Black Friday can net you a brand-new Mac for under $500

Mac Mini next to 'iMore Black Friday' text
(Image credit: Future|Apple)

If you're working from home, the idea of a big, bulky desktop computer may not appeal - whether you're looking for Windows or Mac.

Thankfully, Apple's smallest desktop PC, the Mac Mini saw a sizeable update early this year that added the M2 chip to the lineup - and it earned a five-star rating in our glowing review.

It's a great little machine, and if you're keen on picking one up, it'll make a great introductory point to macOS. Better yet, it's $100 as part of Black Friday.

That means that Best Buy is offering a Mac Mini for $499, making it by far the cheapest Mac out there.

Where to find the best Mac Black Friday deals

You can put that saving toward a nice keyboard and mouse combo, or a monitor. While there aren't any front-facing ports, you'll find ethernet, USB-C, USB-A, and HDMI on the back - but a USB hub, like this UGREEN one we saw on sale earlier, can add plenty more.

Despite being tiny, the Mac Mini's M2 chip makes it surprisingly capable for video and audio edits - the sort of thing you used to need a more expensive Mac for.

Get a Mac for under $500

Apple Mac Mini M2 | $599 $499 at Best Buy

Apple Mac Mini M2 | $599 $499 at Best Buy

The Mac Mini M2 is a perfect entry point to macOS, and you may be surprised by how powerful it is despite being so small.

Price check: $579 at Walmart | $499 at Amazon

The Mac Mini M2 is a fantastic machine, but this version does ship with 256GB of SSD storage which may not be enough if you're expecting multiple users and plenty of files.

With that in mind, I'd recommend grabbing a cheap storage drive to add to it, since you can't upgrade the device after purchasing.

Black Friday
Save money with Black Friday sales

Grab bargains on Apple devices this Black Friday

If you're looking for the best Black Friday Apple deals as the annual sales season kicks off, we've got you covered. From now right through to Cyber Monday on November 27, we'll be serving up the best offers on iPhone, MacBook, Apple Watch, iPad, HomeKit smart home devices and more. Save a small fortune by checking back on our daily deals coverage.

Lloyd Coombes
Contributor

Lloyd Coombes is a freelance writer with a specialism in Apple tech. From his first, hand-me-down iMac, he’s been working with Apple products for over a decade, and while he loves his iPhone and Mac, the iPad will always have his heart for reasons he still can’t quite fathom. Since moving from blogging to writing professionally, Lloyd’s work can be found at TechRadar, Macworld, TechAdvisor and plenty more. He’s also the Editor in Chief at GGRecon.com, and on the rare occasion he’s not writing you’ll find him spending time with his son, or working hard at the gym (while wearing an Apple Watch, naturally). You can find him on Twitter @lloydcoombes.