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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesThere is no reliable universal price for leaving a YouTube video looping on a Mac mini M2: the answer depends on the wall power used by your complete setup and your local electricity rate. Measure the setup while it plays, then calculate watts × hours ÷ 1,000 × your price per kWh. The available figures for the M2 mini are useful reference points, not measurements of YouTube playback—and they do not establish that an unspecified cloud service would be cheaper or equivalent.
How much power does a Mac mini M2 use while looping YouTube?
No cited test measures a Mac mini M2 playing a YouTube video continuously, so its actual average playback power is not established. Apple’s published values and an independent review can provide context, but neither should be treated as a YouTube-streaming reading.
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| Source and test context | Reported power | What the figure means |
|---|---|---|
| Apple Support, 2023 M2 Mac mini configuration with 24 GB unified memory and 2 TB SSD | 7 W idle; 50 W CPU maximum | Apple defines idle as Finder open under default power-management settings. The CPU maximum is from a compute-intensive test. Apple measures at the wall, including system and power-supply losses. Neither number is a video-playback average. |
| Notebookcheck’s 2023 M2 Mac mini review | 2.2–2.6 W idle; 28.7 W average load; 51.5 W maximum load | These are results from the reviewer’s test setup. The average-load figure is not a YouTube or browser measurement. |
| Your intended video and complete setup | Not established by those sources | Measure the setup during playback to get a relevant figure. |
Apple’s support page also lists newer Mac mini generations; the figures above refer specifically to the 2023 M2 configuration stated in the table, not a newer model.
How to measure the cost of your own setup
Measure average wall power
Use a plug-in electricity usage monitor to measure the Mac mini while the intended video is playing. A wall reading of the complete setup gives the clearest scope. Include the display, speakers, external storage, network equipment, or UPS if you want their energy use included; otherwise, account for them separately. A meter replaces an idle-power estimate with a reading from your actual workload. No particular meter model, price, or current availability is established here.
#1 Best Overall
- Apple-designed M1 chip for a giant leap in CPU, GPU, and machine learning performance
- 8-core CPU packs up to 3x faster performance to fly through workflows quicker than ever*
- 8-core GPU with up to 6x faster graphics for graphics-intensive apps and games*
- 16-core Neural Engine for advanced machine learning
- 8GB of unified memory so everything you do is fast and fluid
Calculate energy use and cost
- Energy in kWh: average wall watts × operating hours ÷ 1,000.
- Energy cost: kWh × your marginal electricity price per kWh.
- For 30 days continuously: use 720 hours for operating time.
For example, insert your measured average watts as P and your local marginal rate as R: (P × 720 ÷ 1,000) × R estimates the energy charge for 30 days. This is a calculation method, not a quoted bill. Use the rate that applies to your consumption under your electricity plan; local tariffs and currencies vary.
Do not substitute Apple’s 7 W Finder-only idle figure or Notebookcheck’s average-load figure and label the result a YouTube-looping cost. The measurement should reflect the hours and equipment you are actually comparing.
Rank #2
- BTO Mac Mini Desktop Computer - Power Cord - Apple 1 Year Limited Warranty with 90 Day Free Technical Support
- Apple M1 chip with 8-core CPU and 8-core GPU
- 16-core Neural Engine
- 16GB unified memory
- 512GB SSD storage
How to loop a YouTube video on a Mac
- Open the video’s watch page on YouTube in a desktop browser.
- Right-click inside the video player.
- Choose Loop. YouTube’s desktop instructions describe this method for repeating a single video. For a playlist, expand the playlist and use its Loop control.
A loop setting does not guarantee an uninterrupted session. YouTube says its “Video paused. Continue watching?” prompt may appear with Autoplay on before 60 minutes on web, 30 minutes on mobile, or 180 minutes on TV. Those are the help page’s timings for the prompt; they do not establish that every manual loop triggers it or avoids it. See YouTube’s explanation of the continue-watching prompt.
