Apple is offering some Mac mini customers a free upgrade
What's the story
Apple is giving a free upgrade option to some customers who ordered an M4-powered Mac mini before the launch of its latest desktop. The tech giant is offering these users a newer model at no extra cost, as long as their original order has not yet shipped. The move was revealed in an email from Apple explaining the reason behind the automatic upgrade offer.
Upgrade conditions
Who is eligible for the free upgrade?
The free upgrade isn't an open program for all M4 Mac mini owners.
It's specifically aimed at those who ordered the older model but whose orders hadn't left Apple's fulfillment system when the new models were announced.
This means just owning an M4 Mac mini doesn't make one eligible for this offer; they must have ordered it and be waiting for shipment.
Delivery implications
The upgrade has affected delivery timelines for some customers
The free upgrade could also affect delivery timelines for some customers.
While one customer reported an earlier delivery estimate after being upgraded to the newer model, another said the change delayed their computer by several weeks.
This latter customer, who needed the Mac for studies, also claimed Apple didn't give them an option to keep their original order.
Cost advantage
New Mac mini starts at $899 in US
The latest Mac mini starts at $899 in the US, which is $100 more than the previous model's starting price of $799. In India, the refreshed Mac mini starts at ₹99,900.
Eligible customers thus stand to gain a more recent machine without paying the difference.
The new model features Apple's M6 chip as its entry-level processor and offers improved connectivity features such as Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6.
Product details
What about the new Mac mini?
The standard M6 Mac mini comes with 16GB of unified memory and 256GB storage, which can be upgraded to 32GB and 2TB respectively.
Apple is also offering this computer with an M5 Pro processor for even higher memory and storage limits.
The new desktops are partly focused on AI workloads, demonstrating their ability to run demanding models locally.
They are available for pre-order with shipments starting September 22.