Our verdict
Whether the Mac Mini or the MacBook Air is the best value depends primarily on what you need. The Mac Mini has always been our winner in terms of how much bang you get for your money, but now that the MacBook Air has an M2 chip, it certainly looks like a good deal, if you don’t mind spending more.
Price when reviewing
Apple Mac mini (2020) M1: $ 699
Mac Mini vs. MacBook Air: Mac Mini from 699; MacBook Air from 999
Today’s best price: Apple Mac mini (2020) M1
$ 659.00
Free
699.99
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The Mac Mini and MacBook Air are less expensive than any other Mac in Apple’s line-up, and yet they are powerful Macs that are suitable for most Mac users.
If you are looking for a bargain – buy the cheapest Mac money – you are probably trying to decide between these two Macs and wondering which one is the best value for money. If you feel like you have come to the right place. In this article we will be looking at whether one should buy an Apple fan MacBook Air or Mac Mini on a budget. Read on for our detailed analysis and buying advice.
In November 2020, Apple updated the MacBook Air and Mac Mini with M1 chips – Apple’s entire range began to transition from Intel to its own processor. Then in June 2022 Apple again updated the MacBook Air, introducing two M2 models maintaining the entry-level M1 MacBook Air. The Mac Mini did not gain an M2 chip at the same time. As a result, we now have a MacBook Air with M2 chip, two Mac mini and one MacBook Air with M1 chip.
We have a full review of the M1 MacBook Air and a Mac mini M1 review.
Comparison of MacBook Air and Mac Mini
At the entry level, the Mac Mini and MacBook Air have the same space. Both offer an M1 chip, but the Mac Mini has more graphics cores than the M1 MacBook Air. On the other hand, the MacBook Air also has the M2 option.
Thanks for using the M1 chip in both cases. But these Macs have a very different appeal – which is probably why there is a Mac Mini model with an Intel processor inside to meet the market demand that doesn’t even consider the MacBook Air.
Here’s how to compare glasses:
| MacBook Air M2 | MacBook Air M1 | Mac Mini M1 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting price | From $ 1,199 / £ 1,249 | From 999 / £ 999 | From 699 / £ 699 |
| Display | With 13.6in Liquid Retina True Tone | 13.3in retina display with true tone | None (both support separate displays up to 4K, or three you are buying the rest of the Intel models) |
| Resolution | 2560 x 1664 | 2560 x 1600 | n / a |
| Dimensions | 30.41 x 21.5 x 1.13 cm 11.97 x 8.46 x 0.44 inches |
30.41 x 21.24 x 0.41-1.56 cm 11.97 x 8.36 x 0.41-1.61 inches |
19.7 x 19.7 x 3.6 cm 7.7 x 7.7 x 1.4 inches |
| Weight | 1.24 kg 2.7 lbs |
1.29 kg 2.8lb |
1.2 kg 2.6lb |
| Color | Silver, Space Gray, Starlight (Gold), Midnight (Blue / Black) | Silver, Space Gray, Gold | M1 Model Silver, Intel Model Space Gray |
| Processor | M2 chip with 8-core CPU and 8-core GPU or M2 chip with 8-core CPU and 10-core GPU | M1 chip with 8-core CPU and 7-core GPU | M1 chip with 8-core CPU and 8-core GPU or Intel 3.0GHz 6-core 8th-gen Intel Core i5 |
| Graphics | 8-core or 10-core GPU | 7-core GPU | 8-core GPU or Support for Intel UHD Graphics 630 and Thunderbolt 3-enabled eGPUs |
| Storage | 256GB or 512GB SSD, configurable on 2TB SSD | Configurable on 256GB, 2TB SSD | 512GB SSD, configurable on 2TB SSD |
| GPU | 10-core | 14- or 16-core (M1 Pro), 24- or 32-core (M1 max) | 16-core (M1 Pro), 24- or 32-core (M1 max) |
| Neural engine | 16-core (11 tops) | 16-core (11 tops) | 16-core (11 tops) |
