Apple’s MacBook Air is an incredibly popular device and is our pick for the best MacBook you can buy. But there are strong arguments for overlooking it and buying a Mac mini instead. Apple’s desktop is cheaper, supports more screens and ports, and is better for your posture. Those reasons could be enough to tip the balance in your favor.
If you’re unsure, read this guide to see if it helps you make a decision. Here we’ll show you four of the most compelling reasons to buy a Mac mini instead of a MacBook Air.
it’s much cheaper
The MacBook Air is Apple’s most affordable laptop. Starting at $999 for the M2 model or $1,099 for the M3 version, it’s a tremendously good deal considering what you get. But the Mac mini surpasses all that.
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The latest version of the Mac mini starts at just $599, saving you $300 or $400 compared to the MacBook Air. Those are big savings.
Sure, the Mac mini doesn’t come with a screen, mouse, or keyboard, but you can potentially get them all for less than the $300 or $400 you’ll earn if you don’t buy a MacBook Air.
The only downside to the Mac mini is that it doesn’t have an option with Apple’s M3 chip, which goes some way to explaining the price difference. But the M2 is still a solid chip, and if you don’t care about the M3, the Mac mini is a great option.
Supports more external displays
One of the MacBook Air’s main weaknesses has always been its limited support for external displays, and that remains an issue today. It’s an area where the Mac mini takes the lead.
The MacBook Air with M2 chip will only work with an external display with up to 6K resolution and 60Hz refresh rate. The MacBook Air M3 is better, but not by much: It supports the same single 6K display, plus a 5K display with a 60Hz refresh rate if you close the MacBook Air’s display.
The Mac mini, on the other hand, offers a little more. Choose the M2 Pro Mac mini, for example, and you’ll get support for up to three external displays. The exact layout varies: two 6K at 60 Hz and one 4K at 60 Hz; one 6K at 60Hz and another 4K at 144Hz; one 8K at 60Hz; or one 4K at 240Hz. That’s some serious flexibility that the MacBook Air simply can’t match.
Even the basic Mac mini M2 works with more external displays than the MacBook Air M2. Here, the Mac mini M2 supports up to two displays (one at 6K and 60 Hz and one at 5K and 60 Hz over Thunderbolt or one at 4K at 60 Hz over HDMI). That’s not as strong as the screen support on the MacBook Air M3, but remember that you’ll pay a lot less for the Mac mini.
You get many more ports
Much of the Mac mini’s extensive external display support comes down to port selection, and this is another area where the desktop Mac offers a better package than the MacBook Air.
The MacBook Air has long been limited to USB-C ports, and even when the MacBook Pro brought more port variety back to the table, the MacBook Air kept missing out. Whether you opt for the M2 or M3 model, you’ll get two Thunderbolt/USB 4 slots, with a MagSafe connector and a 3.5mm headphone jack to round it out.
That’s nothing compared to the Mac mini. Here, you’ll get either two or four Thunderbolt 4 ports (depending on whether you buy the M2 or M2 Pro model), two USB-A slots, an HDMI port, a Gigabit Ethernet connector (upgradable to 10Gb Ethernet), plus a Connector for 3.5mm headphones. If you want to connect your peripherals without having to rely on a bunch of dongles, the Mac mini is the clear winner.
Bonus: It’s better for your posture
This last section is more of an extra point to consider because it’s an indirect benefit of the Mac mini, but it’s still important: the Mac mini might be better for your posture.
Unlike the MacBook Air, the Mac mini doesn’t come with a built-in display, which means you need to get your monitor. External screens give you much more control over the height and position of the screen, meaning it is much easier to achieve a comfortable height that ensures good posture and prevents ailments such as back and neck pain.
With the MacBook Air, however, you can end up hunched over its screen and causing yourself all kinds of discomfort. Because it is angled downward from the eye line, arching your back is just an integral part of its use. And that’s not good for your body.
I speak from experience here. Many years ago, I used a laptop every day, but bending over became so painful that I had to switch to a desktop computer with an external monitor. Since then my posture has improved and my back pain is a thing of the past.
Of course, you can connect your MacBook Air to a separate display and avoid this problem, but many people won’t do that. The Mac mini forces you to adopt a better posture, which is ultimately better for you in the long run.
Which one should you choose?
So should you choose a Mac mini over a MacBook Air? Much of the answer comes down to how you intend to use the computer. If you want a portable, lightweight machine that you can take with you wherever you go, the MacBook Air will always win. While the Mac mini itself is small and light, the need to carry a monitor, mouse, and keyboard with you makes it much less practical.
But if that’s not a factor and you’re looking for a computer that you’ll use at home or in the office, the Mac mini might be the best option. Its lower cost, better support for external displays, greater number of ports, and benefits for your posture make it an excellent option over the MacBook Air.
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