After being asked about the design choice for the Mac mini, the Apple executives explained that it was the "optimal spot" for the power button due to the redesign. According to Apple, the new location is not inconvenient. Users can just tuck their finger underneath the computer and press the power button.

Apple's newest Mac mini M4 is a tiny powerhouse that is nearly flawless save for a few annoying shortcomings. One is the awkward placement of the power button, which has been controversial. It's one reason we suggested you skip the Mac mini M4.

The M4 Mac Mini's power button can't be reached without picking up the entire computer, small as it is, and finding it on the underside. One of those comical "design" decisions that Apple makes now and again,

If you buy through a BGR link, we may earn an affiliate commission, helping support our expert product labs. With the M4 Mac mini now available, we have discovered more about Apple’s entry-level desktop. While reviews have already shown that this is one ...

To be fair, both of those other computers have significantly more memory bandwidth than the Mac Mini, and both have better GPU performance. If maxing out as many GPU cores as possible is important to you, you’re probably better off with an M4 Max, which means either a MacBook Pro or waiting for an updated Mac Studio.

When it was introduced during the white plastic heyday of peak iPod-era Apple, the Mac mini was pitched as the cheapest way to buy into the Mac ecosystem. It was $499. And despite some fluctuation (as high as $799 for the entry-level 2018 mini, $599 for this year's refresh), the Mac mini has stayed the cheapest entry-level Mac ever since.