People have been loving the all-new M4 Mac mini since it was released last month. The combination of power, price, and new smaller form factor has people drooling over what is possible. But for me, the best part was the new size. This had me thinking, can I use this as a mobile desktop solution? The answer is yes, as long as you have the necessary accessories!
Final take
Be sure to check out my video below showing off how I am able to use my Mac mini as a mobile desktop solution.
In the video above, I mention around 10 different accessories that I have used for this setup, but in reality, you need four to be able to take this on the go. The rest are just nice to have in order to really feel at home wherever you set up. But let’s start with the mainstays.
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Key Features:
Match Outlook
For my computer of choice, I went with the baseline M4 Mac mini. It comes with 16GB of unified memory and 256GB of onboard storage. In the next section, I will talk about some external storage solutions that are easy to bring with you. I like to just get the baseline to save as much as I can. Right now, the M4 Mac mini is on sale on Amazon for just $529 brand new! This is an absurd price for such a small and powerful computer.
Arguably the most important accessory will be the display. There are so many portable displays out there ranging from $50 all the way to $1000 if you want. But the perfect middle ground has to be the new 15in Espresso display. For just $299 you get:
It literally feels like this is a product made by Apple. It even looks like a shrunken iMac display! This is a no brainer if you want a high quality and well made portable monitor that also has a crazy low price. Save an extra 10% with code “9to510” at checkout!
The next two products you need will have to be a keyboard and mouse. Since this is a travel setup I tried to find something that was easy to bring with you on the go. For the keyboard I went with the ProtoArc folding keyboard. Then for the mouse I went with my tried and true Logitech Anywhere S2.
ProtoArc Keyboard:
Logitech Anywhere S3 Mouse
Stay organized, stylish, and ready to work on the go with this ultimate travel companion. Once you have these items then you will be ready to use your M4 Mac mini on the move! But if you want a few more accessories, the rest I would consider nice to have.
External storage Lexar SSD 2TB
AirPods Pro
Espresso looks cool! Another method if you have a 13inch iPad: use an HDMI to USB-C capture card for display (requires iOS 17 or later), and Universal Control for keyboard + mouse input.
Bonus is using your iPhone as a Webcam + AirPods as mic
Moft Tripod Stand
AirTag 4-Pack
Of course buying a laptop would be the best choice if you were planning on needed a portable computing solution. So if that is your need, then yes, go get a MacBook Air. But if you were like me, and left your MacBook Air at home and was only used as a desktop, then this could work for you. This setup is for the people that 90% of the time are at their desk, but every once and while need to take their Mac mini on the go. That is where this setup shines.
Let me know what you think. Is this something you would do? Would you travel with your Mac mini if you needed? Let’s discuss below!
