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frontpage Posted by creediddy • Nov 8, 2024
frontpage Posted by creediddy • Nov 8, 2024

Select Micro Center Stores: Apple Mac Mini Desktop w/ M4 Chip, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD

+ Free Store Pickup

$540

$600

10% off
Micro Center
129 Comments 77,709 Views
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Deal Details
Select Micro Center Stores have Apple Mac Mini Desktop w/ M4 Chip (Silver, 2024, MU9D3LL/A) on sale for $539.99. Select free store pickup where available.

Thanks to community member creediddy for finding this deal.

Specs:
  • Apple M4 10-Core CPU with 4 performance cores and 6 efficiency cores
  • 10-Core Integrated GPU
  • 16-Core Neural Engine
  • 16GB Unified Memory
  • 256GB Integrated NVMe PCIe Solid State Drive
  • 802.11ax WiFi 6E / Bluetooth 5.3
  • Ports:
    • 2x USB-C
    • 3x Thunderbolt 4
    • 1x HDMI
    • 1x 3.5 mm headphone jack with advanced support for high-impedance headphones
    • 1x Gigabit Ethernet

Editor's Notes

Written by oceanlake | Staff
  • A nice deal for those with stock at their local store. This price is $9 lower than a recent Frontpage Deal that was only available to Best Buy Plus members.
  • Includes Apple One (1) Year Limited Warranty.
  • Please see the original post for additional details & give the WIKI and additional forum comments a read for helpful discussion.
  • Get 1%-5% cash back on deals like this with a cash back credit card. Compare the available cash back credit cards here.

Original Post

Written by creediddy
Community Notes
About the Poster
Deal Details
Community Notes
About the Poster
Select Micro Center Stores have Apple Mac Mini Desktop w/ M4 Chip (Silver, 2024, MU9D3LL/A) on sale for $539.99. Select free store pickup where available.

Thanks to community member creediddy for finding this deal.

Specs:
  • Apple M4 10-Core CPU with 4 performance cores and 6 efficiency cores
  • 10-Core Integrated GPU
  • 16-Core Neural Engine
  • 16GB Unified Memory
  • 256GB Integrated NVMe PCIe Solid State Drive
  • 802.11ax WiFi 6E / Bluetooth 5.3
  • Ports:
    • 2x USB-C
    • 3x Thunderbolt 4
    • 1x HDMI
    • 1x 3.5 mm headphone jack with advanced support for high-impedance headphones
    • 1x Gigabit Ethernet

Editor's Notes

Written by oceanlake | Staff
  • A nice deal for those with stock at their local store. This price is $9 lower than a recent Frontpage Deal that was only available to Best Buy Plus members.
  • Includes Apple One (1) Year Limited Warranty.
  • Please see the original post for additional details & give the WIKI and additional forum comments a read for helpful discussion.
  • Get 1%-5% cash back on deals like this with a cash back credit card. Compare the available cash back credit cards here.

Original Post

Written by creediddy

Community Voting

Deal Score
+60
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Top Comments

santy83
2371 Posts
572 Reputation
Not a deal. Just get it from Apple education store for 499 and it is open for all.
santy83
2371 Posts
572 Reputation
I know you posted this deal but give me a break...
Bouncy_Furbal
781 Posts
88 Reputation
In this life, everyone is a student

128 Comments

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Nov 9, 2024
2,018 Posts
Joined Oct 2009
Nov 9, 2024
brossow
Nov 9, 2024
2,018 Posts
Quote from shravan-kumars :
How easy is it to upgrade the ram and hard drive with proper equipment and YouTube videos ?

This is answered just a few comments before yours.
Nov 9, 2024
8,803 Posts
Joined Dec 2014
Nov 9, 2024
LEOMHK1.0
Nov 9, 2024
8,803 Posts
16GB RAM ????
I didn't think any MAC under $800 would have more than 8GB of RAM.
2
Nov 9, 2024
252 Posts
Joined Jul 2023
Nov 9, 2024
thebidetcartel
Nov 9, 2024
252 Posts
Quote from creediddy :
This sounds like retail fraud that you are telling people to commit. Is it worth it over $100? Ask yourself that.

Lol, businesses do fraud on the daily. Stop sucking corporate ding dongs and get a life.
3
Nov 9, 2024
125 Posts
Joined Aug 2017
Nov 9, 2024
n0sql913
Nov 9, 2024
125 Posts
Quote from dohnnysdiscountgas :
It's probably not gonna stay that way much longer considering this is about the thousandth time I've read that this week / has become such common knowledge

This is a win-win for apple. Even with the EDU price reduction, they're still making a profit on each sale on top of the tax write-off they take due to helping "education". They're not getting rid of that.
1
Nov 9, 2024
1,378 Posts
Joined Apr 2017
Nov 9, 2024
Undefined.null
Nov 9, 2024
1,378 Posts
So much bickering going on in here. Yes it is dishonest to buy with an edu discount if you are not a student. But apple doesn't enforce that. I'd personally buy through apple to save money, but I have less integrity than some people here 😆

If people want to save money then go for it. If you don't feel good about doing the education discount, then microcenter is a good alternative.
Nov 9, 2024
1,232 Posts
Joined Nov 2009
Nov 9, 2024
dreamer3kx
Nov 9, 2024
1,232 Posts
Quote from thebidetcartel :
Lol, businesses do fraud on the daily. Stop sucking corporate ding dongs and get a life.

