Live nowPrime Day 2026October 6 to 7, 2026Starts in08d05h24m49sSee the deals
Mini PCs · Head to head

Beelink EQi 304 (24GB + 512GB) vs Apple Mac Mini (M4 16GB + 512GB)

Full Mini PCs comparison in 2026

Updated September 2026
Data from Amazon and official Beelink and Apple sites.
2026 verdict
Quiet desk networking is where the Beelink EQi 304 (24GB + 512GB) takes the recommendation.
Beelink EQi 304 (24GB + 512GB)
Winner
Beelink EQi 304 (24GB + 512GB)
$629.00
Buy on Amazon USACheck price
It is the lower priced machine, with a three-year warranty and 24 GB of socketed DDR5 against 16 GB soldered into the other chassis, plus 10 Gigabit Ethernet beside a 2.5G port, two Thunderbolt 4 ports and a power supply inside a 500 g case. The Apple Mac Mini (M4 16GB + 512GB) is better reviewed, and its M4 chip, 10-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine, Wi-Fi 6E and built-in speaker are the stronger creative desktop on macOS. Choose the Beelink EQi 304 (24GB + 512GB) for a Windows home server or a tidy office box on a fast wired network, and the Apple Mac Mini (M4 16GB + 512GB) when the work lives in macOS and the configuration can stay fixed.
vs
Price alerts

Mini PC prices change while you decide

We check the price of every Mini PC in the catalog daily and email you the drops, whichever one you pick.

Smart home deals and news, straight to your inbox

Price drops, new releases and the smart home news worth knowing.

No spam. Unsubscribe in one click.

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Please enter a valid email address.
Your subscription has been successful.
FeatureBeelink EQi 304 (24GB + 512GB)Apple Mac Mini (M4 16GB + 512GB)Winner
Price$629.00$979.00Beelink EQi 304 (24GB + 512GB)
Rating4.34.7Apple Mac Mini (M4 16GB + 512GB)
Warranty3 years1 yearBeelink EQi 304 (24GB + 512GB)
Memory TypeDDR5LPDDR5XApple Mac Mini (M4 16GB + 512GB)
Memory Capacity24 GB16 GBBeelink EQi 304 (24GB + 512GB)
CPU ModelIntel Core 3 304M4Different strengths
GPU ModelIntel Xe3-LPG10-core GPUDifferent strengths
NPU ModelNPU Intel AI Boost16-core Neural EngineDifferent strengths
Storage Capacity512 GB512 GBTie

What the differences mean

Platform and chip

The Beelink EQi 304 (24GB + 512GB) runs Windows 11 Pro on an Intel Core 3 304, an efficiency part with one performance core and four low-power cores, so it fits documents, calls and an always-on service rather than heavy rendering. The Apple Mac Mini (M4 16GB + 512GB) runs macOS on an M4 with a 10-core GPU and a 16-core Neural Engine. Software that exists on only one of those platforms decides the purchase before any port count does.

Wired network

The Beelink EQi 304 (24GB + 512GB) has a 10 Gigabit Ethernet port plus a second 2.5G port, which is the practical reason to pick it as a file server or a NAS companion. The Apple Mac Mini (M4 16GB + 512GB) has Gigabit Ethernet. On a fast home network that gap shows up as soon as large files start moving, and Wi-Fi does not close it: the Beelink is Wi-Fi 6, the Mac Wi-Fi 6E.

Memory you can change

The Beelink EQi 304 (24GB + 512GB) ships with 24 GB of DDR5 in a SO-DIMM slot and lists a 64 GB ceiling, so a later upgrade is a parts swap. The Apple Mac Mini (M4 16GB + 512GB) uses 16 GB of soldered LPDDR5X unified memory, and more (up to 32 GB) could only have been chosen at purchase. Buy the Mac configuration you will still want in a few years.

Desk clutter and warranty

Both machines hide the power supply inside the case, so neither needs a brick. The Beelink EQi 304 (24GB + 512GB) is warranted for three years and includes an HDMI cable. The Apple Mac Mini (M4 16GB + 512GB) is warranted for one year, and the box is the computer plus a power cord, with no HDMI cable and no monitor, keyboard or mouse. It does include a speaker, which the Beelink does not.