| RAM | 8GB, 16GB, or 24GB, 68GB / sec | 16GB or 32GB, 200GB / sec (M1 Pro) 32GB or 64GB, 400GB / sec (M1 max) |
16GB or 32GB, 200GB / sec (M1 Pro) 32GB or 64GB, 400GB / sec (M1 max) |
| Storage | 256GB or 512GB SSD, configurable on 2TB SSD | Configurable on 256GB, 2TB SSD | 512GB SSD, configurable on 2TB SSD |
| RAM | 8GB RAM, configurable up to 24GB | 8GB RAM, configurable up to 16GB | 8GB RAM, 16GB or configurable Configurable in 8GB, 16GB, 32GB or 64GB RAM with 2666MHz RAM |
| Facetime camera | 1080p | 720p | n / a |
| Myth | 3.5mm headphone jack with four-speaker sound system, support for spatial audio, support for high-barrier headphones | Stereo speakers, three microphones, 3.5mm headphone jack | HDMI 2.0 port supports multichannel audio output, 3.5mm headphone jack |
| Port | Two Thunderbolt / USB4 ports and a MagSafe port for charging | Two Thunderbolt / USB4 ports | 3 Thunderbolt 4 ports, HDMI 2.0, SDXC card slot |
| Battery life | Wireless web up to 15 hours, 18 hours Apple TV playback (52.6 ‑ watt-hour lithium-polymer battery) | Wireless web up to 15 hours, 18 hours Apple TV playback (52.6 ‑ watt-hour lithium-polymer battery) | n / a |
| Buy from Apple | Buy US / Buy UK | Buy US / Buy UK | Buy US / Buy UK |
| Best deal | Best MacBook Air Deals | Best MacBook Air Deals | Best Mac Mini Deal |
This is a very broad overview, but it also gives you an idea of what is the same and which is different. Note that there are multiple options for the Mac Mini for the rest of the Intel models.
Below we will look in more detail about each of the components inside this similar but very different machine.
Processor / CPU
As you can see, both the Mac Mini and the MacBook Air feature M1 chips with 8-core CPUs. There is also an M2 option for the MacBook Air that has an 8-core CPU. You might think this means the three CPUs are the same, but thanks to the new generation M2 CPU more transistors, better memory bandwidth and more energy saving and more powerful thanks to a larger cache.
There’s also a Mac mini with a 3.0GHz 6-core Intel i5 8th-gen processor. Even the M1 Mac Mini can offer these Intel chips, which, from 2017, is a race for their money.
Graphics / GPU
The most notable difference is that the M1 version of the MacBook Air only offers a 7-core GPU, while the Mac mini models have an 8-core GPU and the M2 MacBook Air offers a 10-core GPU. The Intel 3.0GHz Mac Mini model has an integrated graphics card – Intel UHD Graphics.
Compared to Intel’s integrated solution, Apple has the advantage of graphics, so both M1 and M2 models are good here. However, only the Intel Mac Mini can support an external graphics card, which means you can use a more powerful EGPU than the M2 offers (we have a separate article on how to use an EGPU if you have a Mac). But if you need strong graphics, you might want to consider a Mac Studio instead, which will bring other power user-centric benefits. Check out our best Mac Studio deals and our Mac Studio reviews.
Another difference is that the Mac Mini has a fan, so if the mini is pushed through the intensive action the fan will enter and it will be able to stay cool, M1 and M2 MacBook Air lacks a fan, so it is possible if you really push a MacBook Air it is slow Will be so that it is not excess.
RAM
The models we are discussing here are shipped with 8GB RAM. However, not all RAM is the same. How Apple’s RAM on the M1 and M2 Macs is a unified memory architecture, or UMA, and therefore accessible to both CPUs and GPUs, including performance benefits. This gives the benefit of 8GB Unified memory is not like 8GB standard RAM.
