When the Mac Mini was first introduced in early 2005, it was promoted as a compact, ‘stripped down’ desktop – and the most affordable Mac in Apple’s range. Steve Jobs called it a “BYODKM” system: you would bring your own monitor, keyboard and mouse, and the Mini would provide a reliable computing experience with all the benefits of macOS.

Since then, the Mac Mini has continued. There have been periods where the Mini has been sidelined and ignored by Apple for long periods of time. But the debut of Apple Silicon gave it new life. Even though the overall design didn’t change much during Intel’s transition to Apple’s in-house chips, the Mini’s potential soared.

But now that design is about to change. And if the rumors are true, it will be a radical makeover. BloombergMark Gurman has reported that the M4-powered Mac Mini will shrink so significantly in size that its footprint will resemble that of an Apple TV. The new Mac Mini will be everything But a stripped down Mac.

Instead, it will likely be the most visually impressive example yet of what Apple is capable of in this new era, where the incredible efficiency of its chips enables all kinds of hardware designs that were technically unfeasible just a few years ago. I haven’t been this excited about a new Mac since the phenomenal M1 Pro and M1 Max MacBook Pros came out in 2021.

Gurman has said that the 2024 Mac Mini – at least the M4 Pro variant – will include a total of five USB-C ports, two of which are on the front of the machine. I consider that front I/O a godsend after years of having to turn the Mini over to connect something – or just guess at it. There’s still an HDMI port for those of you who have integrated Apple’s smallest Mac into your home theater setup. It’s said that USB-A is a flop, but… it’s time.

The Mini still occupies an important place within the Mac family. The iMac is the visual stunner; the MacBook Pro delivers enormous power on the go; and the Mac Pro and Mac Studio are both aimed at professionals and creatives. But the Mini remains the modest overperformer of the series, at an attractive price for anyone who wants a Mac that “just works.”

Regardless of size, the Mini’s BYODKM remains one of its best features. Apple may not be planning a 27-inch iMac, but we’re about to have an amazingly compact desktop that can be paired with any display you want. And the software prospects are excellent too: the updated Mini arrives shortly after macOS Sequoia, which added useful features like iPhone mirroring and (long overdue) window tiling.

It’s going to take a colossal, unforeseen dealbreaker for me not to immediately reserve the M4 Mac Mini as my new home machine. If I have one concern, it’s that Apple will find a way to artificially hold back the Mini so as not to steal too much thunder from the Mac Studio. But I don’t think that will be the case – at least not to an egregious degree. As of now, the Studio wins easily in CPU and GPU performance, and has other bonuses like an SD card slot and faster Ethernet. I would expect these benefits to remain true when the M4 model arrives.

Apple’s Mac portfolio has never been on a better path. And for those who have been loyal to the company’s products for decades, you can still hard to believe – even this deep into the age of Apple Silicon. We have had some dark days. But with a new Mac Mini that appears to be both a streaming box and a miniature PC, Apple appears ready for another M-series wonder – and with a feather in its cap.