Updated September 2026
Data from Amazon and official Beelink and Apple sites.
2026 verdict
The Apple Mac Mini (M4 16GB + 512GB) wins on ratings, memory type and storage against the Beelink SER5 Pro (16GB + 480GB), and the M4 chip leaves the Ryzen 5 5500U far behind in both CPU and GPU work.
Both offer 16 GB, but Apple's unified LPDDR5X is much faster than DDR4-3200, and the Mac adds a 512 GB SSD, three Thunderbolt 4 ports, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, a built-in power supply and macOS in a 670g aluminium cube. The Beelink SER5 Pro (16GB + 480GB) wins on price and flexibility, with 2.5G Ethernet against gigabit, memory expandable to 64 GB, a replaceable SSD, HDMI and DisplayPort outputs and Windows 11 Pro. Buy the Apple Mac Mini (M4 16GB + 512GB) for current Apple silicon and macOS, and the Beelink SER5 Pro (16GB + 480GB) for a cheap, upgradable Windows box.
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| Feature | Beelink SER5 Pro (16GB + 480GB) | Apple Mac Mini (M4 16GB + 512GB) | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $389.00 | $979.99 | Beelink SER5 Pro (16GB + 480GB) |
| Rating | 4.6 | 4.7 | Apple Mac Mini (M4 16GB + 512GB) |
| Memory Type | DDR4 | LPDDR5X | Apple Mac Mini (M4 16GB + 512GB) |
| Storage Capacity | 480 GB | 512 GB | Apple Mac Mini (M4 16GB + 512GB) |
| CPU Model | AMD Ryzen 5 5500U | M4 | Different strengths |
| Memory Configuration | Dual-slot | Unified Memory | Different strengths |
| GPU Model | AMD Radeon Graphics (7 cores) | 10-core GPU | Different strengths |
| Warranty | 1 year | 1 year | Tie |
| Memory Capacity | 16 GB | 16 GB | Tie |
$389.00
- + Price: $389.00
- - Rating: 4.6 vs 4.7
- - Memory Type: DDR4 vs LPDDR5X
Winner
$979.99
- + Rating: 4.7
- + Memory Type: LPDDR5X
- + Storage Capacity: 512 GB
- - Price: $979.99 vs $389.00
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better overall: Beelink SER5 Pro (16GB + 480GB) or Apple Mac Mini (M4 16GB + 512GB)?
The Apple Mac Mini (M4 16GB + 512GB) wins overall with an M4 chip, unified LPDDR5X memory, a 512 GB SSD, Thunderbolt 4 and macOS. The Beelink SER5 Pro (16GB + 480GB) costs much less and offers 2.5G Ethernet plus user-upgradable memory and storage.
What is the biggest difference between the Beelink SER5 Pro (16GB + 480GB) and the Apple Mac Mini (M4 16GB + 512GB)?
Silicon and software. The Mac runs macOS on Apple's M4 with unified memory and Thunderbolt 4, while the SER5 Pro runs Windows 11 Pro on a Ryzen 5 5500U with DDR4-3200 and standard USB ports.
Which one can be upgraded?
Only the Beelink SER5 Pro (16GB + 480GB), with two SODIMM slots taking up to 64 GB and a replaceable M.2 SSD. The Apple Mac Mini (M4 16GB + 512GB) has soldered memory and storage, so you choose the configuration once.
Who should buy the Apple Mac Mini (M4 16GB + 512GB)?
Buy the Apple Mac Mini (M4 16GB + 512GB) if you want macOS with modern Apple silicon for creative or development work, in a compact aluminium body with three Thunderbolt 4 ports, Wi-Fi 6E and a built-in power supply.
Who should buy the Beelink SER5 Pro (16GB + 480GB)?
Buy the Beelink SER5 Pro (16GB + 480GB) if you want an affordable Windows 11 Pro desktop that you can upgrade, with a Ryzen 5 5500U, 16 GB of DDR4-3200 expandable to 64 GB, 2.5G Ethernet, Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.4.
Full comparison table
Compare all 68 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.
