The recent M4 Mac release shows that a simple chip upgrade isn't going to be enough to make users invest in a new Mac.

Apple's long-overdue overhaul of the Mac mini shrinks an already great package even more, yet it still punches far above its weight class.

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.