x/nxpc · 
By Ryan | July 27, 2026 | NXPC Hardware Reviews
Here's a sentence I didn't think I'd be writing in 2026: Apple killed the $599 Mac Mini, and honestly, that might be the best thing that's happened to the mini PC market all year.
Back in May 2026, Apple quietly axed the 256GB M4 Mac Mini from its lineup. The entry-level price jumped from $599 to $799 USD overnight. In Canada? The base model now starts at a sobering $1,099 CAD. For a machine with 16GB of non-upgradeable RAM and integrated graphics, that's a big ask — especially when, just two days ago, ETA PRIME dropped a video showing a Minisforum mini PC running official SteamOS and absolutely embarrassing Valve's own Steam Machine.
So here's the question worth asking on this fine Monday: if you're shopping for a compact desktop in 2026, does the Apple tax still make sense — or has the mini PC world finally caught up?
Let's give Apple its flowers first. The M4 Mac Mini was a revelation when it launched in October 2024 — impossibly small at 5×5 inches, shockingly efficient, and with single-core performance that embarrassed desktop chips pulling 5× the wattage. The M4's 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU chew through Final Cut Pro exports, Xcode compiles, and everyday productivity like nobody's business.
| Spec | Mac Mini M4 (Base, 2026) |
|---|---|
| Price | $799 USD / $1,099 CAD |
| CPU | Apple M4 — 10-core (4P + 6E) |
| GPU | Integrated 10-core Apple GPU |
| RAM | 16GB Unified Memory (soldered) |
| Storage | 512GB SSD (soldered) |
| Upgradeability | None — RAM and SSD are fixed at purchase |
| Connectivity | 3× Thunderbolt 4, 2× USB-C, HDMI, 3.5mm, 10GbE option |
| Gaming | Casual/Apple Arcade only — no discrete GPU |
| OS | macOS Sequoia |
The problem? That $799 gets you soldered RAM, soldered storage, and integrated graphics. Want 24GB of RAM? That's $999 for the 24GB/256GB configuration — if you can even find the 256GB model on clearance. The new 24GB/512GB SKU runs $999 USD. And the M4 Pro version starts at $1,399.
For the same $799, you could build a capable mini-ITX PC with a discrete GPU. Or — and here's where things get interesting — you could buy a mini PC that runs SteamOS.
On July 25, 2026 — just two days ago — ETA PRIME published a video titled "This SteamOS Mini PC Is FASTER Than The Steam Machine!" featuring the Minisforum AtomMan G7 PT running official SteamOS. The results? Absolutely bonkers for a box you can hold in one hand.
| Spec | Minisforum AtomMan G7 PT |
|---|---|
| Price | ~$1,199 USD (32GB + 1TB) / ~$1,660 CAD est. |
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX — 16C/32T, up to 5.4 GHz |
| GPU | AMD Radeon RX 7600M XT — 8GB GDDR6 (discrete!) |
| RAM | 32GB DDR5-5600 (upgradeable to 96GB, 2× SO-DIMM) |
| Storage | 1TB PCIe 5.0 SSD + second M.2 PCIe 4.0 slot (up to 8TB total) |
| Upgradeability | RAM + dual storage — user serviceable |
| Connectivity | HDMI 2.1, DP 1.4, USB4, 2.5GbE LAN, WiFi 7, BT 5.4 |
| Gaming | ~76 fps 1080p Ultra, ~51 fps 1440p Ultra |
| OS | Windows 11 or SteamOS (official support!) |
Let that sink in: 16 cores, 32 threads, a discrete Radeon GPU with 8GB VRAM, and user-upgradeable RAM and storage — all in a box barely larger than a hardcover novel. And now it runs SteamOS natively, giving it a console-like gaming experience.
The G7 PT posts 76 fps at 1080p Ultra and holds 51 fps at 1440p Ultra in PC Gamer's testing suite. Try getting any of those numbers on a Mac Mini's integrated GPU. You'll be playing Apple Arcade puzzlers while the G7 PT runs Cyberpunk 2077.
