Believe it or not, the M4 Mac mini was released just over a year ago. Apple changed the footprint, design, and form factor to create a compact 5in x 5in x 2in aluminum box with a fan at the bottom. It was a nice upgrade from its predecessor. But, in all honesty, I was not expecting much. I figured it would be a fine computer, especially because Apple debuted it at a $599 price point ($499 now on Amazon). So I thought to myself, there has to be some limitation that everyday users would notice, right? But after using this for an entire year as my main desktop, it has completely distorted how I think about computers and what real value in tech should look like. more.