This was a huge upgrade for me coming from a 2012 MacBook Pro. I wanted a desktop computer, but wanted to save some $ and wanted the M1 chip. This latest Mac Mini met both of those for me. My wife thought it was silly to have to buy all the accessories to build around the Mac mini, but that’s what makes this budget friendly and a bit more customizable. The only other Apple product I bought was the apple track pad 2, which I love, especially coming from a MacBook.My whole set up was about $1100: Mac mini, monitor, speakers, camera, mouse, keyboard, monitor stand. That’s way cheaper than buying a top spec Mac. You could also build this cheaper than what I paid depending on what accessories you like/need.For performance, it’s been great! Very smooth. I’m not a video editor or anything like that. I use it for normal, everyday tasks and business. I love the apple ecosystem as I have a iPhone and iPad, and the Mac mini flows perfectly with those.