They will also rob you blind if you're not looking, don't feel sorry or loyal to these people.
1
Nov 9, 2024
7 Posts
Joined Sep 2011
Nov 9, 2024
ripscarface
Nov 9, 2024
7 Posts
Trolling. Anything above $499 is not a deal.
2

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Nov 9, 2024
9,760 Posts
Joined Feb 2013
Nov 9, 2024
Hat-Trick
Nov 9, 2024
9,760 Posts
Quote from Rebound :
It is not.
The SSD is on a card, but it is Apple proprietary, the same as the Mac Studio. Nobody is selling SSD upgrades for the Mac Studio, but this will be much higher volume, so maybe they will.

To upgrade, if you get the right cards, you have to completely disassemble the Mini (which isn't that hard, but it isn't simple), then you install the new chips, then you have to boot the Mac in DPU mode, tethered to another Mac. Besides that, it works.

One other thing: From benchmarks, some SSDs are much slower than the others. Toms Hardware tested [tomsguide.com] only two models, one with 512 GB and another with 1 TB, and the 512 GB came in at 3437/2017 MB/s read/write, and the 1 TB came in a 6351/5133 MB/s read/write. The 1 TB was the Pro model, but I think it's probably the SSD configuration and not the disk controller.
My 256GB SSD is roughly 2950 MB/s read and 2000MB/s write. Not too far from the 512GB. Definitely not worth returning the 256GB for a 512GB model.
Nov 9, 2024
758 Posts
Joined Nov 2008
Nov 9, 2024
reaperman
Nov 9, 2024
758 Posts
I'm rocking my new m4 mini right now. Just set it up last night. Upgraded from a M1 8gb mini. It's pretty snappy, but the M1 is no slouch either.
1
Pro
Nov 9, 2024
2,348 Posts
Joined Jan 2019
Nov 9, 2024
blahbooboo2
Pro
Nov 9, 2024
2,348 Posts
Quote from Rebound :
It is not.
The SSD is on a card, but it is Apple proprietary, the same as the Mac Studio. Nobody is selling SSD upgrades for the Mac Studio, but this will be much higher volume, so maybe they will.

To upgrade, if you get the right cards, you have to completely disassemble the Mini (which isn't that hard, but it isn't simple), then you install the new chips, then you have to boot the Mac in DPU mode, tethered to another Mac. Besides that, it works.

One other thing: From benchmarks, some SSDs are much slower than the others. Toms Hardware tested [tomsguide.com] only two models, one with 512 GB and another with 1 TB, and the 512 GB came in at 3437/2017 MB/s read/write, and the 1 TB came in a 6351/5133 MB/s read/write. The 1 TB was the Pro model, but I think it's probably the SSD configuration and not the disk controller.

SSD Upgrade -- Polysoft is making SSD upgrades for the Mac Studio and will be creating an SSD upgrade for the new mini.

https://www.kickstarter.com/proje...dio-drive/
Last edited by blahbooboo2 November 9, 2024 at 07:23 AM.
Nov 9, 2024
136 Posts
Joined Aug 2013
Nov 9, 2024
shravan-kumars
Nov 9, 2024
136 Posts
Quote from Hat-Trick :
Are we supposed to know how capable YOU are? How about watching the videos you reference and make your own determination based on your abilities?

It was a question ⁉️ I thought was ok to ask the community based on their experience. You already did answer above and I appreciate that.
Nov 9, 2024
822 Posts
Joined Jan 2010
Nov 9, 2024
maverickSD
Nov 9, 2024
822 Posts
This is the best deal for the pro version since its 10% off and not $100 off as in the edu store
Nov 9, 2024
1,622 Posts
Joined Dec 2007
Nov 9, 2024
dohturdima
Nov 9, 2024
1,622 Posts
Quote from n0sql913 :
This is a win-win for apple. Even with the EDU price reduction, they're still making a profit on each sale on top of the tax write-off they take due to helping "education". They're not getting rid of that.
Apple profit margins close to 50% on its offerings (compare it to razor thin margins of a grocery retail chain). If they wanted to shut down / enforce. *.edu thing, they can do so anytime. The fact that they know about it is an unspoken OK to the practice. I am shamelessly taking advantage, and have no more qualms about it then I do at a car dealership - getting the best deal I can, and the dealer still makes their $$$.

That said, I have two school age kids and another in kindergarten - so if Apple decided to start verifying, would still qualify.
Last edited by dohturdima November 9, 2024 at 08:27 AM.
Nov 9, 2024
4,605 Posts
Joined Dec 2009

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Nov 9, 2024
259 Posts
Joined Apr 2018
Nov 9, 2024
DelightfulNose8839
Nov 9, 2024
259 Posts
I think that enforcing a price that is available only to a specific demographic is up to the retailer. I've never been a fan of demographic specific discounts, even though I qualify for some.

I actually asked a chat agent this year if I could buy an iPad through the EDU store for my father, through my account so I could get it delivered to me (or I could pick it up at the store), instead of through his account. He was employed at a school, though not a teacher, but could be considered an educator as was sometimes an assistant coach, drove the van to games, etc. They said sure.

After I picked up the iPad at the Apple store, no questions asked, I called my father to tell him his new iPad was here and he could come pick it up. Since it was a 2000 mile drive, he told me to keep it.

edit: formatting and grammer
Last edited by DelightfulNose8839 November 9, 2024 at 07:42 PM.

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