Apple has refreshed two of its desktop Macs with new chips and stronger AI performance. The new Mac Mini now comes with the all-new M6 chip or M5 Pro, while the Mac Studio gets M5 Max and the new M5 Ultra. The updated computers keep the same basic designs but bring a big jump in performance.
Apple says the new Mac Mini and Mac Studio are made for modern work, including AI, video editing, coding, gaming, and other heavy tasks. Both computers are available for preorder, with customer availability starting September 22.
Mac Mini Gets the New M6 Chip
The biggest news is the new M6 chip inside the Mac Mini. It is the first Apple Silicon chip built using a 2-nanometer process. The M6 has a 12-core CPU with two super cores, four performance cores, and six efficiency cores.
Apple says the M6 is up to 40 percent faster than the M4 for CPU performance. It also has a 12-core GPU with Neural Accelerators in every core. This helps the small desktop handle AI tasks faster. Apple says the M6 Mac Mini can deliver up to four times faster AI performance and twice the graphics performance compared with the M4 model.
The M6 Mac Mini starts at $899 in the US with 16GB of unified memory. It can be configured with up to 32GB of memory. The computer also supports Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and 2.5Gb Ethernet, with a 10Gb Ethernet option.
There is also a Mac Mini with M5 Pro for people who need more power. It can be configured with up to an 18-core CPU, 20-core GPU and 64GB of unified memory. This version is aimed at demanding work such as video production, 3D design, app development and AI projects.
Mac Studio Gets the M5 Ultra
The Mac Studio is the more powerful choice. It now comes with M5 Max or the new M5 Ultra. Apple calls the M5 Ultra its most powerful chip yet.
The M5 Ultra can have up to a 36-core CPU and an 80-core GPU. It can also support up to 512GB of unified memory. That huge amount of memory is especially useful for people who want to run large AI models directly on their computer instead of sending everything to the cloud.
Apple says the M5 Ultra can deliver up to 4.3 times the peak AI compute performance of the M3 Ultra. It also offers up to 1.8 times faster graphics performance compared with the previous generation.
The Mac Studio also supports Thunderbolt 5. Apple says users can connect multiple Mac Studio computers together to create a larger pool of computing power for demanding AI workloads. This could be useful for developers, researchers and professional teams working with large AI models.
Prices and Availability
The new Mac Mini with M6 starts at $899 in the US. The Mac Studio with M5 Max starts at $2,499, while the M5 Ultra version starts at $5,499. These are US starting prices and can rise with higher memory and storage options.
Both new Macs can be preordered from August 25, 2026. They are scheduled to start arriving on September 22. Apple also says the Mac Studio configuration with 512GB of unified memory will arrive later, in late October.
What This Means for Buyers
The new Mac Mini is still the small and more affordable option. The M6 model should be a good fit for everyday work, creative tasks and people who want to explore local AI without buying a large desktop.
The Mac Studio is aimed at users who need much more power. Video editors, developers, 3D artists, AI researchers and other professionals can take advantage of its stronger chips and much larger memory options.
Apple has clearly made AI a major part of these new desktops. The Mac Mini and Mac Studio are not just faster versions of the older models. They are designed to handle more AI work directly on the device while keeping the compact desktop designs that Mac users already know.
If you are planning to buy one, the Mac Mini M6 looks like the more sensible choice for most users, while the Mac Studio M5 Ultra is built for people who truly need extreme computing power.
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