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There is no supported numerical break-even without naming a cloud product and specifying its region, configuration, billing method, 24-hour runtime, storage, data-transfer charges, taxes where applicable, and whether it can perform the same task. A Mac electricity estimate covers energy at your meter; a cloud bill may cover a different service and workload. Comparing the two without those assumptions cannot establish savings.
Rank #3
- SIZE DOWN. POWER UP — The far mightier, way tinier Mac mini desktop computer is five by five inches of pure power. Built for Apple Intelligence.* Redesigned around Apple silicon to unleash the full speed and capabilities of the spectacular M4 Pro chip. With ports at your convenience, on the front and back.
- LOOKS SMALL. LIVES LARGE — At just five by five inches, Mac mini is designed to fit perfectly next to a monitor and is easy to place just about anywhere.
- CONVENIENT CONNECTIONS — Get connected with Thunderbolt, HDMI, and Gigabit Ethernet ports on the back and, for the first time, front-facing USB-C ports and a headphone jack.
- SUPERCHARGED BY M4 PRO — The M4 Pro chip brings extra power to take on demanding projects like working with complex scenes or compiling millions of lines of code.
- BUILT FOR APPLE INTELLIGENCE — Apple Intelligence is the personal intelligence system that helps you write, express yourself, and get things done effortlessly. With groundbreaking privacy protections, it gives you peace of mind that no one else can access your data — not even Apple.*
If you already own the Mac mini, its purchase price is not part of the incremental electricity cost. If you are deciding whether to buy one, include the purchase cost and the expected period of use alongside energy and any cloud charges; the evidence here does not supply comparable purchase or cloud figures.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Or let it run in the cloud
If your goal is to keep a YouTube channel live from uploaded videos rather than merely repeat a watch-page video, StreamNeo is a separate option: upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. It loops the uploaded video from the cloud, so your Mac and home connection do not have to stay on. This is a YouTube-only service, not a way to stream a camera feed or to calculate whether a generic cloud computer costs less than your measured Mac setup.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- LITTLE DO-IT-ALL — Mac mini packs pure power into a small, five-by-five-inch desktop as the M6 chip delivers next-level AI capabilities. Mac mini features 2.5Gb Ethernet with support for Wi-Fi 7* and Bluetooth 6, with ports on the front and back.
- M6 CHIP — Everything you do on Mac mini feels more responsive with the M6 chip and its next-generation CPU. Fly through AI workflows with up to 4.8x faster AI performance,* thanks to a Neural Accelerator in each GPU core, faster unified memory, and a Dual 16-core Neural Engine.
- CONNECT IT ALL — Features three Thunderbolt 4 ports, an HDMI port, and a 2.5Gb Ethernet port in the back, and two USB-C ports and a headphone jack in front. Supports up to three external displays. With the Apple-designed N1 wireless chip for Wi-Fi 7* and Bluetooth 6.
- A POWERFUL PLATFORM FOR AI — Apple silicon is designed to run demanding AI workflows like using huge LLMs, directly on device. And Apple Intelligence* helps you write, express yourself, and get things done effortlessly, while Siri AI* is your profoundly capable assistant — all with groundbreaking privacy protections.
- A POWERFUL PLATFORM FOR AI — Apple silicon is designed to run demanding AI workflows like using huge LLMs, directly on device.
Rank #4
- Apple-designed M1 chip for a giant leap in CPU, GPU, and machine learning performance
- 8-core CPU packs up to 3x faster performance to fly through workflows quicker than ever*
- 8-core GPU with up to 6x faster graphics for graphics-intensive apps and games*
- 16-core Neural Engine for advanced machine learning
- 8GB of unified memory so everything you do is fast and fluid
- Nothing needs to stay on at home.
- Uploaded video streams as made, up to 4K 60fps, at one flat price per slot rather than quality tiers.
- Automatic recovery if YouTube drops the stream.
- The first day is free with no card; one free day per account.
- Monthly: $9.99 per month.
Start your free StreamNeo day.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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