Is each Mac a dedicated physical machine?
Yes. Each Mac mini is a physical machine allocated to a single customer. It isn't a virtual machine, and its CPU, memory and storage aren't shared with anyone else.
How quickly can a Mac be provisioned?
It depends on current inventory and how many machines you need. Send a request with your quantity and preferred start date, and we'll confirm availability and a provisioning date before you commit.
Is there a minimum commitment?
The Mac mini M4 Pro is $299 per month. Reserving for one to three years lowers the monthly rate. Your quote states the exact term before you sign up.
Is the hardware KVM included?
No, it's an optional add-on with an extra monthly charge. The KVM is attached to the Mac's display output and keyboard and mouse input and reached over Tailscale, so you can see and control the console from power-on. Use it to watch the boot process, start up in macOS Recovery, reinstall macOS, or fix a network setting that locked you out of SSH.
Can we install our own software?
Yes. You have full administrator access, so you can install Xcode, runner agents, test frameworks, model runtimes and any other macOS software you need.
Can we use our own VPN, Tailscale or MDM?
Yes. Each Mac is reachable over direct IPv4, and you can install Tailscale, a VPN client or other agents yourself and manage them like any other Mac in your fleet. You can enroll the Mac in your MDM using user-approved enrollment; if you need Automated Device Enrollment through Apple Business Manager, ask us first. Mintforge doesn't provide a managed VPN or MDM service.
What networking is included?
Each Mac is reachable over direct IPv4. If your workload needs a specific port speed, transfer volume, IPv6 or additional addresses, include that in your request and we'll confirm what we can provide.
What happens to our data when the service ends?
Every Mac is erased before it's assigned to another customer. We restore it in DFU mode with Apple Configurator, which erases the internal storage and reinstalls macOS, then verify the result and log the serial number and date. We can send written confirmation on request. Mintforge doesn't keep backups, so copy off anything you need first. The full process is on our Security page.
Can this replace a hosted testing cloud?
If your tests run on Safari, WebKit or the iOS Simulator, often yes. You run your own tools on dedicated macOS, and parallel capacity depends on how many Macs you rent rather than a plan's session limit. Mintforge provides the hardware, not a managed testing platform, and doesn't offer physical iOS devices.
How does this compare with AWS EC2 Mac?
EC2 Mac instances run on Dedicated Hosts that are allocated for a minimum of 24 hours, then billed per second, with prices that vary by hardware generation and region. Mintforge rents a dedicated Mac by the month at a published price, with full administrator access, direct IPv4 and an optional hardware KVM. We don't offer hourly rentals, so for short, occasional jobs an hourly provider may suit you better. For machines that run all month, a flat rate is simpler to budget.
When will Mac Studio and GPU compute be available?
Both are in early access. Tell us your workload and the hardware you have in mind, and we'll follow up about configurations and timing.