Apple has announced its new Mac mini powered by the all-new M6 and M5 Pro chips, promising major gains in AI, graphics, CPU performance and local computing. The new desktops are available for pre-order from August 25, with customer availability beginning September 22.
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA — Apple has unveiled its latest Mac mini lineup featuring the all-new M6 and M5 Pro chips, positioning the compact desktop as a powerful machine for artificial intelligence, professional workloads and always-on agentic computing. The M6 model delivers up to 4x faster AI performance, 2x faster storage and graphics performance, and 40% faster CPU performance compared with the previous-generation Mac mini with M4.
Key Highlights
- Mac mini with M6 offers up to 4x faster AI performance and 40% faster CPU performance compared with the previous-generation M4 model.
- The M5 Pro version supports up to an 18-core CPU, 20-core GPU, 64GB unified memory and 307GB/s memory bandwidth.
- Both models feature Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and upgraded 2.5Gb Ethernet, with a 10Gb Ethernet option.
- Pre-orders began August 25, with the new Mac mini arriving from September 22.
- Mac mini with M6 starts at $899 in the U.S., while M5 Pro starts at $1,699.
Mac mini with M6 targets AI and everyday performance
The new Mac mini with M6 is designed to handle productivity tasks, creative work and AI workloads in a compact desktop format. Apple says the M6 has a 12-core CPU, adding two cores compared with the previous generation, and delivers the company’s fastest single-threaded performance.
The chip also includes a 12-core GPU with Neural Accelerators in every GPU core. Apple says this combination enables up to 4x faster AI performance and 2x faster graphics performance than the Mac mini with M4.
A new Dual 16-core Neural Engine is claimed to deliver up to twice the performance of the previous generation. The M6 Mac mini comes with 16GB of standard unified memory and can be configured with up to 32GB, while memory bandwidth reaches up to 170GB/s.
Apple highlights AI, Excel and gaming gains
Apple’s testing highlights substantial improvements across several workloads. In LM Studio, LLM prompt processing is claimed to be up to 13.5 times faster than on a Mac mini with M1 and up to 4.8 times faster than the M4 model.
For Microsoft Excel, Apple says spreadsheet calculations can be up to 2.3 times faster compared with Mac mini with M1 and up to 1.5 times faster than M4.
Gaming performance also receives an upgrade, with Apple reporting up to 2x faster ray-traced gaming performance in Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition compared with Mac mini with M4.
Mac mini with M5 Pro brings pro-level performance
The Mac mini with M5 Pro is aimed at users handling demanding professional workloads such as video production, app development, scientific simulations, 3D design, visual effects and game development.
M5 Pro can be configured with up to an 18-core CPU and a 20-core GPU. Apple says the GPU features an enhanced shader core, third-generation ray tracing and Neural Accelerators in every GPU core.
The company says these capabilities improve AI computing for tasks including photo and video upscaling and running larger diffusion models. The M5 Pro also supports up to 64GB of unified memory and provides memory bandwidth of up to 307GB/s.
M5 Pro focuses on local AI and professional workflows
Apple says the higher memory capacity and bandwidth allow users to run larger local AI models, work with complex 3D scenes, edit ProRes RAW files and load large custom datasets for research.
In LM Studio, Apple reports up to 8.5x faster LLM prompt processing compared with Mac mini with M2 Pro and up to 4x faster performance than M4 Pro.
For Blender, ray-tracing rendering is claimed to be up to 4.5 times faster than M2 Pro and up to 1.4 times faster than M4 Pro. In Affinity, Apple reports up to 2.1 times faster image processing than M2 Pro and up to 1.5 times faster than M4 Pro.
Mac mini gets Wi-Fi 7 and upgraded Ethernet
Connectivity has also been upgraded across the new Mac mini lineup. Both M6 and M5 Pro models include Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, along with 2.5Gb Ethernet.
Customers can also configure the Mac mini with a 10Gb Ethernet option. Apple is positioning the combination of compact hardware, networking and performance for use as a primary desktop or an always-on system for AI agents and creative workflows.
macOS 27 and Apple Intelligence add AI capabilities
The new Mac mini is designed to work with macOS 27 and the next generation of Apple Intelligence. Apple says Apple Intelligence features are currently available for testing through its Apple Beta Software Program and are scheduled to become available with macOS 27 this fall on supported devices and languages.
Supported Apple Intelligence languages listed by Apple include English, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish, Vietnamese, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Japanese and Korean.
