Winner
Updated September 2026
Data from Amazon and official Beelink and Apple sites.
2026 verdict
A tidy always-on network node, not a creative workstation, is the role the Beelink EQi 304 (24GB + 512GB) takes.
It is the lower priced machine, with a three-year warranty, 24 GB of DDR5 and 10 Gigabit Ethernet in a 500 g case. The Apple Mac Mini (M2 Pro 16GB + 512GB) is better reviewed, and its 10-core M2 Pro, 16-core GPU and four Thunderbolt 4 ports are the creative macOS desktop. Choose the Beelink EQi 304 (24GB + 512GB) for Windows services on a fast LAN, and the Apple Mac Mini (M2 Pro 16GB + 512GB) when the work is video, audio or code on a Mac.
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| Feature | Beelink EQi 304 (24GB + 512GB) | Apple Mac Mini (M2 Pro 16GB + 512GB) | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $629.00 | $1273.46 | Beelink EQi 304 (24GB + 512GB) |
| Rating | 4.3 | 4.6 | Apple Mac Mini (M2 Pro 16GB + 512GB) |
| Warranty | 3 years | 1 year | Beelink EQi 304 (24GB + 512GB) |
| Memory Capacity | 24 GB | 16 GB | Beelink EQi 304 (24GB + 512GB) |
| CPU Model | Intel Core 3 304 | M2 Pro (10-core CPU) | Different strengths |
| Memory Type | DDR5 | LPDDR5 | Different strengths |
| GPU Model | Intel Xe3-LPG | 16-core GPU | Different strengths |
| NPU Model | NPU Intel AI Boost | 16-core Neural Engine | Different strengths |
| Storage Capacity | 512 GB | 512 GB | Tie |
What the differences mean
Job of the chip
The Beelink EQi 304 (24GB + 512GB) uses an Intel Core 3 304, one performance core plus four low-power cores, with an NPU listed as Intel AI Boost and no published TOPS figure. The Apple Mac Mini (M2 Pro 16GB + 512GB) uses a 10-core M2 Pro with a 16-core GPU and a 16-core Neural Engine. Light Windows services fit the Beelink. Creative and professional macOS work is what the extra GPU cores are for.
Memory
The Beelink EQi 304 (24GB + 512GB) ships with 24 GB of DDR5 in a SO-DIMM slot and lists 64 GB. The Apple Mac Mini (M2 Pro 16GB + 512GB) ships with 16 GB of soldered unified LPDDR5 and lists 32 GB as the order-time maximum. More memory in the box, and the ability to change it, is a real win for the Beelink even though the Mac's memory is the unified kind.
Network and Thunderbolt
The Beelink EQi 304 (24GB + 512GB) has 10 Gigabit Ethernet, a second 2.5G port and two Thunderbolt 4 ports. The Apple Mac Mini (M2 Pro 16GB + 512GB) has four Thunderbolt 4 ports and Gigabit Ethernet, with 10 Gigabit available only if it was configured that way at purchase. Wi-Fi is 6 on the Beelink and 6E on the Mac. Both hide the power supply inside the case.
Size, speaker and warranty
The Beelink EQi 304 (24GB + 512GB) is 126 mm square, 44.2 mm tall and 500 g, warranted for three years, with an HDMI cable and no speaker. The Apple Mac Mini (M2 Pro 16GB + 512GB) is 197 mm square, 36 mm tall and 1280 g, warranted for one year, with a speaker and no HDMI cable. Apple rates its idle noise at 5 dBA. The Beelink does not publish a noise figure. Neither includes a VESA mount.
Which one to buy if
- the node has to live on a 10 gigabit network
The Beelink EQi 304 (24GB + 512GB) includes 10 Gigabit Ethernet and a second 2.5G port. The Apple Mac Mini (M2 Pro 16GB + 512GB) is Gigabit unless a faster port was ordered up front.
- you edit video or produce audio on macOS
The Apple Mac Mini (M2 Pro 16GB + 512GB) has a 10-core M2 Pro, a 16-core GPU and four Thunderbolt 4 ports, and it drives three displays.
- you may add memory after purchase
The Beelink EQi 304 (24GB + 512GB) uses a SO-DIMM slot up to 64 GB and already includes 24 GB. The Apple Mac Mini (M2 Pro 16GB + 512GB) solders 16 GB.
- you want a speaker and four Thunderbolt ports
The Apple Mac Mini (M2 Pro 16GB + 512GB) has both, plus a headphone jack specified for high-impedance headphones. The Beelink EQi 304 (24GB + 512GB) has two Thunderbolt 4 ports and no speaker.
Winner
$629.00
- + Price: $629.00
- + Warranty: 3 years
- + Memory Capacity: 24 GB
- - Rating: 4.3 vs 4.6
$1273.46
- + Rating: 4.6
- - Price: $1273.46 vs $629.00
- - Warranty: 1 year vs 3 years
Price history compared
Every price change of both, in the same store, so the gap between the two lines is what one costs more than the other.
- Beelink EQi 304 (24GB + 512GB)
- Apple Mac Mini (M2 Pro 16GB + 512GB)
Loading price history...
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better, the Beelink EQi 304 (24GB + 512GB) or the Apple Mac Mini (M2 Pro 16GB + 512GB)?
The Beelink EQi 304 (24GB + 512GB) on price, warranty and installed memory: 24 GB, three years and 10 Gigabit Ethernet around a low-power Core 3 304. The Apple Mac Mini (M2 Pro 16GB + 512GB) draws stronger owner ratings as a creative computer, with a 10-core M2 Pro, a 16-core GPU and four Thunderbolt 4 ports on macOS.
Beelink or Mac mini: how do the Beelink EQi 304 (24GB + 512GB) and the Apple Mac Mini (M2 Pro 16GB + 512GB) differ?
One is a small Windows networking PC and the other is a macOS workstation. The Beelink EQi 304 (24GB + 512GB) emphasizes 10 Gigabit Ethernet, upgradeable DDR5 and an internal 85 W supply. The Apple Mac Mini (M2 Pro 16GB + 512GB) emphasizes GPU cores, four Thunderbolt 4 ports and soldered unified memory.
What is the biggest difference between the Beelink EQi 304 (24GB + 512GB) and the Apple Mac Mini (M2 Pro 16GB + 512GB)?
Intent. The Beelink EQi 304 (24GB + 512GB) is an efficiency Windows box with unusual Ethernet. The Apple Mac Mini (M2 Pro 16GB + 512GB) is a 10-core M2 Pro with a 16-core GPU for creative work. Size follows: about 500 g and 126 mm against 1280 g and 197 mm.
Does the Apple Mac Mini (M2 Pro 16GB + 512GB) include 10 Gigabit Ethernet like the Beelink EQi 304 (24GB + 512GB)?
Not in this configuration. The Beelink EQi 304 (24GB + 512GB) has 10 Gigabit plus 2.5G on the rear. The Apple Mac Mini (M2 Pro 16GB + 512GB) has Gigabit Ethernet, and a 10 Gigabit option exists only as a choice made when the Mac is ordered.
Who should buy the Beelink EQi 304 (24GB + 512GB)?
Someone who wants Windows 11 Pro, 24 GB of upgradeable DDR5, 10 Gigabit Ethernet, two Thunderbolt 4 ports and a three-year warranty in a half-kilogram case for a server or a light office desk.
Who should buy the Apple Mac Mini (M2 Pro 16GB + 512GB)?
Someone doing video, photos, audio or development on macOS who wants four Thunderbolt 4 ports, three displays and a 16-core GPU, and who will live with 16 GB soldered.
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