Why Mac Mini M4 for AI Agents?
The Mac Mini M4 is arguably the best value proposition for running a personal AI agent 24/7. Its unified memory architecture lets you run models up to 27B parameters without a discrete GPU, while consuming less power than a light bulb.
Recommended Configurations
| Config | RAM | Best For | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base | 16GB | Small models (4B-8B), API-only agents | $599 |
| Mid | 24GB | Medium models (up to 14B) | $799 |
| Sweet Spot | 32GB | 27B models + comfortable headroom | $999 |
| Power | 64GB | 70B models, multiple models simultaneously | $1,399 |
Software Stack
- Agent Framework: OpenClaw, LangChain, CrewAI
- Local LLM: Ollama (easiest), llama.cpp, MLX
- Recommended Models: Gemma 3 27B, Llama 3.3 70B (64GB only), Qwen 2.5 32B
- Cloud APIs: Claude, GPT, Gemini as fallback
Setup Tips
- Choose 32GB+ RAM if you plan to run local models
- Use Ollama for the simplest local model setup
- Set up Tailscale for secure remote access
- Configure your agent framework to auto-start on boot