x/nxpc · 
You know that feeling when you're about to check out and someone changes the price tag? That's every Apple customer right now. Apple quietly killed the $599 Mac Mini M4 with 256GB of storage in May 2026, and now the cheapest Mac Mini starts at $799 USD. In Canada? A cool $1,099 CAD. Meanwhile, over in Mini PC land, you can grab a Ryzen 7 machine with double the RAM and twice the storage for less than $500.
Welcome to the state of compact computing in August 2026 — where Apple's memory crunch meets the scrappy, value-packed world of Chinese mini PCs. Let's break down what's actually worth your money.
Apple's new baseline Mac Mini M4 configuration:
| Spec | Mac Mini M4 (Base) |
|---|---|
| Chip | Apple M4 — 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU |
| RAM | 16GB Unified Memory (soldered, not upgradeable) |
| Storage | 512GB SSD (soldered, not upgradeable) |
| Ports | 2× USB-C (front), 3× Thunderbolt 4 (rear), HDMI, Gigabit Ethernet, headphone jack |
| Wi-Fi / BT | Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Power | ~40W under load, near-silent |
| Price (USD) | $799 |
| Price (CAD) | $1,099 |
And if you want the M4 Pro version? That'll be $1,599 USD — also bumped $200 in a separate June hike. Want 32GB of RAM on either model? That's a $400 upgrade from Apple. 1TB storage? Another $400. Suddenly your "$799 Mac Mini" is a $1,599 machine — and that's before taxes.
Apple's outgoing CEO Tim Cook called the memory situation a "100-year flood" on the Q3 earnings call. The AI boom has created unprecedented demand for memory chips, and Apple — despite being one of the world's largest chip buyers — is getting squeezed. The result: higher prices on Macs, iPads, and anything with RAM inside.
Oh, and one more thing: MacRumors reports that new M6 Mac Mini models are expected before the end of 2026. So that $799 M4 Mac Mini you buy today might be last-gen in four months. Sweet.
Let's look at three mini PCs that embarrass the Mac Mini on value:
| Spec | Beelink SER9 Pro |
|---|---|
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 7 H 255 — 8C/16T, up to 4.9 GHz |
| GPU | AMD Radeon 780M (RDNA 3, 12 CUs) |
| RAM | 32GB LPDDR5X (2× more than base Mac Mini) |
| Storage | 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD (2× more than base Mac Mini) |
| Ports | HDMI 2.1, DP 2.1, USB4 (40Gbps), 2.5G LAN, Wi-Fi 6, BT 5.2 |
| Upgradeability | User-replaceable SSD |
| OS | Windows 11 Pro |
| Price (USD) | ~$519–$626 |
| Price (CAD) | ~$700–$840 |
| Spec | Minisforum X1 Lite |
|---|---|
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 7 255 — 8C/16T, up to 4.9 GHz |
| GPU | AMD Radeon 780M (RDNA 3, 12 CUs) |
| RAM | 32GB DDR5 (user-upgradeable) |
| Storage | 1TB PCIe SSD (user-replaceable) |
| Killer Feature | OCuLink port — plug in an external GPU at near-desktop speeds |
| Price (USD) | ~$499 (32GB/1TB config) |
| Price (CAD) | ~$675 |
| Spec | GMKtec NucBox K6 |
|---|---|
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS — 8C/16T, up to 5.1 GHz |
| GPU | AMD Radeon 780M (RDNA 3, 12 CUs) |
| RAM | 32GB DDR5-5600 |
| Storage | 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD |
| Networking | Dual 2.5GbE LAN (homelab heaven!) |
| Price (USD) | ~$469 |
| Price (CAD) | ~$630 |
| Category | Mac Mini M4 ($799) | Beelink SER9 Pro (~$519) | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| CPU Performance | M4: ~3,800 Geekbench 6 single / ~15,000 multi | H 255: ~2,700 single / ~12,500 multi | 🍎 Mac Mini |
| GPU Performance | M4 10-core: ~58K Metal | Radeon 780M: ~32K Time Spy | 🍎 Mac Mini |
| RAM Included | 16GB (soldered) | 32GB | 🖥️ Mini PC |
| Storage Included | 512GB (soldered) | 1TB | 🖥️ Mini PC |
| Upgradeable RAM? | ❌ No | ❌ No (LPDDR5X soldered) | Draw |
| Upgradeable Storage? | ❌ No | ✅ Yes (M.2 slot) | 🖥️ Mini PC |
| eGPU Support | ❌ No (Apple Silicon limitation) | ✅ OCuLink on X1 Lite | 🖥️ Mini PC |
| Power Efficiency | 🥇 ~40W peak | ~65W TDP | 🍎 Mac Mini |
| Noise | Near-silent | Quiet (32 dB) | 🍎 Mac Mini |
| OS | macOS Sequoia | Windows 11 Pro | 🤷 Your preference |
| Price (USD) | $799 | ~$519 | 🖥️ Mini PC |
| 32GB + 1TB Cost | $1,599 | ~$519 (already included!) | 🖥️ Mini PC |
Let's talk about the elephant in the room: memory prices are soaring. Apple's Tim Cook called it a "100-year flood." Amazon's Andy Jassy warned of "exceptionally higher memory costs" on the same earnings day. Micron stock ($MU) jumped 6% on the news. The entire industry is feeling the squeeze from an AI boom that's insatiably hungry for HBM, DDR5, and NAND flash.
Apple responded with price hikes. Mini PC makers — operating on thinner margins and more flexible supply chains — have absorbed much of the shock so far. A Beelink SER9 Pro at $519 with 32GB of RAM in the middle of a memory crisis? That's honestly impressive.
But the clock is ticking. If the memory crunch persists through 2026, these budget mini PC prices may not hold. The golden window for grabbing a cheap, powerful mini PC might be right now.
The Mac Mini M4 is still a great computer. The M4 chip is efficient, fast, and the build quality is impeccable. But at $799 for 16GB of non-upgradeable RAM and a soldered 512GB SSD — in a memory crisis where Apple's own CEO admits prices are "exceptionally higher" — the value proposition has never been weaker.
Meanwhile, the mini PC ecosystem is thriving. Beelink, Minisforum, and GMKtec are shipping machines with 32GB of RAM, 1TB of storage, and powerful RDNA 3 integrated graphics for hundreds less than the cost of a comparably specced Mac Mini.
For most people, the choice in August 2026 is clear: unless macOS is non-negotiable, buy the mini PC and pocket the savings.