- 68 Mini PCs
- 41 specs compared
- 38 filters
MINISFORUMX1 Lite-255 (32GB + 1TB)
$699.90
AsusNUC 15 Pro+ (Ultra 9 32GB + 1TB)
$1902.44
MINISFORUMMS-A2 (Ryzen 9 9955HX 96GB + 2TB)
$2099.00
AsusNUC 13 Pro Slim (i7 16GB + 512GB)
$949.99
AsusROG GR70 (RTX 5070 32GB + 2TB)
$2599.00
BeelinkMini S12 Pro (N100 16GB + 500GB)
$339.00
AsusNUC 15 Pro Slim (Core 5 16GB + 512GB)
$1101.00
GeekomIT13 2026 Edition (Ultra 7 32GB + 1TB)
$1399.00
BeelinkSER8 (32GB + 1TB)
$939.00
BeelinkSER9 Pro (24GB + 1TB)
$689.00
AppleMac Mini (M4 16GB + 512GB)
$979.99
AppleMac Mini (M4 Pro 24GB + 512GB)
$1569.00
AppleMac Mini (M2 Pro 16GB + 512GB)
$1273.46- Beelink
SER5 Pro (16GB + 480GB)
$389.00 
GMKtecNucBox M7 Ultra (32GB + 512GB)
$599.99
GeekomGT1 Mega Ultra 9
10% OFF$949.00$854.10
BeelinkMini S12 (N95 8GB + 480GB)
$289.00
MINISFORUMMS-S1 Max (128GB + 2TB)
$3799.00
GeekomA9 Mega (128GB + 2TB)
5% OFF$3999.00$3799.04
GMKtecNucBox G3 Pro (16GB + 512GB)
28% OFF$459.99$329.99
Mini PCsBeelinkEQi 304 (24GB + 512GB)
4.3(702)$629.00
Mini PCsBeelinkGTi14 (32GB + 1TB)
4.0(30)$1049.00
Mini PCsBeelinkGTi15 Ultra (64GB + 1TB)
4.3(33)$1499.00
Mini PCsBeelinkGTi15 Ultra (96GB + 2TB)
4.3(218)$1949.00
Mini PCsBeelinkGTR9 Pro (128GB + 2TB)
3.0(17)$3639.00- Mini PCsBeelink
Mini S12 (N95 8GB + 480GB)
4.5(262)$289.00 - Mini PCsBeelink
Mini S12 Pro (N100 16GB + 500GB)
5.0(2)$339.00 
Mini PCsBeelinkMini S13 (N150 16GB + 500GB)
4.2(33)$349.00
Mini PCsBeelinkSEi14 (32GB + 1TB)
4.3(33)$829.00
Mini PCsBeelinkSER10 Max (32GB + 1TB)
5% OFF$1299.00$1229.00
Mini PCsBeelinkSER3 (16GB + 500GB)
4.4(480)10% OFF$299.00$269.00- Mini PCsBeelink
SER5 Pro (16GB + 480GB)
4.6(37)$389.00 - Mini PCsBeelink
SER8 (32GB + 1TB)
4.8(8)$939.00 
Mini PCsBeelinkSER9 Max (64GB + 1TB)
$1149.00- Mini PCsBeelink
SER9 Pro (24GB + 1TB)
4.8(7)$689.00
- Mini PCsApple
Mac Mini (M2 Pro 16GB + 512GB)
4.6(206)$1273.46 - Mini PCsApple
Mac Mini (M4 16GB + 512GB)
4.7(405)$979.99 - Mini PCsApple
Mac Mini (M4 Pro 24GB + 512GB)
4.7(250)$1569.00 
Mini PCsAppleMac Mini (M4 Pro 48GB + 1TB)
4.4(13)$2199.00
SpeakersAppleHomePod (2nd gen)
4.5(54)$369.99
SpeakersAppleHomePod mini
$99.00
Voice AssistantsAppleHomePod (2nd gen)
4.5(54)$369.99
Voice AssistantsAppleHomePod mini
$99.00