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ACEMAGIC K1 AMD Ryzen Embedded R2544 Mini PC vs Apple Mac mini (2024), Apple M4, 16GB, 256GB

Researched, not hands-on tested.How we review ›

all judged against mini PCs at a similar price

The Apple Mac mini (2024), Apple M4, 16GB, 256GB scores 5.8/10 overall, ahead of the ACEMAGIC K1 AMD Ryzen Embedded R2544 Mini PC at 5.4/10.

The ACEMAGIC K1 AMD Ryzen Embedded R2544 Mini PC leads on upgradeability.

The Apple Mac mini (2024), Apple M4, 16GB, 256GB leads on CPU performance, efficiency and noise, ports and expansion and build and support.

They score the same on networking.

The biggest difference is upgradeability, where the ACEMAGIC K1 AMD Ryzen Embedded R2544 Mini PC scores 8/10 to the Apple Mac mini (2024), Apple M4, 16GB, 256GB's 1/10.

ACEMAGIC K1 AMD Ryzen Embedded R2544 Mini PC

ACEMAGIC K1 AMD Ryzen Embedded R2544 Mini PC

5.4/10verdict: good, not the best

The ACEMAGIC K1 suits buyers who want an inexpensive mini PC with eight threads and room to upgrade memory and storage. It fits light server duties, a desk PC or a media box where multitasking matters more than power draw. It is a weaker choice for anyone who needs a silent, low-power or faster-networked machine.

Typically about £219.98 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at Amazon UK (opens in a new tab, affiliate link)

Affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Details

Apple Mac mini (2024), Apple M4, 16GB, 256GB

Apple Mac mini (2024), Apple M4, 16GB, 256GB

5.8/10verdict: good, not the best

The Mac mini M4 suits anyone who wants a small, always-on machine with very low idle power draw. It fits users who are happy with 16GB of memory and a modest internal drive, or who will pay for a larger configuration up front. It is a better match for fixed, well-planned setups than for tinkerers who like to swap parts.

Typically about £799 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at Amazon UK (opens in a new tab, affiliate link)

Affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Details

Scores, criterion by criterion

CriterionWeightACEMAGIC K1 AMD Ryzen Embedded R2544 Mini PCApple Mac mini (2024), Apple M4, 16GB, 256GB
CPU performance25%6/108/10
Upgradeability20%8/101/10
Networking20%4/104/10
Efficiency and noise15%3/109/10
Ports and expansion10%5/108/10
Build and support10%5/106/10
Overall5.4/105.8/10

Specifications

SpecACEMAGIC K1 AMD Ryzen Embedded R2544 Mini PCApple Mac mini (2024), Apple M4, 16GB, 256GB
CPUAMD Ryzen Embedded R2544, 4 cores/8 threads, Zen+ architecture, 3.35 GHz base, up to 3.7 GHz turbo, Radeon Vega 8 graphicsApple M4: 10-core CPU (4 performance + 6 efficiency cores), 10-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Memory8GB DDR4-3200 in the base configuration, SO-DIMM slots16GB unified memory
Storage256GB M.2 NVMe SSD in the base configuration256GB SSD
NetworkingWired GbE, Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 4.2Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax), Bluetooth 5.3, Gigabit Ethernet (10/100/1000BASE-T, RJ-45)
Maximum memory32GB DDR4-3200 per the manufacturer32GB (configurable at purchase on the M4 chip)
Storage slotsTwo M.2 slotsnot listed
PortsHDMI 2.0, DisplayPort 1.4, USB-C with DP Alt Mode, USB 3.2 Type-CFront: two USB-C ports (USB 3, up to 10Gb/s) and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Back: Gigabit Ethernet, HDMI, and three Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports supporting USB 4 (up to 40Gb/s) and DisplayPort
Power draw28W TDP (maker listing figure)Idle 4W, maximum 65W, measured at the wall for this configuration

Strengths and weaknesses

ACEMAGIC K1 AMD Ryzen Embedded R2544 Mini PC

  • + Eight threads from a 4-core Ryzen Embedded chip
  • + SO-DIMM slots, 32GB ceiling and two M.2 slots
  • + Three ways to connect a display
  • − Fan-cooled, with owners reporting higher idle power
  • − Wired GbE and Wi-Fi 5 only
  • − Ageing Zen+ hardware

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who want a fanless or near-silent always-on machine
  • Anyone who needs faster than gigabit wired networking
  • Buyers who want USB4, OCuLink or the newest CPU architecture
Read the full ACEMAGIC K1 AMD Ryzen Embedded R2544 Mini PC review ›

Apple Mac mini (2024), Apple M4, 16GB, 256GB

  • + Idle draw of just 4W at the wall
  • + 10-core M4 with 10-core GPU
  • + Three Thunderbolt 4 ports plus HDMI
  • − RAM is soldered with no upgrade slot
  • − Internal SSD is not user-upgradable
  • − Base model has only Gigabit Ethernet

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who want to upgrade RAM or storage later
  • Anyone needing faster than Gigabit Ethernet from the base unit
  • Users with many USB-A devices who don't want adapters
Read the full Apple Mac mini (2024), Apple M4, 16GB, 256GB review ›

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