If $1,199 is a stretch (and let's be real, for many folks it is), the Beelink SER8 is the value king sitting right where the $599 Mac Mini used to be.
| Spec | Beelink SER8 |
|---|---|
| Price | ~$650 USD / ~$900 CAD est. |
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS — 8C/16T, up to 5.1 GHz |
| GPU | Radeon 780M (integrated, but RDNA 3) |
| RAM | 32GB DDR5-5600 (upgradeable) |
| Storage | 1TB NVMe PCIe 4.0 (upgradeable, dual slot) |
| Gaming | 1080p medium settings, eSports titles at 120+ fps |
At ~$650 USD, the SER8 gives you 32GB of upgradeable RAM, a 1TB SSD, and an RDNA 3 iGPU that'll handle eSports titles and light gaming circles around the M4's integrated graphics. For home lab enthusiasts, ServeTheHome has praised this class of mini PC for its low idle power (8-9W) and homelab flexibility.
| Category | Mac Mini M4 ($799) | AtomMan G7 PT ($1,199) | Beelink SER8 ($650) |
|---|---|---|---|
| CPU Cores | 10 (4P + 6E) | 16C/32T | 8C/16T |
| GPU | Integrated 10-core | Discrete RX 7600M XT | Radeon 780M iGPU |
| VRAM | Shared (from 16GB) | 8GB GDDR6 dedicated | Shared (from 32GB) |
| RAM | 16GB (soldered) | 32GB (up to 96GB) | 32GB (upgradeable) |
| Storage | 512GB (soldered) | 1TB + 2nd slot | 1TB + 2nd slot |
| Gaming | ✗ Not viable | ✓ 76 fps 1080p Ultra | ✓ 1080p eSports |
| SteamOS | ✗ Not supported | ✓ Official support | ⚠️ Community support |
| Upgradeability | ✗ None | ✓ RAM + Storage | ✓ RAM + Storage |
| Idle Power | ~4W | ~10W | ~8-9W |
| USD | $799 | $1,199 | $650 |
| CAD (est.) | $1,099 | ~$1,660 | ~$900 |
Let's do the napkin math Steve loves:
Mac Mini M4 at $799 USD:
Beelink SER8 at $650 USD:
AtomMan G7 PT at $1,199 USD:
The Mac Mini's efficiency is still extraordinary — 4W at idle is witchcraft. But when you're paying more for less hardware that you can never upgrade, the value proposition gets shaky fast.
The ETA PRIME video from July 25 isn't just another mini PC review — it's a watershed moment. Official SteamOS on third-party hardware means mini PCs can now deliver a console-quality gaming experience without Windows overhead. The AtomMan G7 PT running SteamOS booted faster, played smoother, and drew less power at the wall than the equivalent Windows configuration.
This puts mini PCs in a category the Mac Mini simply cannot touch: living room gaming PC. Hook up the G7 PT to your TV, grab a controller, and you've got a Steam Machine that fits behind your television. Try doing that with a Mac Mini — you'll be limited to Apple Arcade and whatever runs in macOS's increasingly narrow gaming compatibility layer.
Valve's own Steam Machine refresh has been rumored for years. But mini PC makers like Minisforum are beating them to the punch with faster hardware, more RAM, and better cooling — all running the same SteamOS.
Apple killing the $599 Mac Mini stings — there's no sugarcoating it. The new $799 entry point pushes the Mac Mini into a price bracket where mini PCs with discrete GPUs and upgradeable internals start looking really compelling.
The Minisforum AtomMan G7 PT at $1,199 is pricier, yes, but you're getting a fundamentally different class of machine: 16 Zen 4 cores, a real GPU with dedicated VRAM, and now official SteamOS support that turns it into the gaming console Apple refuses to build.
And at $650, the Beelink SER8 is basically what the Mac Mini should cost — with double the RAM, double the storage, and an iGPU that can actually game.
The mini PC revolution has been building for years. With SteamOS entering the chat and Apple quietly raising prices, July 2026 might be the moment the underdog finally takes the crown.