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| The Apple M4-powered Mac mini with 16 GB memory and 256 GB storage is now $200 off at Micro Center. |
If you’ve shopped for RAM, a new SSD, or even a laptop lately, you’ve felt the squeeze. A tidal wave of demand from AI giants is consuming vast quantities of high-bandwidth memory and storage, driving prices upward across the tech sector. In a surprising twist, this trend has made Apple's recent Mac pricing look almost humble by comparison. Against this backdrop, a standout in-store promotion from Micro Center doesn't just look good—it looks essential.
The electronics retailer is offering a staggering $200 discount on the base model of the late-2024 Apple Mac mini with the M4 chip. This slashes the price from $599 to a mere $399. This is a potent combination of cutting-edge silicon at a price that feels reminiscent of a bygone era.
A Quick Caveat on Availability
Potential buyers should note: this is a store-only deal at select Micro Center locations. Inventory can vary, so it’s wise to check your local store’s stock online or via phone before making the trip. For those who prefer the convenience of home delivery, the same M4 Mac mini is available at other retailers like Amazon for $479.
The M4 Powerhouse: Performance Without the Plug
The heart of this deal is Apple’s 10-core M4 system-on-a-chip (SoC). In daily use, from professional applications to multitasking with dozens of browser tabs, the M4 is a seamless performer. Synthetic benchmarks reveal its muscle, with the chip going toe-to-toe with powerful mobile processors like the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS in multi-threaded workloads. Our own in-house testing found precious little to criticize about its raw speed for most users.
Graphics are handled by a 10-core integrated GPU, which delivers performance roughly on par with a discrete Radeon RX 5500M mobile GPU. It’s capable of smooth 4K video editing, light 3D work, and even some gaming—though the macOS game library remains a perennial limitation, with many major titles absent.
The Trade-Off: Future-Proofing vs. Price
The Mac mini’s primary constraints are its soldered, non-upgradable 16GB of unified memory and its base 256GB of storage. For many users today, 16GB is sufficient, but creative professionals or power users might find it limiting in a few years. The storage, while fast, is also fixed at purchase for the average user (though adventurous tinkerers have found ways to upgrade it via third-party modules).
The connectivity, however, is generous for a desktop of this size:
- Dual USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C ports
- Triple Thunderbolt 4 / USB4 Type-C ports
- HDMI 2.1 supporting up to 4K @ 240Hz or 8K displays
- Gigabit Ethernet (configurable to 10Gb Ethernet at purchase)
Who Should Grab This Deal?
This Micro Center promotion is ideal for the user who needs serious computing power in a silent, tiny form factor but doesn't foresee needing more than 16GB of RAM for several years. Students, home office workers, developers, and anyone building a sleek, powerful media center will find immense value here.
The Bottom Line
In a market where component costs are climbing, getting this level of performance for $399 is exceptional. If you can accept the fixed memory and storage, and have a Micro Center nearby, this deal is arguably the best value in desktop computing right now. For everyone else, the standard pricing from other retailers still represents a solid entry point into the Apple Silicon ecosystem.
Before You Buy:
As always, we recommend doing your homework. Check your local Micro Center’s stock, and for a comprehensive look at thermals, performance, and real-world usage, be sure to read our detailed review of the M4 Mac mini.
Where to Buy:
- Check Micro Center for the $399 in-store deal: www.microcenter.com/product/688173/apple-mac-mini-mu9d3ll-a-(late-2024)-desktop-computer
- Purchase for delivery from Amazon for $479: https://amzn.to/4p6yZJK
Apple 2024 Mac mini Desktop Computer with M4 chip with 10‑core CPU and 10‑core GPU
-20% $479.00
🔗 Buy on amazon |
| The M4 Mac mini is impressively compact, at just 0.8 liters. |