Mac mini - page 4

Bag bargains on Macs, iPads and Studio Displays while you can

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Woot! Apple sale
Discounted iMacs are on the gift list this season at bargain site Woot!
Photo: Apple

Amazon bargain site Woot! would never miss out on giving you discounted gift options on Apple gear for the holidays, and so it offers a sale right on the heels of Cyber Monday.

iMacs, Mac minis, MacBooks, iPads, Studio Displays — the list of 18 items at up to 51% off is well worth a look. Sale goes through December 5, but these deals likely will sell out early.

Super-cool vertical Mac mini stand does it all [Setups]

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M1 Mac mini setup features vertical stand with SSD enclosure and 5-in-1 USB-C hub.
The unobtrusive vertical stand holding up the Mac mini at right does a lot.
Photo: [email protected]

Mac mini, Apple’s small-but-mighty desktop machine, does a lot of things well — especially the M1 and newer models. They make bigger desktop computers unnecessary for people who don’t need truly massive computing power.

And today’s featured M2 Mac mini user found a way to greatly expand his computer’s capabilities with a vertical stand that also saves space on the desk.

Crucial dock connects new MacBook Pro to classic Cinema Display [Setups]

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Setup with MacBook Pro and Cinema Display.
The user connects a MacBook Pro and Cinema Display via dock, as the Mac mini mainly stays with the TV in the living room.
Photo: [email protected]

One thing we love about Apple is the staying power of its beautiful displays. We see the Studio Display maker’s much older Cinema Displays and Thunderbolt Displays used in modern computer setups pretty regularly.

Today’s MacBook Pro setup recently added a docking station to charge the laptop while connecting it to a classic LED Cinema Display.

Find the perfect monitor riser for your desk [Setups]

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Mac mini setup Studio Display on monitor riser
Though most monitors come with adjustable stands, adding a monitor riser provides benefits to any computer setup.
Photo: [email protected]

Whether you call them monitor risers, desk shelves or display stands, finding the right one for your desk’s size can be a huge boon to your computer setup. Today’s featured Mac mini workstation benefits from a compact Balolo stand sitting toward the back of a small desk.

You can see that choice desk shelf and several other options below, along with all the setup’s gear, including a Studio Display and marvelous high-end headphones.

Stunning Mac mini streaming rig took 2 years to perfect [Setups]

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Setups RetroGameCollector-Reddit
Check the links list below to explore all the gear here.
Photo: [email protected]

It might seem unlikely that a computer setup could take 2 years to build and idealize — until you see just how loaded and beautiful it is. Today’s M2 Pro Mac mini went through many iterations in the past couple of years, its user said, and now they’re finally happy with it.

And they should be. The setup rips through gaming and streaming tasks using an awesome lineup of gear. Read more below and check out that gear list.

Star Wars fan converts old iMacs to Cinema Displays [Setups]

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There's a lot to look at in SE's setup, including 3D-printed
There's a lot to look at in SE's setup, including 3D-printed Star Wars figures like a BB-8 droid on the shelf next to the Xbox.
Photo: [email protected]

If you’ve got an old or damaged iMac lying around, why not make use of it? You can find plenty of guidance online to help you turn that dead weight into a version of Apple’s classic Cinema Display and use it with other Macs.

The owner of today’s setup talked about doing just that, plus using open-source software to make his old Macs run recent macOS versions.

Act fast and get up to $150 off M2 Mac mini models

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You can get M2 models for $100 off and some M2 Pro models like this one for $150 off.
You can get M2 models for $100 off and some M2 Pro models like this one for $150 off.
Photo: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

With Amazon Prime Big Deal Days Behind Us — with no sign of a discounted Mac mini that we noticed — here’s your chance to bag deals on M2 Mac mini from B&H.

They include the entry-level model of the small-but-mighty desktop machine for a hundred bucks off, at just $499. And some models are marked down $150.

Meet the amazing disappearing workstation [Setups]

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Where did it go? Hint: The display is hiding in plain sight.
Where did it go? Hint: The display is hiding in plain sight.
Photo: Nick Howard

Cult of Mac reader Nick Howard sent us his clever M1 Mac mini computer setup. It’s clever because it pulls a disappearing act, with very little effort on Howard’s part, whenever it’s not in use. Almost like magic.

“I love this setup as it’s completely unobstrusive when not being used and, in use, it offers the perfect combination of screen size and display of information for me, [while] remaining minimalist,” he said.

