrible) but the keyboard is a different situation. The keyboard is different on a Mac as the icons on the keyboard are unique and different than a keyboard for Windows.
The keyboards that Apple sell aren’t cheap (and the keyboards with Touch ID are very expensive) so be prepared to buy a new keyboard.
Playing games is an afterthought
So Apple is making some attempt to bring more games to Mac, especially announcing games like No Man's Sky was coming to Mac. But it doesn't have the large library that Windows (and even Linux, thanks to ProtonDB) have. And so far the number of AAA games available on Mac is very low.
Sure, there is Apple Arcade, but the games available on Apple Arcade are designed to work on iPhone and iPad, not just Mac. Plus, Apple Arcade requires a subscription.
But for my needs, I'm more tempted to pick up a Steam Deck at some point since I travel a lot.
Conclusion
I’ve been really enjoying the Mac Mini a bunch. It suits my needs perfectly and I don’t think I’ve scratched the surface of what it can do.
Should you consider getting a Mac Mini if you’re in the market for a new computer? Honestly, yes.
The performance of the M2 is the major draw here, so if you’re looking for a capable computer than can handle productivity tasks, then this computer should be on your list. Considering you can get this from £629, it's a computer that is great for productivity and general use.