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Don’t fall for this Mac Mini (M1) deal — buy this instead

It’s a miracle. The notoriously deals-stingy Apple has not one but two different models of the Mac Mini on sale today. In one corner we have the Apple Mac Mini with an M1 processor at B&H Photo Video for $519 saving you $180. The challenger (and ultimately the winner) in the other corner is the latest Apple Mac Mini with an M2 chip for just $557. Sure, the M1 chip model is cheaper, but just $37 more gets you a faster, more powerful Mac Mini that will ultimately last longer and work better. You’ll be glad you upgraded.

Why you should buy the Apple Mac Mini M2

A fantastic alternative for anyone checking out the best MacBooks, the Apple Mac Mini M2 is perfect for your home office thanks to it being powerful yet taking up hardly any room. We’ve already evaluated the differences between the Mac Mini M2 and M1 and the results are great. The M1 was already a fast processor but the base M2 chip adds an extra 12% of speed which soon adds up. It also has support for Thunderbolt 4 unlike the M1 being restricted to Thunderbolt 3. There’s also an update for wireless connectivity with support for Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 setting you up for the future.

In terms of sheer prowess, the Apple Mac Mini M2 also packs a punch where it counts. Besides the M2 chip with an 8-core CPU and 10-core GPU, there’s 8GB of memory and 256GB of SSD storage. While more storage may have been nice (you can always easily add some with one of the best external hard drives), the rest of the specs are more than good enough to run MacOS given it’s all designed with the operating system in mind. Our Apple Mac Mini M2 buying guide breaks things down in further detail and explains why certain components make more sense.

Besides the two Thunderbolt 4 ports, you also get two USB-A ports, an HDMI port, Gigabit Ethernet, and a headphone jack — something that’s often omitted these days. Running efficiently in every way, it’s an ideal system for content creators and anyone that wants a fast desktop system. Just add on one of the best monitors and you’re good to go.

The Apple Mac Mini M2 is currently $557 at Amazon and a far better deal than other retailers offering the aging Apple Mac Mini M1 for $519. Snap it up now and you’ll soon be enjoying faster performance as you work.

Editors' Recommendations

MacBook Pro with M2 Pro just got an unprecedented price cut
A MacBook Pro M2 sits on a wooden table with a nice bokeh background.

Apple just released the 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M2 Pro chip last month, but the powerful laptop is already on sale from B&H with a $200 discount that brings its price down to $1,799 from its original price of $1,999. It's still not cheap, but it's very rare for a new model to appear in MacBook deals. It's highly recommended that you take advantage of this chance while it's still online, as there's not much time left before it gets taken down.

Why you should buy the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M2 Pro chip
Apple's MacBook Pro M2 Pro is slightly less powerful than the MacBook Pro M2 Max, but for most users in creative fields such as photography, filmmaking, graphic arts, and music development, it's got what it takes to meet the high requirements of the job. Compared with the MacBook Pro M1 Pro, the latest model of the laptop features the same flat-edged design, mini-LED display, and port arrangement, but the performance boost from the updated chip makes the MacBook Pro M2 Pro an even better mobile workstation for professionals.

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Don’t miss your chance to get this HP Chromebook for $160
Woman sits at desk using a HP 11.6-inch Chromebook.

If you've been looking for cheap Chromebook deals, you'll appreciate what HP has to offer at the moment. Normally priced at $260, you can buy an 11-inch HP Chromebook 11a for $160 saving you $100 off the regular price. Already pretty cheap, it's just dropped to the kind of price that makes it ideal for your child's first laptop or for a Chromebook that you simply need to use once in a while. Interested? Keep reading while we tell you more about it.

Why you should buy the HP Chromebook 11a
HP is one of the best laptop brands and that quality transfers to Chromebooks. Well-designed, the HP Chromebook 11a is basic but functional and good-looking. There's a MediaTek processor along with 4GB of memory and 32GB of eMMC storage. It's less powerful than the best Chromebooks but it still does the basics as long as you don't mind storing all your files on the cloud. After all, that's the point of Chromebooks so it's a reasonable compromise to make on a cheap system.

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New deal gets you two free games when you buy a Meta Quest 2
A Meta Quest 2, adjusted to look green, is being used for gaming.

The Meta Quest 2 is enjoying a new deal right now with it possible to pay $400 for the VR headset and get two games entirely for free with it. Available at Best Buy, you get Golf+, the official VR golf game of the PGA Tour along with Space Pirate Trainer DX. A great introduction to the world of VR, let's take a look at why it's worth it, or you can simply hit the buy button to get straight to purchasing it.

Why you should buy the Meta Quest 2
One of the best VR headsets around, the Meta Quest 2 continues to go from strength to strength. It's fantastic value, even more so when it bundles in additional games. A wireless headset, you get inside-out tracking in a standalone device without needing to set up base stations or be tethered to a computer. A 120Hz refresh rate looks great alongside the 1832 x 1920 resolution per eye so it's a really immersive experience.

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