The difference between M1 and M2 is that M1 can only support 16GB of memory, while M2 can support up to 24GB of memory. However, only the Intel-powered Mac Mini model can be maximized with 64GB RAM. This may be the best model for you if you need more RAM – but again, if you need this kind of RAM you may want to consider Mac Studio.
Storage
The MacBook Air and Mac Mini have very similar storage allocations: 256GB and 512GB. If you need more space both Mac Mini and MacBook Air offer 2TB as a build-to-order option.
If you need space but want to keep the price low, we recommend either subscribing to iCloud or getting an external hard drive – here is a round-up of our best hard drives for Mac.
Display
The M2 MacBook Air has benefited from a redesign rather than enabling Apple to increase screen size, but it hasn’t. Apple has also improved the display, which is now a fluid retina, with brightness also increasing from 400nits to 500nits.
Mac Mini has no display. With that in mind you might think the Air would be the obvious choice, but a 13in display may not be big enough and you can plug your laptop into a second display. You might as well get the Mac Mini right now (though you need to work on at least two screens). Learn about the best displays for Mac here and how to use a second display with your Mac.
In terms of screen, the M1 and M2 MacBook Air can support a display up to 6K, while the M1 Mac Mini can support two displays, one up to 6K and one up to 4K. The older Intel Mac Mini on the other hand can support three displays, so it surpasses the newer models in that respect. If you want to plug two displays into the M1 MacBook, there is a solution).
Port
If you need ports – and especially if you need HDMI and one or more old-style USB ports, the Mac Mini is your best bet because it has them and more.
The M1 MacBook Air offers only two Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports. The M2 MacBook Air goes one step further with the addition of a MagSafe port for charging the Mac. But the Mini has two Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports, two USB-A ports, an HDMI 2.0 port and Gigabit Ethernet.
Price
So, with all of the above in mind, what does the best value for money offer? MacBook Air or Mac Mini?
The Mac mini is already priced lower than the MacBook Air, which starts at £ 699 / $ 699 compared to the 999/99 999, but the extra £ 300 / $ 300 you get to get the MacBook Air can be well worth it because This will also be 6 You get a 13in retina display and the ability to work from anywhere. If you want more power than the entry-level MacBook Air, you can pay $ 200 / £ 250 more to get the M2 chip.
The M2 MacBook Air will surpass the Mac Mini in terms of power, but whether it makes a good choice for you depends on whether you really need that power. The MacBook Air with M2 chip costs $ 500 more than the Mac Mini, which is a big leap if you don’t really need the M2.
Decisions at the end of the day will be based on price or portability. If you need a Mac you can carry – with a built-in display – the way the MacBook Air goes.
But if you’re looking for value for money, we think the Mac Mini has won at its lowest cost.
Although you do not have to pay the full price. Many resellers will offer discounts on even the latest models. Check out the deals below to see what’s on offer:
I’m happy today
2020 M1 MacBook Air Deal, $ 999 / $ 999
899.99
Free
$ 999.00
Free
999.99
Free
2022 M2 MacBook Pro Deal, $ 1,199 / £ 1,249
1199
Mac Mini
M1 chip, 256GB: $ 699 / £ 699
See top of article
M1 chip, 512GB SSD: £ 899 / $ 899
899.99
Free
3.0GHz 6-core i5 8th-gen, 512GB SSD: £ 1,099 / $ 1,099
$ 1099.00
Free
1099.99
Free
Judgment
When it comes to people looking to buy a Mac to use for everyday activities like spreadsheets, documents, some photo editing and some web browsing, the entry-level Mac Mini and M1 MacBook Air are surprisingly comparable.
If you want a computer for home use and you already have a monitor, the Mac Mini would be a great choice.
If you want a computer that you can use anywhere, the MacBook Air is one.
So which one should we choose? As much as we love the Mac Mini, we think that the days of the desktop are numbered and people are more likely to choose a laptop – and they have a lot of good reasons to do so, all of which will be applicable in the air.
Still not sure? We also see how the MacBook Air compares to the iMac and how the Mac Mini compares to the iMac. See also our MacBook Buying Guide.