Finding the ‘perfect’ dock or KVM switch [Setups]

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This Mac mini user has a Dell laptop and wants to run them both with peripherals.
This Mac mini user has a Dell laptop and wants to run them both with peripherals.
Photo: [email protected]

Anyone looking to run different peripherals with both Mac and PC might take a look at today’s setup advice-fest. The user runs a Mac mini with dual displays and typical Apple input devices, but wants to add a Dell laptop from work into the mix.

They got plenty of advice on doing just that with the right kind of dock or KVM switch, below.

Could this be a top Apple-display alternative for gamers? [Setups]

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This Mac mini setup's user is over the moon about his new Samsung Odyssey G8 series curved gaming display.
This Mac mini setup's user is over the moon about his new Samsung Odyssey G8 series curved gaming display.
Photo: [email protected]

Quite a few excellent alternatives to Apple’s pricey Pro Display XDR and Studio Display exist for those in need a good external monitor to go with their Mac. Today’s featured Mac mini setup brings up another one — the 34-inch Samsung Odyssey G8 series curved gaming display.

If you like curves and especially if you like gaming, read on the see if the display might be a good choice for you.

Bring new life to an old Intel-based iMac or Mac mini [Setups]

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Commenters offered good advice on speeding up this Intel-based iMac setup.
Commenters offered good advice on speeding up this Intel-based iMac setup.
Photo: [email protected]

If you have an aging Intel-based iMac or Mac mini that’s slowing down like an old codger, today’s featured iMac setup shows a relatively simple way to revitalize your machine and keep using it.

All you need is an external solid state drive (SSD) and the knowledge, below, to make it your computer’s replacement startup disk.

Here are all the M3 Macs in development

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Here are the M3-powered Macs expected in fall 2023
A new M3 Mac with 8-core CPU and 10-core GPU has been spotted in developer logs.
Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple is working on a slew of M3-powered Macs for late 2023 and 2024, and the latest mystery machine spotted on developers’ logs appears to be a new Mac mini.

The M3 chip, the next-gen Apple silicon that will power these Macs, should be based on the 3nm node, offering superior performance and efficiency.

Sometimes it pays to sweat the details [Setups]

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The monitors are 1080p rather than 4K or above, but it's quite a good-looking Mac mini setup.
The monitors are 1080p rather than 4K or above, but it's quite a good-looking Mac mini setup.
Photo: [email protected]

We know from social media that folks love checking out others’ computer setups. But is it really the headlining hardware they’re after, like the flashiest MacBook Pro or brilliant display? Not always. Sometimes it’s the small stuff they want.

With today’s Mac mini setup with a pair of 1080p displays, people were most curious about a standing desk, a cable-management raceway and a desk organizer. You can find everything in the gear list below.

Don’t expect M3 Mac mini before late 2024

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Mac mini sitting on desk alongside LG display, LaCie hard drive, Model F keyboard and Magic Trackpad
Seems Mac mini with M2 Pro will be the fastest option for a long time.
Photo: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

A version of the inexpensive Mac mini desktop upgraded with a faster Apple M3 processor will not be on the market for over a year, according to a reliable source.

However, there are other Macs with the M3 chip expected before the end of 2023.

See, not everyone hates Magic Mouse [Setups]

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A lot of people hate Magic Mouse. But commenters on this setup sang its praises.
A lot of people hate Magic Mouse. But commenters on this setup sang its praises.
Photo: [email protected]

Our travels online among computer setups show that a great many Apple users don’t choose Magic Mouse — and many even detest it. So they select popular products from Logitech and other makers. But some people, like graphic designers, passionately defend Apple’s sleek and slippery mouse, and today’s featured MacBook Pro-and-custom-PC setup is a testament to that. Long live Magic Mouse!

Versatile Mac mini powers DIY workstation [Setups]

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An M1 Mac mini drives a n LG display in this Chicago-area setup.
An M1 Mac mini drives a n LG display in this Chicago-area setup.
Photo: Bill Penhale

While Apple is finally putting out an M2 Mac Pro even as its powerful Mac Studio machines conquer most hardcore computing tasks, the truth is most users can more than get by with an M1 or M2 Mac mini. That goes for Bill Penhale, who sent us his setup from Shorewood, Illinois, near Chicago.

“I am pretty techy for 70, ha!,” the retired sales director told Cult of Mac. And judging by his M1 Mac mini-powered setup, with a fine 4K external display, solid audio and loads of external storage, that’s certainly true.

