Our tech reviewer always wanted a new iMac, and testing the M4 model has shown him the ups and downs of Apple’s latest edition.

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.

Seemingly, for the first time in forever, Apple will be updating every single Mac with an M4 chip, presuming rumors hold correct. There have been a number of times where this has been close, but it hasn’t happened anytime in the past decade, at least.

With the M4 Pro and Thunderbolt 5, the Mac mini supports up to three displays simultaneously at 6K resolution and 60Hz. It can also power one 6K/60Hz panel with a second screen up to 8K/60Hz or a 4K panel at up to a 240Hz refresh rate. These higher-end 8K/60Hz and 4K/240Hz display configurations require the HDMI port.

For years, the Mini was the odd man out in the Mac desktop lineup. Apple has given plenty of love to the iMac over the years. The Mac Pro has had a few

Apple’s smaller Mac mini is mightier than ever, thanks to the M4 and M4 Pro chips, and it’s a better deal with 16GB of RAM to start.