Which one to buy if

What owners say

Owners of the Apple Mac Mini (M4 16GB + 512GB) talk about speed, silence and size as one package. Apps opening immediately, a fan they cannot hear under load, and a metal box small enough to surprise them on arrival come up together, and several people describe replacing a 27-inch iMac or a failing Windows tower. Setup is called easy, including by people new to macOS. The regrets are choices that cannot be undone later: soldered memory that could only be specified at purchase, an SSD that cannot be swapped, and a dock or external drive added because the ports and the built-in storage ran short. The power button on the underside is the specific annoyance once the computer is sitting on the desk.

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 (M4 16GB + 512GB)

Loading price history...

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better overall: Beelink EQi 304 (24GB + 512GB) or Apple Mac Mini (M4 16GB + 512GB)?

The Beelink EQi 304 (24GB + 512GB) for a Windows desk or a home server. It costs less, carries a three-year warranty, ships with 24 GB of upgradeable DDR5, and adds 10 Gigabit Ethernet plus two Thunderbolt 4 ports. The Apple Mac Mini (M4 16GB + 512GB) draws stronger owner ratings as a creative computer, with an M4, macOS, Wi-Fi 6E and a speaker, if you can live with soldered 16 GB.

What is the biggest difference between the Beelink EQi 304 (24GB + 512GB) and the Apple Mac Mini (M4 16GB + 512GB)?

The platform. The Beelink EQi 304 (24GB + 512GB) is a Windows 11 Pro box built around a low-power Intel Core 3 304 and unusual networking. The Apple Mac Mini (M4 16GB + 512GB) is a macOS desktop on an M4 with a 10-core GPU and a 16-core Neural Engine. Ports and memory follow from that split.

Does the Beelink EQi 304 (24GB + 512GB) or the Apple Mac Mini (M4 16GB + 512GB) have faster Ethernet?

The Beelink EQi 304 (24GB + 512GB). It has 10 Gigabit Ethernet and a second 2.5G port. The Apple Mac Mini (M4 16GB + 512GB) has Gigabit Ethernet, with faster wireless (Wi-Fi 6E against Wi-Fi 6) and Bluetooth 5.3 against Bluetooth 5.2.

Can you upgrade the memory in the Beelink EQi 304 (24GB + 512GB) or the Apple Mac Mini (M4 16GB + 512GB)?

Only in the Beelink EQi 304 (24GB + 512GB), which uses DDR5 SO-DIMM memory, ships with 24 GB and lists support up to 64 GB. The Apple Mac Mini (M4 16GB + 512GB) solders 16 GB of unified LPDDR5X, and more (up to 32 GB) could only have been specified at purchase.

Who should buy the Beelink EQi 304 (24GB + 512GB)?

Someone who wants Windows 11 Pro, a three-year warranty, an internal power supply and 10 Gigabit Ethernet in a 500 g case, for a home server, a NAS front end or a light office desktop rather than heavy rendering.

Who should buy the Apple Mac Mini (M4 16GB + 512GB)?

Someone whose work is in macOS and who already has a monitor, keyboard and mouse. The M4, the quiet operation owners describe, and three Thunderbolt 4 ports suit photo, video and development, as long as 16 GB soldered is enough.

Full comparison table

Compare all 87 Mini PCs side by side

You are looking at two of them. The full table lines up all Mini PCs in the catalog with the same specs, so you can filter by what you need and sort by price or rating.

  • 87 Mini PCs
  • 41 specs compared
  • 38 filters
Open the full comparison
More Mini PCs

Top Mini PCs to compare next

87 mini PCs from 6 brands compared: Geekom, Beelink, GMKtec, Asus and more. CPU, RAM, storage, ports, GPU and NPU specs, side by side.

All Mini PCs
Beelink

More Beelink products

A sharper look at other Beelink products worth comparing.

Explore Beelink
Apple

More Apple products

A sharper look at other Apple products worth comparing.

Explore Apple
Independent · Not sponsoredBrands never pay for placement or rankings. Affiliate commissions never influence our comparisons.
© 2026 Smart Home Compared
Search