Mac shipments return to growth but Windows keeps plunging

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2023 MacBook Air, Mac Studio and Mac Pro
People are buying more Macs even as Windows shipments slide.
Photo: Apple

Apple is once again the lone bright spot in the global PC industry. Mac shipments grew by double digits year over year while makers of Windows machines all saw their shipments decline, according to a market research firm.

Mac’s return to growth in Q2 must be a relief to CEO Tim Cook as Q1 shipments were down dramatically.

MacBooks make up a whopping 77% of Mac sales

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2023 MacBook Pro.
Most of the Macs that consumers buy look like this.
Photo: Apple

If you own a Mac, it’s almost certainly a MacBook rather than a desktop. New data from a market research firm shows that Apple’s notebooks made up the lion’s share of macOS sales over the last year.

Of desktop models, the all-in-one iMac is the most popular. On the other hand, the cheapest Mac is among the lowest-selling, according to the analysts.

Monster 65-inch display dominates dual-station home office [Setups]

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A roving laptop station holds an iPad Pro.
A roving laptop station holds and iPad Pro plus Magic Keyboard and Magic Trackpad.
Photo: [email protected]

Today’s featured computer setup sports something we don’t see often — multiple stations for different uses. And its colossal 65-inch smart TV, used as a computer display as well as a home theater screen, is pretty unusual, too.

Check it out and peruse the gear list below.

Formidable workstation scores 2 Apple ‘hat tricks’ [Setups]

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It's pretty much all Apple here, with special appearance by other companies for recording and lighting purposes.
It's pretty much all Apple here, with special appearance by other companies for recording and lighting purposes.
Photo: [email protected]

The only reason today’s featured setup isn’t 100% Apple is that Cupertino doesn’t make its own condenser USB microphones, lighting or desks.

Literally everything else in the setup is from Apple, including a computing “hat trick” of desktop Mac, laptop Mac and Apple tablet, plus a second hat trick for peripherals, with an Apple display, Apple input devices and Apple audio.

Mac mini and custom PC help make gamer’s paradise [Setups]

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Just check out those pegboards holding many and varied gaming implements.
Just check out those pegboards holding many and varied gaming implements.
Photo: Sajid Kahn

Some computer setups blow you away with the sheer number of components they include. Today’s featured M1 Mac mini rig not only has five computing devices — not counting a whole wall full of gaming systems — its gear list at the bottom of this post includes 33 items.

And that doesn’t even count the 3D printer, smartphones and a bunch of other items the user showcased.

Get outsized savings on an M2 Mac mini refurb straight from Apple

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Mac mini sitting on desk alongside LG display, LaCie hard drive, Model F keyboard and Magic Trackpad
Save big on the slim 2023 Mac mini with M2 chip.
Photo: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

The 2023 Mac mini with the powerful Apple M2 processor is already an amazing deal, and shoppers can now save even more by buying a refurbished unit.

These are primarily desktops that consumers bought then returned so supplies are limited. There are no units with the M2 Pro processor available at this time, for example.

Save big on 2023 Mac mini with M2 or M2 Pro while you can

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2023 Mac mini with Apple M2
Wow: get the 2023 Mac mini at $100 or $200 off.
Photo: Apple

The Mac mini with M2 processor is a bargain at its regular price, and $100 off makes it an even better deal. That cuts the price of Apple’s newest desktop to less than $500.

That’s for the base model — and you can save even more by jumping up to the version with an M2 Pro and double the RAM and storage.

Programmer loves his Logitech peripherals [Setups]

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The programmer likes his Logitech Mini mechanical keyboard.
The programmer likes his Logitech Mini mechanical keyboard.
Photo: [email protected]

Before reading past the jump, take a look at today’s featured M1 Mac mini computer setup in the photograph above and see if you can quickly identify the two items that aren’t from peripherals giant Logitech — other than the main computer, display and furniture.

Both items are on the small side, so it might take a hard look to spot them. Answers below in the post and at the bottom just above the gear list.

Mac mini drives affordable ‘DIY Studio Display’ [Setups]

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The user learned how to convert the 5K iMac display from a video.
The user learned how to convert the 5K iMac display from a video.
Photo: [email protected]

It’s great that Apple put out a high-quality display that costs a lot less than the $5,000 Pro Display XDR. But the Studio Display, at $1,600, is still too pricey for many folks. If you’d rather have a 5K display for way less than a grand, today’s featured M2 Pro Mac mini setup is for you if you’re willing to do some work.

Following an instructional video included below, the user converted a 5K iMac to a 5K standard USB display for about $700.