Apple's new Mac mini gets M6 and M5 Pro chips — and another price hike
Apple has officially launched a refreshed Mac mini powered by either the new M6 or M5 Pro chip, with pre-orders open now and units shipping September 22. The base M6 model starts at $899 — $100 more than the M4 version that launched in mid-2026 — while the M5 Pro configuration comes in at $1,699. Both are available across 30 countries from day one, per MacObserver.
The new Mac mini retains its compact 5×5-inch design while fitting significantly more processing power inside.
The chips
The M6 is built on a 2nm process and Apple claims it delivers 40% faster CPU performance, double the GPU throughput, and 4x the AI speed compared to the M4. That last number is the headline — M6 packs dual 16-core Neural Engines, a direct answer to growing demand for running AI models locally on desktop hardware. The M4 Mac mini had already become a favorite among AI developers, with supply running thin earlier in 2026 due to memory chip shortages.
The M5 Pro tier is aimed at professionals who need sustained compute for video editing, 3D rendering, and other heavy workloads. It ships with three Thunderbolt 5 ports on the rear, versus Thunderbolt 4 on the base M6. Both models get Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, 2.5Gb Ethernet, two front USB-C ports, HDMI, and a headphone jack.
Four configs, one familiar box
The Mac mini keeps its 5×5-inch footprint with improved thermal design. It ships in four configurations:
- M6, 16GB + 256GB - M6, 16GB + 512GB - M6, 24GB + 512GB - M5 Pro, 24GB + 512GB
Memory and storage are upgradeable at purchase: M6 supports up to 32GB RAM and 2TB SSD; M5 Pro goes up to 64GB RAM and 8TB SSD.
The price question
The $899 entry point is a record high for the Mac mini, and it's the second price increase in quick succession — the M4 model itself climbed from $699 to $799 before landing at $899 for M6. Macworld notes Apple is positioning M6 squarely at AI use cases rather than the budget desktop buyer. Education pricing is available at $799 (M6) and $1,599 (M5 Pro), and US military buyers get a $100 discount.
Supply could be a factor — CEO Tim Cook flagged in Q2 earnings that memory constraints may take "several months" to fully resolve. Pre-orders are live on Apple's website now.
