The M4 Mac mini is so tiny that taking it on trips isn’t an unreasonable idea. With the right accessories, you might not need a MacBook. Seriously.

Here’s the gear needed to turn Apple’s diminutive desktop into a portable computer for your next holiday or even business trip.

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Consider the portable potential of Mac mini

Let’s be clear: If you need a computer to take to meetings, classes, etc., get a MacBook or an iPad. A desktop isn’t going to do it. But if your MacBook sits on your desk 99% of the time, only leaving to go on the occasional vacation, then it’s effectively a desktop computer. You should consider an actual desktop — it’ll better fit your needs, and you might be able to save a considerable amount of money by choosing a Mac mini.

The most recent MacBook Air starts at $1,099, but Apple’s new desktop costs about half that: $599. The cheapest MacBook Pro with an M4 Pro chip costs $1,999, or you can get the Mac mini version for $1,399.

And when the time comes for the computer to travel, don’t think Apple’s newly redesigned Mac mini is a lot bulkier than a MacBook. It’s a mere 5 inches on a side — roughly the size of a thick paperback novel. So don’t dismiss the idea of tucking one in your luggage.

Don’t even try to tell me this tiny thing is too bulky to travel.Photo: Apple
The power problem

Keeping my advice firmly grounded in reality, I’m going to start with the significant limitation of this whole idea: power. The battery life of a Mac mini is less than a millisecond because (duh) the computer doesn’t have a battery at all. You’ll always need to plug it in whenever you use it.

As portable as the minuscule desktop is, the need for a power plug is why you won’t be working from a Starbucks with it. But the limitation might not matter on vacation. Suppose you go to Florida for a week. You set up the Mac mini in your hotel room, where there are plenty of wall sockets, and it’ll always be ready until you head home.

Mac mini and iPad make great pals

Perhaps the best option for making your Mac mini portable is demonstrated by this setup with an iPad Pro acting as an external display for the desktop. And that’s hardly the only example … here’s another:

Who needs a laptop? pic.twitter.com/AFqDu2NGKg
— GregsGadgets () November 12, 2024

Apple created Sidecar for this exact reason. The standard macOS feature lets you use an iPad as an external display for a Mac. And a keyboard connected to the iPad works with the Mac, too, with no cable necessary. All that’s required is that both computers be on the same Wi-Fi network and signed into the same iCloud account.

One of the advantages of this arrangement is that you can leave the Mac mini in your luggage unless you really need it. You can answer your emails, access the web, etc., on the iPad using iPadOS apps. They’re probably up to everything you need on a beach holiday. But if something blows up back at the office and you suddenly need software the tablet can’t handle, set up the Mac mini for access to the additional apps you need.

Even with advice from Apple, Sidecar’s performance is … decent. Luna Display, a USB-C dongle that turns your iPad into a second display, is a superior option if you intend to frequently use your tablet as a Mac mini screen. There’s very, very little latency with this third-party product because the two computers can wirelessly connect without needing to go through a Wi-Fi router. Plus, it supports external iPad keyboards and Apple Pencil.

If you already own an iPad, using it with your Mac mini is genius. But if you don’t, it’s not the most cost-effective option. Keep reading.

Use a portable display and keyboard with Mac mini

Perhaps the simplest option to make a mobile Mac mini is to connect a portable screen and keyboard to it. I recently reviewed the Plugable 15.6” USB-C Portable Display. You could set this on top of your Mac mini in a hotel room and be ready to work … or play Resident Evil. And that screen is only one of many good options. The espresso 17 Pro might be the touchscreen you use with your Mac mini in the office and on the road, for example.

You’ll need a keyboard and mouse, too. You might consider the ProtoArc XKM01 LX, which bundles a folding keyboard with a travel mouse.

On the other hand, you’re thinking about taking your Mac mini on holiday because you don’t need a portable computer very often. So buying extra accessories might be a waste. You could simply tuck your regular keyboard and mouse/trackpad in your luggage.

Open your mind to the possibility

Apple started suggesting we think different in 1997, but too many Mac users close their minds to options that aren‘t the most obvious ones. To pedants, everyone who needs a mobile Mac must use a MacBook. End of story.

But that leads to all those MacBooks that hardly ever leave the office. They get connected to external displays, keyboards and mice, and are used as Mac desktops. Considering the money wasted on those setups, they’re way more ridiculous than a portable desktop — but they are so commonplace that we don’t notice anymore.

So think different and consider whether your next portable computer ought to be a Mac mini. It could save you a lot of money.