New Mac mini, featuring M6 and M5 Pro
Article URL: https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2026/08/apple-unveils-a-more-powerful-mac-mini-featuring-the-all-new-m6-and-m5-pro/ Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49433450 Points: 268 # Comments: 139
August 25, 2026
PRESS RELEASE
Apple’s new Mac mini, featuring M6 and M5 Pro, delivers a massive leap in AI performance, supercharging the leading desktop for always-on agentic computing
Mac mini delivers up to 4x faster AI performance, up to 2x faster graphics and storage, along with enhanced connectivity — all in its ultracompact footprint
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today announced the new Mac mini with the all-new M6 and powerful M5 Pro, delivering a dramatic boost in performance and even more versatility in its supersmall desktop design. With M6, Mac mini now delivers up to 4x faster AI performance,1 2x faster storage2 and graphics,1 and 40 percent faster CPU performance.1 Everything on Mac mini with M6 feels incredibly fast, from everyday productivity tasks to agentic AI workflows. Mac mini with M5 Pro delivers even more pro-level performance to breeze through demanding projects, from video production to game development. And this new level of performance takes on business workflows with ease whether Mac mini is being used as a primary desktop or for always-on, deskside agentic computing. Both Mac mini models include Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, as well as upgraded 2.5Gb Ethernet, with a 10Gb option available. Combined with the power of macOS 27 and the next generation of Apple Intelligence,3 including Siri AI,4 the new Mac mini is a tremendous upgrade for existing and new-to-Mac users. The new Mac mini is available for pre-order starting today, with availability beginning September 22.
“Mac mini has always been our most versatile Mac. Whether it’s being used as a home computer, powering a professional studio, or as an always-on agentic device, it’s the little Mac that can do it all,” said Johny Srouji, Apple’s chief hardware officer. “Today, we’re taking this versatility even further. With a more powerful CPU and graphics, Neural Accelerators in the GPU, and higher memory bandwidth, Mac mini with M6 delivers a whole new level of AI performance. And with up to an 18-core CPU and 20-core GPU, Mac mini with M5 Pro is an ultracompact powerhouse for complex pro workflows. We can’t wait to see all the incredible ways people will use it next.”
Mac mini with the All-New M6
A Pint-Sized AI Powerhouse
Mac mini with M6 can power through everything from productivity tasks to creative projects, the latest AI workflows, and more. M6 features a 12-core CPU — two more cores than before — with the world’s fastest single-threaded performance, so everything feels extra snappy and responsive. A 12-core GPU, also with two more cores than before, now includes Neural Accelerators in each core for the first time on Mac mini, resulting in up to 4x faster AI performance and 2x faster graphics than Mac mini with M4.1 In addition, the all-new Dual 16-core Neural Engine delivers up to 2x faster performance than the previous generation, and combined with the advanced GPU, Mac mini is a powerhouse for all things AI.1 And with 16GB of standard unified memory configurable up to 32GB, as well as higher memory bandwidth up to 170GB/s, multitasking is faster than ever.
Mac mini with M6 delivers:2
- Up to 13.5x faster LLM prompt processing in LM Studio when compared to Mac mini with M1, and up to 4.8x faster than M4.
- Up to 2.3x faster spreadsheet calculations in Microsoft Excel when compared to Mac mini with M1, and up to 1.5x faster than M4.
- Up to 2x faster gaming performance with ray tracing in Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition when compared to Mac mini with M4.
Mac mini with M5 Pro
Unprecedented Pro Performance
Mac mini with M5 Pro redefines what’s possible on such a small desktop, enabling pro users to take on demanding workflows like app development, video rendering, scientific simulations, and more. M5 Pro features up to an 18-core CPU with remarkable multithreaded performance 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, allowing users to tackle more advanced AI workflows like photo and video upscaling, and running large diffusion models faster than ever. Mac mini with M5 Pro supports up to 64GB of unified memory with 307GB/s of memory bandwidth, enabling users to run even larger local AI models, work with complex 3D scenes, edit ProRes RAW files, and load large custom datasets for research. And with industry-leading performance per watt, Mac mini with M5 Pro is quiet, efficient, and ideal as an always-on desktop for AI agents or creative workflows.
Mac mini with M5 Pro delivers:
- Up to 8.5x faster LLM prompt processing performance5 in LM Studio when compared to Mac mini with M2 Pro, and up to 4x faster than M4 Pro.2
- Up to 4.5x faster rendering performance5 with ray tracing in Blender when compared to Mac mini with M2 Pro, and up to 1.4x faster than M4 Pro.2
- Up to 2.1x faster image processing5 in Affinity when compared to Mac mini with M2 Pro, and up to 1.5x faster than M4 Pro.2
Best-in-Class Connectivity
The new Mac mini with M6 and M5 Pro now supports Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, as well as 2.5Gb Ethernet for faster wired connectivity, with 10Gb available. On its front are two USB-C ports that support USB 3 and a headphone jack with high-impedance headphone support for convenient access. 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 users to cluster multiple Mac mini systems together to run large AI models entirely on device. And newly added genlock support through USB-C enables precise synchronization between a display and camera, including iPhone 17 Pro.
macOS 27 Golden Gate: An Unrivaled Experience
The new Mac mini comes to life with the upcoming macOS 27, which includes Siri AI, a profoundly more capable and personal assistant; helpful Apple Intelligence features across everyday apps; and an expansive set of improvements that make the Mac even more responsive and reliable. Siri AI can draw on personal context to help users find what they need in the moment across their messages, emails, and photos; answer questions about virtually any topic; and get things done across apps. Siri AI is integrated into Spotlight and systemwide context menus, and users can ask Siri about what’s on their display with Visual Intelligence using a dedicated keyboard shortcut. Users can also write and edit with Siri almost anywhere they type.
