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warpshield 44.9K Views
Aug 16, 2022 9:23 PM

Apple Mac Mini: M1, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD (Late 2020 Model)

$550

$700

21% off
+ Free Store Pickupat Micro Center
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Deal Details
Microcenter has Apple Mac Mini Compact Computer w/ Apple M1 Chip (Late 2020 Model, MGNR3LL/A) on sale for $549.99. Click the Reserve Now button on the product page and pick up at your local store.

Thanks to Community Member warpshield for finding this deal.

Specs:
  • Apple M1 Octa-Core Processor (4x high-performance + 4x high-efficiency)
  • 8-Core Integrated GPU
  • 8GB RAM (onboard)
  • 256GB Integrated NVMe PCIe Solid State Drive
  • 802.11ax WiFi 6 / Bluetooth 5.0
  • Ports:
    • 2x USB Type-A (USB 3.1 / USB 3.2 Gen 1)
    • 2x Thunderbolt 3 USB Type C (supports DisplayPort / HDMI / VGA & Power Delivery)
    • 1x HDMI 2.0 (output)
    • 1x 3.5 mm Headphone
    • 1x Ethernet

Editor's Notes

Written by persian_mafia | Staff
  • About this deal:
    • This price is $150 lower (21.43% savings) than the listed price of $699.99.
  • About this store:Additional Note:
    • Please refer to the Forum Thread for further discussion regarding this deal.

Original Post

Written by warpshield
Community Notes
About the Poster
Deal Details
Community Notes
About the Poster
Microcenter has Apple Mac Mini Compact Computer w/ Apple M1 Chip (Late 2020 Model, MGNR3LL/A) on sale for $549.99. Click the Reserve Now button on the product page and pick up at your local store.

Thanks to Community Member warpshield for finding this deal.

Specs:
  • Apple M1 Octa-Core Processor (4x high-performance + 4x high-efficiency)
  • 8-Core Integrated GPU
  • 8GB RAM (onboard)
  • 256GB Integrated NVMe PCIe Solid State Drive
  • 802.11ax WiFi 6 / Bluetooth 5.0
  • Ports:
    • 2x USB Type-A (USB 3.1 / USB 3.2 Gen 1)
    • 2x Thunderbolt 3 USB Type C (supports DisplayPort / HDMI / VGA & Power Delivery)
    • 1x HDMI 2.0 (output)
    • 1x 3.5 mm Headphone
    • 1x Ethernet

Editor's Notes

Written by persian_mafia | Staff
  • About this deal:
    • This price is $150 lower (21.43% savings) than the listed price of $699.99.
  • About this store:Additional Note:
    • Please refer to the Forum Thread for further discussion regarding this deal.

Original Post

Written by warpshield

Community Voting

Deal Score
+29
Good Deal
Visit Micro Center

Top Comments

APhamX
4.7KComments
766Reputation
I'm a software developer and I use this 8gb mac mini at home.

My swap (with 48 days of uptime) is 3-4GB. Just because it's in swap doesn't mean it's actively writing/reading from the swap.

Here's a graph of my swap over time, and ALSO how much swap reads and writes over the course of an hour.
https://imgur.com/a/AOK9lFg

Memory swap isn't bad.. It's like a tiered memory storage... It's only bad if it's actively trying to utilize the swap with read/writes, but it takes a lot of those to hurt the ssd.

This is with discord + vscode + spotify + chrome + occasional FT. 8gb M1 256gb.
​
Go to Comment
mrmochi
5.5KComments
654Reputation
I agree w/ you but to be fair most people (e.g. Mom & Dad) who buy this model will never notice the difference. M1 seems to use RAM more efficiently and it's blazing fast.
Go to Comment
evens0ng
276Comments
137Reputation
Only $20 more at Costco and more accessible for most people.
https://www.costco.com/mac-mini-%...94159.html

8GB on an M1 is not a problem at all, it is much more memory efficient than Windows PCs with 16GB+.

M2, based on how they are pricing the M2 MBAs are going to be $200 more. Not worth it for that minor bump.
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84 Comments

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Aug 17, 2022 2:18 PM
179 Comments
Joined Jun 2017

This comment has been rated as unhelpful by Slickdeals users.

Aug 17, 2022 2:22 PM
5.5K Comments
Joined Dec 2005
mrmochiAug 17, 2022 2:22 PM
5.5K Comments
Quote from jmt553 View quoted comment :
8 gig memory? In 2022? 😑
I agree w/ you but to be fair most people (e.g. Mom & Dad) who buy this model will never notice the difference. M1 seems to use RAM more efficiently and it's blazing fast.
Aug 17, 2022 2:32 PM
2.5K Comments
Joined Feb 2016
zhalieAug 17, 2022 2:32 PM
2.5K Comments
This little machine is very solid, even with 8GB RAM.
2
Aug 17, 2022 3:02 PM
59 Comments
Joined Jan 2013
SlindquiAug 17, 2022 3:02 PM
59 Comments
It's a good machine and 8 gigs is plenty for 70% of users. The way it uses RAM makes it more equivalent to 16 or even 24 on an intel (if you are video editing or do more intensive work, upgrade to 16).

That said, it's two years old and a M2 announcement is pretty likely (Oct. is my guess, though I've been wrong before). I'd say if you can wait, you should wait (that's what I'm doing).
5
Aug 17, 2022 5:26 PM
276 Comments
Joined Nov 2007
ufdlimAug 17, 2022 5:26 PM
276 Comments
Only $20 more at Costco and more accessible for most people.
https://www.costco.com/mac-mini-%...94159.html

8GB on an M1 is not a problem at all, it is much more memory efficient than Windows PCs with 16GB+.

