Apple has refreshed its smallest desktop, giving the Mac mini a choice of two new Apple Silicon chips: the standard M6 and the higher-end M5 Pro. Apple is pitching the update heavily around AI workloads, alongside the usual gains in everyday speed.
Mac Mini with M6
The base M6 chip steps up to a 12-core CPU and 12-core GPU, both gaining two cores over the previous generation. For the first time on a Mac mini, the GPU cores include dedicated Neural Accelerators, which Apple says delivers up to 4x faster AI performance and 2x faster graphics compared to the M4 model it replaces. A new 16-core Neural Engine (doubled up, running two in parallel) is rated at up to 2x faster than before. Memory starts at 16GB and can be configured up to 32GB, with memory bandwidth rising to 170GB/s.
Mac Mini with M5 Pro
For more demanding work, the M5 Pro option scales up to an 18-core CPU and 20-core GPU, aimed at tasks like video rendering, 3D work, and app development. It supports up to 64GB of unified memory with 307GB/s of bandwidth — enough, Apple says, to run larger local AI models and work with complex 3D scenes or large research datasets without slowing down.
Connectivity and Ports
Both versions now support Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, along with upgraded 2.5Gb Ethernet (with a 10Gb option available). The M6 version includes three Thunderbolt 4 ports on the back; the M5 Pro version steps up to three Thunderbolt 5 ports, which Apple says can be used to link multiple Mac minis together for running larger AI models across machines. Both keep two front USB-C ports and a headphone jack.
Software
The new Mac mini ships alongside macOS 27, which brings Apple's newer Siri AI assistant and a broader set of Apple Intelligence features built into apps like Safari, Shortcuts, and Photos.
"It's the little Mac that can do it all," said Johny Srouji, Apple's chief hardware officer, of the Mac mini's versatility across home, studio, and always-on business use.
Pricing and Availability
The Mac mini with M6 starts at $899 ($799 for education), while the M5 Pro version starts at $1,699 ($1,599 for education). Pre-orders are open now in 30 countries and regions, including the US, with units arriving starting September 22.
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