You SHOULD BUY an M2 Mac mini INSTEAD of a MacBook!

Apple did something truly outstanding with the new M2 Mac mini, by offering a great desktop computer at an even lower price that truly makes it a much better value when you compare it against Apple's MacBook lineup. The introduction of the new M2 Pro Mac mini only solidifies this even further by finally giving Mac users a mid-range level desktop at a midrange level price that could end up being the first stop for pro level Mac users.

Or if you need a MacBook

[media]

To make the choice even better, go with the M2 Pro Mac Mini & an iPad Pro. With the iPad Pro, you can use all of the Microsoft Suite apps (including OneNote) for school and you can draw or handwrite notes on it (whereas you can’t with the MacBook Pro).

And use the M2 Pro Mac Mini at home for more powerful projects 🤓

With the cloud, everything you do on the iPad will transfer over to the Mac immediately.

And Boom! Now you can have 2 devices for the price of one 💰

You can have even better portability, and still have a powerful desktop setup 😁

If you absolutely require M2 Pro / Max power & portability, then this doesn’t apply to you, lol. But I’m sure that’s a small minority of the customers anyway

[edcgadgets-de]

I do travel with my Mac mini.
It's totally my MacBook replacement. I don't own a MacBook anymore.
When on small trip by train it's just the Mac mini, 16" portable USB-C monitor and ultra portable mouse and keyboard. I do work on it in the train and at my destination (friends, hotel, family). I always have my 12.9" iPad Pro with me, so I even have an additional screen via sidecar.
This package is super light and compact and fits in a small backpack together with a lot other stuff. I like traveling with it.
If I go by car and stay for longer time and love to do some gaming, I take the Razer Core X eGPU with me (it's Intel Mac mini and I have boot camp on it. This works fantastic, I do use this setup quite frequently when I'm at family or friends for more than a week.
I love that I have this device and the freedom to travel with it and use it anywhere I have a power outlet!
1 consider modding it to 12V and powering it with a big 12V power bank..

[rolandov]

You brought some excellent points in this video! One thing you didn't mention regarding the portability aspect of the equation, though, which is my case and the case of many others:

If your out and about workload consists of relatively simple tasks and/or lightweight programs use, and you ALREADY have an old Macbook lying around (whether it's an M1 or, as in my case, an intel-based Macbook), you ALREADY have the portability aspect of your equation. Sure, you will definitely notice the speed difference between your at-home Mac Mini and your out and about Macbook, but if your workload consists anyways of lightweight tasks or if you can reserve heavier workloads/program use when you're back home, it shouldn't be an issue.

I plan on getting an M2 Mac Mini with 512GB SSD (still thinking about whether or not to upgrade to 16GB of RAM), while still holding on to my 2018 Intel i5 Macbook Pro whenever I need to do some med school related work while I'm out and about.

Edit: The value of the M2 Mac Mini vs any M2-based Macbook relies heavily on whether you already have a mouse, keyboard, and - most importantly - a monitor lying around. As mentioned in the video, I'm one of those who used their macbook 90% of time in clamshell mode hooked to a monitor and therefore already had all three of those. I can see how for some people that don't already have those, the Macbooks, especially the Air, can seem like a better deal since it's an all-in-one alternative.

[bobcubsfan]

Education price for MacBook 16", 16 GB RAM, 1 TB SSD is $2499. Mini with same specs is $1649. Difference of $850. Speakers in Mini are not good. So that adds about $100. Yes, if you already have a KBD, mouse, and monitor (which I do) then still a savings. I did order a MacBook pro with the specs quoted earlier. I do need the portability sometimes.

[breiner-leal]

This video was so helpful. I’m planning to take a mac mini (m2 pro) myself and thankfully have an iPad for the ”on the go” situations. Thanks for this.

[mrjeffwithaG]

I went with the base model M2 Mini & base model M2 Air for about the same price as the base model MacBook Pro. That gives me a portable option without the laptop having to spend it's life as a defacto desktop.

[StayGoldVVM-xjvt]

One aspect I dislike about my MacBook pro is that if the screen encounters an issue, I must take the entire system to Apple for repair, unlike my Mac mini, where I can simply replace peripherals without needing to send the entire device for service. As of right now I'm experiencing some sort of pixel issue with my m1 Pro macbook pro. I treated this laptop like a baby and only started to notice this issue in less than 2 years of owning it. It's such BS for me, my older 2012 macbook pro never had an issue with its screen display, it's built like a tank.