M2, based on how they are pricing the M2 MBAs are going to be $200 more. Not worth it for that minor bump.
Aug 17, 2022 6:34 PM
179 Comments
Joined Jun 2017
jmt553Aug 17, 2022 6:34 PM
179 Comments
Quote from mrmochi View quoted comment :
I agree w/ you but to be fair most people (e.g. Mom & Dad) who buy this model will never notice the difference. M1 seems to use RAM more efficiently and it's blazing fast.
I figured they "applefied" it to be more efficient but is there an option to get a version with more ram? From a business perspective, I want something that's going to last longer than 3-4 years. My MacBook Pro is from 2015 and still runs great.
1
Aug 18, 2022 3:26 AM
5.5K Comments
Joined Dec 2005
mrmochiAug 18, 2022 3:26 AM
5.5K Comments
Quote from jmt553 View quoted comment :
I figured they "applefied" it to be more efficient but is there an option to get a version with more ram? From a business perspective, I want something that's going to last longer than 3-4 years. My MacBook Pro is from 2015 and still runs great.
WAIT 22 days! New Mac Mini with M2 expected on Sept 7! My Mac mini 2012 is running on 10 years old now this october so I am really looking forward to going all out.
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Aug 18, 2022 6:32 AM
68 Comments
Joined Feb 2022
AmusedDesk9324Aug 18, 2022 6:32 AM
68 Comments
Quote from mrmochi View quoted comment :
WAIT 22 days! New Mac Mini with M2 expected on Sept 7! My Mac mini 2012 is running on 10 years old now this october so I am really looking forward to going all out.
Wait for what? M2 is only 20% better, I doubt the M2 would be priced only 20% more than this deal right now
4
Aug 18, 2022 9:01 AM
634 Comments
Joined Mar 2011
sieudaochichAug 18, 2022 9:01 AM
634 Comments
Quote from mrmochi View quoted comment :
WAIT 22 days! New Mac Mini with M2 expected on Sept 7! My Mac mini 2012 is running on 10 years old now this october so I am really looking forward to going all out.
Wait for a downgrade in SSD while paying $200-$400 more for 10% performance

We'll see though but I doubt Apple will keep the same price
1
Aug 18, 2022 11:06 AM
256 Comments
Joined Jul 2015
roking888Aug 18, 2022 11:06 AM
256 Comments
the M1 Macs use MORE RAM than the Intel Macs did, straight up. I had a 6 core intel i5 Mac Mini 256gb with 8gb RAM, now I have this exact base model M1 256gb with 8gb RAM, I can tell you for sure the M1 uses memory swap SO MUCH MORE than the Intel did. I almost never saw my memory pressure go into yellow or any swap be used on the Intel, now I see it any time I open an intensive new tab on top of everything else I have running, which isn't a lot... If you care about avoiding swap to avoid the wear and tear on the SSD(please read about this known issue with M1) then DO NOT BELIEVE that 8gb is enough. I don't do much on the machine, either.... a couple firefox windows, less than 10 tabs total, spotify, messages, and task manager, that is all I run to be pushing it so. I am not saying this machine is not a good deal at $549, that is the price I bought it at and I think its a good deal, but be prepared for the memory swap.
18
Aug 18, 2022 12:09 PM
1K Comments
Joined Apr 2015
FNwozAug 18, 2022 12:09 PM
1K Comments
Great computer even with these specs. Super happy with mine. Don't get caught up in the ram debate. Swap still happens on 16gb.
1
Aug 18, 2022 12:55 PM
1.5K Comments
Joined Sep 2018

This comment has been rated as unhelpful by Slickdeals users.

Aug 18, 2022 2:06 PM
924 Comments
Joined Dec 2014
solkiAug 18, 2022 2:06 PM
924 Comments
Quote from FNwoz View quoted comment :
Great computer even with these specs. Super happy with mine. Don't get caught up in the ram debate. Swap still happens on 16gb.
more is still better. 8gb is not cutting it if you're a content creator.

most reviews i've seen people regret not going 16gb.

Quote from AmusedPlastic6071 View quoted comment :
Does this come with kb/mouse? I'd hate to spend another $100 on those.
no it doesn't. any $10 usb keyboard and mouse will work.
Aug 18, 2022 2:08 PM
1K Comments
Joined Apr 2015
FNwozAug 18, 2022 2:08 PM
1K Comments
Quote from solki View quoted comment :
more is still better. 8gb is not cutting it if you're a content creator.

most reviews i've seen people regret not going 16gb.



no it doesn't. any $10 usb keyboard and mouse will work.
Agreed. All depends what you are doing with it but still a great computer regardless. Cheapest way to get into apple ecosystem as well. Lastly it is quiet and uses like no power which is awesome as well.
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Aug 18, 2022 2:29 PM
156 Comments
Joined Jun 2017
HideOnSh1tAug 18, 2022 2:29 PM
156 Comments
Quote from evens0ng View quoted comment :
Only $20 more at Costco and more accessible for most people.
https://www.costco.com/mac-mini-%...94159.html

8GB on an M1 is not a problem at all, it is much more memory efficient than Windows PCs with 16GB+.

M2, based on how they are pricing the M2 MBAs are going to be $200 more. Not worth it for that minor bump.
Purchased at original price more than 30 days ago. Hope they can do price adjustment for me. Don't want to go through the return & rebuy process.
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