Mac mini - find the best deals on an Apple Mac mini

What is it?

Mac miniThe Mac mini is a tiny (20cm square) desktop computer that was originally aimed at PC users switching over to Macs who would use their existing screen, keyboard and mouse. It is the only Mac that ships therefore without a keyboard and mouse, and of course you will need a display for it too although it will work with practically any display (including an HD TV via an HDMI cable). Mac mini offers all the benefits of a Mac at a low cost and in a tiny package but it does have some limitations - because of the small size it uses many laptop components which are slower than desktop equivalents and it doesn't have a CD/DVD drive although it can wirelessly 'share' the drive of a nearby Mac. It comes with a number of built-in applications to cover most needs and additional one can be downloaded from the App Store.

Should I buy one?

Pros Cons Also consider
  • Low cost entry point to the Mac range
  • Tiny size
  • Can connect to your TV as a Home Theatre PC
  • Need screen, keyboard & mouse
  • No CD/DVD drive
  • iMac
  • MacBook
  • iPad

What do I need to know?

All the different Apple Mac computers share many of the same features, and all are available in a range of different specifications and prices. There is a good chance that several different models would be suitable for your requirements - they all run the same software and do more or less the same thing, so how do you decide which is the right one for you? Which Apple Mac should you buy - an iMac or a Mac Pro, a MacBook Air or a MacBook Pro? It can be a costly mistake if you buy the wrong thing. We've put together a couple of guides to help you. Read our guide to the different Mac models and our tips on how to choose the right used Mac to help you decide what you need and to make sure you're buying the right thing for you.

Latest deals we've found on new Mac minis:

Mac mini Core i7 2 GHz

Mac mini Core i7 2 GHz photo
$988.99
from

Mac mini Core i5 2.3 GHz

Mac mini Core i5 2.3 GHz photo
$588.99
from
See all the Mac mini deals...

Where can I buy one?

There are many places you can buy a Mac mini - the leading internet retailers such as Amazon and eBay are often hard to beat but also an ever increasing number of high street and online retailers also sell Mac minis. Our Mac mini price comparison page checks prices from all these sources to find the best deals for you.

What about secondhand Mac minis?

Secondhand can be an attractive option, saving you the initial depreciation that happens as soon as you open the box, and if you buy a fairly new secondhand one, all the manufacturer's warranty will still be in place so you will be fully covered in the event of any faults. If you're prepared to go slightly older, you can often pick up some real bargains with last year's model going for a fraction of it's original price. eBay is of course one of the best places to find secondhand Mac mini bargains and we have created a page that searches eBay for you to find the best deals. Our unique filtering system trawls through the eBay database selecting only the most relevant offers and best deals to save you time.

Secondhand Mac minis for sale:

Mac MIni 2011 with Many Extras

Mac MIni 2011 with Many Extras picture
$620.00
Sale ends in: 1h 35min

Apple Mac Mini Desktop A1103 - 1.42Ghz 80GB 512MB

Apple Mac Mini Desktop A1103 - 1.42Ghz 80GB 512MB picture
$152.53
Sale ends in: 4h 12min

Apple Mac Mini Desktop - MC270LL/A (June, 2010)

Apple Mac Mini Desktop - MC270LL/A (June, 2010) picture
$474.00
Sale ends in: 9h 24min

Apple Mac Mini 1.42 GHZ 64 Processor 256MB 80GB In Great Condition

Apple Mac Mini 1.42 GHZ 64 Processor 256MB 80GB In Great Condition  picture
$81.28
Sale ends in: 11h 38min
See all the secondhand Mac minis...

Secondhand Mac mini price guide

The price of goods at auctions is not fixed - it depends upon how much people are prepared to bid and that's why you can pick up some great deals on both new and used Macs at auction. To give you an idea of what you might pay, here are some completed items so you can see what price they went for:

Apple Mac Price Guide: recently sold Macs...

  • Apple iMac G5 17" 1.9GHZ iSight $306
  • Apple Powermac G4 400 512mb/10GB/CD $49
  • Apple Mac mini 1.66GHz 512MB 80GB $323
  • Apple Mac Pro 3GHz Quad Intel Xeon $1,150
  • 15.4" MacBook Pro 2.5GHz 250GB/4GB $1,005
  • 12" iBook G3 Mac OS 10.4 Good Condition $123

We've put together a couple of guides to help you. Read our guide to the different Mac models and our tips on how to choose the right used Mac to help you decide what you need and to make sure you're buying the right thing for you. Good luck and happy buying!

For more detailed information about the Mac mini including it's technology, history and specifications there is a great Mac mini article on Wikipedia.