The Verge Proposes a $499 Mac Neo as Mac Mini Prices Rise

The article says the Mac Mini is a good small desktop, but the new M6 model starts at $899. Its 12-core CPU and 12-core GPU may be more than needed for users who mostly do web work, according to The Verge. The piece's subhead says the Mac Mini starts at $900 and calls for a cheaper desktop with an A-series chip; the body says the M6 model starts at $899.

The Verge points to the MacBook Neo, which it says proves Apple can get good-enough laptop performance from an iPhone chip for $699. That price includes a screen, keyboard, trackpad and battery, the article notes. It argues that a small desktop with a smartphone chip, a power supply, basic speakers and a few ports should not cost much more, and asks whether it could cost $499.

The article says the current Mac Mini chassis is already very small, but a stripped-down, fanless model using a phone chip could be even tinier. It suggests Apple could build an ultra-small design or repurpose an existing enclosure such as the one used for the Apple TV 4K, add ports and a few color options, and call the result the Mac Neo, or possibly the Mac Nano.

The Verge argues that as Apple's M-series chips become more powerful and more expensive, the company is leaving behind a segment of buyers. It cites "RAMageddon" as making everything cost more, including the MacBook Neo, but says the Neo showed a lower-cost MacBook was viable and could be great. The article says there is no reason a Mac Neo could not do the same.