US · Aug 28, 2026
Best bang for your buck Mac mini
The Mini is the best bang-for-your-buck Mac in the building, but only if you already own a screen. This page assumes you do. If you do not, the homepage adds a $299 display to the compared price.
Skip 256GB unless you live in the cloud. RAM is soldered; buy the memory you will still want in 2028.
Best bang
$1,999
13-inch MacBook Air
M5 · 10 CPU / 10 GPU · 32GB · 1TB · 153 GB/s
New
- Per GB RAM
- $62
- Per CPU
- $200
- Per GPU
- $200
- Per storage
- $2.0
Best bang for your buck this week: 13-inch MacBook Air (M5, 32GB / 1024GB) at $1,999 as of Aug 28, 2026, ranked for code.
We are not earning from these links right now. None of them are affiliate links.
Retailer searches may include third-party refurbished units — not Apple Certified Refurbished. Read the listing.
Cheaper pass
$679
Mac mini
M4 · 10 CPU / 10 GPU · 16GB · 512GB · 120 GB/s
Apple Certified Refurbished · list $999
- Per GB RAM
- $42
- Per CPU
- $68
- Per GPU
- $68
- Per storage
- $1.3
Cheaper machine that still clears the bar: refurbished Mac mini (M4, 16GB / 512GB) at $679 as of Aug 28, 2026, ranked for code.
We are not earning from these links right now. None of them are affiliate links.
Retailer searches may include third-party refurbished units — not Apple Certified Refurbished. Read the listing.
More RAM
$10,799
Mac Studio
M5 Ultra · 36 CPU / 80 GPU · 256GB · 1TB · 1200 GB/s
New
- Per GB RAM
- $42
- Per CPU
- $300
- Per GPU
- $135
- Per storage
- $10.5
More unified memory for the same job: Mac Studio (M5 Ultra, 256GB / 1024GB) at $10,799 as of Aug 28, 2026, ranked for code.
We are not earning from these links right now. None of them are affiliate links.
Retailer searches may include third-party refurbished units — not Apple Certified Refurbished. Read the listing.
FAQ
Mini or Mac Studio?
Studio if you need Max/Ultra GPU or 64GB+. Mini if you want the same M6/M5 Pro idea for less money.