Additionally, Apple Intelligence makes apps smarter and more useful with new ways to tailor and organize browsing in Safari, easily create an automation in Shortcuts by simply describing it, and tap into advanced photo editing in the Photos app. Features users already rely on get even better with improvements to performance and search. Refinements to Liquid Glass improve readability, and add uniform toolbars, edge-to-edge sidebars, and updated window shapes and menu bar icons, enabling users to further personalize its appearance.
Mac mini and the Environment
The new Mac mini was built with the environment in mind and drives progress toward Apple’s ambitious plan to be carbon neutral across its entire footprint by 2030. It is made with 50 percent recycled material overall,6 including 100 percent recycled aluminum in the enclosure and 100 percent recycled rare earth elements in all magnets. All of the electricity used to manufacture Mac mini is sourced from renewable energy, like wind and solar, across the supply chain, and Apple has also invested in enough renewable energy around the world to match the electricity customers use to power Mac mini. Like all Apple products, its paper packaging is 100 percent fiber-based and can be easily recycled at home.7
Pricing and Availability
- Customers can pre-order the new Mac mini with M6 and M5 Pro starting today, August 25, on apple.com/store and in the Apple Store app in 30 countries and regions, including the U.S. It will begin arriving to customers, and in Apple Store locations and Apple Authorized Resellers, starting September 22.
- Mac mini with M6 starts at $899 (U.S.) and $799 (U.S.) for education. Additional technical specifications are available at apple.com/mac-mini.
- Mac mini with M5 Pro starts at $1,699 (U.S.) and $1,599 (U.S.) for education. Additional technical specifications are available at apple.com/mac-mini.
- Additional technical specifications, configure-to-order options, and information on Studio Display, Studio Display XDR, and Magic accessories are available at apple.com/mac.
- macOS 27 is available for testing in public beta through the Apple Beta Software Program at beta.apple.com, with availability as a free software update this fall. For more information, visit apple.com/macos. Features are subject to change. Some features may not be available in all regions or in all languages.
- With Apple Trade In, customers can trade in their current computer and get credit toward a new Mac. Customers can visit apple.com/shop/trade-in to see what their device is worth. With year-round education pricing — available to current and newly accepted college students and educators — customers can save on Mac mini, along with a wide range of products and services through the Apple Store online and in stores. See Apple’s Education Store for details. Customers in the U.S. who shop at Apple using Apple Card can pay monthly at 0 percent APR when they choose to check out with Apple Card Monthly Installments,8 and they’ll get 3 percent Daily Cash back — all up front.9 More information — including details on eligibility, exclusions, and Apple Card terms — is available at apple.com/apple-card/monthly-installments.
- AppleCare delivers exceptional service and support, with flexible options for Apple users. Customers can choose AppleCare+ to cover their new Mac, or, in available markets, AppleCare One to protect multiple products in one simple plan. Both plans include coverage for accidents like drops and spills, battery replacement service, and priority support from Apple Experts. For more information, visit apple.com/applecare.
- Every customer who buys directly from Apple gets access to Personal Setup. In these guided online sessions, a Specialist can walk them through setup or focus on features that will help them make the most of their new device. Customers can also learn more about getting started and going further with their new device with a Today at Apple session at their nearest Apple Store.
Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, AirPods, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro. Apple’s six software platforms — iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, visionOS, and tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, iCloud, and Apple TV. Apple’s more than 150,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth and to leaving the world better than we found it.
- Results are compared to previous-generation Mac mini systems with Apple M4, 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 32GB of unified memory, and 2TB SSD.
- Testing was conducted by Apple in July 2026. See apple.com/mac-mini for more information.
- Apple Intelligence features are currently available for testing through the Apple Beta Software Program, and will be available with macOS 27 this fall for users with an Apple Intelligence-enabled device set to a supported language. Apple Intelligence is available with support for these languages: English, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish, Vietnamese, Chinese (simplified), Chinese (traditional), Japanese, and Korean. Some features may not be available in all regions or languages. For feature and language availability and system requirements, see apple.com/apple-intelligence.
- Siri AI is currently available for testing through the Apple Beta Software Program. Siri AI will be available with macOS 27 as a beta later this year for users with a supported device set to English, and Apple will quickly expand support for more languages.
- Results are compared to previous-generation Mac mini systems with Apple M2 Pro, 12-core CPU, 19-core GPU, 32GB of unified memory, and 8TB SSD.
- Product recycled or renewable content is the mass of certified recycled material relative to the overall mass of the device, not including packaging or in-box accessories. Recycled and renewable plastic content calculation includes mass balance allocation.
- Breakdown of U.S. retail packaging by weight. Adhesives, inks, and coatings are excluded from calculations of plastic content and packaging weight.
- Apple Card Monthly Installments (ACMI) is a 0 percent APR payment option that is only available if users select it at checkout in the U.S. for eligible products purchased at Apple and is subject to credit approval and credit limit. See support.apple.com/en-us/102730 for more information about eligible products. Additional limits and restrictions apply. See the Apple Card Customer Agreement for more information about ACMI.
- Apple Card is subject to credit approval, available only for qualifying applicants in the United States and issued by Goldman Sachs Bank USA, Salt Lake City Branch.
Press Contacts
Michelle Del Rio
Apple
Starlayne Meza
Apple
Apple Media Helpline
Originally published on Hacker News (Best)