Siri AI is also being tested through the Apple Beta Software Program. Apple says Siri AI will arrive with macOS 27 as a beta later this year for supported devices set to English, with additional languages planned to follow.
Mac mini M6 and M5 Pro price and availability
Pre-orders for both new Mac mini models began August 25 through Apple’s online store and Apple Store app in 30 countries and regions, including the United States. The computers will begin arriving with customers and appearing at Apple Store locations and Apple Authorized Resellers from September 22.
Mac mini with M6 starts at $899 in the U.S., while education pricing starts at $799. Mac mini with M5 Pro starts at $1,699, with a U.S. education price of $1,599.
Apple said additional technical specifications and configure-to-order options are available for the Mac mini, along with information about Studio Display, Studio Display XDR and Magic accessories.
Trade-in, education and AppleCare options
Apple Trade In allows customers to trade an existing computer for credit toward a new Mac. Apple also offers year-round education pricing to current and newly accepted college students and educators through its Education Store.
In the U.S., eligible customers using Apple Card can select Apple Card Monthly Installments at checkout for a 0% APR payment option on eligible products, subject to credit approval, credit limits and applicable terms. Apple also says eligible Apple Card purchases can provide 3% Daily Cash back.
AppleCare options include AppleCare+ for the new Mac and, in available markets, AppleCare One for customers seeking coverage across multiple products. Both plans include coverage for accidents such as drops and spills, battery replacement service and priority support from Apple Experts.
Personal Setup and macOS 27 availability
Customers purchasing directly from Apple receive access to Personal Setup, where an Apple Specialist can guide them through device setup or explain features. Apple also offers Today at Apple sessions at its retail stores to help customers learn more about their new Mac.
macOS 27 is available for testing through the Apple Beta Software Program and is planned as a free software update this fall. Apple cautions that beta features can change and that some capabilities may not be available in every region or language.
How Apple measured the new Mac mini performance
Apple said its M6 performance comparisons were conducted against previous-generation Mac mini systems with an M4 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 32GB of unified memory and a 2TB SSD. The testing was conducted by Apple in July 2026.
For M5 Pro comparisons, Apple used a previous-generation Mac mini configuration with M2 Pro, a 12-core CPU, 19-core GPU, 32GB of unified memory and an 8TB SSD. Apple says performance results are based on its own testing and may vary depending on configuration, workload and other factors.
Apple also provided additional information on recycled and renewable materials used in the product and packaging, as well as its calculations for recycled material and plastic content. The company said adhesives, inks and coatings are excluded from its packaging plastic-content calculations.
With the M6 focused on faster AI and everyday performance and the M5 Pro targeting more demanding professional workloads, Apple is positioning the new Mac mini as a compact desktop capable of handling increasingly intensive local computing and AI tasks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What chips power the new Mac mini?
The new Mac mini is available with the all-new M6 and M5 Pro chips. The M6 targets mainstream productivity, creative and AI workloads, while M5 Pro is designed for more demanding professional tasks.
How much does the new Mac mini cost?
Mac mini with M6 starts at $899 in the U.S., while Mac mini with M5 Pro starts at $1,699. Education pricing starts at $799 for M6 and $1,599 for M5 Pro.
When will the new Mac mini be available?
Pre-orders began August 25, 2026, and Apple says the new Mac mini will begin arriving with customers and reaching Apple Store locations and Authorized Resellers on September 22.
How much memory does the M5 Pro Mac mini support?
Mac mini with M5 Pro supports up to 64GB of unified memory and up to 307GB/s of memory bandwidth.
Does the new Mac mini support Wi-Fi 7?
Yes. Both new Mac mini models include Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, along with upgraded 2.5Gb Ethernet and an optional 10Gb Ethernet configuration.
What is the new Mac mini designed for?
Apple says the Mac mini can serve as a primary desktop or an always-on system for AI agents, productivity, creative workflows and professional computing.
Is Apple Intelligence available on the new Mac mini?
Apple Intelligence features are being tested through the Apple Beta Software Program and are planned for macOS 27 this fall on supported devices, languages and regions.
What is included with AppleCare?
AppleCare+ and AppleCare One, where available, provide coverage that includes accidental damage from incidents such as drops and spills, battery replacement service and priority support from Apple Experts.
Praveen Yadav is the Founder and Editor at The Nation Bulletin. With over 3 years of experience in digital journalism and news reporting, he covers national affairs, governance, and breaking current events with a commitment to factual accuracy and verified reporting.
