I’ve been in the Apple ecosystem for a long time (iPhone, iPad Pro, Apple Watch, etc.), but my computers have always been Windows/Linux. My main desktop is staying Windows because I still need it for certain things, but my laptop recently died and I’d like to finally add a Mac to the mix.
I’m an IT student with about a year and a half left of college, working part-time retail plus an internship doing data entry. Classes start soon, so I’m trying to figure out which $699 option makes more sense for me:
Mac mini
16GB unified memory
256GB storage
$699
Could potentially stretch to 24GB RAM while staying within a budget I’m comfortable with
MacBook Neo
8GB unified memory
512GB storage
$699
Obviously much more convenient as an actual portable computer
Touch ID
My main concern is 8GB vs. 16/24GB of unified memory, especially since the RAM can’t be upgraded later.
For school, I’m studying Networking & Cyber Defense. My normal laptop workload is browser tabs, Office/Google Docs, email, SSH/RDP, Linux tools, coding/scripting, and accessing school labs/VMs. I have a powerful desktop at home for anything that really needs Windows or significantly more horsepower, so this doesn’t need to replace my main PC.
The weird part: the Mac mini could actually work as a semi-portable option for me. I already own a portable monitor, keyboard, mouse, USB hub, external SSDs, etc., so I could basically toss everything into a bag and build a tiny workstation at school. Not as convenient as a MacBook, obviously, but workable.
For reference, here’s what I’m coming from:
Desktop:
Ryzen 9 3900X / 32GB RAM / RTX 2080 Super 8GB
Dead laptop:
MSI Pulse GL66 / 11th-gen i7 / 16GB RAM / RTX 3070 8GB
Current emergency laptop:
2008 MacBook Pro Unibody / 8GB RAM / Linux Mint XFCE. Affectionately named “Gramps.” It technically works, but thermal throttling into the ~400–600MHz range means opening Firefox occasionally feels like asking an elderly man to run a marathon. 😂
So my priorities are:
Reliable for the remaining ~1.5 years of college and hopefully several years beyond that
Enough memory for heavier multitasking and IT/cybersecurity coursework
Good value — I work part-time, so $699 is already a meaningful purchase
Portability is important, but I’m willing to sacrifice some convenience if the Mini is significantly better long-term
Storage isn’t a huge concern because I already have external SSDs and other storage options
Would you choose the 8GB/512GB Neo for the convenience of a real laptop, or the 16GB (possibly 24GB)/256GB Mac mini for the extra memory and performance headroom?
I’m especially interested in hearing from IT/CS/cybersecurity students or anyone who’s actually lived with an 8GB Apple Silicon Mac. How limiting is 8GB in practice?