[danielpaquette]

A major feature of laptops is that they have a battery built in. What do you support as a uninterruptible power supply for a mac mini? I have never had a UPS last for more than five years, over the last few decades each time I find out my UPS has failed is during a power outage. I just use laptops now, and have not lost any data since this switch.

[tsh]

Thanks for sharing this. Would be interesting if you simulate how portable is the Mac Mini, in various scenarios say if you were to go on holiday you could have used the hotel TV as a screen etc.

[jedwardoo]

I had a MacBook Air. I usually used it for home and portability was mythical reason I took it. I am now using a Mac Mini, I am way happier with it Greg. I have been bringing my Mac Mini around too since it’s so portable that I can bring it in my sling bag with the power cable and HDMI cable

[KraKra-Ah]

I use the Mac Mini together with my MacBook Air. With Synergy I can seamlessly work from the Macbook Air's screen to the screens connected to the Mac mini. The Mini is a file server for me and my wife. It makes Time Machine backups. It does the downloading via VPN. It does Plex and two camera systems can record to it as well so it is also a NAS.

The nice thing with this setup is that I don't have cables in my MacBook Air and still be able to use big screens (2x 40" Philips TV's 4k).

[akumarus]

Don’t forget to add the cost of external keyboard, monitor and mouse etc. chances are - the monitor will no where be close to what a MacBook screen offers!! If you add the cost, MacBook will not be that far off - comparing equivalent options

[Clivesharrison]

I’ve been travelling with a Mac mini and a couple of quite cheap and light 22” LG HD monitors packed face to face with the stands dismantled (takes 30s with no tools) in my checked suitcase for the last 8 years and it’s a great combo for work (I’m an engineer), and I use my iPad Pro or my phone for on-the-go writing / reading / analysis. Post-COVID travel with a checked bag has not been great so I’m experimenting with an M2 MacBook Air with the iPad as a second screen for downsized hand-baggage only travel and it seems to work quite well, but I do miss the larger displays sometimes. I’ve always been happy with the Mac Mini, though, and will probably keep it in my hand baggage, I can usually get a hotel TV to work as a monitor if I need to.

[sharifjonsharipov]

The entry level Mac mini with M2 chip is a great deal for those who already have a display, keyboard, and mouse. For those, who say that it is not as powerful as the Mac mini with M2 pro chip, a PC is a better option, I think for $1300 a much powerful PC can be built.

[rek]

Got the mini with education pricing, it's an absolute steal at that price.

[media]

I can’t imagine ever using a MacBook Pro unless I require a lot of power & portability at the same time, and being that I don’t travel for work, I won’t really ever need that capability.

As for literally everything else, having an iPad Pro is soooo nice!! Being able to touch your screen makes navigating through apps & tasks so much more intuitive & easier. Plus it has everything I could use for being in class at school to business & sales appointment closing large deals that people can sign digitally on the screen with the pencil.

For anything else more power hungry, I can just simply do it all on my M2 Pro Mac Mini at home.

Tbh I regret selling my 2020 iPad Pro 12.9” before the new 2022 ones got announced cuss the new ones are kind of a rip-off, lol. 2020-2021 iPad Pros are still solid af imo 👍🏼

[mpienkovsky]

fair point with students life comparing when you constantly on the go to desktop sitting laptop attached to monitor.
when i was a student i needed something light after my windows laptop wasnt doing very well on battery and bough ipad with a keyboard which was great for taking notes. right now my old laptop is dying and instead of looking for a macbook air its easier to just buy an mac mini and take my ipad on the go:)

[andreeph]

I've been using my 2014 Mac Book Pro in clambshell mode for almost 9 years. Currently looking under seat cushions for the $ to upgrade to M2 Pro Mac Mini w 32GB RAM. God Willing.

[Theprodator]

Studio + Air + iPhone and you have it all.

[eyesonly]

I generally travel between 3 locations, home and two field offices. I have an LG monitor/keyboard/trackpad at each location, so my MBPro lives 95% of its operational life in clamshell mode. The one big thing keeping me from using a mini instead of the MBP is that the MBP effectively has a built-in uninterruptible power supply. So I never have to worry about a power drop with the laptop option. Otherwise I would have to purchase *_and maintain_* a UPS at each of my primary locations.