Apple
Mac mini (M4)
$599Cheaper
Released 2024-11
Best Mini Pcs · head-to-head
A sourced, side-by-side comparison. Mac mini (M4) is cheaper at $599. Every spec and price links to its source.
Apple
$599Cheaper
Released 2024-11
Acer
$799.99
Released 2025
On the specs we track, they're closely matched. The Mac mini (M4) is the cheaper at $599.
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✓ marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.
| Spec | | |
|---|---|---|
| US price | $599 | $799.99 |
| Brand | Apple | Acer |
| Released | 2024-11 | 2025 |
| CPU | Apple M4 (10-core, 4P+6E) | Intel Core Ultra 5 226V (base); up to Core Ultra 7 258V |
| Max RAM (GB) | 32 | 32 |
| Storage type | NVMe SSD (proprietary, soldered) | M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0 NVMe (two slots) |
| Wi-Fi standard | Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) | Wi-Fi 6E |
| Ethernet | Gigabit Ethernet (configurable to 10 GbE) | 2.5 GbE (dual ports) |
| Ports summary | 3x Thunderbolt 4 (rear, 40 Gbps), 2x USB-C / USB 3 (front, 10 Gbps), 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x 3.5mm audio | 1x USB4 Type-C, 4x USB-A 3.2 Gen2, 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x DisplayPort 2.0, 2x 2.5 GbE RJ45, 3.5mm audio |
| Dimensions (mm) | 127 x 127 x 50 | 131 x 131 x 43 |
| Release year | 2024 | 2025 |
Sources — Mac mini (M4): support.apple.com (verified 2026-06-15). Acer Revo Box AI: store.acer.com (verified 2026-06-15).
Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (6 of 7). Matching specs are omitted.
Sourced tester consensus for each — the "what people who used it think" layer, not just specs.
Three testers - Notebookcheck, Tom's Guide and TechRadar - each ran the base M4 Mac mini (not the M4 Pro) through their own benchmark suites and all three recommend it. Geekbench 6 single-core landed at 3,838 on all three, and multi-core at 14,838 on the two Future-owned outlets versus 15,072 at Notebookcheck. All three independently measured the same 5 x 5 x 2-inch chassis and all three fault the power button Apple moved to the underside. Only Notebookcheck instrumented power and acoustics, recording 2.6-2.7 W at idle against a 62.5 W peak. (3 sourced reviews, 3 lab-tested.)
Praised: Radically smaller 5 x 5 x 2-inch redesign, measured identically by all three; M4 delivers class-leading single-core speed and effortless everyday performance; 16GB of RAM now standard on the base model, double the M2's.
Flagged: Power button moved to the underside, unreachable without lifting the machine; Expensive RAM and SSD upgrade pricing; No user-serviceable upgrades or repairs.
No sourced tester review yet.