Mac Mini

The basics

The Mac Mini is billed as Apple’s entry-level machine, a way to experience the world of OS X without having to remortgage your flat. The current model is loaded up to the hilt, including the aforementioned Apple operating system, NVIDIA 320M graphics, 320GB hard drive, 2GB of RAM and a 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, all for £612. A pricier model comes with a server version of OS X, 500GB hard drive and 4GB of RAM, but at a cost of £898.

The good

The peerless Mac experience is what the Mac Mini is all about. OS X Snow Leopard is stunning and now comes with the killer Mac App Store for downloading add-ons without having to trawl the web.

Firewire and four USB ports mean that connectivity is more than ample, while the 19.7.x19.7x3.6cm means you can hide this machine away easily, saving stacks of space compared to some less than clever PC rivals. With HDMI too, you can also beam out hi-def video, making this perfect for hooking up to your TV as well as a monitor.

The bad

As ever with Apple, it’s the pricing that really sticks in the craw. At £612 for the “cheap” version, it’s hard to justify. There are small-scale PCs that offer similar specs at a much lower price. You really have to want to buy into Apple’s ecosystem too, because this is a gadget that is much about kudos as it is about the tech inside.

The bottom line

If you want a desktop Mac, but can’t face spending upwards of a grand, this is where it is. Pair it with your existing keyboard and monitor and you’ll not only save stacks of space, you’ll have the full Mac experience too.