Update:  The lower review was for a M1 mini 8gb/256 that ended up with a port problem that was causing issues.  Amazon took it back and I ordered this 8gb/512 to replace it.  First Apple product in 48 years that I have ever returned and that includes 42 Macs. This one still has the built in limit of 1 monitor per interface... USB and HDMI but I'm only using one on it right now anyway.  It will now boot on a Thunderbolt drive where+as the returned unit would not.  The ultra high security precautions that Apple has made on the newer machines is somewhat frustrating as frequent code words, passwords and security checks are very common and often interferes with my work flow but that is a little like complaining about having to fasten seat belts.  Photo work, especially with M1 ready apps is really a breeze.  App launch times and renders are much faster than my 5K 27" 32 GB/2TB SSD iMac and I find myself moving to this Mac Mini more and more even with the smaller single monitor.  So... it went from three stars to a 5 star machine and I almost never give 5 stars to anything. I have had no issues with this machineAs a Mac user since 1984, this is a difficult review.  I have always considered Apple products to be vastly superior to other personal computers on the market and their OS to be unquestionably the best.  Well, this Mac mini may change my mind.  First of all, if you simply want a computer to browse the internet, send email, etc., it is a speed demon expert at that.  If you want other things, like normal dual monitors, external boot drives, etc., then this computer has its issues.  Now running OS 11.3, I have no ability to boot from an external Thunderbolt 3 drive.  I had that ability with 11.1 but lost it when I upgraded the system.  Don't even think about booting from any sort of USB drive.  It will NOT work.  USB drives of any type (SSD, HD, Thumb) serve as file storage containers... not boot drives.  The monitor situation is truly strange.  A HDMI and a USB-C monitor will work together but it will not support two HDMI or two USB-C monitors.  I finally settled on one HDMI and one VGA (through a USB-C VGA hub).  They seem to work well together.  I also attempted to use the Luna Display adapter for allowing my iPad Air to be a first or second display.  You cannot use the VGA adapter or any type adapter when the Luna adapter is plugged into the USB-C port or the Luna will not work.  There are sometimes costs to being early adapters and this seems to be the case with the  M1 Mac mini.  Though it does read/writes to its custom memory at nearly 3000MBs and loads native software very rapidly, it really just isn't ready for prime time yet for a lot of users.  OK, maybe the base mini isn't considered a power user's machine but I'm not asking for things out of the ordinary.  My Intel based Macs have no issues with adapters, monitors, SSD drives or anything else.  They just work... and one is 12 years old.  I admire Apple for their attempt to make a totally secure OS but when it creates huge issues for the end user, it becomes counterproductive.  This machine has great potential but has to get over the peripheral hump before it is really a bargain.  Maybe the next macOS Big Sur update............