Apple announced the new Mac mini with M6 and M5 Pro today, introducing its first 2nm processor in the base M6 model, which starts at $899 and includes the company’s first-ever dual Neural Engine with two 16-core engines. The M5 Pro tier starts at $1,699. This marks the first Mac mini refresh in nearly two years; pre-orders open today with availability beginning September 22.
The M6 chip features a 12-core CPU, up from the M4’s 10-core design, along with a 12-core GPU. The chip introduces all three of Apple’s CPU core types: two super cores, four performance cores, and six efficiency cores. Memory bandwidth increases to 170GB/s, up from 153GB/s on the M5 and 120GB/s on the M4.
Performance Gains Across Tasks
The M6 delivers up to 4x faster AI performance overall. In LM Studio, the M6 offers up to 13.5x faster LLM prompt processing compared to the M1 Mac mini and up to 4.8x faster than the M4. For spreadsheet work in Microsoft Excel, it achieves 2.3x faster calculations versus the M1 and 1.5x faster than the M4. Gaming performance with ray tracing in Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition reaches 2x the speed of the M4.
The M5 Pro tier delivers even more power for professional workloads. It comes in two configurations: a 15-core CPU with 16-core GPU, or an 18-core CPU with 20-core GPU. M5 Pro achieves up to 8.5x faster LLM prompt processing in LM Studio compared to the M2 Pro and up to 4x faster than the M4 Pro. The GPU includes an enhanced shader core and third-generation ray tracing. Neural Accelerators in each GPU core accelerate AI workflows like photo and video upscaling and running large diffusion models.
Connectivity and Configuration
Both new models support Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, replacing the Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 on the previous 2024 models, with a new genlock feature that enables precise synchronization between a display and camera, including the iPhone 17 Pro.
The Ethernet port is now 2.5 Gigabit by default, with a 10 Gigabit option available. M6 models use Thunderbolt 4 ports; M5 Pro models use Thunderbolt 5. Port configuration across both includes two front USB-C ports, a front headphone jack, three rear Thunderbolt ports, a rear HDMI port, and the Ethernet port. The M6 model can be configured with up to 32GB of unified RAM and up to a 2TB SSD. The M5 Pro scales higher, with up to 64GB of RAM and up to an 8TB SSD.
The design remains unchanged from the previous generation, and both models continue to ship in silver only.
Why Apple Skipped M5 for the Base Model
Apple’s decision to use M6 for the base configuration instead of M5 reflects broader supply constraints and demand pressures. The Mac mini has become a popular choice for running AI agents, and shipping times had extended to 4-10 weeks before this announcement. By moving the base tier to M6, Apple delivers stronger AI capabilities to everyday users and developers while consolidating its chip portfolio. The M5 Pro moves to the professional tier, where it first debuted in the MacBook Pro earlier this year.
Manufacturing and Software
Apple’s Advanced Manufacturing Center in Houston will begin manufacturing the Mac mini this year, adding domestic production capacity. The new models ship with macOS 27, which Apple describes as delivering improvements to Mac responsiveness and reliability.
The $100 base price increase is notable in a market where budget-conscious creators and AI enthusiasts have driven Mac mini demand. Whether the dual Neural Engines and 2nm process justify the premium will depend on how quickly macOS 27 and third-party apps can exploit them.
| Specification | M6 | M5 Pro (15-core) | M5 Pro (18-core) |
|---|---|---|---|
| CPU Cores | 12 (2 super, 4 performance, 6 efficiency) | 15 | 18 |
| GPU Cores | 12 | 16 | 20 |
| Neural Engine | Dual 16-core engines | Neural Accelerators in GPU cores | Neural Accelerators in GPU cores |
| Memory Bandwidth | 170GB/s | 273GB/s | 273GB/s |
| Max Unified RAM | 32GB | 64GB | 64GB |
| Max SSD | 2TB | 8TB | 8TB |
| Thunderbolt Ports | Thunderbolt 4 | Thunderbolt 5 | Thunderbolt 5 |
| Starting Price | $899 | $1,699 | Higher |
