When the Mac Mini was first introduced in early 2005, it was billed as a compact, “simple” desktop computer and the most affordable Mac in Apple's lineup. Steve Jobs called it a “BYODKM” system– You would bring your own screen, keyboard and mouse, and the Mini would provide a reliable computing experience with all the benefits of macOS.
The Mac Mini has continued to exist ever since. There have been periods where Apple has sidelined and ignored the Mini for long periods of time. But the debut of Apple Silicon gave it a new life. Even if the overall design didn't change much in Intel's transition to Apple's in-house chips, the Mini's potential skyrocketed.
But now that design is about to change. And if the rumors turn out to be true, it will be a radical makeover. Bloomberg Mark Gurman has reported that the M4-powered Mac Mini will shrink so significantly that it will resemble an Apple TV in size. The new Mac Mini will be anything but a simplified Mac.
Instead, it will probably be the most visually impressive example yet of what Apple is capable of in this new era, where the incredible efficiency of its chips allows for all kinds of hardware designs that were technically unviable a few years ago. I haven't been this excited about a new Mac since the phenomenal M1 Pro and M1 Max MacBook Pros launched 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 them on the front of the machine. I consider that front I/O a blessing after years of having to twist the Mini to plug something in, or just guess at it. It will still have an HDMI port for those who have integrated Apple's smaller Mac into their home theater setup. USB-A is said to have disappeared, but… it's time.
Within the Mac family, the Mini continues to occupy an important place. The iMac is the visual marvel; MacBook Pro delivers tremendous power on the go; and Mac Pro and Mac Studio are aimed at professionals and creatives. But the Mini remains the line's highest-performing modest model at an attractive price for anyone who wants a Mac that “just works.”
No matter its size, the Mini's BYODKM remains one of its best attributes. Apple may not be planning a 27-inch iMac, but we're about to have a surprisingly compact desktop computer that can be paired with any display you want. And the software outlook is great, too: the refreshed Mini arrives on the heels of macOS Sequoia, which added useful features like iPhone Mirroring and (long-awaited) window tiling.
It's going to take some kind of colossal, unforeseen deciding factor to not immediately reserve the M4 Mac Mini as my new machine at home. If I have a worry, it's that Apple will find some way to artificially hold back the Mini so as not to steal too much noise from the Mac Studio. But I don't think that's the case, at least not to an egregious degree, anyway. As of now, the Studio easily wins in CPU and GPU performance, and has other advantages like an SD card slot and faster Ethernet. I hope those advantages still apply when the M4 model arrives.
Apple's Mac portfolio has never been on a better path. And for those who have stuck with the company's products for decades, that can still It may be hard to believe, even at this point in the Apple Silicon era. We've been through some dark days. But with a new Mac Mini that looks equal parts streaming box and miniature PC, Apple seems poised for another M-series marvel and a feather in its cap.
