Apple has introduced a new Mac Mini and Mac Studio, the former with the new M6 and M5 Pro processors and the latter with the M5 Max and M5 Ultra.
Mac Mini
The new Mac Mini offers up to four-times faster AI performance and two times faster graphics and storage, says Apple. Boasting the new M6 and M5 Pro, the ultra-compact unit is designed for demanding tasks like video production and game development. It comes with both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 6, and upgraded 2.5Gb Ethernet with a 10Gb option.
Powered by macOS 27 and next-gen Apple Intelligence, you get a 12-core CPU with M6 and a new Dual 16-core Neural Engine that Apple says delivers up to two-times faster performance than the previous generation. It comes with 16GB of standard unified memory configurable up to 32GB, as well as higher memory bandwidth up to 170GB/s.
The model with M5 Pro features up to an 18-core CPU and up to a 20-core GPU with an enhanced shader core and third-generation ray tracing for complex work in 3D design, VFX, and game development. With Neural Accelerators in each GPU core, M5 Pro also delivers significant gains in AI compute compared to the previous Mac mini, says Apple.
Mac mini with M5 Pro supports up to 64GB of unified memory with 307GB/s of memory bandwidth.
On its front are two USB-C ports that support USB 3 and a headphone jack with high-impedance headphone support. On the back, there are three Thunderbolt 4 ports on Mac mini with M6, and three Thunderbolt 5 ports on Mac mini with M5 Pro, along with HDMI and Ethernet. Thunderbolt 5 also allows you to cluster multiple Mac mini systems together to run large AI models entirely on device. Genlock support through USB-C enables precise synchronization between a display and camera, including iPhone 17 Pro.
The new Mac mini is available for pre-order now and will arrive in stores on September 22, 2026. Mac mini with M6 starts at $1,249 and $1,109 for education, while Mac mini with M5 Pro starts at $2,399 and $2,259 for education.
Mac Studio
The Mac Studio delivers a leap in AI performance and even faster graphics for demanding pro workflows while retaining its compact design. It features up to 4.3 times faster AI performance, up to two times faster storage, up to 1.8 times faster graphics, and up to 1.3 times faster CPU speed, along with higher memory bandwidth,
Mac Studio with M5 Max features an 18-core CPU, an up-to-40-core GPU with Neural Accelerators built into each core, and up to 128GB of unified memory. With M5 Ultra, Mac Studio scales up to a 36-core CPU, up to an 80-core GPU, and a staggering 512GB of unified memory, enabling users to run enormous LLMs entirely on device.
Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 come to Mac Studio for the first time, while Thunderbolt 5 rounds out its extensive connectivity. Thunderbolt 5 also enables multiple Mac Studio systems to be clustered, bringing up to three-times faster performance for distributed AI inference when compared to a single system.
You can pre-order the new Mac Studio with M5 Max and M5 Ultra starting today and it will be in stores on September 22, 2026, while Mac Studio with 512GB of unified memory is coming in late October. Mac Studio with M5 Max starts at $3,499 and $3,219 for education, and Mac Studio with M5 Ultra starts at $7,799 and $7,229 for education.