At just 5x5 inches, the Mac mini lives up to its name. (Amazon)(Amazon)
My first Mac desktop was a game-changing purchase in my life — sleek and gleaming, it stood out in a world of clunky PCs, looks-wise and when it came to performance. I relied on it for countless college papers, photo and video edits and even animation projects. It lasted nearly a decade before I had to give it up. But Apple kept me coming back for more — and why not? Macs are the gold standard: slick, lightning-fast and endlessly reliable. No random crashes, endless updates or strange glitches — just a computer that works.
That's why I'm psyched to be able to tell you that the 2024 Mac mini — that's the one with Apple's powerful M4 chip — can be yours for just $500 at Amazon. That's $99 off the regular price.
Never lose your luggage, purse, car, keys — anything, really — again. Just attach one of these smart tags to the item you want to track, and you'll be alerted to its whereabouts via your phone. The deal on this four-pack brings each tag down to about $16 (they typically retail for $25 to $30 a pop). Grab a few for your, er, forgetful family members...
Tired of dealing with a menagerie of remotes every time you want to watch TV? Stop the insanity with this easy and intuitive top-seller (which happens to be the newest model) that can replace 'em all. You'll be able to effortlessly switch between the news, sports, live TV and your favorite streaming platforms for easy access to millions of shows and movies.
Apple products are so sought after that they don't really need to go on sale, and when they do, it's often because they're older models. That said, this is the most recent version of this iPad, which makes this markdown extra noteworthy.
McGraw says, "It's an ultra-light, thin tablet that's powerful enough to replace your laptop for most tasks but slips into your bag without a second thought. With a large 11-inch Liquid Retina display, you're swiping and scrolling in vibrant color and sharpness that makes any screen that came before feel like an old tube TV.
"If you've got a habit of toggling between a dozen apps, streaming videos and replying to messages at once, you're in for a treat. This iPad is ready to keep up with whatever you throw its way. And if you're into gaming, the graphics capabilities mean you can play even demanding games without dropping a frame."
Top-rated Sony wireless headphones for just $38? We're listening! At nearly 40% off, this is one of the best prices we've seen this year.
You, your kids and your grandkids will have a blast playing with this highly rated drone, which easily connects to your phone for taking photos and videos from above. Use it in the yard or even bring it on your next trip for a bird's-eye view of your vacation. And yeah: It can do 360-degree flips!
Full disclosure: We've yet to see it top $90, so the original list price is likely overstated. That said, getting it for $50 is still fab.
"These Sony headphones aren't just any old pair of cans," says McGraw. "With top-tier noise-cancelling tech, they let you block out the world and dive into your music, podcasts or calls with clarity.
"They boast a solid 30 hours of battery life as well as quick charging (a 10-minute charge will get you five hours of playback), so you won’t be hunting for an outlet mid-listen. And with touch-sensor controls, adjusting volume or skipping tracks is as easy as a tap."
FYI, they rarely dip lower than this — I've only seen them for $5 less, once!
This desktop model, powered by Apple's ultrafast M4 chip, is a 2024 release, so we're beyond surprised to find it on sale at a $99 discount (close to its lowest price ever).
The petite powerhouse works like a charm with other Apple gear.
Everything the base model has with twice the storage and a $109-off sale price.
Dual monitors? So 2020. (Who has multiple HDMI ports on their computer anyway?) Instead, pick up this roomy option and have all your spreadsheets side by side.
The Mac Mini is a shocking $99 off, making it just a few bucks shy of the lowest price we've ever seen for this 256GB model.
When you buy a laptop, you're paying not only for the computer, but the screen and the fact that they had to design every part to fit inside of a small, thin, lightweight, metal container. Desktops like the iMac are a bit cheaper because there is more room to fit things, but in some instances, you're paying for a 5K screen.
The Mac mini takes that a step further. Most of us have a monitor lying around (I have three, and I'm starting to think I may have a slight hoarding problem), which means all you really need is a computer to plug into it. That's exactly what the Mac mini is: Apple's speedy M4 chip, 16GB of RAM and 256GB of hard drive space, which is easily expandable with an external hard drive. All for $500. No frills, just a powerful silver box with an Apple logo stamped on top.
Did I mention the ports? In addition to a headphone jack (they're not dead yet!) and two USB-C ports on the front, there is a place to plug in an Ethernet cable in the back, as well as three Thunderbolt ports and an HDMI port for your monitor.
This model's been getting a lot of love from Amazon reviewers, not unexpected for a Mac.
For most people, this Mac mini has enough computing power to handle day-to-day tasks, from streaming to even editing videos. "Powerful (for what I need), which is watching videos on YouTube at 4K, light editing of videos (Premiere Pro) and audio files (Audacity) for my acting and VO business and shopping," reported a customer. "Yeah, these tasks aren't too CPU intensive, but when running a bunch of tasks/tabs at once, I've never once had a slowdown."
"I've only had it for a short while, but this baby is FAST," said a need-for-speed shopper. "It has a way smaller footprint — almost a quarter of the size of the M1. And it is lightyears faster."
One five-star reviewer was surprised at the size. "I didn't realize how much smaller the new Mac mini was.... [This] base model has enough storage, and you can run multiple applications without any issues."
"Apple. Are you ok?" questioned a five-star reviewer on one of the Cupertino Company's design choices. "I understand the phrase 'power down', but I think you took it a little too literally by the power button down, under the computer, where you have to physically pick up the computer to press it."
One four-star rater found the number of ports to be lacking, specifically the USB-Cs. "There are just two USB-C [ports] in the front and you will need a USB expansion hub. This Mac Mini is thicker and smaller compared to what I had. But I like the silence it brings to my desk."
Need a bit more storage? The 512GB version is calling your name.
The one thing the Mac mini doesn't have? A monitor. If you've already got one at home you can use that, or check out some of the awesome wide monitors on sale at Amazon, like this 34-inch Samsung:
If you have Amazon Prime, you'll get free shipping, of course. Not yet a member? No problem. You can sign up for your free 30-day trial here. (And by the way, those without Prime still get free shipping on orders of $35 or more.)
The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.
