Save $110 on Apple’s M2-powered Mac Mini
Apple’s brilliant M2-powered Mac Mini in its expanded configuration with 512GB of storage is selling for $689.99 at Amazon. That’s a sizable savings of $110 on the little desktop, making it an easy recommendation for anyone who needs a basic computer for their home. The M2 Mac Mini looks like most other Mac Minis, but it sports the same processor as the latest MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro. Like those laptops, you get two Thunderbolt 4 / USB-C ports, but the Mini also provides you with two USB-A ports, an ethernet port, and an HDMI port — oh, and it’s much, much cheaper. It has the same eight-core CPU and 10-core GPU of the base configuration, but the much roomier 512GB of storage makes life more convenient before you’re forced to rely on external storage.
Just remember you need BYO monitor, keyboard, and mouse. So this deal is ideal if you already have those, or you can put the money saved toward those necessary peripherals. Read our review.
These M1-powered iPad Pros are very similar to the newer M2 models, and in a lot of ways, they’re the smarter buy right now. The 12.9-inch iPad Pro of 2021 has an excellent Mini LED panel, just like the newer model, and the M1 chip is still very fast. The only major thing you’re missing out on is a new hover feature for the second-gen Apple Pencil, which is fairly minor. If you want an iPad as a laptop replacement, these excellent iPads make a lot of sense — especially since their LTE connections give them a slight edge over comparable MacBooks. Read our review.
There seems to be something in the water when it comes to 1TB M.2 SSDs — the prices keep dropping lower and lower. First, the 1TB Samsung 980 Pro with a heatsink drops to $86.66 (a new low) at Amazon, and now the 1TB Adata XPG S70 Blade is saying “hold my beer” while it drops to just $69.99 ($40 off) at Best Buy and Amazon.
The XPG S70 Blade is a speedy SSD that is compatible with the Sony PlayStation 5 if you’re looking to expand your console’s storage — making this a very affordable way to more than double the built-in storage. It doesn’t come with a robust heat sink like pricier models, but its built-in heat spreader does enough to keep temperatures down. Though, if you want extra, extra peace of mind, you could always install a heatsink like this one for $10.99.
The Anker 563 11-in-1 USB-C hub is on sale for $55.99 ($24 off) at Amazon and direct from Anker (the latter requires you to enter code WS7DUWNDTL at checkout). The 563 is a pretty all-encompassing dock, as it sports both an HDMI port and DisplayPort connection that output up to 4K/60Hz. You don’t always see DisplayPort offered on these hubs, and the expansive USB ports on offer include two USB-C (one for power and one for data) and three USB-A. Sadly, none of them are the faster 10Gbps spec, but if none of your peripherals need that high throughput, then this is an excellent value for a versatile adapter.