20 years ago, Apple launched a Mac that changed mini-PCs forever – and offered quadruple the performance of its predecessor

These days, the Mac mini is one of the best Macs money can buy, and arguably the best in terms of value for money. It packs tremendous power into its pint-sized frame, blowing away its rivals and rightfully taking its place as the best mini-PC on the market. If you’re after performance, features, and build quality at a fair price, it’s hard to beat.

A big part of that comes down to the Apple silicon chips that it offers. But the Mac mini wasn’t always outfitted with Apple’s own silicon. For almost 15 years, it was powered by Intel processors, and for a long time these were seen as the best option around – until Apple silicon came along, that is.

Today marks the 20th anniversary of the launch of the first-ever Mac mini powered by an Intel chip, and ...