zlacker

           people are buying Mac Minis specifically to run AI agents with computer use. They’re setting up headless machines whose sole job is to automate their workflows. OpenClaw—the open-source framework that lets you run Claude, GPT-4, or whatever model you want to actually control your computer—has become the killer app for Mac hardware

That makes little sense. Buying mac mini would imply for the fused v-ram with the gpu capabilities, but then they're saying Claude/GPT-4 which don't have any gpu requirements.

Is the author implying mac minis for the low power consumption?

>>keyle+(OP)
The author is full of shit is what it is. They see a few posts online and extrapolate from that to fit whatever narrative they believe in.

>>keyle+(OP)
Claude/GPT-4 don't have any GPU requirements?

>>daifi+s
No dude, you send text or images and get the same back, it's all cloud.

>>keyle+(OP)
I have seen dozens of people/videos talking about buying Mac minis for clawdbot.

I don't understand why, but I've seen it enough to start questioning myself...

>>keyle+(OP)
The software can drive the web browser if you install the plugin. My knowledge is 1.5 weeks old, so it might be able to drive the whole UI now, I don't know.

>>keyle+(OP)
If you’re heavily invested in Apple apps (iMessage/Calendar/Reminders/Notes), you need a Mac to give the agent tools to interact with these apps. I think that combined with the form factor, price, and power consumption, makes it an ideal candidate.

If you’re heavily invested in Windows, then you’d probably go for a small x86 PC.

>>keyle+(OP)
Yep, there is zero reason to use mac mini’s. It’s way more cost effective to rent one (or more!) small VMs the cloud.

>>bronco+U
Some of those connectors are only available on the mac and some only on the iPhone. Like notes is available on the mac, but not on the phone. Vice versa for reminders.

>>keyle+(OP)
Wouldn't it run on a $50 raspberry pi?

Probably the same people getting a macbook pro to handle their calendar and emails

>>MPSimm+T
Welcome to the AI meme race where everyone's knowledge is about 1.5 weeks old :)

>>keyle+(OP)
It has nothing to do with running models locally, its perfect because its incredibly cheap, capable, small, and quiet.

>>keyle+(OP)
It doesn't make sense because it's a lie. The author's blog has 2 articles, both of them shilling OpenClaw.

>>bronco+U
Can you imagine giving an AI access to your messages, notes and calendar though?

I use agentic coding, this is next level madness.

>>AstroB+R4
I thought I had heard that the integrated RAM/VRAM makes local LLMs fairly quick on a RAM-maxxed Mac Mini.

>>ronces+17
Spoiler: the author is an OpenClaw instance.

>>ronces+17
Exactly. See also this sentence:

> Look at who’s about to get angry about OpenClaw-style automation: LinkedIn, Facebook, anyone with a walled garden and a careful API strategy.

Browser automation tools have existed for a very long time. Openclaw is not much different in this regard than asking an LLM to generate you a playwright script. Yes, it makes it easier to automate arbitrary tasks, but it's not like it's some sort of breakthrough that completely destroys walled gardens.

>>keyle+(OP)
they're buying mac minis because it's the cheapest way to get a computer with iMessage access to stuff in a closet and leave on at all times. having access to your iMessage is one of the most interesting things openClaw does.