Retailers cut prices on Mac mini M4, base at $499

Amazon and several major retailers this weekend have sharply discounted Apple's latest Mac mini, with the base M4 model available for as low as $499 for a limited time, according to listings on Amazon and other outlets. The sale trims $100 off the base configuration and coincides with broader markdowns across the M4 and M4 Pro line, with some upgraded Mac mini configurations and M4 laptops also seeing discounts of up to about $200, retailers and deal trackers said.

The discounted base Mac mini ships with Apple’s M4 chip configured with a 10 core CPU and 10 core GPU, 16 gigabytes of memory and a 256 gigabyte solid state drive, and retains the compact 5 by 5 inch footprint introduced this generation. Reviewers have praised the system’s performance leap over the prior M2 model, noting improved graphics capability including hardware ray tracing and mesh shading, while drawing modest power — about 65 watts under load — and running quietly, they said. The machine offers front USB-C ports with Thunderbolt support and rear ports including Ethernet and HDMI, and certain configurations can drive multiple external displays.

Retail price examples during the sale include the base 16GB/256GB...