Apple Mac mini with M2 8-Core Chip 256GB

Hi! I'm an old computer user who started out on the Texas Instruments 99/4A back in the 80s. I've had Tandy computers, IBM originals, Commodore computers, and I've built PCs myself since the late 1980s back when it wasn't easy or fashionable. And yes, I used older Apple computers, and classic Macs. In the 90s I went through a Mac-only phase. I had the colorful iMac, a couple PowerBooks, the lamp iMac, a Mac clone, even a clamshell iBook (and honestly, I loved that stupid thing. It was definitely the most unique laptop I've ever owned.) But after a while, I moved away from Apple's computers because the price was a major issue. I was also more into gaming and Macs weren't that great for gaming at that time. But one thing I did do on my Macs, before I took a break from it for a while, was music production. I produced a few albums and released them. I created some great music on my Macs. So the last couple decades I've been on Windows. I still have Windows computers, but I've learned in that time that while there are lots of things I love about PCs and Windows, music production on Windows isn't one of those things I love. In fact, it's kind of like pulling teeth. You can do it, and you can even do it very well, but you have to spend a lot of money, a lot of time setting it up to get exactly what you want, and a lot of effort to make Windows behave and let you work uninterrupted. So when I got back into making music (it only took a divorce and a decade of self-reflection and support from loved ones, right?) I gave it a shot on Windows, and it went... Okay. Just okay. It was more work than I wanted it to be, and it wasn't as friendly as I remembered it being on my Macs. So I decided this year I would take advantage of the ability to finance things, and I gave myself a Yuletide present: A Mac mini. I'll be paying for it for a year, but so far, it's been worth it. First: Mac OS Sequoia is really nice. Still familiar to me after a couple decades (I left sometime around Lion, I think) but with a lot of streamlining, and a much more robust App Store that-- What? Allows you to use iPhone apps on your Mac? How cool is that? Second: As expected, very easy to set up. I mean, I guess that's a given. Macs just work. Third: Did I mention this was a refurbished Mac? I mean, I'm not surprised I forgot, because honestly, it arrived looking brand new. Sealed box, totally pristine Mac, everything works, and it's even covered by AppleCare for a while. I'm very pleased. Especially since I saved a few bucks going this way. Fourth: FAST shipping. Thanks for that. I was worried I'd have to wait as long as Amazon estimated, and then it arrived four days earlier! Yay! So yeah, to segue a bit... This is a low-powered Mac mini. I mean, it's an 8GB RAM, 256GB unit. And these M2 2023 Mac minis are NOT upgradeable. That's a major bummer, but I knew about it going in. That said, the 8GB isn't holding me back (yet), and the storage space is easily remedied with external storage devices. But it was me dipping my toe back into Mac-land, and you know, it's enticing. In a few years I might go for something bigger, but this did solidify my resolve: If you're going to do anything with music, or several other types of artwork (video, digital art, etc.) the Mac is the better choice for a dedicated work computer. I still use Windows PCs for some other stuff (especially gaming and my video library) but I'm going to keep my eye on Macs. Five stars. A good investment if you want to get some work done.