Such is the classic simplicity of Apple design, if you’d been abducted by aliens two decades ago and taken to the peaceful planet Zog to hang out with and learn from an enlightened species, you’d still recognize this as a Mac mini when you returned. (Though you’d probably be disappointed at the state of enlightenment here on Terra Ferma.)

We've been covering the best deals and lowest prices on Apple's Mac mini range for quite some time now, starting with the best Mac mini (M1) deals, followed by the lowest Mac mini M2 prices. But now there's been a leap in performance with the addition of the latest Mac mini M4 (and M4 Pro) model.

When it was introduced during the white plastic heyday of peak iPod-era Apple, the Mac mini was pitched as the cheapest way to buy into the Mac ecosystem. It was $499. And despite some fluctuation (as high as $799 for the entry-level 2018 mini, $599 for this year's refresh), the Mac mini has stayed the cheapest entry-level Mac ever since.